please spring, Spring!

Spring is being really slow on the uptake this year, what with two threats of snow since the official first day last week. Super lame, especially since I shiver dramatically at any temperatures below, ooh, 64 degrees. But luckily I'm the stoic type, and can cling to all the great things that are around the corner. Along with raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, here are a few of my favorite things (about Springs!):

1. The Farmers Market - Starting a whole month early this year, the JFX Farmer's Market kicks off this Sunday, April 3rd! It's probably still a tad early for much produce, but my mouth waters at the thought of the dairy and bakery and smoothies and coffee,and....oh, my, I can't wait! After recently reading a wonderfully written letter to the public by a small business owner about how every little effort to support local entrepreneurs makes a difference, I am filled with desire to do just that! Who wants to join me?

2. The Color Green - No, I don't mean money (though Spring is a lovely time for real estate....), I mean leaves! And grass! And vines and creepers! Even WEEDS make me happy after a whole winter of various shades of brown. I really have my work cut out for me this year with my garden and planters, which are currently in major disarray. But just thinking about how lovely my (itsy bitsy teeny weeny) back patio is when in full bloom makes me relish all the digging and planting I have in my future.

3. Patterson Park - Ooooh the park in the spring is just the best thing on earth! I consider myself outrageously lucky to be able to look out my window every morning and watch color creep back into the park's flora. Even before the trees and grass become lush and green, the park begins to fill with people. Old and young, rich and poor, it doesn't matter. Everyone can enjoy a lovely public park, and the first warm days of Spring are like a siren song. Complain all you like about how the warmer months make it harder to park because of the flocks of park-goers - I'll take a busy, well-used park over easy parking any day.
4. My Beach Cruiser - Most of the year I consider my 3 zillion pound beach cruiser to be one of the worst investments I've ever made. Most, but not all. In the Spring that bike is the best thing on earth.The basket is perfect for groceries, farmers market purchases, or...my dog.

And the bell! The bell calls out for friendship, I swear. Even though getting it in and out of the house is a feat of true physical

strength and determination, I have hopes of forming a posse of fel

low bikers to cruise the streets. [Public Service Announcement: Dear auto drivers, please please please understand how terrifying it is when you swish by me with a 7 inch clearance from my leather-bound handlebars. My heart is literally somewhere in my throat, choking me with terror.]

5. My Birthday! - As an Aries (April 12th, baby!) I live with hope eternal that I can have an outdoor birthday party. Pretty much every year I do, but I can't claim that it is exactly...pleasant. But I hold out! Even if it's slightly damp and reasonably chilly, I swear there's promise in the air of warmer weather soon to come. I like to think of raindrops as little drops of hope and life for all the flowers soon to come.

6. EcoFest - Totally cheating that I'm putting this on here since I've never actually been before, but I am going this year! And will be loads of fun! And N is playing music and a friend of mine is making/selling food! Come with me!

So you see, even though the weather is still bonafide horrible, there are just so many great things around the corner! Oh, and can I add one more? 7. I'm back to blogging.

love k.

ogle some opens

Wonder what those big park front houses are like inside? Thinking you may be ready for a larger home with a view of the park? This Sunday you can satisfy your "nosy neighbor" inner voyeur with TWO of my park front listings open from 12-2 p.m.! You have no idea how long it took me to design this flier, so I'll give you a second to admire it appropriately ;-) :
You'll notice it's a touch hard to read the writing on an 8.5x11 page reduced to index card size, so... 2820 E Baltimore ($325,000) and 2802 E Baltimore ($359,000), open 12-2 on Sunday the 11th.

But on a more serious note, the time is right to think of a "move-up" purchase, as prices are low, inventory rocks, and who doesn't love low interest rates (set to stop being artificially suppressed in the next several months)?

Come to see them yourselves, or send that friend you've been nagging to move in to our neighborhood - I have a feeling it'll be love at first ogle.

love k

Patterson Park Real Estate Newsletter

Each month I put together a newsletter for Patterson Park with recent listings, sales and contracts, a featured real estate article, as well as neighborhood news and events. A strong, healthy community is an informed community so I do what I can to help make that possible!

To read this month's issue head to the yahoo group, the ning group, the facebook group, or online here. Or make your life easier and email me to join the mailing list.

Anyways, have a look and see what's been happening and what to do this month!

love k

wil they, won't they... will YOU?

The clock is starting to tick down on the $8000 First Time Buyer Tax Credit, set to expire at midnight on November 30th. While those of us in the industry are petitioning our hearts out to have it extended, as of now there is certainly no guarantee that the credit will continue. There is of course a lot of posturing about if this Federal Housing tax credit will be extended, increased, altered, or ended, but I would encourage you to assess your own housing situation as well as that of your friends, family, or colleagues. It's a perfect opportunity for you to toot the ol' Patterson Park horn, as we are a prime-priced neighborhood for first time buyers!

Here are some points to consider or bring up with others:

1. Buying a home can save you money - You'll save on taxes because your home purchase will give you what's most likley your biggest tax deduction - the interest on your mortgage.

2. Stabilize Housing Costs - As a renter, you may be subject to rent increases with each renewal, but with a fixed rate mortgage you can look forward to the same monthly principal and interest payment as long as you own the home

3. Build Wealth -Historically, property values tend to increase over time, especially if you're looking at a 5 or more year span. In fact, as a general rule homes are people's largest concentration of wealth and their biggest asset

4. Personal Gains - Owning a home has its challenges (no landlord to call to fix a leaky pipe!), but it also has its rewards, through a sense of personal gratification and the pride of home ownership. Talk to anyone about the satisfaction they felt upon buying a home and making it their own and you'll see why "home is where the heart is."

There are many other reasons to set your eyes on home ownership or to advise those you love to do so for their own financial, lifestyle, and emotional reasons. The current market offers unprecedented opportunities for first-time and move-up buyers alike. With extraordinary inventory, historically low interest rates, and negotiable prices, this is the time to consider your best move.

love kimi

green scene, financial facts, and real real estate

Grab your schedules and plan ahead to head down the street to the waterfront for this great event at my office in Canton. We'll have experts from various fields (Want to green your home? Plan some investments? Find out about mortgages?), wine and cheese, and some give-away treats and prizes for our four-legged friends. Of course, you'll also have the pleasure of my company and the chance to see my sweet sweet office. You can also meet those ducks I've been going on and on about too...

But seriously, this is a great chance to ask questions of the pros, learn a few things, and bring along a friend you think might want to, say, move in to our neighborhood?

love k

of the arts and the 80's

For the first time in Baltimore history (or at least as many years as I've lived here), the weekend of Artscape was just gorgeous. With over 150 artists, great bands neat performers, and delicious food vendors, it's no wonder that Patterson Parkers were out in full force to take in America's largest free arts festival. In no time, we'd found each other (both by plan and coincidence) and did what we do best - socialize! Here are a few pictures I snapped that evening:

The rest of the week disappeared in a blur of settlements, contracts, and listings (Woohoo! Yay market picking up up up!), but this weekend more than made up for it. Friday brought another gorgeous evening, so N and I had a lovely, leisurely dinner at Three... With the sun setting over the park, great food and drinks, and neighbors stopping by our table to say hi and help us with our crossword, I got my regularl reminder of why I love where I live so very very much. Saturday was a little more on the go, however, with a neighborhood association board meeting (more on this another day) at my house, a listing appointment down the road, and then two great neighborhood parties. The first was a good ol' fashioned neighborhood house party, made better by it being put on my a fabulous host - truly, we had fantastic food and drinks in a beautiful home with the best roof deck I've ever seen. This roofdeck offered a pretty rad view of the storm rolling in over the city-scape.

But alas we could not dally too long, for we had a fundraiser to get to at Three..., benefiting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. A neighborhood resident plans to run the Baltimore Marathon in October, donating all the funds he raises to the LLS. A great crowd attended, with a nice mix of familiar faces and newbies partaking in delicious beverages, hitting the dance floor, and entering a raffle.

Oh, did I mention it was 80's themed?

love k

promising stats for patterson park properties

Did you read the Sun Paper today? There was a great article on the front page about the positive effect hat the increased inventory in the $250,000 is having on the market. Didn't see it? Well, what are you waiting for?

Here is the short story of why this is positive news for Patterson Park: If you read my monthly Patterson Park Real Estate Newsletter, you've probably noticed loads of houses in the under-$250,000 available in our neighborhood. While this may make some of you cringe when you think of what you bought your house for a few years ago (believe me I feel your pain), it's a good thing for our long-term growth. With these lower prices coupled with the $8,000 tax credit, lots of first-time buyers, previously unable to afford to buy, are moving out of rentals and in to homes of their own at a much higher rate than several years ago. In fact, it seems that first-time home buyers currently comprise a majority of buyers.

The effect of this is two fold: First, it will start to clear the high housing inventory, which will in turn stabilize the market and stimulate prices in the future (remember the whole supply and demand concept from Econ 101?). Second, when first-time buyers can purchase starter homes, it enables those sellers to purchase move-up homes of their own, starting a chain reaction that jump-starts the housing market.

Patterson Park's inventory is right in the pricing-point sweet spot right now for first-time buyers. Now's the time to brag about our neighborhood to your friends who are on the fence about buying, or give it some thought for yourself. We live in extraordinary times, friends, so make the most of them and keep a positive outlook.

love k

duck tails

Sometimes, I'm totally giddy when I think about how many cool/fun things to do Patterson Park presents one with. The other day, N and I found ourselves with some time to kill on a beautiful afternoon. We took some left over bread we had lying around over to the Boat Lake and fed the ducks, whom we had named a few weeks back doing the same thing (for the record, Veronica is very sweet, has a gnarly beak, and will eat out of your hand; Marta, however, is bossy, large and very loud). This time, there were lots of little ducklings, as well as a few teenage ducks that were starting to stray from their parents' watchful eyes. My, how quickly they grow up...

The first time we went, I'm pretty sure N didn't really think the activity would be all that fun, and was mostly just humoring me (which I appreciate in and of itself). However, I think he came around in the end, and was kinda stoked to go back - I mean, ducks! Who doesn't love feeding ducks! If you haven't been to the boat lake in a while you really ought to save some bread next time you're finishing a loaf and head over on a nice afternoon or evening.

My camera died after only a few photos...


Completely unrelated....I took this photo from the master bedroom of a house I showed on Ellwood the other day. Somebody, please buy it from me so I can come admire this view whenever I want!
love k