Archive for November, 2011
Ways To Celebrate The Holidays In The Maryland Metropolitan Area?
Ways To Celebrate The Holidays In The Maryland Metropolitan Area?
We have now gotten past Thanksgiving and it is time to celebrate the holidays. There are many options. Listed below are a few you may enjoy!
Gaithersburg Winter Lights Festival
Pretend your car is Sana's sleigh and ride through the Gaithersburg Winter Lights Festival. You'll find 3.5 miles of more than 380 illuminated vignettes and 65 animated displays that transform Seneca Creek State Park into Winter Woods, Teddy Bear Land, Victorian Village, the North Pole and Penguin Cove. This
16th annual show runs from December 2nd through December 31st. (closed December 25th) Sunday through Thursday: 6 - 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 6 -10 p.m. (Closing December 24th and December 31st at 9 p.m.
www.gaithersburgmd.gov/wingerlights
Symphony of Lights in Columbia, MD
At the Symphony of Lights in Columbia, MD you can chose the way that you experience Symphony Woods' 70 larger-than-life animated and stationaary light creations, In addition to the traditional drive-through option (November 21st - January 1st 6 -10 p.m. - closed December 31st for the Midnight a 7 New Years Eve fireworks display and festivities), you can enjoy a Group Walk Through the Lights - Mondays & Wednesdays ONLY, November 28 - December 21 / 4:30 - 5:45 p.m. Perfect for youth groups, scout groups, school groups and more! Experience the Symphony of Lights in a group setting by taking a 1.4 mile stroll through the light displays and make this your group’s holiday tradition. *Registration Required!* Please call 410-740-7840 for reservations, the Blinkin Binkies 1.4 mile walk especially of the little ones (Thursday, December 8th 4:30 - 5:45 p.m.) or the Tail Lights - Back by popular demand! Treat yourself and your dog to a walk through the 1.4 mile Symphony of Lights. It’s a wonderful way to enjoy the holiday season and to make this dog friendly walk your families new holiday tradition. (Tuesday, December 13th 4:30 - 5:45 p.m.)
ICE! at the National Harbor's Gaylord National Resort
This year's ICE! at the National Harbor's Garlord National Resost Dreamworks' "Merry Madagascar." Dozens of attisans have migrated from Harbin, China, to carve the elaborate dispaly of the Dreamworks' holiday TV special from two million pounds of ice. It takes them nearly a month of working 12-hour shifts to transform Gaylord National Resort's 15,000-square-foot refrigerated tent into an ice spectaci;ar. Open Friday, November 18th - Sunday,January 8th. See Calendar for hours and costs.
Brookside's Garden of Lights
The Garden of Lights. Visualize close to one million twinkling colorful lights shaped in imaginative displays throughout the gardens. Enjoy the four seasons illuminated as giant summer sunflowers, autumn leaves, winter snowflakes, spring flowers, rain showers, and more. Walk along the easily accessible paths and you’ll see what sets this light show apart from others; it’s the hundreds of wrapped trees and shrubs, beautifully lighted gazebos, cascading fountains, and the individually formed displays in the shapes of blooming flowers and wild animals. Look for moving displays such as a flock of geese, or an 11 foot giraffe covered with 9,000 lights. Open every night except closed on December 24 & 25, and January 2-5. Open New Year’s Eve until 10 p.m. with last car admitted at 9:30pm. Hours: Weekdays: 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. with the last car admitted at 8:30 p.m Weekends (Friday – Sunday) 5:30 to 10:00 p.m. with the last car admitted at 9:30 p.m.
The Annual Festival of Lights
The Annual Festival of Lights is held on the grounds of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Washington. D.C.Temple. The display includes more than 500,000 lights 16 decorated Christmas trees, an international creche exhibit and a life size outdoor nativity scene. There are nightly musical performances. All events are free.
Shadracks's Christmas Wonderland as Adventure Park
Christmas Wonderland at Adventure Park in New Market presents the world’s largest drive-through and fully synchronized LED Christmas light and music show. Hundreds of thousands of lights have been programmed to perform in sync with a selection of Christmas music. No less than 1600 channels simultaneously direct What Shadrack calls “an orchestra of lights.” After driving through the show, get your photo taken with Santa (weekends) and enjoy hot chocolate, s’mores, kettle corn and other holiday treats inside Adventure Park’s main building. Nov. 18, 2011 through Jan. 8, 2012; dusk to 10 p.m., including holidays.
Your source for VA loan information.
My direct line is 240.813.0614. So let me hear from you! Remember...it doesn't cost a penny to talk...so call right now and I will answer all your questions.
Alan Gross
Senior Mortgage Consultant
PrimeLending, A PlainsCapital Company
704 Quince Orchard Rd., Suite 230
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
Home Office: 240.813.0614
Email: agross@primelending.com
Web: www.mtg-info.net
Web: www.DCMilitaryVALoans.com
NMLS#217388
An Everybody Loves Raymond Thanksgiving!
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!
~Author Unknown
May this be yours on Thanksgiving Day and always.
What Is The Housing Affordability Index and Why Should It Matter To You?
What Is The Housing Affordability Index and Why Should It Matter To You?
First, let me say that I think we are in the "Perfect Storm" for real estate with a combination of low real estate prices and near record low mortgage interest rates.
The Housing Affordability Index measures the ability of a typical family to make payments on a median price home. Housing affordability during the third quarter of 2011 hovered near its highest levels nationwide in the more than 20 years it has been measured, according to data complied from the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index (HOI).
This data is supported by an last years report that the Beacon Economics' new Beacon Economics Home Affordability Index found that in August homes were at their most affordable level since data became available (1969). Beacon Economics developed the Beacon Economics Home Affordability Index based on the percentage of income an average family would need in order to make mortgage payments on an average priced home.
"Home affordability has reached an historic high," says Beacon Economics Founding Principal Christopher Thornberg. "Nationwide, prices are down approximately 25% from their peak, and mortgage financing rates are at all-time lows." Moreover, the high level of affordability is likely to drive demand and reduce the stock of excess inventory, ultimately resulting in the need for new housing, a rise in prices, and a pickup in new construction, according to Thornberg.
"While prices may fluctuate modestly over the next several months, we believe the worst of the housing crisis is behind us," adds Beacon Economics Research Manager Jordan G. Levine. "We expect prices to stabilize around current levels and likely be higher in the next twelve months."
Thornberg agrees. "Although there could be some modest volatility over the next several months, our research indicates the housing market is at or near the bottom," he says.
The Beacon Economics Home Affordability Index is intended to help homebuyers and policymakers alike understand the current state of the market.
So what does this all mean? If your a first time homebuyer you haven't seen homes this affordable in over 20 years. If you are currently a homeowner and have been thinking about moving up this is a great time to do it. If your looking for a second home do it now before both home prices and interest rates start to rise.
I've been assisting more buyers with second homes in the past few months than I've in the past few years. I'm currently doing mortgage loans for second homes in Maryland, Delaware and Florida.
Your source for VA loan information.
My direct line is 240.813.0614. So let me hear from you! Remember...it doesn't cost a penny to talk...so call right now and I will answer all your questions.
Alan Gross
Senior Mortgage Consultant
PrimeLending, A PlainsCapital Company
704 Quince Orchard Rd., Suite 230
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
Home Office: 240.813.0614
Email: agross@primelending.com
Web: www.mtg-info.net
Web: www.DCMilitaryVALoans.com
NMLS#217388
FHA Increases Loan Limits In High Cost Areas
US Lawmakers have voted to Restore Higher FHA Loan Limits. This is especially important in high cost areas where the loan limits were reduced to $625,500 on October 1st. The limits are being restored to the previous level of $729,750 in high cost areas. To find the FHA loan limits in your area go to FHA Mortgage Limits.
“Restoring the higher loan limits for the FHA will provide homeowners and homeboys with safe and affordable financing, while providing a much-needed boost to housing markets all around the country,” James W. Tobin, chief lobbyist for the National Association of Home Builders, wrote in a Nov. 16 letter to Speaker John Boehner, an Ohio Republican.
Loan limits for loans sold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were not included in this legislation. Loan limits for conventional loans remain at the reduced level of $625,000. To see the current conventional loan limits in your area go to:
VA Loan Limits were also not effected by this legislation. The current loan limits for VA loans run though 12/31/11. VA loans limits are set by area. The current maximum VA loan is $1,094,625. To find out the loan limits in your area go to: VA Loan Limits.
Your source for VA loan information.
My direct line is 240.813.0614. So let me hear from you! Remember...it doesn't cost a penny to talk...so call right now and I will answer all your questions.
Alan Gross
Senior Mortgage Consultant
PrimeLending, A PlainsCapital Company
704 Quince Orchard Rd., Suite 230
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
Home Office: 240.813.0614
Email: agross@primelending.com
Web: www.mtg-info.net
Web: www.DCMilitaryVALoans.com
NMLS#217388
A Special Veterans Day
The video says it all. It was a special Veterans Day for a Montgomery Village, MD family.
Your source for VA loan information.
My direct line is 240.813.0614. So let me hear from you! Remember...it doesn't cost a penny to talk...so call right now and I will answer all your questions.
Alan Gross
Senior Mortgage Consultant
PrimeLending, A PlainsCapital Company
704 Quince Orchard Rd., Suite 230
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
Home Office: 240.813.0614
Email: agross@primelending.com
Web: www.mtg-info.net
Web: www.DCMilitaryVALoans.com
NMLS#217388
Daylight Saving Time! Do You Understand Why?
Daylight Saving Time comes on Saturday, November 6th this year. This is the time of the year when you set you clocks backward (not forward) and "gain" an hours sleep.
If you like me your still a little confused because the fall change for Daylight Savings Time used to occur in October. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 extended the Daylight Saving Time (DST) period by starting DST several weeks earlier (second Sunday in March) and ending it one week later (first Sunday in November).
Not all U.S. states and territories observe the confusing daylight saving time ritual. The federal government does not require those in Arizona, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands to change their clocks.
Anyway, here is a fun video explaining this phenomenon that confounds us all every year:
So there you have it. Is it clear now? Don't forget to "fall back" Saturday at 2:00 am.
Your source for VA loan information.
My direct line is 240.813.0614. So let me hear from you! Remember...it doesn't cost a penny to talk...so call right now and I will answer all your questions.
Alan Gross
Senior Mortgage Consultant
PrimeLending, A PlainsCapital Company
704 Quince Orchard Rd., Suite 230
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
Home Office: 240.813.0614
Email: agross@primelending.com
Web: www.mtg-info.net
Web: www.DCMilitaryVALoans.com
NMLS#217388
