Real Estate Information

Here's a quick readout on recent home sales in Clarksburg....

Sixteen homes went under contract and a total of 35 new listings hit the market last month.

There were 12 homes that sold and settled in October 2008 -- identical to the number sold in October 2007 -- and the average days on the market for homes increased by less than one percent for this same period.

This indicates a fairly static situation for sellers, and presents a continuing opportunity for prospective buyers who want to take advantage of the imbalance in the supply (large) and demand (small) for homes.

Please mark your calendars for Monday, November 3.  That's when Mad Science, an interactive science show for children arrives in Clarksburg.

The show will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Clarksburg Town Center resident's club and includes experiments that kids can take home.

To sign up for the show and get additional details, go to www.ClarksburgConnects.com

Clarksburg Village is hosting a family day for residents and their guests on Saturday, October 25 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

This promises to be a fun-filled event with food, a moon bounce, face painting, a magician, and the Balloon Man!  Admission is $5.

You can get all the details on http://www.ClarksburgVillager.com

Please be sure to come and meet your neighbors.

I'll see you there!

Last week I reported that the number of homes sold in Clarksburg during September 2008 had increased compared to last September.

This same trend is evident in Montgomery County.

A total of 768 homes sold in September 2008, a 31.78 increase over September 2007.  The total sold volume was $351,771,293 -- a 17.98 percent increase over last year.

The Montgomery County median selling price was down, indicating that more homes in the lower price range are selling than last year, and the days-on-the-market average shows that homes are staying on the market longer than last year by 23.17 percent.

The upshot: there are more buyers than last September, but they are being cautious before making a buying decision.

In the midst of all the bleak economic reporting in the news, I was intrigued to see this month's update from the Realtor database.

The total dollar volume of homes sold in Clarksburg in September 2008 increased 58.20 percent compared to September of 2007.  $6,570,174 worth of homes sold in our community last month.

The number of homes sold almost doubled (fourteen versus eight) this September compared to last September, and the median priced on those homes dropped by only 0.31 percent.  So that's the good news.

The not so-good-news (if you're a seller) is that, on average, homes are taking longer to sell -- 210 days compared to 67 last year.  Part of that increase is attributable to "short sales," in which owners attempt to sell their house for less than they owe the bank while asking the bank to forgive  the balance.  The lender reviews for each of these sales can be extremely time consuming, which is one reason for the increase in days on the market.

A gas station, two restaurants, a hotel, and a convenience store are in the planning stages for the Cabin Branch neighborhood of Clarksburg.

The developer met with the Planning Commitee of the Clarksburg Civic Association last week and said they are hopeful that construction on several of the businesses can begin within the next eighteen months.

Another development consisting of both commercial and residential properties is slated for the old Comcast site on the east side of I-270.

The current plan for the Clarksburg Town Center retail district faces further delays.

Robert Kronenberg, of the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission, has announced that Newland Communities provided the revised plans for the retail district past the deadline.

Accordingly, the Planning Board hearing that was originally scheduled for October 16 will need to be postponed at least until early November.  The date of the hearing will depend on whether Newland has addressed the issues raised by the Planning Board in June 2008.

Here are the latest statistics from the Realtor database, comparing Clarksburg home sales in August 2008 with those of August 2007.

A total of $7.8 million worth of homes sold in Clarksburg in August 2008, which is an increase of 20.5 percent over August 2007.  Seventeen homes sold versus thirteen last year, and the average price of those homes was down 8.19 percent.

The average days on the market decreased by 8.16 percent during that time.

So, in summary, a larger number of lower-priced homes sold more quickly, as compared to August 2007.

If you love fresh, locally-grown food, you definitely should visit the Clarksburg farmers market.

The market is open every Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and is located at the intersection of Public House Road and Ebenezer Chapel Road in Clarksburg Town Center.

It started this June as a way for local farmers to connect with consumers and will be open each Sunday until November.

Log onto their website at www.ClarksburgFarmersMarket.org for more information.

Work on a portion of Skylark Road in Clarksburg is set to begin in four to six weeks, and will mean re-routing of traffic in the neighborhood.

The work will take place on Skylark Road between Piedmont Road and the entrance of the Ovid Hazen Wells ball fields near Cherry Branch Road.  Artery Development of Bethesda will begin work once the utilities companies have moved their utility poles and powerlines to permit construction, and a section of the road will be closed for six weeks.

Artery has pledged to post detour signs in advance to that we'll be forewarned of the new traffic pattern.