Conventional wisdom has always talked about how making extra payments toward your mortgage principle was a great idea because it reduced the number of years you had left on your mortgage and reduced the total amount you would pay towards interest on the life of the loan.

All of that is true, but when REALLY LOOK at today’s mortgages, let’s be honest with ourselves.  Ask yourself these questions:

1. Do you have credit card debt with a higher interest rate than your mortgage?
2. Do you have a retirement account with a higher yield than your mortgage?
3. Is your car loan rate higher than your mortgage?
4. Do you have less than 6 months of cash reserves in case of a family emergency?

Why You Shouldn’t Pre-Pay

If you answered YES to any of these questions, you may not want to be in a rush to pay down your mortgage rate.  We are very fortunate to see rates as low as they are right now, and as the market improves, these ultra low rates will quickly become a distant vision in our rear view mirror.  Odds are good that you will never be able to see 30 year mortgages this cheap again.

For many people buying a home today, their mortgage rate may actually be the cheapest interest rate they have.  If that’s the case, pay down the loans with the higest rates first in order to save the most money in the long run.

Bear in mind that your home loan is also that rare exception where you can actually deduct the interest payments from your taxes at the end of the year, saving you additional money.  That’s a huge benefit, so make sure you take advantage of it!

Cost Of Ownership Is Lower Than EVER!

With the cost of ownership being so low right now, this is a GREAT time to look at putting money away in an rainy day fund.  Everyone should have a cash reserve, and now is the time to create it!

Having that super low rate actually makes it easier to buy another property in the future, because it’s keeping your debt to income ratio lower than it would be if your mortgage was in the traditional 6%-7% range.

Savor the rate that you have and enjoy the additional flexibility and financial opportunity that it brings!  You’re better off saving for retirement today and paying off your mortgage tomorrow!

www.realestate.com

There’s great news for everyone, Real Estate is Back!

ActiveRain, which is the largest social network for real estate professionals, conducted a survey among its members and the results were fantastic.

84% think real estate values will increase and 84% think real estate transactions will increase (with 17% believing they’ll increase dramatically)!

Notice all those new developments with lots of new construction? Well 77% of the ActiveRain members believe new construction will rise…seems like they’re right so far!

And 74% are confident that the local economy will improve.

Our team has already experienced an increase in sellers AND buyers this year! If you’re considering purchasing or selling a home, now is the time to do it.

Southern Maryland’s Real Estate Experts are here to help you!

The home has 3 spacious bedrooms, 2 full & 2 half bathrooms. The master suite boasts vaulted ceilings and a walk-in closet. The attached master bath has double sinks, a large soaking tub and separate shower.

3075 Miranda Pl. has a great entry with a wood foyer. The home’s kitchen has 42″ cabinets, island, smooth top stove, and a great opening to the dining area.

The home has lots of great detail including crown molding, chair rail, columns, and a fireplace.

The first level of the home has a sliding glass door that walks out to the great backyard and the second level of the home leads to a huge 22×18 deck!

3075 Miranda Pl. is located in a community that includes a community pool and tennis court.

This is one townhouse you don’t want to miss, 3075 Miranda Pl. in Waldorf!

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The home has a great family room complete with a fireplace and plenty of windows to let in the natural light. The large kitchen has lots of storage, double oven and features a center island, perfect for someone who loves to cook!

10100 Rolling Green Way has a huge master suite with sitting area and attached bathroom. The bedroom even has columns, not many homeowners can say their master has that great detail!

The partially finished basement has space for another family room and a full bathroom. The unfinished space can be finished off or used for storage.

The large backyard boasts a great deck for entertaining and bbqs!

10100 Rolling Green Way has so much to offer you’ll have to see it for yourself!

http://youtu.be/xhZloWzHRJA

We're sorry, but we couldn't find MLS # PG8074206 in our database. This property may be a new listing or possibly taken off the market. Please check back again.

The 1600+ sqft home is cozy but spacious enough for 3 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms.

36 Patapsco Road boasts hardwoods throughout most of the home along with beautiful crown molding and wood finishes.

The huge family room addition has windows all around and french doors that lead to the large backyard. The home also has a separate dining area.

There is a detached garage and an unfinished basement, perfect for storage!

This isn’t just a ‘drive-by’ home, you have to see the great detail that it has to offer.

36 Patapsco Road is a must see and is great for one person or a family, don’t miss it!

We're sorry, but we couldn't find MLS # AA8073906 in our database. This property may be a new listing or possibly taken off the market. Please check back again.

And all the warm tones with the wood and stone makes this a cozy place to watch a movie

http://snurl.com/26yytts

You have found your home here at 9900 Charles Street!

The first thing you’ll see when pulling up to this gorgeous home, aside from the private yard, is the large front porch just asking for a couple rocking chairs.

As you walk into the home you’ll notice those gorgeous hardwoods that are featured in several different rooms, including the dining room which boasts a brick fireplace!

The large family room is perfect for relaxing and features built-ins that give the room lots of character.

9900 Charles Street has 5 bedrooms and 4 1/2 bathrooms, great for a large family or hosting several overnight guests!

But that isn’t it!! The home has an oversized sunroom equipped with a hot tub and bar! The large backyard has a great patio and beautiful in-ground pool!

The home is in a great location and is close to everything you could need while being far enough away to have privacy on 2+ acres.

9900 Charles Street is a must see! Don’t miss out on the gorgeous home!

We're sorry, but we couldn't find MLS # CH8067920 in our database. This property may be a new listing or possibly taken off the market. Please check back again.

Well, an NYC Realtor is doing just that. After an employee went on his own and got the company’s logo tattooed on him, the owner of the company decided to give the option to all of his employees for a 15% pay increase. It is completely up to the employee if they want it or not and there are no size or placement restrictions.

Some employees chose to get large tattoos on their arms while other chose small ones. One employee in particular got it behind her ear. Talk about a walking advertisement!!

My question is what happens if you get fired or quit?! Uh oh. One employee had only been working at the company a month when he chose to get his. What happens if he ends up not enjoying his job and leaves? One big regret!

What would it take for you to get your company’s logo tattooed on you??

See more on the story here: CBS New York

(Photo courtesy of dumbonyc via Flickr cc.)

This very spacious, 3 level, end unit townhouse is just minutes away from shopping and transportation and only 30 minutes from downtown DC.

The home is in need of a little freshening up. Just replacing the carpet and some fresh paint will make this place shine!

11830 Edmont Place has a great  layout! With 1,800+ sq ft of living space, there’s plenty of room.

There’s a large deck off the back of the home. Adding some patio furniture would make this the perfect area for grilling and entertaining this summer.

The home also has a one car garage which is great for storage or projects.

You will love being centrally located for commuting, local entertainment and shopping.

We're sorry, but we couldn't find MLS # CH8067066 in our database. This property may be a new listing or possibly taken off the market. Please check back again.