Some of the Best and the Worst Listings this Week

I have changed the weekly update to include all properties which have been rated and have rendered our recommendation based upon the "Limejuicer Rating System". Please contact me if you would like a more detailed analysis for any of the homes listed below. Team Limejuicer and I have previewed over 3000 homes in the past year. We rate new listings and and re-rate existing listings on a weekly basis. The "Limejuicer Rating System" allows us to not only keep our seller clients informed but competitive in any market, while allowing us to find the best valued property for our buyer clients. We rate all properties according to Value, Location, Condition and Motivation.

Gaelic Court, Cloverleaf Center, Townhome $249,900 Scored 27 out of 40
End Unit, Well Priced, Foreclosure, Needs carpet, Paint and some TLC
Limejuicer Recommends

Brundidge Terrace, Brandermill Townhome $196,900 Scored 28 out of 40
Well Priced, Good Condition, Foreclosure, Backs to townhomes
Limejuicer Recommends

Club Hill Drive, Churchill East Townhome $217,900 Scored 22 out of 40
Market Value, Very Poor Condition, Foreclosure
Limejuicer Does Not Recommend

Valley Bend Drive, Chadswood Single Family $299,500 Scored 30 out of 40
Good Starter Home, Good Investment, 4 Bedroom, 3 1/2 Bath, Foreclosure
Limejuicer Highly Recommends - Will sell this week.......

Cross Laurel Court, Chadswood Townhome $149,900 Scored 26 out of 40
Poor Condition, Under Market Price, Backs to Common Ground,Foreclosure
Limejuicer Does Not Recommend - Flippable at $115,000

Stoney Bottom Rd, Gunners View Single Family $325,000 Scored 29 out of 40
Marginal Condition, Good View, Well Priced, 4 Bedroom, 3 1/2 Bath Foreclosure
Limejuicer Highly Recommends

Eden Rock Court, Seneca Highlands Single Family $804,900 Scored 28 out of 40
Needs appliances and replacement of two zone system, Foreclosure
Limejuicer Recommends

Mussetter Road, Ijamsville Single Family $149,000 Scored 26 out of 40
Needs work throughout, Quaint location, Foreclosure
Limejuicer Does Not Recommend - Flippable at $105,000


Hopefully you found this information useful, if you would like to learn more about the Limejuicer Rating system please feel free to contact me directly. Team Limejuicer is waiting to serve your real estate needs and always welcomes referrals! Thank you for your time.

Germantown Best and Worst Buys of the Week 6 September 2009

I have changed the weekly update to include all properties which have been rated and have rendered our recommendation based upon the "Limejuicer Rating System". Please contact me if you would like a more detailed analysis for any of the homes listed below. Team Limejuicer and I have previewed over 3000 homes in the past year. We rate new listings and and re-rate existing listings on a weekly basis. The "Limejuicer Rating System" allows us to not only keep our seller clients informed but competitive in any market, while allowing us to find the best valued property for our buyer clients. We rate all properties according to Value, Location, Condition and Motivation.

Red Buckeye Court, Blunt Commons Townhome $249,000 Scored 30 out of 40
Park Location, Well Priced, Foreclosure, Great Investment
Best buy in Germantown

Afternoon Lane, Waters Landing Townhome $234,000 Scored 29 out of 40
Very Good Price, Poor Condition, Foreclosure, Lake Location
Limejuicer Highly Recommends

Club Hill Drive, Churchill East Townhome $217,900 Scored 22 out of 40
Market Value, Very Poor Condition, Foreclosure
Limejuicer Does Not Recommend

Galway Bay Circle, Ashmore Condo $124,600 Scored 28 out of 40
Good Starter Home, Decent Investment, Foreclosure
Limejuicer Recommends

Crosstie Drive, Germantown Estates Townhome $244,900 Scored 23 out of 40
Marginal Condition, Overpriced, Foreclosure
Limejuicer Does Not Recommend

Harvest Glen Way, Germantown Station Townhome $328,000 Scored 30 out of 40
Good Condition, Backs to Trees, Well Priced, Foreclosure
Limejuicer Highly Recommends


Hopefully you found this information useful, if you would like to learn more about the Limejuicer Rating system please feel free to contact me directly. Team Limejuicer is waiting to serve your real estate needs and always welcomes referrals! Thank you for your time.


Lawrence Evans (aka "The Limejuicer")
Real Estate Consultant
Re/Max Town Center
Germantown. Maryland
(301) 540-2232 ext. 125
(301) 922-2156 cell

Limejuicer Rated Properties - Germantown - August 26th

I have changed the weekly update to include all properties which have been rated and have rendered our recommendation based upon the "Limejuicer Rating System". Please contact me if you would like a more detailed analysis for any of the homes listed below. Team Limejuicer and I have previewed over 3000 homes in the past year. We rate new listings and and re-rate existing listings on a weekly basis. The "Limejuicer Rating System" allows us to not only keep our seller clients informed but competitive in any market, while allowing us to find the best valued property for our buyer clients. We rate all properties according to Value, Location, Condition and Motivation.

Panthers Ridge Dr, Milestone Townhome $210,000 Scored 29 out of 40
Good Location - Foreclosure - Great Investment Limejuicer Highly Recommends

Eagles Nest Court, Waters Edge Condo $149,000 Scored 27 out of 40
Very Good Price, Poor Condition, Foreclosure Limejuicer Recommends

St. Peter Court, Waters Edge Condo $150,900 Scored 29 out of 40
Very Good Price, Fair Condition, Foreclosure Limejuicer Highly Recommends

St. Peter Court, Waters Edge Condo $143,600 Scored 30 out of 40
Awesome Price, Super Investment Limejuicer Highly Recommends

Coral Grove Terrace, Gunners Lake Townhome $161,900 Scored 28 out of 40
Marginal Condition, Great Price, Foreclosure Limejuicer Recommends

White Sands, Gunners Lake Townhome $219,900 Scored 2 out of 40
Very Poor Condition, Foreclosure No Recommendation

Summer Oak, Gunners Lake Townhome $229,000 Scored 28 out of 40
Backs to Parkland Limejuicer Recommends

Cross Ridge Court, Gunners Lake Townhome $149,500 Scored 27 out of 40
Fair Condition, Decent Value Limejuicer Marginal Recommendation

Dairymaid Drive, Heritage Green Condo $104,900 Scored 28 out of 40
Great Price, Handyman Capable High Condo Fee Limejuicer Recommends

Chalet Drive, Farmingdale Condo $95,000 Scored 31 out of 40
Great Price, This one is a STEAL Limejuicer Highly Recommends


Hopefully you found this information useful, if you would like to learn more about the Limejuicer Rating system please feel free to contact me directly. Team Limejuicer is waiting to serve your real estate needs and always welcomes referrals! Thank you for your time.


Lawrence Evans (aka "The Limejuicer")
Real Estate Consultant
Re/Max Town Center
Germantown. Maryland
(301) 540-2232 ext. 125
(301) 922-2156 cell

Limejuicer Rated Properties - Germantown - August 20th

I have changed the weekly update to include all properties which have been rated and have rendered our recommendation based upon the "Limejuicer Rating System". Please contact me if you would like a more detailed analysis for any of the homes listed below. Team Limejuicer and I have previewed over 3000 homes in the past year. We rate new listings and and re-rate existing listings on a weekly basis. The "Limejuicer Rating System" allows us to not only keep our seller clients informed but competitive in any market, while allowing us to find the best valued property for our buyer clients.

Pinnacle Drive, Village at Town Center Townhome $310,000 Scored 29 out of 40
Good Location Limejuicer Highly Recommends

Churchill Ridge Circle, Churchill View Condo $239,000 Scored 28 out of 40
Average Condition Limejuicer Recommends

Pickering Court, Esprit Condo $189,900 Scored 23 out of 40
Overprice, Poor Condition No Recommendation

Pickering Court, Esprit Condo $200,000 Scored 27 out of 40
Average Condition, Good square Footage Limejuicer Marginal Recommendation

Shadyside Lane, Waters House Condo $189,000 Scored 26 out of 40
Marginal Condition No Recommendation

Bridger Drive, Cloverleaf Center Townhome $269,000 Scored 27 out of 40
Slightly Overpriced Limejuicer Marginal Recommendation

Beaconfield Terrace, Esprit Condo $165,500 Scored 24 out of 40
Overpriced No Recommendation

Shipley Terrace, Lakeview Condo $165,999 Scored 25 out of 40
Overpriced No Recommendation

Shore Harbour Dr, Shore Harbour Condo $278,488 Scored 27 out of 40
Nice Location, High Condo Fee Limejuicer Marginal Recommendation

Lavender Place, Churchill Single Family $415,000 Scored 27 out of 40
Good size home, needs a little updating Limejuicer Recommends

Wanegarden Court, Churchill Single Family $425,550 Scored 27 out of 40
Average Condition, Little Overpriced Limejuicer Marginal Recommendation

Long Channel Drive, Churchill Townhome $369,900 Scored 28 out of 40
Below Average Condition, Great Location Limejuicer Recommends

Teakwood Circle, Willow Cove Townhome $234,900 Scored 27 out of 40
Slightly Overpriced, Limejuicer Marginal Recommendation

Winterspoon Lane, Willow Cove Townhome $179,900 Scored 29 out of 40
Great price, Limejuicer Highly Recommends

Hopefully you found this information useful, if you would like to learn more about the Limejuicer Rating system please feel free to contact me directly. Team Limejuicer is waiting to serve your real estate needs and always welcomes referrals! Thank you for your time.


Lawrence Evans (aka "The Limejuicer")
Real Estate Consultant
Re/Max Town Center
Germantown. Maryland
(301) 540-2232 ext. 125
(301) 922-2156 cell

Limejuicer Rated Properties in Germantown 20 March 2009

I have changed the weekly update to include all properties which have been rated and have rendered our recommendation based upon the "Limejuicer Rating System". Please contact me if you would like a more detailed analysis for any of the homes listed below. Team Limejuicer and I have previewed over 3000 homes in the past year. We rate new listings and and re-rate existing listings on a weekly basis. The "Limejuicer Rating System" allows us to not only keep our seller clients informed but competitive in any market, while allowing us to find the best valued property for our buyer clients.

Eagles Nest Court, Waters Edge Condo $200,000 Scored 29 out of 40
Good Condition Limejuicer Highly Recommends

Eagles Nest Court, Waters Edge Condo $195,000 Scored 29 out of 40
Good Condition Limejuicer Highly Recommends

Hickory Tree Way, Gunners View Condo $109,900 Scored 28 out of 40
Good Value, Poor Condition Limejuicer Recommends

Treebranch Terr, Germantown View Townhome $260,000 Scored 28 out of 40
Par Rating Limejuicer Recommends

Laurel Grove Terrace, Gunners Lake Townhome $235,000 Scored 26 out of 40
Poor Condition

Willow Spring Court, Gunners Lake Townhome $239,000 Scored 26 out of 40
Poor Value

Partridge Wood Dr, Gunners Lake Townhome $225,000 Scored 26 out of 40
Great Location, Poor Condition

Partridge Wood Dr, Gunners Lake Townhome $175,000 Scored 28 out of 40
Great Value, Poor Condition Limejuicer Recommends

Grotto Lane, Germantown View Townhome $237,900 Scored 26 out of 40
Good Value, Bad Condition

Cross Ridge Court, Gunners Lake Townhome $144,900 Scored 27 out of 40
Great Value, Bad Condition

Timber Hollow Place, Gunners Lake Townhome $195,000 Scored 27 out of 40
Poor Value

Cross Ridge Court, Gunners Lake Townhome $159,900 Scored 27 out of 40
Great Value, Poor Condition

Summer Oak Court, Gunners Lake Townhome $274,900 Scored 27 out of 40
Poor Condition

Ridgecrest Drive, Gunners View Single Family $389,900 Scored 29 out of 40
Great Condition Limejuicer Highly Recommends

Hopefully you found this information useful, if you would like to learn more about the Limejuicer Rating system please feel free to contact me directly. Team Limejuicer is waiting to serve your real estate needs and always welcomes referrals! Thank you for your time.


Lawrence Evans (aka "The Limejuicer")
Real Estate Consultant
Re/Max Town Center
Germantown. Maryland
(301) 540-2232 ext. 125
(301) 922-2156 cell

Germantown Maryland Sees Homesales Double as Temperatures Rise

We started off this year with an average of 1.5 homes going under contract on a daily basis. Home Inventory numbers going into the New Year were hovering around 685 homes. It has never been more apparent to me that we were a community that had a glut of inventory.

Move to the present day and we have seen a decline of housing inventory by 38% to today's number 426 homes on the market. Total homes under contract and pending settlement is an astonishing 200 on the nose. To put this into perspective that is more than was sold in March 2004 (close to the height of the boom market). Should this trend continue at this pace we should anticipate a stable local real estate market by the beginning of the 3rd quarter.

Breakdown of the 200 pending settlement properties is as follows and the results it provides:

86 Short sales are under contract - This could potentially put a burden of the local rental market which currently only has 110 available rentals (not including apartments). The keeper investor may find it quite easy to rent their investment properties.

52 Owner Occupied homes under contract - These folks generally buy another home and may well be taking advantage of the lower move up prices and low interest rates. If they are purchasing another home we can anticipate further reduction to our inventory numbers and the best properties being sold in the next 30 days.

The remaining 62 properties were bank owned and were predominately in the lower price range i.e. Less than $300,000.

I will keep you posted if I see any additional changes to the housing supply, but as I mentioned in the past the ship is in port and we can assume it will be leaving sooner rather than later.

Check out my blogpost 9 December 2008 http://limejuicerrealestate.blogspot.com/2008/12/who-are-jones-anyway.html

This week's top rated properties from Team Limejuicer 6 March 2009

The properties below are this week's top rated properties in Germantown:

Location: Shore Harbour, Germantown

Status: Regular Sale

Priced: $250,000

Built in 1992

Value: 5 (Overpriced, should be no more than $230,000)

Condition: 8 (Superior condition and staged beautifully)

Location: 10 (This is why this home has rated so well - panoramic views of the Lake)

Motivation: 7 (Average motivation)

Total Rated Score: 30 - If this condo were to be priced at market it would score a 32 (4 points higher than the average home in Germantown), question the buyer could have is do I want to pay an extra $3 a day for a view?

Location: Laurel Hill Way, Churchill Town, Germantown

Status: Regular Sale (Vacant)

Priced: $248,750

Built in 1984

Value: 7 (Market Value for the square footage)

Condition: 7 (Expected condition, new appliances, good windows, but poor front appeal)

Location: 8 (Backing to parkland, partial view of the lake from the deck)

Motivation: 7

Investor Score: 18.5

Total Rated Score: 29 (With some upgrading to the curb appeal, this is a keeper)

Location: Staffordshire Place, Waters Landing, Germantown

Status: Foreclosure

Priced: $209,900

Built in 1990 by Ryland Homes

Value: 10 (Very well priced - won't last long)

Condition: 7 (Newer appliances, fresh paint - appears to be in the process of addition TLC)Location: 7 (Average location backs to storm water pond)

Motivation: 7 (Corporate Owned)

Investor Rating: 20.5 (Great rental property, potentially flippable)

Total Rated Score: 31 (Highest rated foreclosure/home on the market in Germantown - will be sold by the end of the week)

The above properties have either lowered their price (increased value) and/or added to their condition - they can now be considered good buys. For your information Team Limejuicer and I have previewed over 3,000 homes in the past year and a half. We rate and rerate if necessary, homes on a daily basis - this system allows us to not only keep our seller clients informed as to their competition, but also allows us to find the best valued property for our buyer clients.

Hopefully you found this information useful, if you would like to learn more about the Limejuicer Rating system please feel free to contact me directly. Team Limejuicer is waiting to serve your real estate needs and always welcomes referrals! Thank you for your time.

Lawrence Evans, P.C. - Real Estate Consultant

http://www.limejuicer.com/

Re/Max Town Center
Cell: (301) 922-2156

Office: (301) 540-2232 Ext 125

E-mail Lawrence@LimeJuicer.com

Blog: http://limejuicerrealestate.blogspot.com/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/3/52b/65b

Germantown Housing Inventory Numbers Plummet with Increasing Home Sales

Is Germantown seeing the market changing? Yes - a drop of almost 40% of inventory since the beginning of the year.

Want some good news for a change? There are currently 191 homes under contract in Germantown, during the same period in 2004 there were only 149 homes under contract. These are incredible numbers considering all that has been going on lately, however, admittedly a very large number of these are foreclosed homes.

What you can take from this is the following, call/email all the folks you know that don't currently own a home and tell them that the market is getting much better and the boat could be leaving port soon (in passing you could also mention the rates are only 5% fixed and they only need to have 3 1/2% total cash to buy).

If you have followed my rating system (aka the Limejuicer Rating System) explained in past blogs it is now serving a purpose for which it wasn't originally intended. In brief the system analyses all properties on the market according to value, seller motivation, location, and condition providing both the consumer and the realtor a more accurate assessment of available properties. Well during the lengthy process of development, data entry, thousands of house previews/ratings, tweaking, learning and re-learning a number of unforeseen happenings occured. In future blogs I will explain them all, but for now one of these happenings is the system's uncanny ability to predict within a 7 day period a properties time on the market. At first I wasn't necessary sure what I was seeing, but the more I tested, retested and retested the numbers came together.

So a seller no longer needs to be concerned as to time on the market, the systems knows it and the buyer now also knows all the best properties on the market...Period....

Churchill Village South, 2008 Rated Market Update by Team Limejuicer

Churchill Village South Single Family Home

Market Update for 2008

Churchill Village South community is located north of Father Hurley Boulevard and is bordered by Lake Churchill and Little Seneca Lake. Churchill Village - South was built with families in mind. Walking trails and bike paths criss-cross the entire community, which is immediately adjacent to Black Hills Regional Park. In addition to the lakes, CVS offers a host of other recreation opportunities including playgrounds, tennis courts and two swimming pools. There are two schools within the confines of Churchill Village - South, Lake Seneca Elementary School and Martin Luther King, Jr., Middle School. With Seneca Valley High School nearby, the children can literally walk to school from the first day of kindergarten until they graduate from high school.

This community is managed by Vanguard Management and appears to continuously strive to beautify the community's common grounds and facilities. Location wise this community boasts two Germantown's lakes and one of the best located community centers in the county (panoramic views of Little Seneca Lake in the foreground and Black Hills Regional Park in the background).

The community has a mixture of around 800 townhomes and single family homes - By the way the single family homes in this community are the only ones in Germantown that could score a 10 for location.....

Highest Sale for 2008

20037 Wanegarden Court - 4 Bedroom, 2 Bathroom Split Foyer sold for $431,000 in June 2008

The home was in above average condition scoring an 8 with newer appliances, new windows, carpet and paint. Location scored an 8 with a partial view of the lake and could have got a 9 if there hadn't been trees obscuring the view. Total score for the buyer was a 23 and the seller scored a 30. (Note - the seller could have managed an additional $20,000 without the tree obstruction) The higher the number for the buyer the better, the lower the number for the seller the better.

Lowest Sale for 2008

13501 Walnutwood Lane - 4 Bedroom, 3 Bathroom Rambler sold for $325,000 in May 2008

The home was in below average condition scoring a 5, it needed work in the basement, flooring and updated kitchen. This was a short sale that was unfortunately poorly managed. The buyer however did well and scored a 23, the seller scored a 30. The seller/bank lost around $32,000 by managing this incorrectly.

Total number of Successful Sales in 2008 - 8

Total number of Failed Sales in 2008 - 6

Each one of these failed sales had out of county representation - highly recommend you use a Germantown realtor, but at least a Montgomery County realtor.

Best Buyer Deal in 2008

19993 Wild Cherry Lane - Regular sale came on the market 26 February 2008 for $440,000, lowered their price to $425,000 on 27th March, to $410,000 on 16th April and for the last time to $399,000 on 13th May. Home was contracted on 10th July and settled 14th July for $390,000.

The buyer actually tied with two other buyers, but I felt that due to the condition of the property which scored a 9 (completely renovated with way superior materials) this home was beyond just move in. The buyer scored a 23 with a value score of an 8.

Worst Buyer Deal in 2008

20021 Wanegarden Court - Regular sale - 4 Bedroom, 2 Bathroom Split Foyer. Sold in 24 days for $430,000 on 2nd April. This home was in expected condition and scored a 7. The buyer scored a 20.

Best Seller Deal in 2008

Goes without saying if the buyer didn't do well then the seller must have....the winner is 20021 Wanegarden Court. Seller scored a 27 (made $20,000 more) - Local representation was used....

Worst Seller Deal in 2008

The winner is 13501 Walnutwood Lane - Poor asset management used on this pre-foreclosure, losing the bank tens of thousands of dollars.

Forecast for 2009

This is one of the most stable single family subdivisions in Germantown, there hasn't been a single foreclosed property and only one short sale on the market in the past 14 months. The concern this subdivision may have is it lack of publicity as to its location and its facilities. The natural tendency of all buyers is to look at homes that are going to be less expensive and distressed at the same time. Therefore, when one of these homes comes on the market they will be competing against homes in the greater Germantown area with substantially lower list prices. I highly recommend that if you live in this neighborhood and are looking at either retiring or moving up that you hire a Germantown Broker - they should be able to provide you with the largest local marketing exposure. This subdivision can anticipate further decline for the first 3 quarters of the year with between 6 and 10 sales occuring in 2009. Should Germantown's inventory numbers decrease by another 30% to around 300 properties then this subdivision will have rode out the economic storm better than most.

I hope you found this information useful, please feel free to contact me directly if you would like to make sure you get the best deal in town for both buyin and/or selling.

Lawrence Evans

Team Limejuicer - Re/Max Town Center - Germantown

Email me at Lawrence@Limejuicer.com or my cell phone (301) 922-2156

The Limejuicer Rating System is copyright protected 2009

Seneca Crossing Subdivision, 2008 Rated Market Update by Lawrence Evans of Team Limejuicer

Seneca Crossing

Market Update for 2008

Seneca Crossing is located between Route 355 and Route 27 (Ridge Road). In 1995, this subdivision came off the drawing board and building commenced. It was a popular subdivision right out the gate with a brand new Elementary School added almost immediately. The four builders involved were Crane Homes, Winchester Homes, Ryan Homes and U.S. Homes. They built a lot of different models ranging in size from 2100 square feet to 6000 square feet. The models that they built were as follows: Exeter, Avalon, Raleigh, Foxhall, Cypress, Benfield, Devon, Newcastle, Sinclair, Arizona, Talbert, Collins, Browning, Kennett, Chelsea, Owens, Glenhaven, Birchfield, Barcroft, Wellington, Belvedere, and the Newport. Needless to say, there are ample choices of floor plans that make this subdivision interesting to any prospective purchaser. This location is convenient to shopping with Milestone Shopping Center right across the way and an I-270 on ramp only 1/2 mile away.

The children go to Sally Ride Elementary School (Magnet Program), Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School and Seneca Valley High School.

Highest Sale for 2008

11407 Seneca Forest Circle - Colonial built by Winchester Homes sold for $685,000 in March 2008

The home was in average condition, priced above market and scored a 5. Total score for the buyer was 19 and for the seller was 25. The higher the number for the buyer the better, the lower the number for the seller the better.

Lowest Sale for 2008

11727 Scarlet Leaf Circle - Colonial built by U.S. Homes in 1999 sold for $465,000 in August 2008. Total score for the buyer was 19 and for the seller was 25.

Total number of Successful Sales in 2008 - 19

Total number of Failed Sales in 2008 - 21

A good portion of these failed sales were short sales (pre-foreclosures) we can anticipate these coming back on the market as foreclosures (bank-owned properties)

Best Buyer Deal in 2008

20826 Tall Forest Drive - Regular Sale came on the market 28 August 2008 for $474,000, went under contract 24 September 2008 and sold 9 October 2008 for $465,000. This home was in above average condition and scored a 9, value scoring was an 8. The buyer scored a 24.

Worst Buyer Deal in 2008

11407 Seneca Forest Circle came on the market 21 November 2007 for $730,000, went under contract 26th March 2008 and sold 28 May 2008 for $685,000. This home had an unfinished lower level, was rated in average condition with a 5 value. The buyer scored a 19. For your information there was a property around the corner for less money, similar condition, same square footage and a finished basement. Why did the buyer buy this one? Mmmmmm, maybe they didn't drive around the corner!

Best Seller Deal in 2008

Goes without saying if the buyer didn't do well then the seller must have....the winner is 11407 Seneca Forest Circle - Seller scored a 25

Worst Seller Deal in 2008

Winner is 11618 Settlers Circle came on the market 18 March 2008 for $656,000, lowered the price to $599,900 on April 13th, again lowered their price to $589,900 on April 16th, again lowered their price to $549,900 on 22nd April. Contracted on 15th May and Sold 26th June for $515,000 with $20,000 closing help. I rated this property 26th March with a 6 condition meaning less than expected condition for this price range - it needed showcasing and some TLC, cost would have been $5,000. This home sold could have sold for $90,000 more....Seller scored a 31.

Forecast for 2009


The market value for these homes should stabilize this year, they are now at market, but can expect further decline during the first three quarters. There should be at least 15 to 20 sales on these streets with the Sold Prices for the foreclosures being no lower than $425,000 and the improved regular sales capping out at $550,000. A steady depreciation of 1.2 to 1.4% on a monthly basis can be expected. Should Germantown's inventory numbers decrease to between 270 and 320 total properties available one can anticipate we will have reached the last of the monthly depreciation. Current Germantown inventory numbers are 458 total homes available a decrease of over 30% since November 2008.

I hope you found this information useful, please feel free to contact me directly if you would like to make sure you get the best deal in town for both buying and/or selling.

Lawrence Evans
Team Limejuicer - Re/Max Town Center - Germantown

Email me at Lawrence@Limejuicer.com or my cell phone (301) 922-2156

The Limejuicer Rating System is copyright protected 2009

Waterbury Down South/North Subsection of Waters Landing and Churchill Town Sector, Germantown 2008 Market Update

Waterbury Down South and North are located in the popular Waters Landing Subdivision - Which is also part of the Churchill Town Sector north of Father Hurley Boulevard. These were originally built by Ryland Homes between 1983-1986, the largest model the "Patuxent" boasts 1600 square feet and usually has 3 bedrooms and 2 and one half bathrooms. Their only drawback is that they are back to back townhomes, in other words do not have a basement, however this is one of the most affordable sections of the County. The Home Owner's Association has an on site manager and in my humble opinion is one of the better run Associations in the County, they have been able to keep their dues lower than most HOAs and still provide some of the best amenities around. There are two swimming pools, a dozen or so tennis courts, loads of play areas and walking paths to Lake Churchill and Black Hill Regional Park.

The children will go to either Waters Landing Elementary School (Whitechurch Circle) or Lake Seneca Elementary School (Demetrias Way and Larentia Drive), Middle Schoolers go to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School and High Schoolers go to Seneca Valley High School.

Both Waterbury North and South are on the local bus route making commuting to the MARC or Metro extremely easy.

Highest Sale 2008

19803 Larentia Drive - 3 Level - $265,000 - Sold in March 2008

Home was in above average condition and scored an 8, it was listed above the market at the time and scored a 6. Total score for the buyer was 22 and for the seller it was 28. The higher the number for the buyer the better, the lower the number for the seller the better.

Lowest Sale 2008

13353 Demetrias Way - 3 Level - $162,750 - Sold in November 2008

Home was in below average condition and scored a 5, it was listed below market and scored a 9. Total score for the buyer was 27 and for the seller it was 33. The higher the number for the buyer the better, the lower the number for the seller the better.

Total Number of Successful Sales for 2008 - 15

Total Number of Failed Sales for 2008 - 19

All 19 of these properties were represented by agents outside of Germantown, 12 of them weren't even from Montgomery County.

Best Buyer Deal in 2008

13353 Demetrias Way - Bank owned property started on the market 28 March 2008 at $250,000; dropped their price 24 April to $237,500; dropped again 4th June to $225,900; 4th August to $195,000 and finally contracted 10 October and settled in November 2008 for $162,750.

Worst Buyer Deal in 2008

13433 Demetrias Way - Short sale (Pre-foreclosure), Priced at market in February 2008 $260,000; sold in May 2008 for $255,000. The property was in need of appliances, new carpet and paint. No clue why a buyer would have bought this one when the above property was on the market at the same time....mmmmm? Buyer scored a 19

Best Seller Deal in 2008

Goes without saying if the buyer didn't do well then the seller must have....the winner is 13433 Demetrias Way - Seller scored a 25

Worst Seller Deal in 2008

Winner is 13353 Demetrias Way - Seller scored a 33 - Could they have improved their position, absolutely - If they had replaced the appliances, carpet, windows, and painted (Total cost $20,000) they could have sold it in May for you guessed it $255,000 as opposed to $162,750 in November. What a concept!

Forecast for 2009

The market value for these homes should stabilize this year, they are now under market even for the current economic conditions. There should be at least 12 to 15 sales on these streets with the Sold Prices for the foreclosures being no lower than $145,000 and the improved regular sales capping out at $175,000. A steady depreciation of 1.2 to 1.4% on a monthly basis can be expected. Should Germantown's inventory numbers decrease to between 270 and 320 total properties available one can anticipate we will have reached the last of the monthly depreciation. Current Germantown inventory numbers are 458 total homes available a decrease of over 30% since November 2008.

I hope you found this information useful, please feel free to contact me directly if you would like to make sure you get the best deal in town for both buying and/or selling.

Lawrence Evans

Team Limejuicer - Re/Max Town Center - Germantown

http://www.limejuicer.com/ or my cell phone (301) 922-2156

The Limejuicer Rating System is copyright protected 2009

Top Rated Properties in Germantown this Week

The properties below are this week's top rated properties in Germantown:

Location: 11412 Applegrath Way, Brandermill

Status: Active, (Bank Owned)

Priced: $164,900 (Originally priced at $199,900)

Built in 1986

Value: 10 (Hit the really good buy list)

Condition: 6 (Slight aroma, newer appliances, new carpet, paint is okay, needs new windows)Location: 6 (Backs to other townhomes)

Motivation: 7

Investor Rating: 19.5 (Good rental property - could be a flip at the right price o/a $140,000)Total Rated Score: 29 (Shouldn't last long especially with the low interest rates)

Location: 18640 Sage Way, Cinnamon Woods

Status: Active (Bank owned)

Priced: $134,900 (Originally $144,900)

Built in 1975

Value: 10 (Great rental property)

Condition: 6 (Needs new appliances and carpet)

Location: 6 (Backs to other townhomes)

Motivation: 8 (Really motivated Bank)

Investor Rating: 20 (Really good rental potential flip o/a $120,000)

Total Rated Score: 30 (Should be the first to sell in that subdivision)

Location: 20229 Shipley Terrace, Lakeview (Close to Town Center)

Status: Active (Bank owned)
Priced: $136,000 (Originally $169,900)
Built in 1983
Value: 10 (Great rental 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom)
Condition: 6 (Needs flooring and paint)
Location: 7 (Close to Germantown Town Center)
Motivation: 7 (Uninformed, under marketed Foreclosure)
Investor Rating: 20 (Speaks for itself - good investment)
Total Rated Score: 30 (Will not last long at all)





The above properties have either lowered their price (increased value) and/or added to their condition - they can now be considered good buys. For your information Team Limejuicer and I have previewed over 3000 homes in the past year and a half. We rate and rerate if necessary, homes on a daily basis - this system allows us to not only keep our seller clients informed as to their competition, but also allows us to find the best valued properties for our buyer clients. Hopefully you found this information useful, if you would like to learn more about the Limejuicer Rating system please feel free to contact me directly. Team Limejuicer is waiting to serve your real estate needs and always welcomes referrals! Thank you for your time.



Lawrence Evans, P.C. - Real Estate Consultant


http://www.limejuicer.com/


Re/Max Town Center
Cell: (301) 922-2156


Office: (301) 540-2232 Ext 125
E-mail Lawrence@LimeJuicer.com
Blog: http://limejuicerrealestate.blogspot.com/
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/3/52b/65b

Homes sold so far this month: 33 - Averaging 3 a day

The Limejuicer Rating System is copyright protected 2009

7th Annual Germantown Walk for the Homeless

In 2005 the Washington metropolitan area saw approximately 14,000 people homeless on any given day.

Nearly half are families; more than a third are children.

Many people assume that most people lose their homes because they abuse drugs or alcohol. But it’s not that simple. People get evicted from their homes because they cannot afford steep rent hikes. People lose their jobs and wind up on the streets. Single working mothers show up at shelters with their children because they can not afford day care. Other people end up homeless because they are too sick to work or were forced to flee an abusive home. Some people ran away as teenagers and cannot afford to live on their own. While everyone’s story is different, all homeless people have two things in common: They are extremely poor and they have no permanent place to call home.

I have asked Catherine Matthews, Director of the Upcounty to update these numbers for us - My thoughts are that these numbers will have increased due to the high foreclosure and short sale rates.

It is with this in mind that I have decided to organize the Germantown Walk for the Homeless for the 7th year - I will keep you all posted as to the date of the walk and how you may be able to assist or sponsor. I would like to thank you in advance for any help that you may be able to provide.

We will be updating the official walk website as time goes along - please feel free to check it out. www.GermantownWalk.com

The Seven Must Haves of a Market Update

In the coming weeks you will notice that I will be compiling last year's Germantown statistics at a micro level (by subdivision) and eventually finishing at the macro level (Germantown as a whole).

The following will be a summary of what you can expect in each report:

1. History of the subdivision (age, builder, amenities, schools, HOA, unit numbers and style of housing)
2. Number of sales in 2008 (including type of sale and average number of days on the market)
3. Number of failed listings and why they failed
4. 2008 best deal (based on Condition, Value, Motivation and Location) for the neighborhood
5. 2008 worst deal (based on Condition, Value, Motivation and Location) for the neighborhood
6. 2009 Forecast for the neighborhood (Number of Sales and projected Average Sales Price)
7. Advice to potential sellers in the neighborhood of how to specifically maximize their profit according to their neighborhood

My goal is to compile an Annual Report for the Germantown Area that will be specific, useful, informative and worthy of my fellow realtors review.

Best homes on the market in Germantown Maryland Week ending 24 January 2009

The properties below are this week's top rated investments in Germantown:

Location: Saint Johnsbury Lane, Fox Chapel, Germantown

Status: Active (Countrywide Owned)

Priced: $209,900 (Just reduced $100,000)

Built in 1970

Value: 10+ (Unbelievable price - Great buy)

Condition: 5 (Needs work)

Location: 6 (Typical location for this subdivision)

Motivation: 7

Investor Rating: 19 (Great keeper or flipper)

Total Rated Score: 28

Location: Warrior Brook Drive, Germantown Estates, Germantown

Status: Active (Privately owned)

Priced: $334,888

Built in 1982

Value: 9 (Great starter home)

Condition: 9 (Granite countertops, new appliances, new carpet and hardwoods, new fencing, nicely updated)

Location: 6 (Backs to other single families)

Motivation: 7 (Typical motivation)

Investor Rating: 20 (Good keeper)

Total Rated Score: 31 (Awesome buy)

Location: Walnutwood Lane, Churchill Village, Germantown

Status: Active (Privately Owned)

Priced: $299,000 (Just reduced $50,000)

Built in 1976

Value: 10+ (Two Car Garage at this price?)

Condition: 4 (Needs updating)

Location: 7

Motivation: 8

Investor Rating: 19.5

Total Rated Score: 29

The above properties have either lowered their price (increased value) and/or added to their condition - they can now be considered good buys. For your information Team Limejuicer and I have previewed over homes in the past few months. We rate and rerate if necessary, homes on a daily basis - this system allows us to not only keep our seller clients informed as to their competition, but also allows us to find the best valued property for our buyer clients. Hopefully you found this information useful, if you would like to learn more about the Limejuicer Rating system please feel free to contact me directly. Team Limejuicer is waiting to serve your real estate needs and always welcomes referrals! Thank you for your time.

Lawrence Evans, P.C. - Real Estate Consultant

http://www.limejuicer.com/

Re/Max Town Center
Cell: (301) 922-2156

Office: (301) 540-2232 Ext 125

E-mail Lawrence@LimeJuicer.com

Blog: http://limejuicerrealestate.blogspot.com/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/3/52b/65b

The Limejuicer Rating System is copyright protected 2009

This week's best deals in Germantown Maryland - Courtesy of Lawrence Evans of Team Limejuicer

The below properties are this week's top rated properties in Germantown:

Location: Hickory Tree - Germantown

Status: Active - Foreclosure

Priced: $115,900 (2 Bedroom, 2 Bathroom)

Built in 1982

Value: 10 (Awesome Investment Rental Property - rent for around $1200 a month)

Condition: 5 (Needs Paint, complete flooring and new bathroom sink)

Location: 7 (Great location - convenient)

Motivation: 7 (Bank Foreclosure)

Investor Rating: 19.5

Total Rated Score: 29 (Will sell within a week)

Location: Swiss Circle - Farmingdale - Germantown

Status: Active - Trustee Sale

Priced: $189,000

Built in 1983

Value: 8 (2 Level, 2 master bedroom suites)

Condition: 9 (Almost completely renovated - fresh paint, new flooring throughout, stainless steel appliances)

Location: 7

Motivation: 8 (Trustee willing to help with buyer's closing costs)

Investor Rating: 20

Total Rated Score: 32 (One of the top condos on the market......)

Location: Saint Johnsbury Lane - Fox Chapel - Germantown

Status: Active - Regular Sale

Priced: $249,900 (Started at $369,000)

Built in 1974

Value: 10 (4 Bedroom, 2 Bathrooms)

Condition: 7 (Move in condition)

Location: 6

Motivation: 7

Investor Rating: 20

Total Rated Score: 30 (Highest rated single family in Germantown)

The above properties have either lowered their price (increased value) and/or added to their condition - they can now be considered good buys.

For your information Team Limejuicer and I have previewed thousands of homes in the past few months. We rate and rerate if necessary, homes on a daily basis - this system allows us to not only keep our seller clients informed as to their competition, but also allows us to find the best valued property for our buyer clients. Hopefully you found this information useful, if you would like to learn more about the Limejuicer Rating system please feel free to contact me directly. Team Limejuicer is waiting to serve your real estate needs and always welcomes referrals! Thank you for your time.

Lawrence Evans, P.C. - Real Estate Consultant

http://www.limejuicer.com/

Re/Max Town Center
Cell: (301) 922-2156

Office: (301) 540-2232 Ext 125

E-mail Lawrence@LimeJuicer.com

Blog: http://limejuicerrealestate.blogspot.com/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/3/52b/65b

The Limejuicer Rating System is copyright protected 2009

Wall Street vs. Main Street?

Often times we kick ourselves for not making decisions; you don't need me to tell you that the Real Estate market has taken a turn for the worse, or the stock exchange numbers have plummeted, or ones 401k is no longer existent etc.....

During the times that we noticed these changes occuring we considered reinvestment choices...didn't we.....Did we reinvest? Most of us stood the course hoping that this was an anomaly and that things were going to change for the better....

I suggest we make our own change, here is an example:

Invest $100,000 in a condominium in Germantown today:

Rent it for $1200 a month for the next 8 years = $115,200

In the next 8 years the likelihood based upon supply and demand that this condo gets to 2005 prices is extremely high.

Sell the Germantown condo in 2017 for $200.000.

Total investment: $100,000 plus carpet, paint, some minor repairs minus tax savings

Total revenue: $115,200

Potential Sale Amount: $200,000

Total profit minus initial investment: $215,200 in 8 years (not including rental appreciation)

What is the percentage of return? 26% on an annualized basis........

Let's say one had one's retirement account all in savings paying one dividends:

$800,000 in retirement savings paying one $40,000 a year in dividends (5%)

Let's buy 4 condos at $100,000 and rent them each for $1,200 = $4,800 a month or $57,600 a year.

Sell those 4 condos in 8 years: $800,000 in real estate and $460,800 in revenue


I would suggest one invest in Main Street - this is where the common need will always be....Wall Street should be left for the greedy and the lazy.