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