Montgomery & Prince George’s County Market Stats

The latest statistics for Montgomery County real estate and Prince George’s County real estate are explained in this video from the local multiple listing service. It is updated on the tenth of each month, so you will always have access to the market trends for Montgomery County Maryland.

For more information on Montgomery County MD Real Estate, call Bob Myers at 301-910-9910.

Northern Virginia Market Stats

Northern Virginia real estate market trends and statistics are explained in this video from the local listing service. Check back on the tenth of the month for updates on the latest data on how the Northern Virginia real estate market is doing.

For more information on Northern Virginia Real Estate, call Bob Myers at 301-910-9910.

Gaithersburg videos of neighborhoods & points of interest

For more information on Gaithersburg MD real estate, call Bob Myers at 301-910-9910.  Click here to Search for Homes for Sale in Gaithersburg.

North Potomac videos of neighborhoods & points of interest

For more information on North Potomac MD real estate, call Bob Myers at 301-910-9910.  Click here to Search for Homes for Sale in North Potomac.

Rockville videos of neighborhoods & points of interest

For more information on Rockville MD real estate, call Bob Myers at 301-910-9910.  Click here to Search for Homes for Sale in Rockville.

Germantown MD videos of neighborhoods & points of interest

For more information on Germantown MD real estate, call Bob Myers at 301-910-9910.  Click here to Search for Homes for Sale in Germantown.

Clarksburg MD videos of neighborhoods & points of interest

For more information on Clarksburg MD real estate, call Bob Myers at 301-910-9910.  Click here to Search for Homes for Sale in Clarksburg.

Boyds MD videos of neighborhoods & points of interest

For more information on Boyds MD real estate, call Bob Myers at 301-910-9910.  Click here to Search for Homes for Sale in Boyds

Olney MD videos of neighborhoods & points of interest

For more information on Olney MD real estate, call Bob Myers at 301-910-9910. Click here to Search for Homes for Sale in Olney

Moving forward and more on the Corridor Cities Transitway…..

Though never considered a problem under federal law, the environmental impact of the CCT was required to be analyzed.  According to a new state study, the routing of the proposed CCT would have a minor impact on the environment, partially due to the fact that the buses or trains would be traveling in the middle of existing roads.  The impact on the natural environment and wildlife habitat would be minor, since the area is already built up.

The Maryland Transit Authority recently reviewed the route changes to better serve the new developments of Crown Farm and Science City, west of I-270 near Shady Grove, and putting a station closer to the Kentlands.

Justifying construction of a new station hinges on the future plans of Science City in Gaithersburg.  Science City, also known as the Great Seneca Science Corridor Master Plan, is slated to triple the jobs in the area, as well as resulting in approximately 9000 new housing units.  Now the caveat – much of Science City development depends on having the transitway built first.

On December 15 a public hearing will be held to determine whether express buses or a light-rail would be the best mode of transportation.  The Montgomery County Council endorsed the light-rail at a cost of nearly $1 billion dollars, as opposed to an estimated $530 million for a bus-way.  However, due to monetary resources, bus rapid transit would be welcomed and supported just as well.

Plans to ease congestion on I-270 are also in the works: new interchanges to accommodate future widening, adding lanes and adding express toll lanes.

State transportation officials are seeking Federal money to build a light rail between Bethesda and New Carrollton (purple line) and a light rail in Baltimore (red line).

Dealing with Montgomery County’s real estate growth is not an easy challenge.  There is an alphabet soup of agencies and programs: the ICC (Inter-County Connector), MTA (Maryland Transit Administration), MSHA (Maryland State Highway Administration), MDOT (Maryland Department of Transportation).   If you are thinking about moving to Montgomery County, you need to take into account development and transit plans.

One of the key programs on the drawing board to deal with the expected increase in homes in Montgomery County is the CCT – Corridor Cities Transitway, combining ETL’s (express toll lanes), LRT (light rail transit), and BRT (bus rapid transit) as an extension of the Metro subway Red Line.  There is debate as to which of these is preferable.

Since the 1980’s this transit system – the I-270/US 15 Multi-Modal Corridor Study has been identified as part of Montgomery County’s planning goals.  It was set up to analyze Frederick and Montgomery Counties most congested areas and the goal was to find solutions to ease the congestion along the 30 mile stretch from US 15 to I-270 at Shady Grove Metro.  Solutions and options range from highway improvements, BRT and LRT, as well at ETL’s on I-270 at 370 up to Rt. 80 in Frederick

All proposed ETL’s, BRT’s and LRT’s will be managed lanes – separate from regular traffic lanes.

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As more and more homes are being built in Clarksburg, this proposal has taken on more urgency.  The proposal covers 14 miles extending from Shady Grove Metro to Clarksburg, with planned stops at King Farm, Crown Farm, Quince Orchard Park, NIST, Metropolitan Grove, Germantown and Clarksburg.  The Gaithersburg Science City, now known as the Great Seneca Science Corridor Master Plan,  depends on this plan to alleviate traffic concerns in the Gaithersburg and Rockville areas.

In 2008, MTA estimated that the CCT ridership could be 26,000-30,000 on an average workday in 2030.  Some studies have shown an incredible growth in Montgomery County housing development in 2030.  Work continues on planned development along the corridor so that the right of way remains protected and consistent with adopted master plans.

The MTA is examining the feasibility and impact of changing the proposed alignment to better serve the Life Sciences area of Gaithersburg West.

About the Author: Bob Myers, Re/Max Realty Services has been a Realtor in Montgomery County since 1986. Call Bob at 301-910-9910 if you would like more information about homes in Montgomery County Maryland.
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On May 4, 2010, the Montgomery County Council unanimously approved a “scaled down” master plan.  The area is now approved for 13 million square feet of development, as opposed to the originally proposed 20 million.  The plan also calls for a maximum of 9000 residential units and 52,500 new jobs.  For the history of this proposal, see our other article on Gaithersburg Science City (officially known as the Great Seneca Science Corridor Master Plan).

Support from several council members stems from both preference given to life science jobs and in density reduction.  There was an amendment made that widened the open space buffer at the corner of Darnestown and Muddy Branch Roads.

Great Seneca Science Corridor Master Plan

The newly approved master plan for the research campus requires neighborhood involvement in the county’s regular monitoring of transportation issues, funding for the Corridor Cities Transitway system from Shady Grove Metro to Clarksburg and several open spaces, including up to 46% of Johns Hopkins Belward Farm section.

There are still some major concerns regarding this undertaking.  How will the county secure the funding to turn this vision into reality?  Councilman Marc Erlich says that neither the county, nor the state have any ideas on how to fund the planned infrastructure – without it, none of the benefits of this plan will be possible.

Montgomery County Maryland continues to try to create high paying jobs and plan for the new homes and traffic that will come with it.  Stay tuned for more on the implementation of this plan.

About the Author:  Bob Myers is a real estate agent in Montgomery County MD since 1986, leading The Myers Team of Re/Max Realty Services.  Call Bob at 301-910-9910 if you are interested in buying or selling a home in Montgomery County Maryland.
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One of the many great things about living in Montgomery County is the abundance of agricultural land that is preserved by the county – about one quarter of our total space!  And where there are farmers, there are farmers’ markets – check out the locations and schedule for Montgomery County Farmers’ Markets.

Clarksburg Farmers’ Market in Clarksburg Town Center

The Clarksburg Town Center Farmers’ Market opens its third season on Sunday, June 6, 2010 from 10 am-1 pm at the intersection of Clarksburg Road & Public House Road.  Opening Day festivities include live music, children’s gardening project, moon bounce, PTA fundraisers, cotton candy, Carmen’s Italian Ice, Montgomery County Recycling, John Deere tractor, Artisan Showcase, and all our weekly farmers and food vendors.

Every Sunday from June through October when you visit the Clarksburg Town Center Farmers’ Market you will experience the finest and freshest fruits, vegetables, herbs, eggs, meat, poultry, baked goods, fruit preserves & fresh cut flowers from local farmers, bakers and vendors.

Clarksburg Farmers' Market

This is a gathering place for the Clarksburg community to support their local farmers and community.  Open Sundays from 10:00-1:00 from June through October.  Visit Clarksburg Farmers’ Market online or email them at ClarksburgFarmersMarket@yahoo.com to get on the mailing list.

About the Author:  Elizabeth Garofalo serves on the Steering Committee of the Clarksburg Town Center Farmers’ Market.
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As the saying goes, the only two sure things in life are taxes and….well, let’s just talk about property taxes in Montgomery County!

How the Tax Rate is Determined – The real property tax rate is set each year by the County Council and applied to the assessed value of the property.  The fully phased-in assessed value equals the full cash value of the property – according to the county – this is NOT market value. The real property tax is levied annually on all taxable land and improvements (the home and other buildings).

Other charges that may be included in your Real Property Consolidated Tax Bill are:

• state and county taxes;

• city levies, e.g. Rockville property tax;

• solid waste and recycling charges (which vary, based on services provided);

• stormwater management fee,

• water quality protection charge which provides inspections and maintenance for county stormwater facilities, protecting streams, water supplies and property by keeping stormwater facilities functioning properly and continually capable of removing pollution, recharging ground water, protecting stream banks and keeping roads and property from flooding;

• Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) connection charge/front foot benefit charge for sewer and public water;

• all properties in Maryland are levied an annual fee of $30 (included in WSSC charge) dedicated to the Bay Restoration Fund, in order to improve the water quality of the Chesapeake Bay.  Homeowners on septic systems are levied this on their county tax bill.

Maryland Real Property Tax bills are due bi-annually – twice a year.   You will receive a copy of your tax bill and it is your responsibility to make sure that your mortgage company has received it and it is scheduled for them to pay out of your mortgage escrow account, if it is established as such.   If it is not included in your escrow, you are responsible for payment by the due date.

Special Development Districts:  There are several current and proposed development districts in Montgomery County, including Germantown and Clarksburg where the costs of infrastructure are paid back to the county, who has fronted the bonds.  This is intended to make sure that new construction has the roads and other services to support the increase in homes.

Maryland is on a three (3) year assessment cycle.   If you put your Montgomery County MD home up for sale, you are required to disclose your current property taxes and the estimated taxes a new owner would pay (which will in most cases be higher).  You can find information for invidual properties below.

Montgomery County Property Tax Credit Information

Homestead Credit – To assist homeowners affected by a large assessment increase by capping the increase.  It is not applicable the first year that the home was purchased

County Supplemental Tax Credit – For households earning less than $60,000.00

Homeowner’s Property Tax Credit – For those living on limited or fixed incomes, compared to the tax bill

Senior Tax Credit – One of the property owners must be age 70

Fire Sprinkler System Credit – A one-time tax credit to partially offset the cost

The County offers many tax credits and exemptions against the real property tax for which you may be eligible.

Appealing your Property Tax Assessment

If you feel that the estimate of your property value is wrong, the assessment appeal process is available to you.  The Myers Team would be happy to help you collect information on comparables to support your appeal, just call us at 301-910-9910. 

Property owners will normally receive a Notice of Assessment every three years that shows the old market value as well as the new market value. The new value reflects past sales and other conditions affecting the property from the time of the last assessment.

If you decide to appeal, the first step is to reply to the Notice of Assessment by signing and returning the appeal form within 45 days of the date of the notice. Following this, a personal or telephone hearing will be scheduled. Appeals can also be made in writing, eliminating the need for a hearing.

Quick Links for Property Taxes in Montgomery County

General FAQs on Montgomery County property taxes

How to find the current property tax for a specific Montgomery County MD home

How to find the estimated property tax a new owner would pay

Montgomery County Property Tax Rates

More on Montgomery County MD real estate taxes

About the Author:  Bob Myers is the leader of The Myers Team of Re/Max Realty Services.  If you have any questions about the Montgomery County property tax or real estate in Montgomery County, feel free to call him at 301-910-9910.  Bob moved to Montgomery County in 1986 and has lived in Derwood, Rockville, Gaithersburg, Boyds and Clarksburg.

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View North Potomac MD 20878 Neighborhoods in a larger map

This map includes links to neighborhood videos, information about North Potomac home values, North Potomac schools, shopping areas, parks and recreation.

Here is a sample of homes for sale in North Potomac. Call Bob Myers of the Myers Team for more information about any of these North Potomac homes for sale and for a private showing:
[idx-listings city="North Potomac" propertytypes="132" orderby="DateAdded" orderdir="DESC" count="10"]
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In an effort to bring Montgomery County into the international forefront of science, research and development, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the Montgomery County Executive and Johns Hopkins University’s president in February 2010, with the goal of bringing large biotechnology development to our area.  The plan must go through the approval process, but the goal is to rival life sciences research and technology being done in Palo Alto, California or Research Triangle in North Carolina.

Initially known as Shady Grove Life Sciences Center, it is also referred to as Life Science City, Gaithersburg West Plan or Gaithersburg Science City.

Montgomery County, already home to Johns Hopkins, the Universities at Shady Grove, Montgomery College, NIH, FDA, NIST and NOAA, wishes to implement development plans that will compliment research and technology.

The proposed 900 acre, 20 million square feet commercial space would  feature laboratory, office and retail, and is projected to bring up to 40,000 jobs and approximately 9,000 residences over the next 40 years.

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The National Cancer Institute had already decided to relocate its headquarters into the Johns Hopkins Rockville campus, at the 107-acre Belward Farm at Gaithersburg’s southern edge.  Hopkins purchased the property in 1989, agreeing that the development would be limited to research, medical care, academic and agriculture.

While very exciting on the one hand, skeptics and critics are wary of the impact on Gaithersburg West.  Concerns stem from existing roadways being unable to support traffic, the strain on the public schools and other community impacts, as well as taxpayers having to pick up the financial slack.  After delving more into the numbers, some politicians and community groups say that this project is too big and dependent on the proposed Corridor Cities Transitway that is included in the future county growth plan.

This debate will continue over infrastructure, economics and logistics of the Gaithersburg Science City project, while Montgomery County will continue to grapple with growth and development issues.

UPDATE – New Developments

As a result of a straw vote by the Montgomery County Council in April 2010, it was agreed that efforts would be made to preserve green space and reduce traffic, and it was informally agreed to cap commercial development at 17.5 million square feet, down from 20 million.

The council also agreed to change the name of the Gaithersburg West Master Plan to the Great Seneca Science Corridor Master Plan.  This plan covers 4,360 acres and includes the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Also under discussion is the Corridor Cities Transitway, a 14 mile mass transit line that will connect Clarksburg in the upcounty area and Shady Grove in Rockville.  The county council will require that half of the CCT be built before the second half of the Great Seneca plan could be built.

As always in our area, the major concerns are traffic and preserving open, green space.  This debate and the revisions are far from over, but there may be a final vote next month on this revision.   More to come…stay tuned!  Please give us your comments below.
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If you are thinking about relocating to Maryland, you have alot of lifestyle choices in Montgomery County.  There are many great reasons to move to Gaithersburg.

1.   The walkable new urbanism community of Kentlands and nearby Lakelands. This award winning community has a mix of single family, townhomes, condos and rentals. You can walk to shopping, restaurants, schools and so much more. There are lakes, trails and cultural activities at the Arts Barn. The nearby communities of Quince Orchard Park and Quince Orchard Manor offer more affordable house prices but with easy access to Kentlands.  Here’s what one local had to say about Kentlands.

2.   The Washingtonian Center at Rio is an above average retail and entertainment development. The neighborhood across the street is Washingtonian Center, highly desirable because it is in the Wootton High School cluster.

3.   Easy (or relatively easy) commute into Washington DC from many communities along the Route 355/Interstate 270 corridor such as Timberbrook Condos, Woodland Hills townhomes and Washington Grove, a unique community in the forest that is laid out to be pedestrian friendly. There is a MARC train station in Gaithersburg, and you are a short drive to the Shady Grove Red Line Metro station from many parts of Gaithersburg.

4.   Government services, parks and recreation are superior in Gaithersburg. A partial list includes: a water park, miniature golf course, skate park, senior centers, ball fields, youth centers, summer camps, outdoor concerts for kids and adults, the Arts Barn, a Farmer’s Market and much more.

5.   Gaithersburg is a major employment center with Sodexo, Medimmune, National Institute of Standards & Technology, IBM and Lockheed Martin.

6.   The Montgomery County Fairgrounds is located in Gaithersburg, and hosts a wide variety of crafts shows, indoor flea markets, a great Fourth of July show and fireworks, home shows and of course, the County Fair complete with animals, agricultural exhibits, monster trucks and the demolition derby.

7.   Shopping centers abound, including Lakeforest Mall; Olde Towne Gaithersburg’s antique shops; strip malls and Kentlands ‘old fashioned’ downtown.

8.  You’ll find an abundance of green spaces in Gaithersburg, e.g. Bohrer Park, Seneca Creek State Park, Clopper Lake, Kentlands parks and lakes and a variety of ‘pocket’ parks.

9.   If you are looking for that old fashioned community feeling, Gaithersburg offers a St. Patrick’s day parade at Rio, a Labor Day parade in Olde Towne, concerts at the Town Hall, street festivals and much more for all ages.

10.   If you move to Gaithersburg you’ll be in close proximity to everything that Montgomery County has to offer plus you’ll be close to DC for work and/or play.

The Myers Team has helped families move to Gaithersburg for 24 years, let us help you find the perfect neighborhood.  Use the form on the right to order a relocation package today, email us at bob@montgomerymdliving.com or call us at 301-910-9910 to discuss your needs.  Visit our other website to see more about Gaithersburg MD homes.

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