FACTS ABOUT SOUTHERN MARYLAND IN CHARLES COUNTY,
CALVERT COUNTY AND ST. MARY'S COUNTY
CALVERT COUNTY REAL ESTATE PROFILE
Calvert County real estate is unique by design. The county residents do not want or permit small lot developments. So, homes in Carroll County, with the exception of areas such as beaches and Chesapeake Ranch Estates will be constructed on half acre or larger lots.
HISTORY
Surrounded by water except where the borders of Calvert and Anne Arundel meet, Calvert County's history of economic development was based on the tobacco farmer. The market for that crop was England and England was the source of household and personal goods for Calvert County residents. The British stormed through Calvert County during the war of 1812 and it was many years before the economy was again viable. Fishing and shipbuilding developed as economic models during the 1800s and the development of these industries in the Solomons Islands area are viable today.
CALVERT COUNTY REAL ESTATE
Calvert County real estate along the waterfront on the Chesapeake Bay offers water access and waterfront properties, communities of small lots and what were once summer homes but now offer year round residences to families with homes in Chesapeake Beach, North Beach, Port Republic, Saint Leonard and Solomons. Home sites built in the last 10 years offer lovely luxurious homes in large lot communities built by local builders who know the areas and desire to preserve the rural nature of Calvert County real estate. A very special community in Calvert County is the Chesapeake Ranch Estates located in Lusby, on the Chesapeake Bay about 6 miles north of Solomons. This community was developed in the 1960s on lots of one quarter acre. With a fresh water lake, Lake Lariat, stables, ball fields, private airport and other amenities, this community of approximately 5,600 lots offers fabulous homes on or near the water with easy commute to all areas of Calvert County, Charles County, St. Mary's County and Anne Arundel County.
COMMUNITIES TO SEARCH FOR REAL ESTATE IN CALVERT COUNTY, MARYLAND
Dowell, Dunkirk, Huntingtown, Lusby, North Beach, Owings, Port Republic, Prince Frederick, Saint Leonard, Solomons, Sunderland
CALVERT COUNTY IS RICH IN LAND AND NEW AND RESALE HOME STYLES FOR HOME BUYERS
Large lots homes in Calvert County can be found in the north part of this lovely county all the way to Prince Frederick. On the shores of the Chesapeake Bay, lots are small in the beach communities. Homes on the Patuxent shores are primarily farms and large lot home sites. Lusby offers the Chesapeak Ranch Estates and White Sands for quarter acre lot development.
CHARLES COUNTY REAL ESTATE PROFILE
In the heart of Southern Maryland, Charles County offers real estate home buyers convenience and value. Once a rural community, now a vibrant county with exciting residential communities of moderate to luxurious homes on large lots in locations convenient to Washington, D.C. and employment centers in Prince George's and Anne Arundel Counties. Route 301 goes directly through Charles County, across the Potomac River in to Northern Virginia, making Charles County an alternative residential real estate area. Residential Charles County real estate development is centered in and around Waldorf. Communities like St. Charles, built in the 1960 through today and still in development contribute to the variety of home style and features sought by todays home buyers in Maryland.
HISTORY
Charles County has a rich history. One hour from Annapolis, Charles County is convenient to the nation's capital and is the "Gateway" on the Patuxent and Potomac Rivers to Washington, D.C. Benedict is the site of the British invasion during the War of 1812 when they marched to Washington, D.C. and burned the city.
CHARLES COUNTY REAL ESTATE IS HOME TO GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE EMPLOYEES
With a land mass of 461 acres and a population of just over 120,000, Charles County has considerable real estate available for development. New home communities have been developed in St. Charles which has been in development since the 1960s and surrounding areas. The county seat of La Plata retains it's rural atmosphere since most development is located closer to the Prince George's County border with close proximity to employment centers in Upper Marlboro, Washington, D.C. and Andrews AFB. Military employees and service personnel working at the Pentagon also find Charles an affordable alternative to the high cost housing in Northern Virginia.
COMMUNITIES TO SEARCH FOR REAL ESTATE IN CHARLES COUNTY, MARYLAND
Benedict, Bryans Road, Bryantown, Cobb Island, Hughesville, Indian Head, La Plata, Pomfret, Port Tobacco, Waldorf, White Plains
CHARLES COUNTY REAL ESTATE OFFERS A HOME FOR JUST ABOUT EVERYONE
Starting in the late 1960, the community of St. Charles was developed with single family detached and town homes offered at affordable prices to families often working in Washington, D.C. Route 5 was the only direct commute and traffic worsened over the years. In about 1992, Charles County started to make significant improvements to the roads with expanded access and egress as well as THE MALL. THE MALL, for the first time offered significant shopping opportunity clustered for consumers to shop for household and personal goods. Shoppers from southern Prince George's, Calvert, St. Mary's counties flocked to THE MALL and the town of Waldorf grew to offer housing to these families. The combination of shopping and residential real estate makes Waldorf a very popular location for families shopping for real estate in Charles County, Maryland
ST. MARY'S COUNTY REAL ESTATE PROFILE
Almost surrounded by water, the Patuxent River, the Patomac River and the Chesapeake Bay offer numerous shores for water front, water oriented villages and water privileged communities. Most of the growth in real estate in St. Mary's County in the past 5 years is due to the expanded mission of the Patuxent River Naval Air Station "Pax River". Pax River is home to the Navy's principal research, development, testing for naval aircraft and fleet support and ship to shore operations. This very important mission has been expanded since it's inception in 1943 and continues as a principal testing location for naval operations.
HISTORY
St. Mary's County offers significant historical presence for Maryland. Lord Calvert and associated colonists landed on these shores in 1634. St. Mary's City was established at that time. The first colony to practice religious freedom of a sort and had peaceful relations with the natives living in the area. St. Mary's County has been a beacon of religious, racial and gender tolerance since it's founding in 1637.
The mission at Pax River and Indian Head (Charles County) have brought over $3.4 billion in economic benefit to these counties. They have also brought significant expansion of real estate development in St. Mary's and Charles County. These military missions have brought almost 30,000 new jobs to Southern Maryland. The jobs located in these military locations pay approximately $15,000 more per year than the average Southern Maryland income.
COMMUNITIES TO SEARCH FOR REAL ESTATE IN ST. MARY'S COUNTY
New Real estate in St. Mary's County is located primarily close to Lexington Park, home to Pax River. But, Southern Maryland builders and developers have located new home construction in St. Mary's beginning about 1999 when the military mission was expanded. New homes in St. Mary's County are detached, single family homes. Development of town homes is strictly limited to control growth and pressure on the county services caused by more dense development. Approximately 50-75 new home sites are available at most times during the year in 6-10 locations through out the county in Leonardtown, Lixington Park and Mechanicsville being the most popular locations for new real estate in St. Mary's County.
ST. MARY'S COUNTY REAL ESTATE IS UNIQUE TO SOUTHERN MARYLAND
The median age for homes listed for sale in St. Mary's County is approximately 10 years old. The median price is about $300,000. One of the features that folks looking for a home in St. Mary's County like is the ample lot size. Compared to the average lot size in Charles or Calvert County, St. Mary's offers more rural real estate home sites. Popular towns and villages for resale homes are Mechanicsville, Lexington Park, Leonardtown, Hollywood and California.
