Notes from My Chesapeake Home
Sharing local stories, market trends, and real estate advice for buyers and sellers across Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
Blue Crabs and a Better Housing Market
Summer in the Chesapeake means blue crabs. Steamed in Old Bay with a glug of cheap beer thrown in to add flavor, a mountain of crabs piled high on a picnic table gladdens the hearts of all Marylanders. But steamed crabs don’t come cheap—and the earlier in the summer you buy them, the more...
Making Like an Osprey in Spring 2022’s Real Estate Market
Every spring, as the weather begins to warm in March, a long-awaited resident returns to the Chesapeake—the osprey. Locals are always on watch for the first arrivals back to our tributaries after their migration south, and for the pairing-off, nesting, and the chicks that will follow. There’s a...
Peace on Earth Found on the Eastern Shore……
Author Cheryl Cox, with family Written by Cheryl Cox, a client (and friend!) of Courtney’s, and new resident on the Shore. Thank you, Cheryl! A pandemic is certainly nothing that any of us anticipated or even imagined would enter our lives in March of 2020. As we all stayed in, found...
Why the Eastern Shore Lifestyle Still Matters: Slowing Down in a Fast-Paced World
It’s that time of year again on the Mid-Shore — when we experience the phenomenon lovingly known as the “Eastern Shore traffic jam.” But unlike city gridlock, this one isn’t caused by rush hour, but by a combine or tractor making its way from one field to another at a snail’s pace. A line of cars...
The Power of Professionalism— from Belgian brews to real estate bliss
I believe in the power of professionalism. But a recent trip to Europe with my husband really brought home the ways expertise and skill can transform an experience. Unlike many of our peers, who are harnessing the DIY power of the internet to plan their trips, crowdsourcing restaurants and...
Fishing, Surprises & Buying a Home on Maryland’s Eastern Shore
Buying a home on Maryland’s Eastern Shore isn’t so different from fishing — sometimes the best catches come when you least expect them. From sailfish in Costa Rica to a dream farm in Kent County, I’ve seen firsthand how trusting the right guide leads to unforgettable results. Here’s why working with a local expert matters when it comes to finding your perfect home.
Top 10 Things I Learned in My First Year in Real Estate
More seasoned realtors may struggle to recall their first listing, but for me, it feels like yesterday. The hazy, Eastern-Shore-humid afternoon climbing towards triple digit temperatures . . . The feel of the soil giving way as I plunged my first-ever ‘For Sale’ sign into the manicured garden of...
Main Street USA
My husband grew up in a Maryland town that didn’t have a main street. The first time I visited I was really confused. Where is the post office? A dry cleaner? Barber shop? A hardware store? Ice cream shop??!!! I thought about that when I sold five (yeah!!!) properties...
A Rising Tide Floats all Boats—How critical updates and a sound pricing strategy increase neighborhood demand
When people visit me for the first time, the first thing they ask is, why are so many houses for sale around here? Then they lean in and whisper, ‘what’s wrong with the neighborhood?’ It’s not just my neighborhood, Prospect Bay. There’s lots of houses for sale in Queen Anne’s Colony,...
Plebe Summer & Finding the Right Fit in Real Estate
There’s something about the word home that our men and women in the military understand better than the rest of us ever could. The people who sacrifice the most for our safety often miss out on the simple comforts we all enjoy every day. That’s why my husband and I wanted to find a way to give...
NFL Draft Day & Loosening the Reins: Lessons on Real Estate from the Washington Redskins
Remember the days before cable TV when all you had was an antenna on the roof or maybe bunny ears on the TV in your bedroom? Some of you have no idea what I’m talking about and others are shaking their heads in agreement. Either way, it seems hard to imagine a time before 500 TV channels and...
Buying a Vacation Home on Maryland’s Eastern Shore: 5 Smart Tips
Thinking of buying a vacation home? Here are 5 tips to consider before you head out to go house-hunting. Summertime on the Bay is like no other. Raft ups, crab feasts, fishing, exploring local shops and restaurants. Then there’s family and friends arriving for your weekend...