HOMES & REAL ESTATE

Resources for buying, selling, leasing, renovating, repairing and managing.

Frederick County Association of Realtors®

478 Prospect Blvd., Frederick 301-663-0757 fcar.org

UTILITIES

Water & Sewer

Frederick County Water & Sewer Utilities 4520 Metropolitan Court, Frederick Main: 301-600-1825 Billing: 301-600-2354 TDD: 301-600-1672 Emergencies: 301-600-2194

Natural gas

Washington Gas - Frederick Division 1800 N. Market St., Frederick 301-662-2151

Electric

Potomac Edison-FirstEnergy 800-686-0011 potomacedison.com RECYCLING & WASTE

Frederick County Division of Solid Waste and Recycling Landfill, transfer station and recycling drop off 9031 Reichs Ford Road, Frederick 301-600-1848 Facebook.com/FrederickRecycles

Citizens Convenience Center 301-600-1848 A flat-rate, self-service, outdoor area designed for efficient disposal of household wastes. Trash can be dropped off without having to be weighed in at the main facility entrance. The CCC is partitioned off from the main landfill site and is only accessible via an automatic gate located along Recycle Road. Customers who use the CCC will pay a flat rate for disposal of household waste and/or to drop off electronics for recycling. As of November 1, 2022 the rate is $7.92 per transaction. Yard Waste Dropoff and Mulch Sales A free drop off location for the collection of yard waste (loose or in paper bags) is provided at the 9031 Reichs Ford Road Yard Waste Recycling site. Yard waste processed by the county is converted into mulch or compost for sale.

Smaller/residential loads can be brought to the Recycling Drop Off Site and placed in a yard waste dumpster. Look for the large white “Recycling Drop Off” sign on Reichs Ford Road. (The dumpster is set below ground level, so you can back a vehicle up and unload directly into it.)

Larger/commercial loads should be brought through the main facility entrance, weighed in at the scale house, then directed to the primary yard waste recycling area to be unloaded on the ground.

Dorman Home Remodeling, Inc. MHIC #44942-01, 130201 VA Class “A” Contractor

KITCHENS & BATH ADDITIONS BASEMENTS IN-LAW SUITES SUNROOMS DECKS & MORE Visit our showroom!

8415 Progress Dr., Suite D in Frederick

SPONSORED CONTENT 5 tipsfrom your neighborhood lender

1Maximize your credit score: When purchasing anything nowadays, your credit matters. The higher your credit score, the lower your rate and the more money you keep in your pocket. Make sure to make all payments on time, of course as a first rule. Then do not max out your credit cards. The higher you are in your limit, the higher credit risk you are seen as, and your scores go down. Keep your balances as low as possible. Ideally under 10% of your limit, but if that is too much, try and get under 50%, and then continue to pay down monthly. Check your credit a couple times a year for medical collections. This often gets reported in a billing error with your insurance and if you dispute them, they most likely will be removed.

2Don’t be afraid to max out your 401k! Most people think all of their money needs to be in their checking and savings and you should not touch your 401k. That is an older school way of thinking and not correct. Your 401k is an investment tool. You can put pretax money in and allow it to grow, but also BORROW against it for down payment on real estate. Then you can pay yourself back, not be penalized and not lose any ground. The top 1% in the world do this with investment accounts/ life insurance accounts and don’t use their cash. Everyone else has been learning and adjusting their strategies and this applies to your 401k account as well!

3Cash Deposits – while preparing to qualify for a mortgage.

Don’t make any large cash deposits into your account. You wont be able to use these funds, even if they are in your bank account. There are specific cases where this is allowed and you need to review with a licensed loan officer before making any larger deposits.

4Review your budget and understand your goals before

getting into purchasing a home. Most clients don’t understand what monthly payment they want, they just want to see how much house they can qualify for. But running a successful budget monthly is very important for your household’s long-term wealth and success. Do some homework on your budget and goals and then review that with your loan officer!

5Don’t make any major purchases. Sometimes that new car will stop you from buying your new house. Get your largest and most important asset figured out first, then buy that nice new car or take that nice long vacation. I cannot tell you how many clients that go out and purchase a brand new car and the payment stops them from purchasing their dream home. Slow down, think about the big picture first and speak to your loan officer before making any larger purchases.

5 tips provided by:

5291 Corporate Drive Frederick 240-651-6955 NMLS #221586