By having seven schools in the top 100, MCPS breaks its own record of six, set in 2008. Last year, MCPS had four schools in the top 100.     The seven high schools are Richard Montgomery (33), Poolesville (59), Bethesda-Chevy Chase (63), Winston Churchill (75), Thomas Wootton (83), Walt Whitman (85), and Walter Johnson (95). The remaining MCPS high schools all finished in the top 3 percent of all schools in the nation.

MCPS is the only Maryland district with schools in the top 100.     “The Newsweek report is another confirmation that the reform efforts we have put in place the past 11 years are having a very positive impact,” said Patricia O’Neill, President of the Montgomery County Board of Education. “We have made a commitment to giving all students access to college-level work, so they are better prepared for the rigors of post-secondary classes.”    Several MCPS high schools made significant gains on the list from last year, most notably Poolesville High School, which jumped from 305th to 59th this year. The list is based upon the “Challenge Index,” developed by the Washington Post, which put out a ranking of Washington-area schools earlier this year. MCPS had five schools in the top 10 on that list.

Receiving a college ready score on an AP or IB exam has been identified as one of MCPS’ “7 Keys to College Readiness,” a series of K-12 benchmarks that lays out a pathway to college preparedness.     Students who succeed in rigorous classes, like AP, are more than three times as likely to get a bachelor’s degree than those who do not, according to college completion data.  Among MCPS students in the classes of 2001-2004, only 25 percent of those who did not take an AP exam earned a bachelor’s degree.

But among those students who took at least one AP exam, 60 percent earned a degree, and among those who scored 3 or higher on at least one exam, 76 percent earned a bachelor’s degree.    “By providing broader access to rigorous classes, we are giving our students a distinct advantage in college,” Superintendent Jerry D. Weast said. “Simply taking an AP class more than doubles a student’s chances of earning a bachelor’s degree, which leads to higher lifetime earnings and greater success in the workplace.”
The Newsweek list is the latest in a string of accolades about the performance of MCPS students:

• MCPS has the highest graduation rate among the nation’s large school districts, according to a report released by Education Week on Thursday. The MCPS graduation rate of 83.1 percent is significantly higher than the state and national rates.
• The class of 2010 has earned $232 million in college scholarships so far this year, an all-time record for the district and nearly $50 million more than last year.
• MCPS has been named one of five finalists for the $1 million Broad Prize for Urban Education, which recognizes large school districts that raised student achievement and narrowed the achievement gap.

America’s Best High Schools Rankings for All MCPS Schools

Source: Newsweek’s America’s Best High Schools 2010

See frequently asked questions about the list.

Source: MCPS, http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/press/index.aspx?page=showrelease&id=2783

Stay in Poolesville for the festivities.  There are bands playing, food to be eaten, crafts and vendors to visit, freebies to be had, and wonderful weather in the forecast.

We’ll see you in Poolesville this weekend!

Tom and Laura

P.S.  Check out www.PoolesvilleDay.com for the scoop!

First a few facts for you to consider; the Cash for Clunkers program is not just a domestic program. In fact, ten other nations have implemented their own versions with similar results.

Next, Cash for Clunkers does not equally benefit all people.

Those with new, energy efficient vehicles will not benefit. Those with very limited budgets that only purchased modest priced used cars will not benefit. Those that recently purchased a car are plain out of luck and those that purchase after the program is over will not benefit (unless the program is extended). Also, those that do not purchase a car but pay taxes to support the program certainly do not benefit. Those that are in a position to purchase a new car and act now will receive the majority of the benefits from the program.

Finally, the program may actually hurt the poorest and most vulnerable population by eventually driving up the cost of used cars and parts by taking the current clunkers off the road permanently.  With fewer used cars to compete with (and fewer used parts to make affordable repairs…combined with fewer automobile dealerships and repair shops), the price of new cars will become more competitive (ie, the price difference between buying new versus used will not be as great).

Once the price of new cars stabilizes, the price of used cars will soon follow. Of course, it only makes sense. The government has spend big bucks bailing out a faltering auto industry; one of the last forms of big business remaining in this nation. Unfortunately, American cars haven’t sold well for years and profits were disproportionately generated by financing rather than actual car sales. So, how does this apply to real estate?

It’s important to understand the trend. Pay close attention to how the global community is responding to the need to jump start the economy. While private corporations have been using planned obsolescence for years to increase sales (it’s not your imagination – your products have been carefully calibrated to fall right after the expiration date!), never before have governments instituted mandates that required the destruction of property In order to uphold prices and stimulate the economy.

Additionally, proposals such as the Cap and Trade bill contain stringent energy and building codes which could effectively create a similar situation in real estate. Old homes that consume excessive amounts of energy may not be affordable options in the future – instead, they could be fodder for new programs designed to invigorate the building and construction trades here at home. 

The result will be the same; higher labor costs for new construction combined with more stringent building requirements and specified energy efficiency ratings are likely to drive the cost of new homes higher while simultaneously tearing down old cracker houses and other super affordable options. The end result is likely to be higher prices for both new and pre-existing homes making this the perfect opportunity to purchase short sale property at reasonable rates.

(thanks to Chris McLaughlin for this excellent commentary!)

Trent Kittleman, Sue Buswell and Laura Kittleman hosted a wine & cheese party at the Kittleman Family Farm on Friday August 7. Enjoyed under the stars, the event offered an opportunity to re-connect with old friends and make new ones. The Women’s Giving Circle (WGC) of Howard County was the featured attraction, and participants were informed and educated about the WGC and its mission.

Trent Kittleman introduced Yolanda Bruno and Mary Ann Scully, who talked about the history, organization and programs of the WGC. Click here for more information about this group and ways you can get involved.

Yolanda Bruno	Mary Ann Scully	Trent Kittleman

Here’s what my client had to say about working with me. I work very hard at making the complicated seem effortless. 

“This was my first time buying a home.  You made it almost EFFORTLESS!  I never imagined that buying a home could go so smoothly!!!  Especially since I made you rush almost everything, and wanted to move in 30 days!!!  But you made that happen, and I thank you for that.  I can’t believe we found my dream home, and just a month later we’re moving in!

“I am most impressed with how accessible you were to my husband and me.  I don’t think we ever waited more than an hour for a response to a question during the whole two month process (and there were a lot of questions)!!  I can honestly remember emailing you and thinking “well, I’d better give that a day or two for an answer, seeing as how complicated this is.”  Imagine my surprise when I would receive such a THOROUGH and ACCURATE response later that day!

“You proved to be oh-so knowledgeable in all spectrums of real estate.  I sincerely appreciate all your advice.

“I cannot say enough positive things about you and our experience working with you.  I will absolutely without hesitation refer my friends and family to you.”

– Jennifer and Tim Vo

Jen and Tim, thanks for reminding me why I love real estate so much!

Tom Yeatts, Buyer Specialist
Kittleman Realty Group
301.704.7973

The median size of  new homes, growing from less than 1,000 square feet in the 1950s to over 2,400 square feet in 2004, has trended back down recently.

In 2008, the median home size was 2,200 square feet. With the current recession, expect home sizes to shrink more.  According to a survey conducted by the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Americans are increasingly looking at smaller homes and lower ceilings, in part because of energy costs. “Home sizes have been trending down recently,” said AIA chief economist Kermit Baker. “The era of the ‘McMansion’ could well be over.”

This housing trend, along with other movements in the housing and building industries, such as geothermal heating and cooling, solar and wind generated power, recycled building materials, and nontoxic paints and carpets, is gaining momentum.  There’s never been a better time to really go green, and … just maybe… go off the grid too.

Senator Robert H. Kittleman died on September 11, 2004. Because of his passion for education and belief that anyone who is willing to study and work hard deserves a chance to succeed, his family created a scholarship in his honor. We are very thankful to all who have donated to the scholarship fund – and we’re planning an exciting fundrasier for later this year. Details to follow.

Home to Howard County. It feels great to be back. So much has changed since I grew up in Columbia, and yet so much is the same. Now I’m living on my dad, Robert H. Kittleman’s, farm, just behind the homes in Fox Valley, right off Rt. 32. Have I mentioned how great it feels to be back?

I decided to create Thoughts from Home as a more personal part of the website, where I can post items that have more of a “Laura” flair. (Hint: I almost called this section “Life in the Pink Aisle,” so be warned!)

My dad, Bob Kittleman, at the farm many years ago with our three daughters.

I will update the site as I learn about my “new” neighborhood – one that I’ve actually been a part of since the 1960s when my dad first bought real estate in West Friendship. Good grief, I’m sounding OLD!

My plan is to use this space to connect you with local resources, interesting places and faces, tidbits, and things I find interesting as I reconnect with the neighborhoods in Howard County. As a longtime resident and professional real estate agent, you’ll no doubt realize that I have a certain flavor to my observations. And coming from a political family, you know I’ll offer no shortage of opinions!

Let the journey begin!