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released from the MIHU covenant and our unit would list on the open market. After some discussion with a realtor, we've once again decided to stay put. With the current market conditions and the cost of selling, we probably wouldn't come away with enough to buy something significantly better than we have now. I am writing to you primarily because this experience confirms my original concerns about the program. If we had not pushed the County government for answers to our questions, we would not have had the 80 pages of correspondence that I am attaching. Without that evidence, it is unlikely we would have had any choice but to accept the deflated resale price that they offered us. Even with it, they continue to insist on factors that were not part of the original pricing, so whenever we look at selling again, we'll probably have a lot of the same battles to fight. While I appreciate that they seem to have improved their pricing system since the MIHU program started, the result is unfair to homeowners who bought early in the program. Because MIHUs are priced by calculation, not based on market conditions, the only thing that determines whether the pricing is fair is the method used by the County administrators. A home is generally understood as a long-term investment. By virtue of the County's control on both ends--the buying and the selling--of MIHU ownership, it also takes significant responsibility for the outcome of that investment. The extraordinary measures that we have had to take to protect our investment (which is still not over) do not lead me to believe that it will turn out well for others who bought MIHUs early in the program. I hope that at some point the Council takes a close look at how the MIHU program is being run, and specifically looks out for the interests of early homeowners in the program. I think it has great potential, but the focus seems to be too much on how someone gets in, and not enough on how they get out. Trevor Peterson
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Trevor Peterson <abuian@gmail.com> To:--------------------------------------------------------------------------Curious if you've heard anything else about the pricing issue with the Elkridge units that we talked about after the MIHU info meeting. I hadn't heard anything else from Linda so I called her this morning. She said the reason for the higher price was square footage. I didn't have the numbers in front of me, but I responded that I didn't think there was much difference between the square footage and the standard. She added that the garage was probably part of the reason. But the units in Shipley's are also supposed to have a one-car garage, with only about 50 sqft smaller floorplans, and the price is much lower (only $500 higher than the standard). Plus, I pointed out that the unit doesn't have a basement, which according to that fact sheet I pointed out to you, is supposed to be a minimum standard. I also asked about re-sale, and she said the higher initial price would be taken into account, but she couldn't give any specifics about how they'd keep records or anything. In the end, she said I should probably talk to Tom myself, since all she could do is repeat what he'd said, and gave me his direct number. I've left a message for him to call me back. Trevor
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Come Home to Howard County And Make Your Dream a Reality HOWARD COUNTY HOUSING
The Moderate Income Housing Unit (MIHU) Program is an inclusionary zoning program that requires developers of new housing in certain zoning districts to sell or rent a certain percentage (generally 10% - 15%) of the dwelling units built to households of moderate income. MIHUs are sold or rented through the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) according to procedures and standards set forth in the MIHU Law (Section 13.400 et seq. of the Howard County Code) and regulations established under it. In what zones are MIHUs required?
MIHUs are required to be built and sold or rented in the R-SA-8, R-A-15, CCT, POR, R-SI, TOD, and CAC zones, as well as in certain mixed use communities, agerestricted adult housing developments, planned senior communities, and residential mobile home developments. What is a household of moderate income?
A household of moderate income is one whose household income does not exceed 80% of the Howard County median income for purchasers and 60% of the Howard County median income for renters. Currently, the maximum incomes for the program are as follows: Household size 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8+ Maximum Permitted Income (effective 1/1/07) Purchase (80%) Rent (60%) $51,063 $38,297 $58,358 $43,768 $65,652 $49,239 $72,947 $54,710 $78,783 $59,087 $84,619 $63,464 $90,455 $67,841 $96,290 $72,218
All types of dwelling units may be are available for purchase or rent, from apartment-style dwellings or condominiums to townhouses to single-family detached dwellings. The minimum house sizes for MIHUs are as follows: Unit Type Apartment Back to Back Townhouse Townhouse Semi-detached Single-family detached Room Requirements 1 bedroom, 1 bath 2 bedrooms, 1 baths 3 bedrooms, 1 baths 2 bedrooms, 1 baths 3 bedrooms, 2 baths 2 bedrooms, 1 baths, basement 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, basement 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, basement 2 bedrooms, 1 baths, basement 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, basement 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, basement 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, basement 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, basement Square footage 750 950 1,100 1,400 1,540 1,500 1,640 1,780 1,500 1,640 1,780 1,680 1,820
The purchase price for each type of MIHU is set according to an affordability formula established in the MIHU law. MIHU prices are set twice a year. The current prices are: Unit Type Apartment Back to Back Townhouse Townhouse & Semi-Detached Single-family Detached Proffered Units Number of Bedrooms 1 bedroom 2 bedrooms 3 bedrooms 2 bedrooms 3 bedrooms 2 bedrooms 3 bedrooms 4 bedrooms 2 bedrooms 3 bedrooms 4 bedrooms 1 bedroom 2 bedrooms 3 bedrooms 4 bedrooms MIHU Price (effective 1/1/07) $83,277 $99,932 $115,477 $145,144 $167,722 $145,144 $167,722 $187,075 $155,528 $179,721 $200,458 $116,587 $156,309 $180,624 $200,458
The above MIHU prices may be greater for MIHU dwellings with larger floor plans or added amenities. What is the rental rate of an MIHU? The maximum rents for rental MIHU units are as follows: Unit size 1 bedroom 2 bedrooms 3 bedrooms 4 bedrooms How do I buy or rent an MIHU? Maximum Rent (effective 1/1/07) $1,026 $1,231 $1,422 $1,587
If you are interested in buying or renting an MIHU, you must apply to DHCD to be placed on a waiting list. Applications for the waiting lists are accepted four times a year - generally in January, April, July, and October. As MIHU dwellings become available for sale or rent, DHCD will select names from the waiting lists. For those units offered for sale, priority points will be assigned to each applicant who: is a first-time homebuyer; works in Howard County; lives in Howard County; has an income within the lowest qualifying range; and has been on the waiting list for one year or more.
In addition, for those units offered for sale in a mixed use development (MXD or CAC), priority points will be assigned to each applicant who: is employed in the mixed use development; is employed by Howard County; is employed by the Board of Education of Howard County; has been dislocated by Route 1 redevelopment.
For for-sale units, eligible applicants with the most priority points will be prequalified for mortgage financing and placed in a lottery drawing. Applicants selected from the lottery will be given the opportunity to enter into a contract of sale with the owner of the housing development. For rental units, eligible applicants will be selected on a first-come, first-serve basis. Selected applicants will be given the opportunity to enter into a lease with the owner of the housing development.
Once you purchase an MIHU dwelling, you own it outright, with all of the rights and responsibilities of a homeowner. However, to ensure that MIHUs serve only eligible households and remain affordable to future homebuyers, certain restrictions are placed on the dwelling. They are: 1) You and your household must occupy the MIHU dwelling as your primary residence. 2) If you decide to sell the MIHU dwelling, you must first offer it for sale through DHCD to a moderate income household at the affordable MIHU price determined by DHCD. How do I apply?
Applications can be obtained from DHCD at 6751 Columbia Gateway Drive, Columbia, Maryland 21046, by calling us at 410-313-6318, or online at www.howardcountymd.gov.
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To: Trevor Peterson <abuian@gmail.com> No, I haven't heard anything more. If I were you, I would discuss with the Deputy Director, Tom Carbo. I think he probably has more info than Linda. As far as the price regarding resale. I think we discussed this. It would be recorded at the initial sales price. This would be of public record. Your title insurance,etc, is based off the sales price. I can't explain why the fact sheet says $167,722 unless they have a new sheet for pricing of the MIHU's. This one was dated 1/1/07 and says they are updated twice a year. I will try to research this also. Let me know after you talk with Tom. Thanks, ---------Wed, Oct 31, 2007 at 12:28 PM
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Trevor Peterson <abuian@gmail.com> To: -------------------------------------------------------------------------I did notice while looking for something else (Tom Carbo's e-mail address, actually) that there's more detailed and more up-to-date info here: http://www.co.ho.md.us/dh/dhdocs/mihu_price_schedule_070107_rev2.pdf It looks like they did adjust the base price upward in July (I don't know why they didn't adjust the fact sheet), but it's still significantly lower than we're paying. Plus, the price they listed for the Shipley's units looks so much like it's based on the older base price, that I'd be surprised if they were working from the updated price when they determined these. (It makes sense that they would have worked out the pricing before July 1, since they posted the announcement for that open period to apply before July.) But this is another reason that I'd want clearer information from them for re-sale purposes. Although it will be of some use to know what the original sale price was, that information by itself will not do much to determine what the re-sale price should be. Sale prices, whether original or re-sale, are supposed to be calculated according to a system of rules. So if, for instance, the base price was $167,722, and the markup was $36,322, the composition of that markup needs to be understood, so that the new markup can be recalculated and added to the new base price. If, on the other hand, the base price was the higher amount they set in July (which at this point we have no way of knowing), the markup is smaller, and the factors that determined it would be different. Simply put, you can't get directly from the original sale price to the re-sale price without knowing how each is supposed to differ from the published base price and why. There are just too many unknown variables. I do plan to ask Tom Carbo about all this, assuming he returns my call. I just figured I'd check in with you, so you'd know what Linda told me was the reason, and so I could find out if you'd heard anything else. Trevor
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time to re-sell, we will be able to substantiate an analogous price according to the appropriate standards and formulas. Sincerely, Trevor Peterson --------------------
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$183,444 $0 Unit is the minimum size for 3 bedroom, 2 bath $5,000 $3,000 $3,000 $1,500 $150 $0 $2,500 $200 $500 $300 $1,000 $0 Oak is standard $0 $0 $0 $0 $150 30 gallon gas water heater is standard $500 $0 Oak is standard $2,000 $500 $300 $204,044
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still means that the deck will mostly go unused. Much more useful would be a back yard with a fence, as specified in the "Schedule": "Townhouses must have an eight foot privacy fence on each side of rear yard." Not only is there no fence provided for this townhouse, there is no yard for it to go around. We're paying extra for a deck that we likely can't use but getting nothing back for a fenced yard that we definitely won't have. Considering that it is the essence of this program to allow developers to build for higher density, it seems to me that requirements like fenced back yards should be carefully accounted for. 5) The sales rep for Ryan Homes says the foyer is vinyl, not hardwood. The $300 markup for hardwood seems to be a mistake. Can we either get hardwood, since we're paying for it, or can we have the price reduced? 6) Both the literature that we got from Ryan Homes and the verbal confirmation I got from the sales rep indicate that the water heater is a 50-gal. electric. The standard of 30-gal. gas cited on the spreadsheet appears to be wrong, as the "Schedule" says: "Minimum 40 gallon electric or 30 gallon gas water heater for all one and two bedroom units. All others, must have a minimum 50 gallon electric or 40 gallon gas water heater." Since this is a 3BR unit, it would have to be 40 gal. if it were gas. But it's not gas--it's a 50-gal. electric heater, so I don't see any reason that we should pay an extra $150. Is there a way to adjust the price accordingly? 7) Again, I appreciate that the asking price of $10,000 for exterior plantings with trim was reduced to $2000. I'm wondering, though, why they should cost extra at all. The "Schedule" specifies: "Each unit must have a minimum of one shade tree and eight shrubs or an equivalent planting selection." Considering that we share the vegetation with the unit above us, and condo fees cover the groundskeeping, what about it merits an extra $2000? If anything, shouldn't we get a price break if there aren't at least two trees in the front yard (one for each unit)? At this point, there is no guarantee that we'll get at least one. In general, I worry a bit that the standards are being applied inconsistently. It would appear that Elkridge Crossing asked for everything they possibly could, while Shipley's asked for very little. "Ask and you shall receive," I suppose, but for a managed program it seems like things should be applied a bit more evenly. One development was based on an outdated price structure and marked up for only one feature. The other was marked up for everything possible, probably because they thought to ask for it. Another aspect that bothers me: "The Moderate Income Housing Units must be of a design and construction to ensure that the exterior features are architecturally compatible with vicinal market rate units. The units should be interspersed with the market rate units." It seems like Shipley's is at least stretching this standard, where the units provided--a 2BR w/den converted into a 3BR so that one of the kids' rooms is on the bottom floor next to the garage--don't even show up for sale on the open market. Is that what it takes to sell a unit for something close to the base price? Elkridge Crossing, conversely, is OK on the rule about compatible construction, but charging everything they possibly can for it (including at least some that they shouldn't). It seems to me like the County should be setting the pace here. Maybe a checklist of possible markups could be put together so it doesn't just depend on the resourcefulness of the builder to think of more extra features than anyone else. A similar checklist to make sure all the minimum requirements are accounted for
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would also be useful. If it should have a basement or a back yard, someone should address that up front. It shouldn't be allowed to slip through the cracks in negotiation. Personally, I think the MIHU program stands to become a very useful one for Howard County; it may just need a little tweaking to work out some of the bugs in these early stages. I'm sure I'm missing information here; I would appreciate any clarification you can provide. Sincerely, Trevor Peterson -------------------[Quoted text hidden]
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MODERATE INCOME HOUSING UNIT PROGRAM PRICE & RENT SUMMARY July 1 through December 31, 2007
House Prices: Unit Type One Bedroom Apartments Proffered Two Bedrooms Apartments Back to Back Townhouse Semi-Detached & Townhouse Single Family Detached Proffered Units Three Bedrooms Apartments Back to Back Townhouse Semi-Detached & Townhouse Single Family Detached Proffered Units Four Bedrooms Semi-Detached & Townhouse Single Family Detached Proffered Units House Price Maximum Rents: Unit Size One Bedroom Maximum Rent
$ $
92,439 129,415
$ $ $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $
$ $ $
MODERATE INCOME HOUSING UNIT PROGRAM BASE SALES PRICES July 1 through December 31, 2007
Howard County Median Income (Family of Four): Median Income Adjusted by Bedroom Size:* Bedrooms 1 2 3 4 Adjustment Factor 75% 90% 104% 116% $ 91,184
*Assumes 1.5 persons per bedroom; Adjustment up of 8% per person & down of 10% per person. Moderate Income Affordability: Income at Which Unit Must Be Affordable
Unit Type One Bedroom Apartments Proffered Two Bedrooms Apartments Back to Back Townhouse Semi-Detached & Townhouse Single Family Detached Proffered Units Three Bedrooms Apartments Back to Back Townhouse Semi-Detached & Townhouse Single Family Detached Proffered Units Four Bedrooms Semi-Detached & Townhouse Single Family Detached Proffered Units *Derived from Section 13.403(a)(6).
Persons/ Household
Adjusted Income
Affordabilty Percentage*
1.5 1.5
$ $
68,388 68,388
50% 70%
$ $
34,194 47,872
$ $ $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $
$ $ $
$ $ $
Sale Price Factors: FHA 30 Year Interest Rate Real Estate Taxes County Tax Rate Metropolitan District Ad Valorem Water and Sewer Ad Valorem State Tax Rate Trash Collection Fee / FHA Limit Property Insurance FHA Mortgage Limit Land Value (25%) Improvements (75%) Average Bid Price Bid 1 Bid 2 Bid 3 Average Association Fees 6.74% 1.39% 0.010140 0.001355 0.000800 0.001120 0.000482 0.27% $ 362,790 90,697.50 272,092.50
175
867.00 960.00 1,154.00 993.67 condominium townhouse single family $ $ $ 3,000 984 1,080 0.83% 0.27% 0.30% 0.00% condominium townhouse single family 2.49% 1.93% 1.96%
Unit Type One Bedroom Apartments Proffered Two Bedrooms Apartments Back to Back Townhouse Semi-Detached & Townhouse Single Family Detached Proffered Units Three Bedrooms Apartments Back to Back Townhouse Semi-Detached & Townhouse Single Family Detached Proffered Units Four Bedrooms Semi-Detached & Townhouse Single Family Detached Proffered Units *Property value estimated at 3.5 times income
Income
28%(PITI)
T&I&AF&MI*
P&I
$ $
34,194 47,872
$ $
9,574 13,404
$ $
2,981 4,172.93
$ $
6,594 9,231
$ $
89,666 125,532
$ $
92,439 129,415
$ $ $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $
$ $ $
$ $ $
$ $ $
$ $ $
$ $ $
$ $ $
Unit Type
Apartment
Room Requirements
1 Bedrooms, 1 Bath 2 Bedrooms, 1-1/2 Baths 3 Bedrooms, 1-1/2 Baths
1,400 1,540
Townhouse
2 Bedrooms, 1-1/2 Baths, Basement 3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths, Basement 4 Bedrooms, 2 Baths, Basement
Semi-Detached
2 Bedrooms, 1-1/2 Baths, Basement 3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths, Basement 4 Bedrooms, 2 Baths, Basement
1,680 1,820
Proffered
1,640
Moderate Income Housing Unit Program Maximum Rent Schedule July 1 through December 31, 2007
Median Income (family of four)
$ 91,184
Maximum Rents
Median Income Adjusted Unit Size Occupancy Base * for Bedroom Size Adj. %** Amount Annual Maximum Monthly Rent ***
60% of Median
Rent @
30%
$ $ $ $
$ $ $ $
Assumes average of one and one-half persons per bedroom Adjustment up of 8% per person, down of 10% per person Howard County utility allowances must be deducted from this amount
Eligibility Income Limits (60% of Median) Family Size One Person Two Persons Three Persons Four Persons Five Persons Six Persons Seven Persons Eight Persons Amount $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 38,297 43,768 49,239 54,710 59,087 63,464 67,841 72,218
Factors established annually by the commission for: a. Real property taxes; b. Insurance rates; and c. Interest rates on FHA 30-year mortgages; and (iii) A written statement from the developer indicating the amount of the homeowners association or condominium fees that will apply to the units. (6) The department shall provide to the commission the price at which an eligible purchaser with a household income equal to the following percentages of median income, adjusted by family size appropriate to the size and number of bedrooms in the dwelling unit, can afford to purchase a dwelling unit: (i) 70% for proffered units and single family homes; (ii) 65% for semi-detached townhomes; and (iii) 50% for apartments (condominiums). (7) For the purposes of this subsection: (i) A purchaser can afford to purchase a dwelling unit if the purchaser's monthly income would qualify the purchaser to obtain a 30-year fixed rate mortgage at the prevailing interest rate in an amount sufficient to pay 97% of the purchase price of the unit; (ii) A purchaser's monthly income qualifies for a mortgage if the monthly payment required to pay (1) the monthly principal and interest of the mortgage loan, plus (2) the monthly payment of taxes and insurance on the property, calculated in accordance with the factors established by the department under subsection (a) of this section, plus (3) the monthly payment of homeowners or condominium association fees, does not exceed 28% of the purchaser's monthly income; and (iii) The prevailing interest rate is the prevailing mortgage interest rate for FHA-insured 30-year fixed-rate mortgages in the Baltimore metropolitan area, as published periodically by the federal national mortgage association or other comparable publication as determined by the department. (8) The department shall determine the prevailing interest rate as of December 15 and June 15 of each year. (9) As determined by the department, an adjustment in the sales price of a moderate income housing unit may be made for: (i) Single-family detached units, semi-detached units, and townhouse units without basements; (ii) End units within a townhouse arrangement; (iii) Additional bathrooms or powder rooms; (iv) Finished basements; and (v) Upgrades in design or amenities to ensure architectural compatibility with the development's market rate units.
(ii)
(b) Rates for Rental Units . (1) The department shall establish maximum rates for rental units, by bedroom size, that are equal to 30% of the monthly income of a household whose annual income does not exceed 60% of the median income. (2) The maximum rental rates shall include an allowance for utilities paid by the tenant. The allowance shall be calculated by the department based upon the average utility costs prevailing for similar sized units in Howard County. If required by the lease, all utility costs, including those in excess of the allowance, shall be paid by the tenant.
For-sale Units - Eligibility Income Limits (80% of Median) Family Size One Person Two Persons Three Persons Four Persons Five Persons Six Persons Seven Persons Eight Persons Amount $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 51,063 58,358 65,652 72,947 78,783 84,619 90,455 96,290
Median Income The Howard County Median Income as periodically determined by the U.S. Census Bureau.
FHA 30 Year Interest Rate The Interest Rate Factor is the average of the FHA 30 year interest rates with zero points listed in the Baltimore Sun Papers Real Estate Section on or about June 15 and December 15 rounded up to the next eighth of a point.
Real Estate Taxes The Real Estate Factor is the total of the assessed rates for the County and State Property Taxes, the Metropolitan Fire District, the Water and Sewer, Ad Valorem, and the Trash Collection Fee.
Property Insurance The Property Insurance Factor is an average percentage of three bids for a basic homeowner insurance policy covering property and liability for a newly constructed Howard County wood framed townhouse located within a 1/10 of a mile radius from a fire hydrant based on improvement costs equal to 75% of the FHA Mortgage Limit for
Association Fees The Association Fees are the average homeowner or condominium fees for residential properties constructed in Howard County within the last 10 years.
Tax Rates July 1, 2007 - June 30, 2008 Real property assessed at 100% of market value; rates based upon $100 assessment: County: $1.014 State: $0.112 Fire: Metropolitan District: $0.1355 Water & Sewer Ad Valorem: $0.08 Trash Fee: $175/household/year
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I don't think these are unreasonable requirements. If I were buying a house on the open market, I would know (to the extent possible) what I'm paying for and how much it's costing me. I would not know much in advance about the re-sale price, but I would have the freedom to set the price myself, and its viability would depend on market conditions. Since in this case I will have to re-sell through the program, it's only fair that I should know up front what that will entail. I know the price I'm paying, and I know what I'm getting for that price. But I don't know how the price relates to the base set by the county, nor do I know much of anything about how the future re-sale price will relate to the future base set by the county. If you can't provide general standards by which these determinations will be made on all units in the program, the only alternative is to provide specific standards by which these determinations will be made on this particular unit. Otherwise, there's no reason someone in the county program years from now couldn't price the unit at the future base, depreciated for age, with no markups, or worse yet, marked down for things like the absence of a back yard or basement, and I would not be compensated in any way for the extra money I'm spending now. I would appreciate a timely response on this matter. You may reach me at --------------------------------------------- . I'm also happy to continue communicating by e-mail (if responses are sufficiently prompt), or to meet in person if that works better for you. thanks, Trevor Peterson
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$183,444 $0 Unit is the minimum size for 3 bedroom, 2 bath $5,000 $3,000 $3,000 $1,500 $150 $0 $2,500 $200 $500 $300 $1,000 $0 Oak is standard $0 $0 $0 $0 $150 30 gallon gas water heater is standard $500 $0 Oak is standard $2,000 $500 $300 $204,044
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Mr. Peterson, Ryan Homes has informed us that your unit will include a brick trim front. Tom
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Trevor Peterson <abuian@gmail.com> To: "DeLuca, Mike" <mdeluca@nvrinc.com> Another question I have--do you know anything about what the landscaping will look like in front? I notice that, while some of the buildings have pretty substantial brick framing around it, others have something a bit more like a little yard, more open to the sidewalk. It appears that the latter also have trees. Curious what ours will look like. thanks, Trevor
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DeLuca, Mike <mdeluca@nvrinc.com> To: Trevor Peterson <abuian@gmail.com> The landscaping will look like the other 2 buildings we just completed in your row on Darby Downs. MD -----Original Message----From: Trevor Peterson [mailto:abuian@gmail.com]
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On 9/17/08, Trevor Peterson <abuian@gmail.com> wrote: > Any new developments? Apparently nothing was sorted out by the time we > went to settlement, but since it was an option under consideration > before, I would think a refund is still viable. > > Trevor > > On Fri, Aug 22, 2008 at 12:51 PM, Trevor Peterson <abuian@gmail.com> wrote: >> Curious where things are at. We're about a week and a half from >> settlement with a holiday somewhere in there. >> >> thanks, >> Trevor >> >> On Sat, Aug 16, 2008 at 9:47 PM, Trevor Peterson <abuian@gmail.com> wrote: >>> I'm assuming here that "brick trim" refers to brick structure >>> specifically around the landscaping, as opposed to the simple fact >>> that the building is brick facade. Based on that assumption, I have to >>> question this information. I asked the project manager about the >>> landscaping design for our building, and his response on Aug 15 was: >>> >>> "The landscaping will look like the other 2 buildings we just >>> completed in your row on Darby Downs." >>> >>> I'm attaching two photos to clarify my point here. The photo labeled >>> "earlier" shows one of the buildings completed earlier in the >>> development, with prominent brick trim around the landscaping. The >>> photo labeled "later" shows one of the more recent buildings the >>> project manager mentions. The brick trim is completely absent. We >>> don't particularly care for the brick trim, so on that point it's fine >>> with us if the landscaping will look like the later buildings. But if >>> the pricing of the MIHU units includes a $2000 markup for "exterior >>> brick trim/landscape plantings," I can't see any reason for the markup >>> based on how our building is supposed to look. There is no brick trim >>> on the landscaping, and what is there hardly exceeds the minimum >>> standard of shrubs and trees. Perhaps the original plan was to include >>> the brick trim on all the buildings, but if it's not there now, the >>> $2000 markup seems to lack justification. >>> >>> Trevor >>> >>> >>> On Wed, Aug 13, 2008 at 5:29 PM, Thomas Carbo <TCarbo@howardcountymd.gov> >>> wrote:
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11/13/2008 8:26 AM
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12/4/2008 7:56 AM
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12/12/2008 3:06 PM
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Maybe it's the higher amount that's in question, or maybe because it's not such an explicit untruth in the original justification (the spreadsheet doesn't actually say what about the landscaping makes it worth $2000 extra). Either way, the case for a refund is not difficult to make. I have no further plans to bother you with this issue, since you've made your determination--just wanted to make clear how I see things and put on record the outcome of this rather extended dialog. I'm still considering whether it would be worth bringing up to my council rep or not. Trevor
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12/12/2008 3:06 PM
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Trevor Peterson <abuian@gmail.com> To: cwatson@howardcountymd.gov Dear Mrs. Watson: My family and I have lived in Howard County for the past six years, but we just moved from Columbia to Elkridge in Sept 2008. I am impressed with what I have seen of your activity in the letter we received a few months ago and wanted to bring to your attention an issue that has been on my mind for some time now. We rented for several years and were finally in a position to find more permanent housing in the summer of 2007, when prices were near their peak. Everything that we saw was out of our range, but the Howard County MIHU program seemed like a promising option. We applied and were selected for a unit in Elkridge Crossing in what I believe was the second drawing of the program. At the time, we were rushing to submit the necessary paperwork, and as first-time home buyers we probably did not think of every question that we should have asked up front. Once things settled down, however, and we started thinking through the details more carefully, we came up with some serious questions. Getting answers to those questions proved quite difficult and in some cases impossible. Although we are happy to have settled down long-term in Howard County, we are still concerned about these outstanding issues, in terms of both our own situation within the MIHU program and the future of the program itself. The listed program price of the units in Elkridge Crossing (both the 2BR elevator condos and the 3BR stacked townhouses) was considerably higher than the base price published at the time on the MIHU Web site. We did discover that the base prices had been reset shortly before our drawing, with the result that two different bases applied to units included in the drawing. But more substantially, there were several markups added to the price of the units in Elkridge Crossing for everything from a one-car garage to a built-in ice maker in the refrigerator. In some cases, the markups were for features that were never actually included (for instance, a hardwood foyer); in others, the basis was seriously questionable (for instance, the design of the landscaping). Also, it seemed like there were glaring omissions in the minimum standards that should have been met, none of which had been accounted for. We paid extra for a garage, but there was no compensation for the absence of a basement. We paid extra for the minimal front-yard landscaping, but there was no fenced-in back yard. I presented my concerns to the program administrators, and although construction delays resulted in a wait of a full year before we actually moved into the unit, none of the issues was fully resolved by that point. We did get a modest refund shortly after, for two of the smaller markups that clearly had no basis. On the landscaping issue, which did not come to our attention until we actually saw how the landscaping design had changed on the newer buildings, the county administration went along with the builder. On other concerns like the
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2/1/2012 9:03 AM
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failure to meet published minimum standards, no response was ever given. I think the MIHU program is a good one, and I would like to see it succeed. Part of my concern is that things have got off to a bad start, and it may be difficult to overturn the precedents. It seems to me that the builder was allowed to set too many of its own standards, without real accountability to meet either what it said it would provide for the cost specified or the county's own minimum standards. More selfishly, I am still concerned about what will happen if and when we re-sell our unit. According to the terms of the program, we must re-sell through the program (if possible), and the price will be set somehow in accordance with the current base. I would hope that every markup reflected in our purchase price will somehow be reflected in the sale price at that point, but I have no clear guarantee to that effect. If I try to add a markup for the landscaping, for instance, how will I justify it when the design seems to be very much in keeping with the minimum requirement? Will it be enough to show them the spreadsheet that was provided to me? Or what if decades from now the then administrator of the MIHU program takes more seriously the requirement that townhouses should have a basement? Will they want to deduct for that, when no such deduction was made in determining the original price? Since I seem to have received the final word on these issues from the county government, I thought I should bring them to the council's attention. I am attaching a collection of e-mails that should provide the details of my interaction with the county and anyone else in this process. I would be happy to clarify anything else you might want to know about our experience. Thanks in any case for your time. Sincerely, Trevor Peterson
r_MIHUsaga.pdf 331K
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2/1/2012 9:03 AM
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Trevor Peterson <abuian@gmail.com> To: Linda Phillips <lphillips@howardcountymd.gov> We are beginning to think about re-selling our MIHU and wanted to find out some specifics about the process: 1) Are used units entered in the drawings on the same cycles as new units? If so, at what point in the cycle would we need to declare our intent to sell? 2) How is pricing determined on used units? Is some kind of inspection/estimate performed, or is it simply based on the original price and adjustments for current rates, age of the unit, etc.? We would need to know the expected pricing to decide whether it's even worth trying to sell. 3) What is the process for listing/selling a used unit? Is there some kind of open-house so potential buyers know what they're putting in for? What happens after the drawing? If the winning buyer can't get financing or some other problem, does it just keep going through alternates until someone buys or all the qualified buyers are eliminated? If you prefer to discuss by phone, you can reach me at thanks, Trevor
On Mon, Jan 4, 2010 at 11:08 AM, Linda Phillips <lphillips@howardcountymd.gov> wrote: > Good morning Mr. Peterson, > I apologize for not getting back to you sooner; it's been extremely busy and the county offices were closed last week due to furloughs. Under the MIHU program, the goal is to keep the homes affordable for future buyers. The only consideration made for resale pricing is the addition of a deck and/or if the property had a bump out during the construction (this would increase the square footage and we do give an allowance for anything that adds additional square footage). Any other upgrades made by the homeowner would not be taken into consideration for resale pricing. If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact me. Thank you. > > Linda Phillips > Howard County Housing > 6751 Columbia Gateway Dr. > Columbia, MD 21046 > (410) 313-6328 > (410) 313-6064 (fax) > lphillips@howardcountymd.gov > > > > -----Original Message----> From: Trevor Peterson [mailto:abuian@gmail.com] > Sent: Tuesday, December 22, 2009 7:53 AM
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2/1/2012 9:09 AM
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> To: Linda Phillips > Subject: question about MIHU improvements and pricing > > We purchased our MIHU unit in Elkridge Crossing a little over a year > ago. One thing we're wondering is, how is the resale pricing > determined if we make improvements, like adding hardwood floors? It > would be good to know before we do anything significant to the unit. > > thanks, > > Trevor Peterson > > >
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2/1/2012 9:09 AM
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Watson, Courtney <cwatson@howardcountymd.gov> To: Trevor Peterson <abuian@gmail.com> Cc: "Watson, Courtney" <cwatson@howardcountymd.gov> Dear Mr. Peterson,
Ms. Watson read your email and asked me to assist you. I'm sorry that you didnt get a response to your original email. We will check in again with the Housing office for comments to your points and get back to you. Thank you for following up with us. Sincerely, Terry Teresa M. Chaconas Special Assistant, Council member Courtney Watson Howard County Council 410/313-3110 tchaconas@howardcountymd.gov
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2/1/2012 9:05 AM
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Carbo, Tom <tcarbo@howardcountymd.gov> Thu, Aug 5, 2010 at 6:33 PM To: "abuian@gmail.com" <abuian@gmail.com> Cc: "LeGendre, Stephen" <slegendre@howardcountymd.gov>, "Chaconas, Terry" <tchaconas@howardcountymd.gov>, "Julien, Chris" <cjulien@howardcountymd.gov>, "Spann, Stacy" <sspann@howardcountymd.gov>, "Cimino, Kelly" <kcimino@howardcountymd.gov> Mr.Peterson, IunderstandthatyouhaverecentlymadeinquiriestoboththeHowardCountyCouncilandthe DepartmentofHousingandCommunityDevelopmentregardingthepotentialresaleofyourMIHU home.Pleaseacceptthisemailinresponsetothoseinquiries.
Q: 1) Are used units entered in the drawings on the same cycles as new units? If so, at what point in the cycle would we need to declare our intent to sell?
A: If you decide to sell your MIHU unit, you simply need to notify the Department of your intent to sell and the date upon which you would like the 120-day Priority Period to begin, which may not be earlier than 15 days after the notice is sent. There is no cycle within which you must decide to sell; once you provide us with a complete notice, the Department will begin the process of marketing the unit to our list of potential homebuyers. We may include the unit in one or more lottery drawings along with other units, or we may decide to hold a separate drawing just for that unit.
2) How is pricing determined on used units? Is some kind of inspection/estimate performed, or is it simply based on the original price and adjustments for current rates, age of the unit, etc.? We would need to know the expected pricing to decide whether it's even worth trying to sell.
A: Pricing on resale units is determined in the same manner as new units that is, based upon an affordability formula that uses the median household income, prevailing interest rates, taxes, insurance, and HOA/condo fees. The same adjustments that were made initially for unit size, # bathrooms, amenities, etc. - are made for the resale price. No appraisal is needed because the price is not based upon market conditions. The Department would inspect the home to determine if the original dimensions and amenities remain and whether the unit is in good and salable condition.
Once the Department has received a notice to sell and inspected the unit, we will determine the sale price. However, if you would like a sale price estimate before deciding whether to sell, we are more than happy to provide you with one upon your request.
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2/1/2012 9:10 AM
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Q: 3) What is the process for listing/selling a used unit? Is there some kind of open-house so potential buyers know what they're putting in for? What happens after the drawing? If the winning buyer can't get financing or some other problem, does it just keep going through alternates until someone buys or all the qualified buyers are eliminated?
A:ThesalesprocessishandledbyDepartmentstaff.Wecontactfamiliesfromourapplicant databasewhobestmatchthetypeofunitandarelikelytobeabletoqualifyforfinancing. Wewouldthenaskthesellertomakethehomeavailableatreasonabletimesforvisitsby potentialbuyers.Thoseapplicantsexpressinganinterestareplacedinalotterydrawing,and onefamilyisselectedtoproceedtonegotiateasalescontract(alternatesarealso selected).Thecontractmustcontainafinancingcontingencyclause.Thesellermustmakea goodfaithefforttoenterintoacontractinatimelymanner.Ifthebuyerfailstoenter intoacontractorfailstoobtainfinancing,theDepartmentmaysubstituteanalternatewithin thePriorityPeriod. Ifthebuyerentersintoacontractbutfailstosettle,theDepartmentmaychoosetoextend thePriorityPeriodforanadditional60daysinordertofindanotherbuyer.Ifthe Departmentexercisesthisonetimeextension,itwillpaytheselleritsreasonableandactual carryingcostsforthatperiod. IftheDepartmentfailstoprovideabuyerwithinthePriorityorextensionperiodsorthe buyerdoesnotsettle,thesellermayputtheunitonthemarketandsellitatmarketprice. Whenthesellersellstheunit,thesellermustpaytheDepartment50%ofthedifference betweenthesalespriceandtheMIHUprice,lessdeductionsforcostsofsaleandcarrying costs. AlloftheseproceduresaredelineatedintheMIHUCovenantwhichshouldhavebeengivenand explainedtoyoubeforeyouboughtyourhome.Ifyoudonothaveacopy,pleasecontactKelly Ciminoatkcimino@howardcountymd.gov.
InyourcorrespondencewiththeCountyCouncil,youexpressedconcernastowhetherthe originalmarkupsforitemssuchaslandscapingwillbeincludedinaresaleprice.Pleasebe assuredthattheoriginalpricingforeachunitiskeptinourfilesandmaintainedinour databaseandwillbeusedtocalculatetheresaleprice. Finally,ifyouvisitourwebsitepageonwww.howardcountymd.govyouwillnotethatthe currentMIHUbasepricefora3bedroom,2bathtownhomeisabout$234,702.Withthe adjustmentsforyourunit,assumingtheyremainintact,itislikelythatyourMIHUpricewould currentlybeinthevicinityof$250,000ormore.Itismyunderstandingthatthecurrent marketpricesforsimilarunitsmaynowbebelowthisfigure.Consequently,ifyouwereto decidetosellyourunitnowandcandemonstratethatthemarketpriceisalreadyaffordable, i.e.,atorbelowtheMIHUprice,wewillagreetoextinguishtheMIHUcovenanttoallowyouto selltheunitontheopenmarket. Ihopethisadequatelyrespondstoallofyourconcerns.Ifitdoesnot,pleasefeelfree tocontactmeoranyofmystaff.Ifyouwouldliketomeettodiscussanyofthesematterin
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2/1/2012 9:10 AM
https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=40bc7bc03d&view=pt&q=mih...
moredetail,wewouldbehappytodoso.
Thomas P. Carbo
Thomas P. Carbo Deputy Director Howard County Housing 6751 Columbia Gateway Drive Columbia, Maryland 21046 410.313.6318 (office) 410.313.6348 (direct)
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Trevor Peterson <abuian@gmail.com> Fri, Aug 6, 2010 at 7:53 AM To: "Carbo, Tom" <tcarbo@howardcountymd.gov> Cc: "LeGendre, Stephen" <slegendre@howardcountymd.gov>, "Chaconas, Terry" <tchaconas@howardcountymd.gov>, "Julien, Chris" <cjulien@howardcountymd.gov>, "Spann, Stacy" <sspann@howardcountymd.gov>, "Cimino, Kelly" <kcimino@howardcountymd.gov> Mr. Carbo, Thank you for your detailed response. One thing I wanted to clarify--the communication I sent to the Council was actually a follow-up on a message from a year and a half ago. Although there were some overlapping concerns, there was no direct relationship between the two inquiries. It only happens that when I was looking through past e-mails for contact information regarding the MIHU program I was reminded that I had not yet received a response from Mrs. Watson's office. I apologize for any confusion the timing may have caused; Mr. Julien actually called quite promptly in response to my inquiry, and I was not in any way dissatisfied with the service I was receiving at the time. That said, I appreciate getting information regarding both inquiries together in your message. We have quite a bit to think about. For now, it would be helpful if you could provide a sale price estimate as you offered below. thanks, Trevor
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2/1/2012 9:11 AM
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Trevor Peterson <abuian@gmail.com> To: "Julien, Chris" <cjulien@howardcountymd.gov> Cc: "Carbo, Tom" <tcarbo@howardcountymd.gov> Mr. Julien, In the below correspondence from a year ago, Mr. Carbo offered to provide a sale price estimate on our unit. I don't believe we ever received one, and in any case, I assume it would have changed by now. We have decided to try selling our unit, but at this point we need a better idea of whether that would mean selling through the program, or selling ourselves on the open market. Please provide an estimate and let us know how the determination works about whether the unit will sell through the program or not. The only significant change we have made is to upgrade the washer and dryer. I believe there was a $1500 markup in the original sale price because of the installed builder grade appliances, both of which broke earlier this year. We replaced them with higher quality appliances, but I don't know how that would factor into your pricing, if at all. (Would it matter, for instance, if we took the appliances with us?) One other question I have--if we sell through the program, can we include a contingency that we would need to find another place to buy? Thanks for your help. You can reach me at Trevor Peterson
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2/1/2012 9:12 AM
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Julien, Chris <cjulien@howardcountymd.gov> Fri, Sep 30, 2011 at 1:28 PM To: Trevor Peterson <abuian@gmail.com> Cc: "Carbo, Tom" <tcarbo@howardcountymd.gov>, "Cimino, Kelly" <kcimino@howardcountymd.gov>
Attached please find the Elkridge Crossing Matisse pricing, the HOA fee adjustment and the Resale of MIHU Policy-Procedures. At this time, the estimated MIHU resale price is $222,039. The MIHU price is not tied to market conditions. It is determined by an affordability calculation based on Howard Countys area median income. If you would like to proceed with resale, please send a request to my attention. If you have any other questions, please let me know.
Thank you,
Christopher Julien Howard County Housing 6751 Columbia Gateway Dr., 3rd Floor Columbia, MD 21046 410-313-6343 Office 410-313-6064 Fax cjulien@howardcountymd.gov
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DISCLAIMER: This e-mail message and any attachments are intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed and may contain information that is confidential or privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, copying or other use of this message or its attachments is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and permanently delete this message and any attachments.
3 attachments Elkridge Crossing Towns - Matisse pricing 9.30.11.xlsx 11K Elkridge Crossing HOA fee adjustment 9.30.11.xlsx 16K Resale of MIHU Policy-Procedures - final (2).pdf 213K
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$222,039
Maximum Permitted Increase (20% of Base Price) Base Price Total Max. Permitted Price: Final Price (lesser of Adjusted and Max. Permitted Price):
$222,039
MODERATE INCOME HOUSING UNIT PROGRAM Elkridge Crossing Towns - HOA Fee Adjustment July 1 through December 31, 2011
Howard County Median Incom $ 101,940 Adjustment Factor 75% 90% 104% 116% Income at Which Unit Must Be Affordable $ $ 38,228 53,519 Adjusted Income 76,455 91,746 106,018 118,250
Bedrooms 1 2 3 4
$ $ $ $
Moderate Income Affordability: Persons/ Unit Type Household One Bedroom 1.5 Apartments Proffered 1.5 Two Bedrooms Apartments Back to Back Townhouse Semi-Detached & Townhouse Single Family Detached Proffered Units Three Bedrooms Apartments Back to Back Townhouse Semi-Detached & Townhouse Single Family Detached Proffered Units Four Bedrooms Semi-Detached & Townhouse Single Family Detached Proffered Units Sale Price Factors: 30 Year Fixed Mortgage Intere 4.50% Adjusted Income $ $ 76,455 76,455 Affordability Percentage(b) 50% 70%
$ $ $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $
$ $ $
$ $ $
Real Estate Taxes 1.42% County Tax Rate Metropolitan District Fire Tax Water and Sewer Ad Valorem State Tax Rate Trash Collection Fee / FHA Limit $ 225 Property Insurance Typical House Price $ Average Insurance Premium 959.00 $ 289.00 Association Fees condominium townhouse single family 1.15% $ $ $
1.014% 0.136% 0.080% 0.112% 0.082% 0.35% 275,000 $300,000 0.10% 2,304 720 636 0.84% 0.26% 0.23%
28%(PITI)
T&I&AF&MI(c)
P&I
Loan Amount
House Price
68,911
19,295
8,460 $
10,836
184,441
190,146
Base Price
68,911
19,295
7,679 $
11,616
197,727
203,842
Base price w/actual condo fee Difference(Assoc Fee Adjust) As of June 27, 2011
68,911
19,295
8,460 $
10,836
184,441
$ $
190,146 (13,697)
Notes: (a) Assumes 1.5 persons per bedroom. (b) Derived from Section 13.403(a)(6). (c) Survey of local FHA mortgage rates conducted 6/1/2011
https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=40bc7bc03d&view=pt&q=mih...
Trevor Peterson <abuian@gmail.com> Tue, Oct 4, 2011 at 7:59 PM To: "Julien, Chris" <cjulien@howardcountymd.gov>, "Cimino, Kelly" <kcimino@howardcountymd.gov> OK, so to recap what we got out of today's meeting (and make sure I didn't misunderstand anything): If we sell through the program: - you will arrange an inspection, advise any preparations for sale (carpet cleaning, painting), and set a listing price - you will schedule one or two open house events before the drawing (Question: Can we be there at the open house events?) - you will try to sell the unit as soon as possible, but will wait at least until November to get any new applicants from the open period (Question: When is the next regular drawing for new units? Any advice on trying to do ours before or after that?) - the pricing you estimated applies as long as we notify you before December 1; after that you will use the new rates - you will assist with preparing a contract, but we may still want to secure legal advice - there will be no negotiation on the sale price, unless we decide to alter the unit so that one of the cost-determining factors changes - we can require a lender's letter of commitment from the buyer - we can take the current washer and dryer, as long as we either reduce the sale price by $1500 or replace them with something at least comparable to what the new unit had - we can include a contingency in the contract, but if we don't find a house before the end of the 120 days, the period will have to be extended at our expense - our seller costs will entail any necessary modifications to the unit and 0.5% closing costs (+approx. $500 title fees) If the unit doesn't sell through the program, we will have the option to sell on the open market or to keep the unit in the program and try again later. If we sell on the open market, we will deduct a flat 7% before splitting any difference with the program, regardless of our actual seller costs. Does that sound reasonably complete and accurate? Can you provide answers to the two questions? thanks, Trevor
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2/1/2012 9:32 AM
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Trevor Peterson <abuian@gmail.com> To: "Julien, Chris" <cjulien@howardcountymd.gov> Cc: "Cimino, Kelly" <kcimino@howardcountymd.gov> OK, we've decided to wait until January to start the process. We were kind of thinking that timeframe anyway, but wanted to make sure we had a better sense of how long the process would actually take. This will avoid showing the house, closing, or moving during the holiday season. Of course, this also means that we'll be going with the next price level, so we'll check back sometime in December to find out what that will be. Thanks for your help. Trevor On Wed, Oct 5, 2011 at 9:03 PM, Julien, Chris
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2/1/2012 9:33 AM
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Trevor Peterson <abuian@gmail.com> To: "Cimino, Kelly" <kcimino@howardcountymd.gov> Can you provide the new pricing for our unit? thanks, Trevor
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2/1/2012 9:34 AM
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Trevor Peterson <abuian@gmail.com> Wed, Jan 18, 2012 at 8:03 PM To: "Cimino, Kelly" <kcimino@howardcountymd.gov> Cc: Chris Julien <CJulien@howardcountymd.gov>, Thomas Carbo <tcarbo@howardcountymd.gov> Ms. Cimino, Thank you for your letter with the county's proposed pricing for reselling our MIHU at . I don't need to tell you that the difference in price from our discussion last September came as quite a shock. This reduction of almost $17,000 from what we thought we could sell our house for radically changes all of the planning that we have done since then. We expressed our concerns about the original pricing of the unit on several occasions, starting back when we signed the contract in 2007. After closing, our continuing concern revolved around the question of resale pricing, since we were not confident that all of the original $20,000 in markups made sense. In August 2010, Mr. Carbo assured us in writing that the resale value of our unit would be calculated according to the original markups. We did not push the issue last September, even though it was clear that the price structure was completely different, because it appeared that the sale price was close enough to what we were expecting, without being too high to sell through the program. Now that the picture has changed so dramatically, we are resorting to the agreed-upon standard of pricing the unit according to the original set of markups. I have attached a comparison between the markups used in 2007 and those you are using on new units. As you can see, there are several significant differences--most importantly, the deductions you now take for the absence of a basement ($5000) and to adjust for higher condo fees ($16,719). By starting from the current base price and applying the markups from 2007, we conclude that the resale price should be set at $237,376. The justification for this pricing should be clear from the attached comparison. We are happy to discuss by phone or in person, but we would appreciate a written response as soon as possible. thanks, Trevor Peterson
MIHUpricing.xlsx 14K
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base markup $183,444 $20,600 $234,702 $15,298 $203,842 $18,197 $217,276 $12,219 $217,276 $20,100
garage 1/2bath 9'ceilings laundry icemaker deck sink refrigerator foyer cabinets waterheater carpet landscape shower garageopener basement condofee total
Sep07 $5,000 $3,000 $3,000 $1,500 $150 $2,500 $200 $500 $300 $1,000 $150 $500 $2,000 $500 $300
$20,600
https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=40bc7bc03d&view=pt&search=...
Trevor Peterson <abuian@gmail.com> To: "Cimino, Kelly" <kcimino@howardcountymd.gov> Thank you for providing a response. We still object to the condo fee adjustment, since it was not applied to the original sale price when we bought the unit (and in fact at that time, the condo fees were higher than they are now); but raising the sale price further would not affect the conclusion that you cannot sell the unit through the program, so it doesn't seem worth arguing the point at this time. The letter does not state what options we have at this point. In Mr. Carbo's August 2010 e-mail he said: "With the adjustments for your unit, assuming they remain intact, it is likely that your MIHU price would currently be in the vicinity of $250,000 or more. It is my understanding that the current market prices for similar units may now be below this figure. Consequently, if you were to decide to sell your unit now and can demonstrate that the market price is already affordable, i.e., at or below the MIHU price, we will agree to extinguish the MIHU covenant to allow you to sell the unit on the open market." Would it be accurate to conclude, then, that the same circumstances now apply, and if we still chose to sell our unit at this time our MIHU covenant would be extinguished? Trevor On Thu, Feb 9, 2012 at 6:09 PM, Cimino, Kelly
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2/9/2012 6:54 PM
https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=40bc7bc03d&view=pt&search=...
Mr. Peterson, The director would provide a written confirmation once you advise of your intention to sell; however, under the current circumstances, your conclusion is accurate. Kelly Cimino MIHU Coordinator Howard County Housing H 410-313-6497 kcimino@howardcountymd.gov
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