The Grand Finale of the annual Maryland House & Garden Pilgrimage (MHGP) returns to the Ellicott City area on Saturday, May 19 and northern Anne Arundel County on Sunday, May 20. Tours are $30 in advance or $35 the day of the tour, and lunches will be available on both tours for an additional charge. Those on the Anne Arundel tour may choose to have lunch at the exclusive Gibson Island Club. In Howard County lunch will be served in the period Refectory Room of the Shrine of St. Anthony. Seven sites will be toured in Howard and eight in Anne Arundel County.

In Anne Arundel County one of the tours highlights is Whitehall located on Whitehall Bay with a view of the Chesapeake. It has never before been included on a MHGP tour. The elegant Palladian home of Provincial Governor Horatio Sharpe (1753-1768) was the first dwelling in America with a full-temple portico. After an extensive restoration in the 1950s the house was named a National Historic landmark.

The Ellicott City area of Howard County is a focus of this year’s tour. The town was founded in 1772 and today the entire Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places. One of the most imposing homes on the tour is Waverly, the home of Maryland’s 25th governor. It is 75 feet long and constructed of stone. Visitors will appreciate the three large double chimneys and canopied doorway. Richland Farm, c1781, is an antique dealer’s dream with original furniture (discovered in the attic) that graces this eight-bedroom home.

This year’s tours celebrate a 75-year Maryland tradition, offering visitors the opportunity to explore some of Maryland's most fascinating and noteworthy properties. The 2012 tour included more than 50 private homes, gardens, farms, churches and historic sites across five Maryland jurisdictions. The tours to Baltimore City (Bolton Hill); St. Mary’s County and Talbot County have concluded. The weekend of May 19-20 will feature the Grand Finale of the tours in Howard and Anne Arundel Counties.

The annual spring tours are a central component of the MHGP’s efforts to cultivate awareness of Maryland’s rich architectural and cultural heritage, from historic to contemporary settings. Each year, proceeds from the tour support designated preservation projects in each host community. To date, the Pilgrimage has raised well over $1 million for the preservation and restoration of architecturally significant properties throughout the State of Maryland, while entertaining and informing many thousands of tour-goers.

“In this 75th year, we are proud to present so many unique and vastly different types of properties,” said Diane Savage, Chairman, MHGP. “guests will see the rarely open Whitehall Estate in Anne Arundel County, and an outstanding collection of 18th and 19th century sites in Howard County.”

To contact a county chair or for specific county tour details, please call Margaret Powell, MHGP Executive Director, at 410-821-6933. For more information, tour details and tickets, visit www.mhgp.org or call 410-821-6933, Monday - Thursday, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., or send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Artwork & Galleries

Nancy Hammond Editions
102 Turnpins Lane, Centerville
410-758-6612
nancyhammondeditions.com

Fireplace

Watson’s Fireplace
1616 York Road, Lutherville
410-321-5855
watsonsfireplaceandpatio.net

Hardware

Walterworks Hardware
420 Chinquapin Road, Annapolis
410-263-9711

Heating & Air Conditioning

Bob Fox Services
301-261-9079
Bobfoxservices.com

Home Building & Design

314 Design Studio
314 Main Street, Stevensville
410-643-4040
314designstudio.com

Kevin Ridgely Contracting, Inc.
140 Truck House Road, Severna Park
410-544-6766

Lundberg Builders
314 Main Street, Stevensville
410-643-3334
lundbergbuilders.com

Rendition Builders
410-774-4609
renditionbuilders.com

Home Finance

Church Circle Title & Escrow
23 West Street, 2nd Floor, Annapolis
410-269-6488
cctitle.net

Scarborough Capital Management
441 Defense Highway, Suite E, Annapolis
800-200-3870, ext 1125
annapolisinvesting.com

Sherry Saucerman
2350 Soloman's Island Road, Annapolis
410-224-6262

Interior Design & Furnishings

Transformational Feng Shui
1004 Queen Anne's Lace Way, Annapolis
410-212-1058

Kitchen & Bath

Cabinet Discounters
910-A Bestgate Road, Annapolis
410-266-9195
Cabinetdiscounters.com

Chesapeake Cabinet and Woodworks,
1825 George Avenue, Annapolis
443-336-2775
custommade.com/by/chesapeakecabinet

Landscape Design & Exterior Improvement

Ciminelli’s Landscape Services, Inc.
1052 Bayard Road, Lothian
410-741-9683
ciminellislandscape.com

Driveway Impressions
410-990-0044
drivewayimpressions.com

Estrada Design/Build, Inc.
443-758-3480
estradadesignbuild.com

Garden Girls Landscaping
1019 forest Hills Avenue, Annapolis
410-263-1133
gardengirlsllc.com

Pyramid Landscaping & Development
1654 Crofton Blvd., Suite 4, Crofton
443-292-8824
pyramiddev.com

Quayle & Company Design/Build, Inc.
8 Evergreen Road, Severna Park
410-647-1362
quayleco.com

Scapes, Inc. Landscaping Contractors
252 Bayard Road, Lothian
410-867-6909
scapesinc.net

Marine & Pier Service

Marine Interiors
6029 Herring Bay Road, Deale
410-212-3886
marineinteriorsandmore.com

Pier Pressure
200 Harry S Truman Pkwy, Suite 300, Annapolis
443-298-0454
pier-pressure.net

Painting Service

Maryland Paint & Decorating
209 Chinquapin Road, Annapolis
410-280-2225
mdpaint.com

Pool & Spa Design/Service

Catalina Pool Builders
836 Ritchie Hwy, Suite 8, Severna Park
410-647-7665
catalinapoolbuilders.com

Pool Perfect
5730 Deale Churchton Road, Deale
410-867-7665

Real Estate

Coldwell Banker–Palmer Properties
572 - A Ritchie Hwy, Severna Park
410-647-2222
cbmove.com/christina.palmer

Window

Window & Door Planning Center
1601 Knecht Avenue, Baltimore
410-242-3000
wdpc.com

A picture might be worth a thousand words in some circles, but in the Annapolis real estate market, it’s worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. With today’s über-professionals, gone are the days of leisurely roaming neighborhoods for house hunting. Instead, savvy realtors in Anne Arundel County use web sites, virtual tours, blogs, social networks, email, and text to forward qualified listings to clients, usually chockfull of high-quality images that help buyers narrow their choices. “It works. More buyers have told me that [these tools] are what make them ‘feel’ the property,” says Beth Tyler, a local agent with Long & Foster, who updates clients with a mix of her own high-quality photos and House on Mouse, an interactive floor plan tour.

Eagles Passages

Primary Structure Built: 1994
Sold For: $790,000
Original List Price: $865,000
Last Sold/Price: 1998/$360,000
Bedrooms: 4 Baths: 3 full , plus 2 half baths
Living Space: 4,274 square feet + 2,402 square feet of finished basement
Lot Size: 1.2 acres

The buyers were already familiar with the charm of this Davidsonville neighborhood, with such amenities as a pool, clubhouse, playground, volleyball court, and community pier. But by exploring the property online, “I fell in love with the house even before going into it,” says new homeowner Stephanie Heydt.

Indeed, the house hardly shows its 18 years, having undergone top-to-bottom renovations upwards of $200,000. It’s a great example of how the right updates can result in top-dollar returns and quick sales, notes Long & Foster’s Deborah Laggini, the buyer’s agent.

Upstairs, a sumptuous master bath contains a grand claw-foot tub, a two-person glass and tile shower with a built-in bench, and oversized separate vanities of cherry wood and granite. The large master bedroom includes its own sitting room accompanied by a gas fireplace, as well as a discrete walk-in closet with a washer/dryer. The upstairs hallway offers open views of both the soaring two-story foyer and family room.

On the main level, a library, dining and living room revolve around a stunning gourmet kitchen. Creamy cabinetry with raised panel doors and corbel wood bracket finishes balance nicely against a vast three-level granite island. Perfect for multiple vices, a separate wine and coffee bar area comes equipped with a built-in Miele coffee system and wine refrigerator. A two-sided gas fireplace seamlessly joins the kitchen to a window-laden sunroom, offering plenty of room to sit and enjoy that beverage of choice.

Down one more level, a finished and colorful basement includes media, game, and fitness areas, as well as a wet bar and storage area. Outside, a multi-tiered deck leads to a lush wooded lot, offering privacy and flat, grassy play space.

As if the house’s features weren’t enough to seal the deal, all parties involved praised a flexible negotiation period: The sellers were preparing to build a home by the water and needed extra time while the buyers needed to wait out terms of their rental lease, so the agents worked on a creative “delayed settlement.” The result was picture perfect.

Sources: Beth Tyler (listing agent), Realtor, Long & Foster, cell-443-254-5250, office-410-266-5505, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , www.davidsonville.com. Deborah Laggini (buyer’s agent), Long & Foster, cell-410-991-6560, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , www.deborahlaggini.com.

St. Margaret’s Landing

Primary Structure Built: 2001
Sold For: $640,000
Original List Price: $679,000
Last Sold/Price: 2009/$675,000
Bedrooms: 5 Baths: 4.5
Living Space: 3,676 square feet
Lot Size: .34 acre

Another great example of the benefits of online real estate images, these buyers (relocating from the Eastern Shore) originally visited the property but set it aside because of timing issues with selling their existing home. Months later and after a contract had fallen through on another home site, the buyers were doing online vetting and were pleasantly surprised to come across it again. The rest, as they say, is history.

Home guides might be a good way for agents to get their names out, but online marketing is critical, notes Rachel Frentsos, one of the Long & Foster listing agents for this property.

As part of one of the earliest subdivisions in St. Margaret’s Landing, the home is in a private yet established neighborhood, with its tall trees, family-friendly amenities, and easy access to Route 50, the Bay Bridge and downtown. Another favorite feature for the buyers: an ample deck that leads to an expansive and grassy backyard, surrounded by a charming white picket fence.

Indoors, the new homeowners particularly love the trim work throughout the home, with its “exquisite” crown and base molding, as well as chair rails in various rooms. The floor plan is well-configured, with separate eating and desk areas in the Corian and hardwood kitchen, for example, as well as a fully-finished basement with a rec area, separate bedroom, and full bath. Most importantly, the home includes various spaces that can be used flexibly as the needs of the homeowners change, even though the only thing they plan to do now is some painting for freshening up.

Sources: Rachel and Jerry Frentsos (listing agents), Long & Foster, cell-410-271-6246, office-410-260-2800, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , www.rachelshomes.com. AJ Eckert (buyer’s agent), Coldwell Banker, cell-410-271-6076, office-410-919-2643, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Arborist

Tree Keepers
410-770-9477
thetreekeepers.com

Artwork & Galleries

Nancy Hammond Editions
102 Turpins Lane, Centerville
410-758-6612
nancyhammondeditions.com

Troika Gallery
9 South Harrison Street, Easton
410-770-9190
troikagallery.com

Carpet Cleaning

Kent Island Abbey Carpet and Floors
220 St. Claire Place, Stevensville
410-643-6752
106 Marlboro Avenue, Easton
410-822-0090
abbeycarpetandfloor.com

Hardware

Walterworks Hardware
420 Chinquapin Road, Annapolis
410-263-9711

Home Building & Design

314 Design Studio
314 Main Street, Stevensville
410-643-4040
314designstudio.com

Friel Lumber Company
100 Friel Place, Queenstown
410-827-8811
friellumber.com

Green Energy Design
31 North Harrison Street, Easton
410-822-5959
greenenergydesign-generalstore.com

Lundberg Builders
314 Main Street, Stevensville
410-643-3334
lundbergbuilders.com

Home Finance

Mid-Atlantic Farm Credit
1410 South State Street, Dover
302-734-7534
mafc.com

Interior Design & Furnishings

Choptank Closets
29516 Dover Road, Easton
410-770-3717
choptankclosets.com

Higgins & Spencer, Inc.
902 South Talbot Street, St. Michaels
410-745-5192
higginsandspencer.com

Kitchen & Bath

Friel Kitchen & Bath Design Center
100 Olde Point Village, Suite 102, Chester
410-827-8811
frielkitchens.com

Landscape Design & Exterior Improvement

Driveway Impressions
20 Romar Drive, Annapolis
410-990-0044
drivewayimpressions.com

F.A. Hobson Landscaping
111 Hobson Nursery Lane, Queenstown
410-827-9614
fahobsonlandscaping.com

Marine & Pier Service

Pier Pressure
200 Harry S Truman Pkwy, Suite 300, Annapolis
443-298-0454
pier-pressure.net

Pool & Spa Design/Service

Aqua Pools
8801 Mistletoe Drive, Easton
410-822-7000
aqua74.com

Catalina Pool Builders
836 Ritchie Hwy, Suite 8, Severna Park
410-647-7665
catalinapoolbuilders.com

Real Estate

Sharon Tryon, Realtor
410-604-0850
sharontryon.lnfre.com

Window

Window & Door Planning Center
1601 Knecht Avenue, Baltimore
410-242-3000
wdpc.com

Comfort Meets Luxury on LeGates Cove

Charming and remarkably private is the setting for this cedar-sided colonial gem on LeGates Cove in Talbot County. This home offers it all: four bedroom suites with masters on the main and second floors. The first floor master wing enjoys a fireplace, Jacuzzi bath with walk-in shower, dressing closets, and an attached library. All of these spaces are oriented to the water through large atrium windows and walls of glass. The great room is substantial and bright; it has both dining and entertaining areas and there is also a separate and formal dining room. The gourmet kitchen and family room lead to the pool, patios and dock, with varied outdoor spaces to gather and take in the lovely views.

The second floor master suite looks out to an expansive deck with wide water views and is adjacent to the second-story sunroom. The sunroom has a fireplace with screens and panels that avail enjoyment and use year round. The great water views and expanse of lawn and garden are incredible scenes from the lofty vantage point of these second floor living spaces. This floor has an additional “ensuite” bedroom and bath… then up to the third story for the fourth bedroom suite. Privacy and space are evident and enjoyed both inside and outside of this special home.

This property is further enhanced by a carriage house with space for the in-laws and an office. There are beautiful raised flower beds near the pool and an expansive pergola with setting areas. The dock offers four feet of water depth and the property includes 400 feet of waterfront on the cove. The two-acre point of land is situated on Legates Cove and sided by a protected alcove; it is an absolute unique and beautiful spot.

The new owners were drawn to this house by every one of its attractive amenities as well as its close proximity to Easton, Oxford, and St. Michaels. The magnificent central staircase and the water views straight through the house are both dramatic and impressive to all who enter this lovely home.

This home was not long on the market as the new owners had been looking for the right property for five long years and moved on the opportunity quickly. Settling for just over $2 million, this match was perfect and in this market there is a lot to be said about timing—prices are great and buyers need to be decisive. Just like that corny old saying “you snooze you lose.”

Contributions: Listing agent: Cornelia C. Heckenbach, stmichaelsmdwaterfront.com Buyers agent: Susie Graham, bensonandmangold.com

The annual Maryland House & Garden Pilgrimage (MHGP) returns this spring over four consecutive weekends beginning Saturday, April 28 through Sunday, May 20.