Howard County, Maryland real estate is so hot that Realtors are recommending buyers have preapproval letters from lenders in hand before they even start looking at homes.

"In the last 40 years Howard county has grown into the richest county in Maryland, with what is considered the best school system in the state," says Realtor Jerry Boyer. "We are ideally located between Baltimore and Washington, and just west of Fort Meade/NSA, and our residents make use of the major north/south and east/west freeways for rapid commuting to each. Housing ranges from urban to suburban to rural, with prices ranging from the mid $100,000's, to well above $1,000.000. The major cities are Columbia, a planned community, and Ellicott City, the county seat.

"The county is full of rolling hills that used to be forests and farm land," adds Boyer. "Much of the land has now been developed into housing communities. The largest city, Columbia, houses just over 100,000 people. The county seat is Ellicott City, which covers a good portion of the county, and includes a historic district as well as multi-million dollars estates.

About the market, he says, "Currently, the high demand for housing in this area (which is being fueled by continuing low mortgage interest rates), has created a rapid increase in housing prices. The normal home offered for sale has multiple offers in just a few days. Higher priced properties, over $400,000, are taking a little longer to sell. Successful buyers are those that have their financing in order, and have searched the MLS daily for new listings."

"According to legend, the famous race between Peter Cooper's iron engine, the Tom Thumb, and a horse-drawn carriage took place at Relay on the return trip from Ellicott's Mills in August 1830," says Realtor Emilie Christansen. "The horse won this race, but steam engines steadily improved and the railroad became a vital link in the town's economy.

"Beautiful Howard County with rolling hills, excellent highway system, and great schools is a wonderful place to live," enthuses Christansen. "History and mystery abound in Howard county from whispered ghost tales in 230-year old Ellicott City, home to the oldest railroad station in America, to the healing powers of a relic of St. Anthony at the St. Joseph Cupertino Franciscan Friary. Explore African-American history at the African Art Museum of Maryland and the Howard County Center of African American Culture, located in Columbia. And enjoy scenic areas such as the Patapsco Valley State Park and Columbia's Lake Kittamaqundi, where pedalboats are a favorite past time. The Bollman Truss Bridge is also something to see. Located at the foot of Savage Mill, it is one of only two of its kind left in the world. Howard County is located along the Baltimore-Washington corridor and has a population of 185,000.

She advises, "Inventory is down in Howard County. Home prices are still rising. Multiple contracts are still the norm. Escalation clauses are included but not as often. The interest rate is stable. It is still hard for purchasers find a home. Condos are flying of the shelf! Purchasers forego home inspection, radon test and sometimes appraisal. The interest rate is still below 6 percent."

"Interest rates are still attractive and the home values are up. Potential homebuyers should have a pre-approval or pre-qualification letter in hand prior to home shopping, advises Realtor Mary Henderson. "Homes are on the market for a relatively short period of time and for the most part receive multiple offers. If you are thinking of buying a home, now is the time to begin addressing the financial aspects of homeownership."