Market Conditions for Ellicott City, Maryland Reported by Emilie Christiansen, REALTOR Updated January 16, 2012.

Current Market Rating: 3 1 2 3 4 5 Buyer's Seller's

Current Price Trend: 3 1 2 3 4 5 Falling Rising

It feels like the market is picking up right after the holidays. The inventory in Howard County has shrunk considerably. Well-priced and well-maintained homes sell quickly. Inventory and interest rates look very good. Interest rate fluctuates just below 4% for a 30 year fixed mortgage. 15 year mortgages are about .5% better. New FHA Loan limit in Howard County is $560,000. There are some very nice homes on the market for a reasonable price.This is a good time to purchase a home

An excellent way to start looking for a home is visiting my website: http://www.come2maryland.com This website gives access to the multiple list and emails new listings on a daily basis

ZIP Codes: 21042, 21043

Approximate Location Boundaries: Located between Route 40, Route 29 and Interstate 95, Ellicott City is very convenient, about 15 minutes, to downtown Baltimore. The commute to Rockville in Montgomery County is about 60 minutes and you can quickly travel Route 70 to Carroll County in about 30 minutes.

Location Characteristics: Beautiful rolling country side! Most homes are built on 1/3 to 1/2 acre! !This is a very sought after community! Schools are outstanding! Visit Old Ellicott City and enjoy the coffee shops, antique shops and the interesting real estate built in the early 18th Century.Ellicott City is an unincorporated census-designated place located in Howard County, Maryland. As of the 2000 census, the CDP had a total population of 56,397. It is the county seat of Howard County6. Founded in 1772, the town features a Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Station Museum (with a station built in 1831), as well as a downtown historic district that is a popular destination among antiques shoppers. As of the 2000 Census, Ellicott City surpassed Towson, as the largest unincorporated county seat in the United States. In 1772, three Quaker brothers from Bucks County, Pennsylvania chose the picturesque wilderness up river from Elk Ridge Landing (known today as Elkridge, Maryland) to establish a flour mill. John, Andrew and Joseph Ellicott founded Ellicott's Mills which became one of the largest milling and manufacturing towns in the East. The Ellicott brothers helped revolutionize farming in the area by persuading farmers to plant wheat instead of tobacco and also by introducing fertilizer to revitalize depleted soil. Charles Carroll, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and wealthy landowner, was an early influential convert from tobacco to wheat. In 1830, Ellicott's Mills became the first terminus of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad outside Baltimore, Maryland. The old station, which stands today as a museum, has been designated a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior. 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. The horse won this race, but steam engines steadily improved and the railroad became a vital link in the town's economy. By 1861, Ellicott's Mills was a prosperous farming and manufacturing area, and the site of the courthouse, which was built from 1840-1843 when the Howard District of Anne Arundel County, Maryland was so designated in 1839. Howard County, Maryland became an official independent jurisdiction in 1851. In 1867, a city charter was secured for Ellicott's Mills and the name was changed to "Ellicott City." The only chartered city in the county, Ellicott City lost its charter in 1935 and was designated an historic district by the county in 1973. Ellicott City today serves as the county seat for Howard County, Maryland. In the early summer of 1972, the historic downtown area was extensively flooded by Hurricane Agnes. Ellicott City is the home to the fairy tale-themed amusement park known as the Enchanted Forest. The park has been closed to the general public since the early 1990s, and a shopping center (called the Enchanted Forest Shopping Center) was built on its parking lot. The park itself remains intact. The Enchanted Forest was featured in the 1990 John Waters-directed film Cry Baby, starring Ricki Lake and Johnny Depp. For more info go to:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellicott_City,_Maryland

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