Dawson Nolley - Realtor with Cummings & Co. Realtors

Dawson Nolley - Realtor with Cummings & Co. Realtors Realtor

Another victory last week! My clients beat out the competition and bought their first home in their favorite neighborhoo...
02/02/2026

Another victory last week! My clients beat out the competition and bought their first home in their favorite neighborhood!

It had only been on the market a week, it was four days before Christmas and the listing agent already had an offer in hand. Fortunately, we were able to act swiftly and put together a winning contract that, through a well-considered strategy, demonstrated the strength of our interest and positioned us well with attractive terms that gave up none of our wants and needs. Our offer succeeded without waiving any protective contingencies; we were still able to inspect every inch of the house (with a reasonable right to negotiate repairs) and the loan was still protected by an appraisal.

Funny side note.. I met these clients through a past-client referral only to find out a month into our meetings that the husband is my third cousin. Smaltimore.

Knowing that a Third-Floor condo in a building without an elevator would have a limited buyer pool, along with the fact ...
01/31/2026

Knowing that a Third-Floor condo in a building without an elevator would have a limited buyer pool, along with the fact that the unit wouldn’t be available to prep until the holidays (when the buyer pool thins out even more), our marketing and roll-out strategy had to be airtight. With so few lookers, we couldn’t afford to miss any engagement with our presentation. As there was a limited budget for cosmetic improvements, it was my opinion that prioritizing the hardwood floors and the architectural details would be more impactful than staging or refreshing the kitchen with new countertops or appliances. Once the unit was available, I coordinated the re-finishing of the floors and the painting, with careful attention paid to the 120-year-old moulding and millwork. Unfortunately, completion had us ready for market the week before Christmas. We readied our marketing materials, our professional photos (since we had grey skies and barren trees, I made a deal for exterior photo outtakes from another listing in the building from the summer), some teaser videos for social media, and we rolled out our full campaign as a Coming Soon property for the 17 days through New Years. In that time, I monitored the incredible online engagement on all of the real estate portals. The unit had the most Zillow favorites of my career! We were rewarded with a fantastic offer several days after showings began!

A carefully considered marketing strategy got this historic Fells Point charmer under contract within three days of hitt...
01/17/2026

A carefully considered marketing strategy got this historic Fells Point charmer under contract within three days of hitting the market in late November. Unfortunately, after an entire family spent Thanksgiving dinner projecting their fear of homeownership and city living upon a nervous first-time homebuyer, we found ourselves back on the market in early December. All it took was 48 hours of some minor inspection repairs and a phone campaign to neighborhood agents for multiple offers to quickly put us back into “Pending” with an all-cash, as-is, full price contract.

Another November victory for my clients and another example of a successful marketing and roll-out strategy. When the ma...
11/18/2025

Another November victory for my clients and another example of a successful marketing and roll-out strategy. When the major price qualifiers: the location, the size of the lot, the square footage, the age of the finishes, and architectural style form an atypical combination: a 1970’s take on mid-century modernism, a 5-bedroom home with over 6,000 square feet of living space, sitting on 3+ private acres, and 20-year-old finishes. The pricing needed to respect the size and grandeur as well as anticipate the intended updates of potential buyers and the fact that although modern architecture has a devoted following, there is a larger buyer pool for the more traditional. Fortunately, our plan and our pricing worked, and my clients were pleased with a quick and collaborative transaction!

One of this month’s several victories! A tailored marketing strategy that used true, data determined pricing and careful...
11/15/2025

One of this month’s several victories! A tailored marketing strategy that used true, data determined pricing and carefully budgeted and prioritized cosmetic improvements, led to eight offers within 72 hours and a non-contingent over-ask contract! The price escalation paid for those cosmetic improvements TEN TIMES OVER.

https://portal.atlasphotogroup.com/sites/7311-bellona-ave-baltimore-md-21212-18716124/branded7311 Bellona AvenueRuxton5 ...
09/02/2025

https://portal.atlasphotogroup.com/sites/7311-bellona-ave-baltimore-md-21212-18716124/branded

7311 Bellona Avenue
Ruxton
5 Bedrooms, 5.5 Baths, 3.28 Acres
$1,799,000

An unassuming driveway, marked only by a collection of mailboxes atop a stacked-stone planter of posies, winds up a rolling hill of perfectly scaped lawn, along a log fence shaded by a mature tree-line. Passing several of the five homes in cherished Martin’s Choice, just beyond the shared tennis court, a subtle turn leads under the canopy of fir branches and curves up to 7311 Bellona and its meticulous presentation of late 70’s mid-century modernism, giant rectangles and triangles, interconnected with symmetry and balance and the geometry of perfectly placed windows interrupting the infinity of its planking’s vertical grid…
Perfect geometry continues up the flag stone steps to the pair of monolithic front doors that mirror the proportions of the plate glass above them. The 70’s were a time of open floor-plans and this foyer immediately demonstrates with eyelines to the living room, the dining room and the kitchen-adjacent den.
To the left, a step down into the living room. Built-in shelves cover the rear wall, the free-standing chimney partially hides them creating a mini-library that enjoys its own sky light. A wall of floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the back deck, the opposite corners each offer the same floor-to-ceiling glass; light pours in with the trees forming backdrop of green that fill all of the frames.
Back into the foyer, a 2013 addition has added a breakfast nook just beneath another wall of windows with a view of the rear patio and yard extending back to the wooded part of the property. A den with woodburning fireplace shares its space with the kitchen, a 2013 remodel with a timeless aesthetic. Off the kitchen, a laundry room (with 2nd Floor laundry chute) leads to a mud room that opens to the front walk, the back yard and the two-car garage. Off the kitchen, a separate, formal dining room has obvious potential for entertaining or even re-purposing.
The stairs, rounded by the turret, lead to the second floor’s sun-filled landing, the giant front window, the skylights, the linear intersections of railings, doorframes and rooflines continue the mathematical flawlessness. A primary suite enjoys the natural light poured from a third-level clearstory on the left.. and the four giant plate glass windows overlooking the pool on the right. A private bath, with tiled shower and soaking tub, accesses the walk-in closet.
On the other side of the landing, three ample sized bedrooms line the east side of the main house. Down the hall, next to the second bedroom, is a shared full bath. Between Bedrooms Three and Four, a Jack-and-Jill joins the two. A Fifth Bedroom and Private Full Bath, created by the addition sits at the top of the stairs.
Down the stairs, to the lower level, one finds a utility room to the right with storage and mechanics. To the left, past a fifth Full Bath, one finds the Walkout Family Room. With windows overlooking the side yard and the pool, this space can be a gym, a theater, a guest room, perfect for pool guests with quick access to the bathroom.
Stepping outside, one is immediately reminded that these grounds are more than just scenery for huge windows. A large rolling hill creates a sweeping tree-topped view from the front while the left yard feels like a shaded meadow. The right yard gets perfect exposure as it winds around the garage to the fenced back yard. Abutted by private woods, this backyard is perfect for all those backyard things: maybe a lacrosse goal or a jungle gym, a garden, or a tented party. Off the Family Room, a covered patio is ready for the grill. Off the main foyer, the cedar deck offers plenty of space for dining and entertaining. Finally, to complete the bucolic experience after a morning stroll in the rear woods, take a swim in the saltwater heated pool.
With the shroud of the woods behind, with rolling hills and acreage in front, it’s not very often that one finds a home, so well placed on a piece of land, that the comfort of seclusion comes without any of the inconvenience of distance. It feels like the middle of nowhere, but in the middle of it all.

In 2018, I helped my client buy her first home on a modest block within the northern point of Ednor Gardens. The former ...
05/21/2025

In 2018, I helped my client buy her first home on a modest block within the northern point of Ednor Gardens. The former rental property’s then-five-year-old renovation was well worn. Having stalled on the market for over 300 days, the condition, and waning attention, allowed for her to get this three-bedroom, end-of-group rowhome for $92,000.

Fast forward seven years and one pandemic later, the values on this modest block have enjoyed significant appreciation. When we sat down to discuss selling the house, I was able to lay out two potential strategies:
1). Listing as-is; even with the now-13-year-old renovation, she would still enjoy a healthy return… or 2). Investing in cosmetic improvements with the potential of doubling that return.

Trusting my analysis and estimates, I helped her secure competitive bids from multiple contractors, GC’s, painters, roofers, etc. After floors were repaired and refinished, cabinets painted, countertops and appliances replaced, interior painted, basement floors updated, bathrooms refreshed, switchplates and air registers replaced, this house sold for $243,000.

Check out the 2018 Listing Photos compared to my 2025 pics, the transformation may seem dramatic but no walls were moved.. just a lot of carefully chosen cosmetic finishes.

If you’re thinking of selling but unsure of the potential equity or how to prioritize your efforts, I’m happy to meet for a free consultation.

This house had nearly 30 appointments over the course of three days. More than a few showing agents told us that we were...
04/25/2025

This house had nearly 30 appointments over the course of three days. More than a few showing agents told us that we were priced too high. Of those 30 lookers, four of them made offers and it was those four buyers that determined the final value of the home. The marketing strategy for this house considered every detail of the listing: the paint colors, the staging, the photography, the timing of the roll-out, the cleanliness, the light fixtures, even the light bulbs. Had we deviated from any single part of our plan, if we had failed to capture the attention or the fancy of any one of those four buyers, the outcome could have been completely different. Even though we’re still in a market that often favors the sellers, selling a house does not require less effort than before, it might even take a more surgical strategy.

As I look back on my 2024 transactions, and the purchases that I represented, it not only paints a picture of the curren...
01/27/2025

As I look back on my 2024 transactions, and the purchases that I represented, it not only paints a picture of the current marketplace, it also reinforces the importance of who a buyer chooses to work with.

Happy clients everywhere! After a year and a half of duking it out in the treacherous Baltimore County condo market, my ...
12/18/2024

Happy clients everywhere! After a year and a half of duking it out in the treacherous Baltimore County condo market, my buyers beat out the competition for their dream home at Quarry Lake. Meanwhile, in Hampden, my seller seized an ideal off-market opportunity! Two examples of how the long game rewards the patient players.

Did you know that a house, not even 100 yards away from this one, about 12 doors down, same design, same floorplan and s...
11/22/2024

Did you know that a house, not even 100 yards away from this one, about 12 doors down, same design, same floorplan and same square footage has been sitting on the market for 177 days? Why has one been sitting and why did my listing sell so quickly? Pricing and presentation. It’s imperative that a home is priced correctly. The house down the street hit the market at a price $30,000 higher than mine. It’s currently listed for $5,000 less than what mine sold for. Every day that a house is on the market, it is depreciating as the buyers begin to second guess the quality of the home and the legitimacy of its price. To counter-act this buyer apprehension one must re-position the price to regain attention; this is called “chasing the market”. Statistically, over-pricing will ultimately lead to the house selling below market value. In this case, had the other home been priced correctly, it would’ve sold for $10,000 more than its current price. The owner would also have saved the last six months of carry-costs like utilities, taxes and insurance. As for the presentation, if you are thinking of selling, I’m more than happy to discuss the ways my marketing strategy differed from the neighbor’s. Feel free to call or message.

Sitting on over 7 acres in Freeland, this 1980’s modular gem had been the seller’s home since she and her late husband o...
10/28/2024

Sitting on over 7 acres in Freeland, this 1980’s modular gem had been the seller’s home since she and her late husband oversaw its construction nearly 40 years ago. Although she has lived in a Pennsylvania condo for almost two years, every square inch of this house, and every blade of grass across the entire property, were points of pride and still enjoyed her devoted attention. Her love for the house was immediately contagious. And that’s why, when I noticed how the sunlight was hitting a hardened layer of drywall dust on the hardwood floors, I hung my blue oxford cloth shirt on the kitchen cabinet pull and made the listing photographer wait for 45 minutes.

Address

108 W Timonium Road
Timonium, MD
21093

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+14109164822

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