Big Incentives Offered For Prospective Homeowners In Baltimore City

BALTIMORE (WJZ)—A local organization is offering big incentives for prospective home buyers.

Monique Griego has more on the healthy neighborhoods event you don't want to miss.

Belair-Edison in East Baltimore is one of many neighborhoods still trying to recover from a housing slump.

"Our community has been hit with foreclosures over the past three or four years," said Johnette Richardson.

But Richardson says things are about to turn around. Baltimore City recently won $26 million in stimulus money to help kick start the sale of abandoned and foreclosed homes.

"I mean we get them fixed up and get them back on market so we can sell them to homeowners," she said.

Richardson took WJZ on a tour of one of the rehabs in her area.

Inside the changes are dramatic. Every room has been renovated top to bottom with energy efficient appliances.

"They're 'move-in-able.' They're 'turn key,' as we like to say in the business," said Rahn Barnes.

This weekend Barnes will help put on a city-wide open house to show around 100 homes in these seven different neighborhoods.

"Neighborhoods in the middle, these don't experience the most significant, negative issues, so they're good strengths to build on," Barnes said.

Buyers can also receive $6,000 toward their closing costs.

If the home hasn't been renovated, buyers can even receive $25,000 to bring it back to life.

Barnes hopes showing what these houses can become will bring back buyers.

"The goal is to make strong neighborhoods, to continue to have these strong neighborhoods because that's what Baltimore is known as--a city of strong  and divergent neighborhoods," Barnes said.

The open house event will be held this Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon at Afya Public Charter School.