County's foreclosure rate dips

Montgomery County's home mortgage foreclosure rate fell 21.2 percent last month from December, according to new figures from RealtyTrac of Irvine, Calif.

With one filing per 751 households, the county ranked 14th in the state. The county's rate in January also was down 20.2 percent from January 2009.

The state rate fell 22.7 percent last month from December. However, its rate of one filing per 446 households was up 41.4 percent from January 2009. Maryland had the 13th highest rate in the nation last month, below the U.S. average of one filing per 409 households. The national average fell 9.7 percent in January from December.

For the first time in more than a year, Prince George's County did not have the highest rate in the state. The county's rate of one filing per 285 households was second to Baltimore city's rate of one per 235.

CoStar buys building

in D.C. for headquarters

Real estate information provider CoStar Group of Bethesda has purchased an office building for its new headquarters in Washington, D.C., through a wholly owned subsidiary, for $41.25 million.

The company said that, as an incentive, the Council of the District of Columbia approved $6.1 million in property-tax abatements over a 10-year period, provided CoStar hires 100 Washington residents, among other conditions. In addition, CoStar may be eligible for additional incentives such as a five-year limitation on its local corporate income tax and certain sales and use tax exemptions.

Montgomery General partners

with rehabilitation hospital

Montgomery General Hospital in Olney announced a partnership with National Rehabilitation Hospital in Washington, D.C., to manage physical, occupational and speech therapy as well as cardiac rehabilitation on the Montgomery General campus. Montgomery General is a 165-bed, nonprofit profit hospital serving the Greater Baltimore and Washington metropolitan areas.

In addition, the Washington hospital will manage, staff, operate the outpatient therapy site in the Olney hospital's physician office building. Montgomery General rehabilitation patients also will benefit when the hospital's new outpatient center opens in April, according to a hospital statement.

Sun Cab adding Priuses to all-hyrbrid fleet

Not worried about recently reported problems, Sun Cab of Montgomery County has decided to order an additional six Toyota Hybrid Prius cabs.

Beginning March 15, Sun Cab, which has 43 taxis, will have a fleet of 10 hybrid vehicles that average 50 miles per gallon. In addition, Sun Cab has three wheelchair-accessible cabs and 30 sedan cabs, according to company information.

"Sun Cab is aware of the recent Toyota recalls and has been carefully reviewing and implementing precautions relayed to from local and national agencies on this recall matter," the company said in a statement.

"At this time, Sun Cab's fleet of four Priuses has complied with all notifications issued from Toyota. The Prius drivers at Sun Cab have not experienced any safety concerns related to braking and accelerating. At this time, there is no information to show that this Prius hybrid fleet will be affected by this matter."