Regency Homes

Keystone Homes Inc., a well-known builder of entry-level townhouses and condominiums in Harford County, announced yesterday that it has suspended its sales and building operations at all six communities.Keystone, which began operation in 1986, was the fourth-largest builder in Harford County through the third quarter of this year, with 100 sales and 11 percent of the market, according to Meyers Housing Data Reports, a publication that tracks and analyzes new-home construction.Overall, the company was the 16th-largest builder of new homes in the Baltimore metropolitan area this year.

ON THE MOVE* Alliance Mortgage Funding Inc. said Duane E. Giles has joined the firm's Baltimore office as a residential lending officer. Mr. Giles will work with homebuyers in his hometown of Catonsville and in Howard and Carroll counties.* Bozzuto Landscaping Co. of Greenbelt appointed Scott Smith enhancement manager and landscape architect. Mr. Smith was previously a landscape architect at Walt Disney World in Orlando. A subsidiary of the Bozzuto Group, the landscaping firm has offices in Columbia, Gaithersburg, Upper Marlboro and Leesburg, Va.* Century 21's Mid-Atlantic Division named Debra Chandler director of the firm's Central Atlantic Region, formed by combining the National Capital and Chesapeake Regions.

Howard County development interests continue to pour campaign contributions into the coffers of incumbents seeking re-election as county executive and County Council members.A review of the last campaign financing reports required to be filed before the Nov. 8 general election shows that County Executive Charles I. Ecker continued to raise the most campaign money of any candidate seeking a county office.Mr. Ecker, a Republican running on a sustained growth platform, raised $25,583 during the last reporting period, his recent financing report shows.

When it comes to buying in a new housing development, some people are like the tortoise, others like the hare. But whether they come in first or last, both can be winners.Daniel Morehead bought the next-to-last house on his street in Owings Mills' Winterset development in February."I didn't really want to see a lot of construction. I didn't want to see mud in the street and Dumpsters and get a flat tire," he said.Eric Buckner, who bought his home in Winterset in 1996, was one of the first -- trusting only in plans, pictures and the promises of the development's saleswoman.

Increasing competition and ebbing market share are prompting the merger of two prominent metropolitan Baltimore homebuilders, including the largest in Carroll County.Lawrence M. Macks, president of Macks Homes in Owings Mills, and Martin K. P. Hill, founder of Masonry Contractors Inc. in Manchester, Carroll County, announced yesterday the creation of Masonry Macks Homes, which when combined, will be one of the largest private, independent builders in the area.Macks will serve as chairman, with administrative and financial responsibilities, while Hill will act as president and chief executive officer in charge of day-to-day operations.

Ryland Homes remains the largest residential builder in the Baltimore area, selling 10.3 percent of the region's new homes last year. But it clung to its lead only by a cul-de-sac or two, according to a new Legg Mason Realty Group survey.The Columbia-based Ryland sold 961 new homes locally in 1995, staying ahead of Ryan Homes, with 944 sales and a 10.1 percent share, the survey reported. Third was Pulte Home Corp., with 494 sales, and 5.3 percent of the market.But Ryland's share of Baltimore market sales could shrink in coming years.

Freedom Optimist kicked off the fall season last week with its annual soccer tournament.The tourney, played at Oklahoma Park and Eldersburg Elementary School, attracted 24 teams from throughout the metropolitan area plus Frederick County.Teams competed in boys and girls under-12 and under-14 divisions,with each having six teams.The whole affair turned out to be a humbling experience for the Carroll squads, most of which were playingtheir first games of the year.Out-of-towners won three of four brackets.

Men's softballMaggie's swept five games to win the Carroll County Men's Softball League combined B-C-D divisional postseason tournament Saturday at the Carroll County Sports Complex.Maggie's, which also had won the league's B division regular-season title, edged Ski's/Baltimore Carpet, 15-14, in the championship game.The champs opened by blasting Marada Industries, 17-0. They batted 19 men in the fourth inning, which saw them score 14 runs on 14 hits.Jimmy Janowitz and Alan Kron each went 3-for-3 with two RBI for Maggie's, and Tim Nee was 3-for-4 with two runs batted in.Maggie's scored eight runs in the home sixth to rally from an 11-7 deficit and beat EVAPCO, 15-11, in its second game.

O'Conor, Piper acquires Mount Airy realtyO'Conor, Piper & Flynn Realtors announced that it has acquired Grimes & Associates Realty, an independent real estate company based in Mount Airy."

Kevin Carney had considered invitations to be one of the builders in Dream Homes -- a public showcase of luxury estates that had great visibility several years ago, but of late has gone on hiatus.But as opulent, imaginative and expensive as the Dream Homes program was in 1994 and 1995 -- only to be squelched by a tough housing market the past two years -- Carney realized it was a concept that had a flaw."They were truly dream homes -- and that was an important role for builders in that price range -- but there really wasn't anything for the bulk of the marketplace," said Carney, president of Thomas Builders Inc. "I talked to several builders about their perception of Dream Homes and they shared the same [thoughts]