<PAGE>

                                   EXHIBIT 24

                               POWERS OF ATTORNEY

<PAGE>

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

The undersigned Trustee of The Town and Country Trust (the "Trust"), a Maryland
real estate investment trust, which anticipates filing with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., under the provisions of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, an Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Trust's
fiscal year ended December 31, 2003, hereby constitutes and appoints HARVEY
SCHULWEIS, ALAN W. LASKER and DANIEL G. BERICK, and each of them, with full
power of substitution and resubstitution, as attorneys or attorney to sign for
the undersigned and in my name, place and stead, as Trustee of said Trust, said
Annual Report and any and all amendments and exhibits thereto, and any and all
applications and documents to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission pertaining to such Annual Report, with full power and authority to do
and perform any and all acts and things whatsoever requisite, necessary or
advisable to be done in the premises, as fully and for all intents and purposes
as the undersigned could do if personally present, hereby approving the acts of
said attorney, and any such substitute.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 20th day of
February, 2004.

                                           /s/ Nancy F. Beck
                                           -------------------------------------
                                           Nancy F. Beck

<PAGE>

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

The undersigned Trustee of The Town and Country Trust (the "Trust"), a Maryland
real estate investment trust, which anticipates filing with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., under the provisions of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, an Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Trust's
fiscal year ended December 31, 2003, hereby constitutes and appoints HARVEY
SCHULWEIS, ALAN W. LASKER and DANIEL G. BERICK, and each of them, with full
power of substitution and resubstitution, as attorneys or attorney to sign for
the undersigned and in my name, place and stead, as Trustee of said Trust, said
Annual Report and any and all amendments and exhibits thereto, and any and all
applications and documents to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission pertaining to such Annual Report, with full power and authority to do
and perform any and all acts and things whatsoever requisite, necessary or
advisable to be done in the premises, as fully and for all intents and purposes
as the undersigned could do if personally present, hereby approving the acts of
said attorney, and any such substitute.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 24th day of
February, 2004.

                                           /s/ H. Grant Hathaway
                                           -------------------------------------
                                           H. Grant Hathaway

<PAGE>

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

The undersigned Trustee of The Town and Country Trust (the "Trust"), a Maryland
real estate investment trust, which anticipates filing with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., under the provisions of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, an Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Trust's
fiscal year ended December 31, 2003, hereby constitutes and appoints HARVEY
SCHULWEIS, ALAN W. LASKER and DANIEL G. BERICK, and each of them, with full
power of substitution and resubstitution, as attorneys or attorney to sign for
the undersigned and in my name, place and stead, as Trustee of said Trust, said
Annual Report and any and all amendments and exhibits thereto, and any and all
applications and documents to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission pertaining to such Annual Report, with full power and authority to do
and perform any and all acts and things whatsoever requisite, necessary or
advisable to be done in the premises, as fully and for all intents and purposes
as the undersigned could do if personally present, hereby approving the acts of
said attorney, and any such substitute.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 24th day of
February, 2004.

                                           /s/ James H. Berick
                                           -------------------------------------
                                           James H. Berick

<PAGE>

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

The undersigned Trustee of The Town and Country Trust (the "Trust"), a Maryland
real estate investment trust, which anticipates filing with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., under the provisions of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, an Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Trust's
fiscal year ended December 31, 2003, hereby constitutes and appoints HARVEY
SCHULWEIS, ALAN W. LASKER and DANIEL G. BERICK, and each of them, with full
power of substitution and resubstitution, as attorneys or attorney to sign for
the undersigned and in my name, place and stead, as Trustee of said Trust, said
Annual Report and any and all amendments and exhibits thereto, and any and all
applications and documents to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission pertaining to such Annual Report, with full power and authority to do
and perform any and all acts and things whatsoever requisite, necessary or
advisable to be done in the premises, as fully and for all intents and purposes
as the undersigned could do if personally present, hereby approving the acts of
said attorney, and any such substitute.

            IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 24th day of
February, 2004.

                                           /s/ Milton A. Wolf
                                           -------------------------------------
                                           Milton A. Wolf