Archive for February, 2011
Bethesda-Chevy Chase Pre-Spring Market Activity
As we approach the spring, not surprisingly, real estate activity has been picking up in the Bethesda/Chevy Chase marketplace. Certainly, the lack of inventory has been driving sales. So what exactly has been happening? I decided it was time to look at the numbers and do some analysis.
Currently within the Bethesda/Chevy Chase zip codes (20814, 20815, 20816, 20817 & 20818) and since the start of the year, exactly 287 new listings have hit the market. Of these 12 have sold, 85 are under contract, 178 remain active & 12 have withdrawn from the market.
While it’s challenging to compare the two years (mostly because this year has yet to fully play out), so far 2011 is looking really Read the rest of this entry »
Donna’s 10 Common Selling Myths
As wary sellers begin putting their houses on the market in anticipation of the spring selling season, Evers & Co. Real Estate President, Broker, and my boss Donna Evers debunks 10 Common Myths that sellers should be aware of:
- “We’re not going to get the price we want.” While the Washington Metro area market was hit hard the last five years, things are improving! The average sales price hit bottom in 2009, but 2010 saw an improvement of +8.3 percent. As long as sellers don’t fall victim to the following 9 myths, they should be able to successfully sell their property.
- “We can always come down in price.” Conversely, some sellers think they should price their house high, and then come down. But putting a high price on a house has risks and negative consequences. The most likely buyers for your property lose interest immediately when they see the high Read the rest of this entry »
East Bethesda- Homes for Sale 2/25/2011
Update for 2/25/2011: We had one new listing last week and it’s already gone (with multiple offers)! The power of proper pricing and a low inventory can be a bit intense (from a buyers perspective). No new listings this week. No price drops.
All the homes in this article are currently for sale within East Bethesda. The top of the list features the newest listings, while the bottom showcases those that have been on the market for quite some time. I’ll be updating this post every Friday, so be sure to check back to see what’s new, what’s gone, & what might be coming (and check out the date up top… if it’s not current, neither is this information!). I’ve lived in East Bethesda for over 15 years. I’ve sold real estate in East Bethesda for over 11 years. It’s a wonderful neighborhood within walking distance of two metro stops AND downtown Bethesda. While all of this information is available to you on the various search engines, I’ve taken the time to inject my opinion on the condition, pricing, and likelihood of each property selling… or not. I hope you’ll give me a call if you have any questions. I have loved living here over the years, and I want to share it with other enthusiastic people!
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8507 Halston Way, $1,170,000
This townhouse features 4 bedrooms, 3 full baths and 2 half baths. 4-levels of living, including a 2-car garage. Granite in the kitchen, and private deck with a fig tree! The last townhouse to sell on Halston Way sold in 2007 for $1,045,000. Days on Market: 36
4620 S. Chelsea, $749,750
This cute Cape was on the market back in 2005. Boy, what a difference. The house has been cleaned up and given a bit of a face lift, and it’s looking pretty good. The kitchen, while dated, opens up to a good sized, sun-drenched family room which opens to a deck. While it’s advertised as a 5BR house, two of ‘em are a bit funky (one “L” shaped, the other with two entries). Still, it’s clean, inviting, and will appeal to those who want a close-in home with a lot of rooms. A second bath on the upper level would help, and there seems to be room for it. Great space for the money. Days on Market: 49 Read the rest of this entry »
East Bethesda Dog Sitter
Therese & pal Duncan
This is an outright plug for my favorite East Bethesda dog sitter/dog walker, Therese Boucher.
Therese lives in East Bethesda and has a thriving business catering to the local pooch crowd. When we went away last summer, Therese looked after our big lug of a dog. He was thrilled, we were thrilled. When he arrived at Therese’s house, I’m embarrassed to say that he was going through a bit of a shedding explosion. While he wiggles away from us when the dreaded brush emerges, not so with Therese. She’s got the magic touch, and our dog returned to us noticeably groomed and extremely happy. Gotta love that!
Of course, there are other options around. Dogtopia. PetSmart (or is it PetsMart… I never know). But it’s really nice to keep it local. Space allowing, Therese will keep the dogs at her house, or visit yours for dog walks.
To take full advantage of Therese’s dog sitting expertise, give her a call at 301/656-7280 or send her an e-mail at [email protected]
I’m a BIG fan.
Best of BCCDCRealEstate.com
Every once in a while I like to dig around my old posts and see what might be of interest to folks. It also saves me from having to create something original and fresh! So, on this very overcast February 21, I offer up the following. Maybe something will strike a chord?
Taking Inventory of Your Home- Free Software This is a pretty cool program, and very easy to use. I like the free part. Check it out.
Getting Inside the Head of a Buyer It isn’t always easy to read what buyers are thinking.
The Fine Art of Pricing Your Chevy Chase Home… It’s Not What You Think Sadly, what you want doesn’t usually fit into the equation.
Earnest Money Myths Seller Beware.
Mortgage Don’ts Hide your credit cards… at least until the sale is final.
Bethesda Bus to NYC They make it so easy to get to the Big Apple. There’s even a fancy bus.
Snow Plow Tracker You can figure out if Grandma’s street has been plowed. Might save you a trip?
Mobile Cupcakes Oh, joy.
A Kinder, Gentler Real Estate Office No more faxing. Yippee.
Selling an Estate in Bethesda, MD Some common issues that crop up when you’re trying to sell a place that might not even be in-state.
I hope you like these posts. Again.
East Bethesda- Homes for Sale 2/18/2011
Update for 2/18/2011: One new listing, and it’s a nice one! Also, one price reduction. And the weather is beautiful, so taking a look at houses should be a pleasure this weekend.
All the homes in this article are currently for sale within East Bethesda. The top of the list features the newest listings, while the bottom showcases those that have been on the market for quite some time. I’ll be updating this post every Friday, so be sure to check back to see what’s new, what’s gone, & what might be coming (and check out the date up top… if it’s not current, neither is this information!). I’ve lived in East Bethesda for over 15 years. I’ve sold real estate in East Bethesda for over 11 years. It’s a wonderful neighborhood within walking distance of two metro stops AND downtown Bethesda. While all of this information is available to you on the various search engines, I’ve taken the time to inject my opinion on the condition, pricing, and likelihood of each property selling… or not. I hope you’ll give me a call if you have any questions. I have loved living here over the years, and I want to share it with other enthusiastic people!
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7909 Chelton Road, $869,000
Handsome, perfectly located brick colonial with addition. 4 Bedrooms, 3.5 baths. Walk to BCC, Metro, Lynbrook Park, etc. The three full baths have all be tastefully renovated. The whole house appears to have been painted in a nice, neutral palette- very Restoration Hardware-esque. Good sized master bedroom. Updated kitchen with granite opening to family room. Nice patio area and backyard with basketball court (of sorts). My guess is that this one will go FAST. Days on Market: 0
8507 Halston Way, $1,170,000
This townhouse features 4 bedrooms, 3 full baths and 2 half baths. 4-levels of living, including a 2-car garage. Granite in the kitchen, and private deck with a fig tree! The last townhouse to sell on Halston Way sold in 2007 for $1,045,000. Days on Market: 29 Read the rest of this entry »
Bethesda Chevy Chase High School District Home Sales Data: 2010
Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School
Bethesda-Chevy Chase is an award winning high school featuring rigorous AP classes along with a very popular IB program. Real estate within the school boundary is expensive. This is an affluent community. Whether or not education is the deciding force behind real estate values in this area, sales prices for single family homes in the B-CC school district improved by 3.9% in 2010 whereas many other jurisdictions have seen losses.
Some thoughts on the data:
- The number of homes sold has increased by 27 units, reflecting an increase in confidence in both buyers and sellers.
- In 2009 the final sales price was 91.1% of the original asking price. Read the rest of this entry »
Selling an Estate in Bethesda, MD
I was talking to a client the other day about selling her mother’s estate in Bethesda, MD. She was feeling a little frazzled. There is so much that goes into preparing a home for sale, and it’s especially challenging when it isn’t your own home, or if you live out of town. During our discussion, I realized I had addressed many of her issues in previous blogs. So folks, I’ve pulled them all together into one spot… read on:
1. How to Sell an Estate in Bethesda (and Beyond…). This one covers the basics, including what to do with the stuff that’s left over (not wanted, but not ready for the trash bin).
2. Staging Your Home. Furnished homes typically sell more quickly and for more money than their unfurnished counterparts.. At Evers & Company, we provide free staging for empty homes (or homes that need a little extra umph) as long as you are willing to pay for the transportation of the furniture. Compare this to a professional staging service and you’ll realize you’re saving a bundle.
3. Six Reasons NOT to Renovate When Selling. Sometimes there are legitimate reasons for not Read the rest of this entry »
East Bethesda- Homes for Sale 2/11/2011
Update for 2/11/2011: Hey! We’ve had 2 homes go under contract this week, driving our inventory of homes under $1,000,000 to a precarious new low. Open houses last weekend were quite busy. There’s not too much new inventory for this week, so the pickings are slim.
All the homes in this article are currently for sale within East Bethesda. The top of the list features the newest listings, while the bottom showcases those that have been on the market for quite some time. I’ll be updating this post every Friday, so be sure to check back to see what’s new, what’s gone, & what might be coming (and check out the date up top… if it’s not current, neither is this information!). I’ve lived in East Bethesda for over 15 years. I’ve sold real estate in East Bethesda for over 11 years. It’s a wonderful neighborhood within walking distance of two metro stops AND downtown Bethesda. While all of this information is available to you on the various search engines, I’ve taken the time to inject my opinion on the condition, pricing, and likelihood of each property selling… or not. I hope you’ll give me a call if you have any questions. I have loved living here over the years, and I want to share it with other enthusiastic people!
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8507 Halston Way, $1,170,000
This townhouse features 4 bedrooms, 3 full baths and 2 half baths. 4-levels of living, including a 2-car garage. Granite in the kitchen, and private deck with a fig tree! The last townhouse to sell on Halston Way sold in 2007 for $1,045,000. Days on Market: 22
4620 S. Chelsea, $749,750
This cute Cape was on the market back in 2005. Boy, what a difference. The house has been cleaned up and given a bit of a face lift, and it’s looking pretty good. The kitchen, while dated, opens up to a good sized, sun-drenched family room which opens to a deck. While it’s advertised as a 5BR house, two of ‘em are a bit funky (one “L” shaped, the other with two entries). Still, it’s clean, inviting, and Read the rest of this entry »
Winter Heating Tips
Did you know that your bathroom or kitchen exhaust fan can empty a house of heat in less than an hour if left on for too long! Or that a layer of tight-fitting plastic can transform a single pane window into functioning as a double pane window? Don’t have a programmable thermostat yet? Hang a hook near the thermostat for your keys, and you’ll remember to turn it down when leaving the house for long periods of time. Montgomery County has put together a great informational flier addressing Winter Heating Tips.
Owning a home can be expensive. But heating it doesn’t have to break the bank. Some of the simple steps found in “Winter Heating Tips” can save you a bundle.
Now, if you’re looking for a home to heat, give me a call.
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