Archive for March, 2011
Walk to Tenleytown/AU Park Metro
Sadly, this metro is pretty unremarkable. Historic Marker much nicer!
Tenleytown-AU Metro is located just inside the district line in what was once a trolley town at the turn of the century. It’s the closest metro stop to American University which is home to roughly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Within walking distance of Tenleytown-AU Metro are BestBuy, the Container Store, a hardware store, a branch of the DC library (recently renovated), Whole Foods and numerous other shops and restaurants. Neighborhoods served by Tenleytown-AU metro include Tenleytown, AU Park, Wakefield/Chevy Chase and North Cleveland Park.
- American University Park (orange/pink) covers a wide swath of land and is bordered by Mass Ave, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Western (roughly). One bedroom condos start in the high $300′s and single family homes stretch up to $1,750,000. Typical to the area, you’ll find a lot of brick colonials interspersed with some ramblers, the occasional split, and capes. Walk time to metro varies widely, and can range from 5 to 35 minutes. Some bus options exist, particularly along Massachusetts Avenue.
- Chevy Chase/Tenleytown (purple) is made up primarily of townhouses, condos and single family homes. Back when I lived there, it was known simply as Tenleytown… not sure when the CC snuck in? Read the rest of this entry »
So You Think You Can Negotiate?
My broker, Donna Evers, President of Evers & Co. Real Estate has been in the real estate business for quite a long time… long enough to pen the following list of 10 tips to help Buyers with their home purchase:
“The residential real estate market is challenging, but buyers can often get a lower price and better terms if they are a skillful negotiators.
Ten How-To Tips for Buyers
- Arm Yourself. This means hiring the best real estate agent you can get to represent you in your purchase. This person should know what you want and how much you can afford. He or she should be a person with whom you can communicate, who inspires your trust, knows the area where you want to buy, is ready to do research for you and can help you plan your strategy when you make the offer. An added bonus to using an agent is that your offer will be much better received when it comes through a third party, so let your agent do the talking.
- Don’t be greedy. Here’s good rule-of-thumb to follow: never make an offer lower than the lowest price you think Read the rest of this entry »
Keeping it Under $700,000 in Bethesda
Real Estate in Bethesda is expensive. Your average 3-bedroom brick colonial home can run around $700,000, and that’s without a lot of frills and family rooms.
So, what does $700,000 OR LESS get you in Bethesda? I thought I’d high-lite a number of listings that are currently on the market. I’m focusing in on single family detached homes. Remember, these are only asking (not getting) prices:
111 Valley Road – $599,900
Subdivision: Brookmont
3BR/3FB
Built: 1928
Acres: 0.09
Live with the groovy hikers, bikers and kayakers. Fabulous location. Walk to the C&O canal. Dead end street. Teeny, tiny rooms. 2008 renovation. Nice patio.
6206 Massachusetts Avenue- $630,000
Subdivision: Glen Echo Heights
4BR/3FB
Built: 1954
Acres: 0.13
Expanded rambler with chef’s kitchen addition. Mass. Ave is a little busy, but you get more house for your money for the trade off. Walt Whitman School District.
East Bethesda- Homes for Sale 3/25/2011
Update for 3/25/2011: During the past week we’ve had 1 new listing, 1 older listing return to the market, and 1 house go under contract. There are only 2 listings available for under $1,000,000.
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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7915 Kentbury Drive, $899,900
Back on the market. This one took a breather for 4 months. 6BR/4FB. 1-car attached garage. Pretty granite in the kitchen. Pretty tile in the bathrooms. Shows nicely. A lot of smaller rooms, combined to make a large house. Backs to the proposed Purple Line, which is hard for resale purposes. Days on Market: 0
4614 Highland Avenue, $1,199,000
5BR/3.5BA (with 4BR/2FB on the second floor). Nicely expanded/renovated home with raised front porch. Large, eat-in kitchen which opens to a family room. 1-car garage plus a driveway with space for 2 cars. Fenced yard. Hardwood floors and skylights. Great “walk-to everything” location. Days on Market: 4
First Signs of Spring
It’s a gloomy day in Bethesda. While the raindrops aren’t hitting hard, it’s still a misty mess outside.
I recently upgraded to an i-phone-4. And while it isn’t so different from the i-phone-3, it does take some amazing pictures. So, I’ve been driving around town taking pictures of pretty flowers just to test it out.
I took these two pictures on a walk in Rock Creek about two weeks ago, just as spring was beginning to pop. Yesterday there were several cherry blossoms in bloom… but only here and there. 
When I drove through on Monday, there was no blossom action in Edgemoor. But it’s about to explode, as is the rest of DC. If you want to avoid the cherry blossom crowds at the water basin, Edgemoor is a wonderful alternative.
Walk to Friedship Heights Metro
Walk to Friendship Heights Metro
Face it. Living near a metro in and @ DC can save you loads of time. And a lot of people approach their home searches based on proximity to metro. Friendship Heights offers up a bunch of varied neighborhoods within walking distance… and is unique because it serves both DC and Maryland residents.
Friendship Heights Metro is located at Wisconsin and Western Avenues, right along the District line. Friendship Heights has gone through a little commercial explosion over the past several years and has emerged with some vibrant and upscale eateries, shops, and even a Whole Foods. Neighborhoods included in this “walk-to Friendship Heights Metro” group are Somerset, Friendship Village, Brookdale, Chevy Chase Village, Friendship Heights & Crestview/Greenacres.
- Somerset (pink) was founded in the early 1900s with 33 frame Victorians which were built on spec. It now is home to over 400 households. The balance Read the rest of this entry »
East Bethesda- Homes for Sale 3/18/2011
Update for 3/18/2011: Two new listings (debatable) and two price reductions this week.
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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4504 West Virginia Avenue, @ $1,525,000
Though you may have read about this property before on my blog, it has now officially hit the market. This arts & crafts colonial by Douglas Construction features 6 bedrooms and 5.5 baths, a 6,000 square foot lot, and a 2-car garage. Days on Market: 1
4415 Rosedale Avenue, $699,000
You might remember this one from last fall. It took a bit of a rest and is back on the market with a much nicer price tag. Looks tiny from the outside, but it packs in 4BR/3FB and a 2nd floor family room/office/whatever, not to mention a level yard and small deck. Kitchen is tight, but renovated with lots of granite. Days on Market: 4 Read the rest of this entry »
Evers & Co. February 2011 Real Estate Report
The recovery in the housing market is accelerating, with the average price in the close-in Metro area rising for the 10th consecutive month over last year. Dollar volume of sales, which had declined with the slowdown that occurred last fall after the end of the First Time Homebuyers Tax Credit, is up again for the 3rd month in a row. Consumer confidence is up in the Metro area and across the nation.
Contrary to expectations, interest rates are still at historic low rates. The bond market is doing well with the U.S. serving as a safe haven for investors, compared to the turmoil in the rest of the world, including the economic problems in Europe, political upheaval in the Middle East, and the disastrous earthquake in Japan. With continued low rates and improving consumer confidence, there is every indication that March will be an even stronger month for sales in the Metro area than February.
* Statistics are taken from the Metropolitan Regional Information System for three areas: Washington, D.C.; Montgomery County, Maryland; and Fairfax County, Arlington, Alexandria and Falls Church in Virginia.
7 Reasons Why You Need a Buyer’s Agent
My broker, Donna Evers (of Evers & Company Real Estate, Inc.), has been in the business for quite some time. And while she doesn’t sell property herself anymore, she oversees a hundred agents and hears their stories day in & day out. She penned the attached article for the Washington Business Journal, and has kindly given permission to share it. It’s good, solid advice:
“It may sound hard to believe today, but the concept of buyer’s agency in residential real estate was revolutionary when it came into practice in the 1980′s. The District of Columbia was one of the first jurisdictions in the country to institute buyer’s agency, and Maryland and Virginia quickly followed suit.
The real estate profession needed this change in agency practice because most homebuyers mistakenly believed the agent who was showing them properties was working for them. Instead, all agents Read the rest of this entry »
BCC High School Used Book Sale/2011
The annual BCC High School Used Book Sale is fast approaching. But, before the sale can begin, donations are needed. If you have any gently used books that are no longer wanted, drop offs are being accepted over the next few weeks at the following times:
Friday, March 18: 2:30pm to 7pm
Saturday, March 19: 10am to 4pm
Sunday, March 20: 10am to 4pm
Monday, March 21: 2:30pm to 7pm
Tuesday, March 22: 2:30pm to 7pm
You can drop your books off at the Cafeteria Entrance. From the East-West Highway take a right into the main campus entrance and hug the right. For those of you that live near by, it’s where you vote.
The BCC Used Book Sale takes place on Saturday, March 26 & Sunday, March 27 from 10-4 each day. Don’t forget your reusable bags and CASH!
Prices:
Hardback $3
Trade paperback $2
Pocket Paperback $1
Sunday Special:
$10 bag of books
$20 box of books
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