Weekend Happenings

Image: National Gallery of Art, Sculpture Garden (Photo credit) 

DC
Friday, 9/12
MUSEUM JAZZ CONCERT, Bruce Ewan and the Solid Senders perform. 5-8:30 p.m., National Gallery of Art, Sculpture Garden, Seventh Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Free. 202-289-3360.
Saturday, 9/13
“HOW TO WORK WITH AN ARCHITECT,” a workshop on how to select an architect, the design and construction process, how to avoid common misunderstandings, and more. 11 a.m., American Institute of Architects, 1735 New York Ave. NW. Free; reservations required. 202-667-1798.
Sunday, 9/14
ADAMS MORGAN DAY, four entertainment stages with jazz, salsa, bluegrass and other styles of music; crafts and food vendors. Noon-7 p.m., 18th Street, between Columbia Road and Florida Avenue NW. Admission, free. 202-232-1960 or http://www.adamsmorgandayfestival.com.

ALEXANDRIA/ARLINGTON
Friday, 9/12
AIR FORCE BAND CHAMBER PLAYERS, performing with members of the concert band. 8 p.m., George Washington Masonic National Memorial, 101 Callahan Dr., Alexandria. Free. 202-767-5658 or http://www.usafband.af.mil.
Saturday, 9/13
ARLINGTON COURTHOUSE MARKET, art, antiques, collectibles, food, vintage clothing and jewelry. 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays, 2100 Clarendon Blvd. 301-689-1992.  
Sunday, 9/14
AUTHOR TALKS, Patrick Creed and Rick Newman discuss their book, “Firefight: Inside the Battle to Save the Pentagon on 9/11;” Lynn Spencer discusses her book, “Touching History, The Untold Story of the Drama that Unfolded in the Skies Over America on 9/11;” and Steve Vogel discusses his book, “The Pentagon: The Untold Story of the Wartime Race to Build the Pentagon — and to Restore It Sixty Years Later.” 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Clarendon Market Commons, 2800 Clarendon Blvd., Suite 500, Arlington. Free. 703-248-8244.  

FAIRFAX COUNTY
Friday, 9/12
VIENNA BLUEGRASS CONCERT, family-friendly bluegrass music by Jimmy and Moondi. 6:30 p.m., Vienna Town Green, 144 Maple Ave. E., Vienna. Free. 703-255-6360.
Saturday, 9/13
MOUNT VERNON 18TH-CENTURY CRAFT FAIR, a re-creation of an early-American marketplace with more than 50 juried artisans, demonstrations of an 18th-century chocolate-making process, live entertainment, sightseeing cruises on the Potomac River and more. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, Mount Vernon, 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy. $13; age 6-11, $6; 5 and younger, free. 703-780-2000 or http://www.mountvernon.org.
Sunday, 9/14
ARCHAEOLOGY EVENT, “Thirty Years and Counting: Archaeology in Fairfax County,” a presentation by Elizabeth A. Crowell, manager of the Cultural Resources Management and Protection Section of the Fairfax County Park Authority, 2 p.m., Fairfax Museum, 10209 Main St., Fairfax City. Free. 703-385-8414.  

MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Friday, 9/12
SILVER SPRING CRAFTS CLASS, for adults, artist Sonia Rodriguez leads a craftmaking class using various materials. 10 a.m.-noon Fridays, Long Branch Senior Center, Long Branch Community Center, 8700 Piney Branch Rd., Silver Spring. Free. 301-431-5700.
Saturday, 9/13
VIOLIN AND PIANO BENEFIT CONCERT, featuring Hyun Park, an international violinist, and Grace Cho, pianist and music director, playing music by American composers George Gershwin, Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland and John Corigliano; followed by a reception and opening of an art exhibit featuring crafts by African women. 7 p.m., Westmoreland Congregational United Church of Christ, 1 Westmoreland Cir., Bethesda. Free; donations benefit the Montgomery County Chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. 301-229-7766, http://www.westmorelanducc.org or ssutton@westmorelanducc.org.
Sunday, 9/14
CULINARY HISTORY DISCUSSION, for adults, John Martin Taylor, a culinary historian, talks about food history in the Carolina low country, the coastal plain that surrounds Charleston, N.C., and Savannah, Ga.; sponsored by the Culinary Historians of Washington. 2:30-4:30 p.m., Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center, Meeting Room A, 4805 Edgemoor Lane, Bethesda. Free. 301-320-6979, http://www.chowdc.org or appetite@kousoulas.com.

Real Estate Round-Up

Bike DC (Photo credit)

• Looking to buy? Now might be the perfect time to strike. Really. [WashingtonPost.com]
• …But be sure to weigh all the factors before you do. [WashingtonPost.com]
• Bike DC will be on September 27. [On the Red Line]
• Need stuff for your new place? Check out these discounts. [Open House Blog]
• Yet another take on the never-ending “Maryland vs. Virginia” debate. Can’t we all just get along? [Silver Spring Scene]

Recent Redfin Posts
Columbia Heights Day Celebration
Loudoun Links

Columbia Heights Day Celebration

The second annual “Columbia Heights Day” celebration is coming up on October 4th, so check it out – or, even better, get involved to help make it a success. 

 There will be live music from local entertainers, artisans, entertainers and local business representation.  You can see who they’ve lined up on the event’s Web site. I understand last year’s event was not well attended, but mainly because it was not well known. Given the strong local spirit of Columbia Heights residents, I am hopeful that things will pick up this year.

As for the real estate market, I haven’t focused on Columbia Heights for a while. Let’s take a look at what’s happening in the single family home category.

Today there are over 60 homes for sale in the area, not including the Mount Pleasant neighborhood west of 16th St NW. The average list price in Columbia Heights is $595,000, and houses have been on the market for an average of 116 days.

The interesting thing is that there is a very large disparity on how fast the houses are moving – more than I have noticed in other places. Some properties have been on the market for a REALLY REALLY long time (400 to 800 days), making it look like a slower market than it really is.  Perhaps these  homes are owned by investors who have the luxury of waiting around.

The highest priced property at the moment is an old house at 1207 Lamont St NW that was fully gutted and renovated into a modern beauty, including a two-level rental unit. Going for $1,275,000, it has 6 bedrooms and 6.5 baths.

At the median range you can get a Victorian row house with 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths at 3578 13th St NW, priced at $599,000. One of the bedrooms and one bathroom are in the English basement rental unit. It is described as a “jewel” in the listing information but there are no photos, which is unusual. The price has come down by $60,000 and was last reduced in July, so the owner may be ready to negotiate.

The least expensive home in the neighborhood right now is a self-declared fixer-upper over at 2317 Sherman Ave NW. For $220,000 you’ll get 3 bedrooms and 1 bath. The price was originally $240,000 when it went on the market in July.

It is now easy to see recent sales information for any area in DC using the Redfin Web site. Click here to see the latest for Columbia Heights. This includes both condos and single family homes. To do your own past sales search, go to the search filter, choose your neighborhood, and then check off the blue house icon for past sales. Make sure all the other categories (house, condo, etc) are NOT checked if you only want to see past sales.

Cheers,
Allison

Photo: Mr. T in DC, Creative Commons license

Loudoun Links

Inova Loudoun Hospital

• The West Wing, Inova Loudoun-style. [Loudoun Times-Mirror]
• Play to Win gets the thumbs-up. [Leesburg Today]
• Leesburg Tomorrow has a great entry about the tough budget choices lying in wait for the BOS.
• I’m really surprised by this…the Loudoun County Planning Department has recommended that the BOS approve the controversial Broadlands hospital. [Loudoun Extra]
• Leesburg Town Council members were optimistic about the town’s future when they met for the annual strategic planning session. [Loudoun Times-Mirror] 

Regional Real Estate Round-Up

• We all saw this coming, didn’t we? Fannie and Freddie get a helping hand. [The Washington Post]
• …And here’s what it means for homeowners. [The Washington Post]
• Maryland was the wealthiest state in the nation in 2007. Virginia came in at no. 9, DC at no. 16. [Silver Spring Scene]
• The FHA’s “Hope for Homeowners” program has been extended through Sept. 30, 2011. [Examiner.com]
• How do Spring Valley in DC and McLean, VA compare to one another? [DC Urban Turf] 

Recent Redfin Posts
20016: Past Condo Sales & Median Prices
Walk This Way: Foggy Bottom (20006 & 20037)

20016: Past Condo Sales & Median Prices

A couple of days ago I wrote about condos in McLean Gardens in Upper NW DC. Below, for comparison, are past sales for condos in the entire 20016 zip code. My chart includes median price and SQFT info (assuming my Excel program is trustworthy.) 

We can now access past sales info for DC properties directly through Redfin. When I started blogging in January, this was not available for DC. This makes my job MUCH easier and it should help all potential buyers get a better grip on the market at any point in time. Now, if only there were a way to automatically get the condo fee info into that mix ….  

Condo Sales in 20016: Past Three Months 

Cheers,
Allison

Walk This Way: Foggy Bottom (20006 & 20037)

Photo of Foggy Bottom courtesy of Wikipedia.

“Foggy Bottom is one of Washington, D.C.‘s oldest 19th century neighborhoods. The neighborhood is thought to have been named because, as a low-lying area, fog or industrial smoke tended to concentrate there. (Ironically, this setting was the original location for The United States Naval Observatory.) It is located to the west of downtown D.C. in the Northwest quadrant, bounded roughly by 17th Street to the east, Rock Creek Park to the west, Constitution Avenue to the south, and Pennsylvania Avenue to the north. 

“Foggy Bottom” is often used as a metonym for the United States Department of State, whose Harry S Truman Building headquarters is located in the neighborhood. The main campus of George Washington University is also located in Foggy Bottom, as well as the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Friendship Lodge Odd Fellows Hall, and the infamous Watergate complex, site of the Watergate burglaries which led to President Richard Nixon‘s resignation. George Washington University has grown significantly over the past decades and now covers much of the neighborhood. The neighborhood has numerous mid-rise apartment buildings.Just on the edge of Foggy Bottom are the U.S. Department of Interior, the gigantic World Bank office building, Office of Personnel Management, Constitution Hall, American Red Cross headquarters, Federal Reserve Board, Pan American Health Organization, and Organization of American States. 

[text snipped] 

Foggy Bottom is served by the Foggy Bottom-GWU Washington Metro station, with service by the Blue and Orange Metro Lines. “Foggy Bottom” was also the name of a line of beer by the Olde Heurich Brewing Company. The firm was founded in the neighborhood, but the modern beer was actually brewed in Utica, New York.” – Wikipedia 

Foggy Bottom is number 5 on Walk Score’s DC list and has an overall score of 95 (walker’s paradise). It’s actually tied with Mount Vernon Square, which also scored a 95. 

REAL ESTATE STATS
59 homes for sale; 57 are condos
0 bank-listed foreclosures
3 FSBO
Average price: $701,835
Median price: $569,000
Average days on market: 117  

Below are the details on the Watergate condo that sits at the median price point. You can find more information about the Watergate in this post written by our DC blogger. 

2700 Virginia Ave NW, #1004, 20037
Price: $569,000 (no reductions)
1 bd/1.5 ba; 1275 sq. ft.; $/ sq. ft: $446
Days on Redfin: 63
Highlights: Marble floors, city views; 24-hour desk; shopping mall on premises; use of rooftop terrace/outdoor pool. Monthly fee includes utilities (except phone), taxes, and administrative costs.

Walk score: 86 (very walkable)
Walk to: Cup’a Cup’a (0.2 mi); Safeway (0.12 mi); Michel Richard Citronelle (0.39 mi)

You can view the entire list of nearby attractions here.   

Next up: No. 4, U Street Corridor

DC Links

Halcyon House. Photo courtesy of WashingtonPost.com. 

• Georgetown’s Halcyon House is looking for a new owner. [WashingtonPost.com]
• Loudoun County took the top spot for wealthiest county in the country from Fairfax. They like to take turns. [WTOP News]
• Northern Virginia’s foreclosure rate has tripled since July of 2007. [LoudounExtra.com]
• Vacation home ownership, by the numbers. [Wall Street Journal]
• Northern Virginia is suffering through some bad budget breaks. [WashingtonPost.com]

Recent Sweet Digs Posts
DC’s McLean Gardens: Quality of Life or Boring Uniformity?

DC’s McLean Gardens: Quality of Life or Boring Uniformity?

I am back in DC after an extended summer absence. Upon my return I discovered my neighbor had moved to McLean Gardens. This is a laid-back, 60-year-old, 43-acre neighborhood/development in Cleveland Park. You surely know it … all those small, uniform, spread-out, brick apartment buildings off of Wisconsin Avenue NW.  

Quality of Life for Under $500,000

Upper NW DC is lovely but expensive. To me, McLean Gardens offers an excellent compromise for those who like the idea of living in a traditional, colonial house but who prefer a condo because of either lifestyle or price. These days, you might find two bedrooms, two baths, and even a den for under $500,000. The condos often have two levels, and most have hardwood floors. You’ll get acres of green space and adjacent parks, playgrounds, a pool, mid-to-low-ish condo fees, plus views of parkland and National Cathedral. You can sign up to get your own vegetable plot at the neighboring Newark St. Community Garden. Also, you can get the best thin-crust pizza in DC at nearby Two Amy’s. 

In other words, you get a great quality of life. But it may not be the place for the fast lane crowd.    

My taste is not universal, of course. I tried to convince a girlfriend about McLean Gardens a few years ago. She hated the place because of its resemblance to older military housing.

She does have a point. I am also one who dislikes housing developments full of identical buildings. And, in fact, the development did begin life as a housing project for an influx of defense workers during World War II. But she is an artist who probably doesn’t love colonial architecture anyway. Personally, I could live with some external uniformity when considering the rest. And it sure beats moving to the suburbs for the same kind of fresh air and quiet location. At the same time, it isn’t very close to the Metro. You would need to take a bus if you use public transport.

There are four properties for sale in McLean Gardens at the moment:  

Two bedrooms:

3680 38th St NW #244 - $445,000 – 2 beds/1 bath. This is a corner unit with 1,146 sqft and exposure on three sides (another reason to like small buildings.) It’s been on the market for about 40 days. Monthly fee: $335.

3500 39th St NW #A667 - $455,000 – 2 beds/2 baths, plus den. This is a bi-level apartment with 1,261 sqft. The listing says it is in ”turn key condition,” with renovated kitchen and baths. On the market for over 60 days, with one price reduction. Monthly fee: $491.

3600 38th Street NW #276 - $479,000 – 2 bed/1bath. This two-story loft apartment is special. It has an open floor plan, lots of light and 1,290 sqft to move around in. The MLS pictures are really nice. It looks like the second bedroom is actually the loft and not enclosed for now – but I am not sure.  It has been on the market over 80 days, with 2 price drops. 

One bedroom:

3541 39th St NW #507 – $379,000 – New on the market. 1 bed/1 bath, with 781 sqft. Refinished floors, S/S appliances, extra storage unit. Monthly fee: $307.

Enjoy your day!
Allison

Loudoun Links

Photo credit

• More good news about Loudoun’s inventory levels. [Loudoun Stats]
• Meet the Principals: Three new elementary schools are opening in Loudoun this week. [Loudoun Extra]
• A Tarara Winery white will be featured at Slow Food Nation’s Sustainable Wine Bar in San Francisco. [LoudounTimes.com]
• Even the principals get graded in Loudoun. But is it on a 7- or 10-point scale? [Our Loudoun Schools]
• More on one of Loudoun’s key assets, its schools [WashingtonPost.com]:
  • No Child Left Behind Benchmarks
  • SAT Scores