A two-bedroom, two-bathroom Victorian condominium in Bloomingdale is for sale now! This property is an extremely rare foreclosure in the District, as there have not been foreclosures in DC since 2010. This condo comes complete with just about any appliance you’d want, including washer, dryer, dishwasher, stove, refrigerator, and microwave. It also comes with two parking spaces behind the property. The condo has been renovated, featuring a modern kitchen, beautiful hardwood floors, and exposed brick walls. The increasingly popular Big Bear Cafe is located just steps away, and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner everyday. There are several other restaurants popping up in the area as well. Bloomingdale was one of Washington’s hidden gems, but is turning…

A one-bedroom, one-bathroom condominium just one block from the Cleveland Park Metro is for sale immediately! This charming, quiet second floor unit of 1,100 square feet is sure to go quickly. It has seen extensive renovations, including a gourmet kitchen, hardwood floors, and open concept layout with 9-foot ceilings. All windows overlook beautiful Soapstone Valley Park, which leads into Rock Creek Park. This condo is part of a building that includes a fitness center, front desk staff, parking, and laundry. Cleveland Park is one of the District’s most popular neighborhoods and offers everything one could want from living in the city without too much hustle and bustle. You’re just steps from the National Zoo, dozens of shops and restaurants, and several…

Generally speaking your offer will be based on a few key factors:

1) The most recent comparable sales.
2) How long the property has been on the market. 
3) How much competition is out there.  For example: Are there multiple offers? Has the seller received a previous offer that wouldn't work for them?
4) Terms: It's not always just about price!  If you can work with the seller on terms such as the closing date, the inspection, a potential rent back etc you may have extra leverage.

If you're a buyer looking to make your offer more attractive without offering more money, you'll need to adjust your terms. Remember, it's not just the offer price that may sway the seller in your direction; well crafted terms may make the difference between losing out on an…

The June edition of our monthly newsletter "DC REal Estate Monthly Muse" is now avaialable online at: http://www.rcrdc.com/june-2012-newsletter.php

Tubman Elementary School looks like the place to be today! I was walking our dog in Columbia Heights this morning and it was pretty hard to miss the enourmous inflatable fun house setup on the soccer field! I wish my elementary school did this kind of stuff when I was a kid. The school has also recently played host to the Obamas when US First Lady Michelle Obama visited the school as part of her Let's Move Campaign to fight childhood obesity. Tubman's soccer field is also a frequent site for pickup soccer games when the field is not being used for organized sports. The games are quick: first to score or ten minutes max.  Organized sports leagues like District Sports and DC Bocce League also make use of the space.

I stopped by our upcoming listing at 3532 13th Street NW this afternoon and was happy to see lots of progress at the property!  The hardwoods are nearly finished in the penthouse and appliances should be in place next week.  I love the folding doors off the top rear porch!  For more information and picture, check out the web page: http://www.rcrdc.com/3532-13th-street-nw.php

A concise synopsis of the Washington DC real estate market 

Buzz Around The Office

Spring has come early to the Washington DC real estate Market! Buyers are out in big numbers as inventory continues to be an issue. There are 25 percent fewer homes to choose from this March compared to last year and well-priced listings are often seeing multiple offers. Strong demand is undoubtedly exerting upward pressure on home prices here in the Nation's Capital.

Rent on apartments has continued a steady climb in recent years while interest rates have remained close to historic lows. As a result, many residents have found owning makes a lot more financial sense than renting and they're now looking to buy. The supply squeeze is also affecting small to mid-size…

Anchored by the Washington DC Convention Center, Mount Vernon is a neighborhood in transition.  As the area continues to evolve many existing row houses are being converted to condos while prices in existing projects continues to rise. The sprawling row house at 428 M Street NW is currently being converted to four luxury condos with development expected in "Fall of 2012."

In the past 12 months, prices in Mount Vernon have caught up with more expensive projects to the South in Chinatown. The Sonata Condos at 301 Massachusetts Ave NW serves as an informal gateway to Mount Vernon. Another development in the neighborhood that has seen a stready rise in values demand is the condos at Ten Ten Mass. A third project at City Vista Condos has also seen strong…

The weather has improved dramatically these past two weeks and leaves are popping out everywhere!  A number of local dogs and their owners could be found enjoying the Columbia Heights Dog Park yesterday afternoon. Temperatures in the 70s into the foreseeable future have enticed people to take their furry friends out to play!  The dog park was packed (no pun intended) for the entire afternoon.  

There are formal and informal dog parks scattered across the city.  Some of the larger parks are the Shaw Dog Park at 11th and R NW, The Dupont Circle Dog Park at 17th and S NW, Lincoln (dog) Park just East of the Capitol, and the Upshur Dog Park on the at the intersection of Arkansan and Webster Street NE, and the Bloomingdale Dog Park at Crispus Attucks…

Columbia Heights Mansion Converted to Luxury Condos

The pace at which developers are buying up dilapidated old row houses in Columbia Heights is astonishing. If a property needs updating to bring it up to market value, then it's common to see multiple offers from local real estate developers. One of the largest row houses to be renovated in the past few months is on the 3500 block of 13th Street NW in Columbia Heights. We spoke with the developer about his plans for the once stately property. Plans are in the works to convert the 4000 square foot plus building into two luxury condos, each of which will be approximately 2000 square feet and be 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths. The bottom floor condo will be offered at 879k and the top floor condo will be offered…