All inclusive news and formation about past clients experiences or general news events.


One thing that ultimately influences your mortgage rate is your credit score.

For first time home buyers, many aspects of home buying can seem daunting. We’re here to explain how your credit affects what mortgage rate you may be given once you decide to buy a home.

One thing that ultimately influences your mortgage rate is your credit score. Basically, the easiest thing to remember is: the higher your credit score, the lower interest rate on your mortgage.

A high credit score not only guarantees a lower mortgage rate, but sometimes it depends on whether you can get a home loan at all. Buyers below a FICO score of 620 have a miniscule chance of securing a mortgage, so step one to getting a home loan and low mortgage rate is working on that credit…

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DC Open Doors Program
DC Open Doors Program offers first-time and repeat home buyers a Down Payment Assistance Loan that does not need to be paid back.

DC’s Housing Finance Agency, or the DCHFA, reconfigured its DC Bonds program called “DC Open Doors,” for new first time home buyer assistance, four years ago this summer. The program, which has given over $200 million in down payments for homes in the city, is now even more accessible. Those working in DC who want to live downtown but have trouble making the down payment can utilize this program.

The program and its funding are available to first time home buyers and repeat home buyers. The DC Open Doors Program is constructed around what’s called a “Down Payment Assistance Loan,” one that doesn’t have to be paid back.…

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The pros and cons of the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan.

At times homebuying can get overwhelming, especially when it comes to loans. We’re here to make things easier for you by sharing the pros and cons of FHA loans.

FHA loans are government insured loans from the Federal Housing Administration. This means FHA guarantees your loan but doesn’t actually lend out the money. When you take out loans, they need to be with FHA approved lenders. Some benefits of FHA loans include less down payment required, more forgiving debt to income ratio and less restrictions on bankruptcy and foreclosure.

One of the main advantages of an FHA loan is that a very large down payment is unnecessary. Loans can be as low as 3.5 percent, which is great for…

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The District of Columbia Association of REALTORS®(DCAR) announced the First-Time Homebuyer Tax Benefit has been passed and funded by the DC Council. The First-Time Homebuyer Tax Benefit allows first time home buyers in DC to pay a .725% recordation tax on homes no more than $625,000 that earn less that 180% AMI beginning this October.

So what exactly does that mean?

First let’s talk about the recordation tax. Recordation tax is part of various closing costs and based on the purchase price. If the sale price is $399,999 or less than the DC transfer and recordation tax rate is 1.1%. Sales of $400,000 and above are taxed at the rate of 1.45%. For example, if you bought a $250,000 home in DC, the buyer and seller would each pay $2,750 in DC transfer…

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Condominium Warranty Regulations is a program in DC that helps protect buyers of newly constructed condominiums.

Condominium Warranty Regulations, a program launched a few years ago in D.C. aims to protect buyers of newly constructed condominiums. It stays in effect for two years after the settlement date of the first condo in the new building. What happens is 10 percent of the total cost of construction is put aside as a condo warranty bond. The Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) and your respective condo association can ask for money from it to aid in structural issues to your unit that may come up.

It is important to remember a couple key pointers, when buying a brand new condo, especially given the amount of real estate that…

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DC Council introduced a bill that will exempt owner-occupied, single family homes from TOPA laws with certain parameters.

The 1980 Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) was created out of the Rental Housing Conversation and Sale Act. It is designed to restrict owner rights and provide benefits to tenants.  The benefits for tenants include the option to purchase as well as the ability to assign their right to purchase to a third party.

If you are considering buying a property that is tenant occupied or if you are thinking about renting your property out, you need to familiarize yourself with the Washington DC Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act.  The process can be a challenge to navigate, so it is strongly recommended that you hire an agent or an…

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BEST NEIGHBORHOODS TO BUY IN DC 2018

Capitol Riverfront | A walk through the Capitol Riverfront (aka Navy Yard) is an experience straddling Washington DC's future and past simultaneously. As with so many urban ports that have long served as industrial and business centers, the Capitol Riverfront is in the midst of mindset-shifting revitalization. Anchored by Nationals Park, Capitol Riverfront is home to a myriad of eateries such as Cornercopia, Sweetgreen, Bluejacket Brewery, and Takorean. Yards Park is the culmination of the beautiful and thoughtful conversion of a huge stretch of the Anacostia Riverfront, which features elements similar to those found in New York's High Line and Hudson River Park.

Shaw | The recent renaissance of Shaw has only…

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Capital Park Realty is very excited to be the main sponsor for the second annual CrossFit Metro Games! at CrossFit Petworth on Saturday, September 17 from 9am-5pm. 

Over 60 athletes in the DC Metro Area will be competing in an individual CrossFit competition. Several other fantastic local businesses will have representatives at the games to support their local athletes. The Pitch Tavern will be there serving some of their most tasty treats! Finally, So Others Might Eat (S.O.M.E.) will be collecting gently used shorts, shirts, and shoes of any type to help those in need! Find out more about the competition here. We can't wait to see you a the games!

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The Chastleton is a 300-unit cooperative building located in Dupont Circle. It was built in 1920 and underwent a full renovation in 2007. A cooperative, or co-op, is different than condo ownership in that each owner is a shareholder in a corporation, rather than a deed holder and owner of real property. Co-ops are owned and run jointly by its members, and this is one of the most popular ones in DC.

Located at 1701 16th St. NW, at the corner of R St. NW, the Chastleton features eight floors and a rooftop deck. Some units come with parking and there is a 24/7 front desk and exercise room. The Chastleton includes studios, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom units, ranging from less than 300 to nearly 1,000 square feet. Included in the condo fees are cable TV, lawn…

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Are you in the market to buy a home in Washington, DC? You may have heard of some of the many programs, lending options, and tax benefits that exist in the market today. To name a few: DC Opens Doors, Loan Programs for Teachers, and the Down Payment Assistance Program. You may have even heard of first-time home buyer tax benefits in the past, but they have not been renewed or implemented for years.

As recently as 2011, there was a DC first-time home buyer tax credit in place that reduced the buyer's recordation tax by 50 percent. This credit saved many first-time home buyers thousands of dollars. There may be good news on the horizon for first-time buyers in DC. On October 6th, a few DC council members proposed a new first-time home buyer tax…

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