Foreign Investors are Buying in Washington DC

Foreign real estate investors are eyeing the Washington DC real estate market!  In the past year, DC has risen two spots, from number six to number four among U.S. cities for foreign investment. Only New York, Los Angeles, and Seattle came in before our nation’s capital.

South Korean and Chinese institutional investors are fueling much of the interest. The top five property types investors are most interested in listed by members of the Association of Foreign Investors are industrial, multi-family, office, hotel, and retail (in order of importance).

 

D.C. Developments and Beyond

It’s no secret D.C. has been growing immensely over the past few years. The city as a whole has been working hard…

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We’ve compiled a list of best events going on in the city for the next couple of months. If you need to make some plans with friends or family in town, want to see something new or love to experience DC check them out!

  1. Georgetown Glow invites visitors to re-imagine the season of light through outdoor public art. Located in the heart of Georgetown, this is the region's only curated exhibition of outdoor public light and installations.  This event runs from Dec 8-Jan 7, from 5-10pm, so make sure to check it out before it ends!

  2. At Wharf Ice Rink visitors can glide over the ice while enjoying amazing views of the Potomac. Open from Dec. 2-late Feb with varying daily times. General admission is $10 and if you need to rent skates it’s…

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The time for crisp cool temperatures and warm apple cider has come! Before you start putting out your pumpkins, here are the must-do fall maintenance tips to keep your house in tip-top shape and you cozy warm during the winter.

  • Inspect and clean gutters and downspouts: The drainage system on your roof diverts thousands of gallons of water from foundation walls and your home’s exterior. Clogged gutters can lead to damaged exterior surfaces, or even worse water in your basement. We recommend cleaning your gutters, then cover them with mesh guards before the leaves start falling.

  • Seal gaps and cracks around your windows and doors: According to the U.S. Department of Energy, gaps in caulk and weather-stripping can account for 10%…

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MLS #: DC10048760            

Price: $499,000

Bedrooms: 1

Bathrooms: 1

Square Footage: 768

Style: Traditional          

Walk Score: 98

Open House: Sunday 9/10, 1-3pm

VIEW LISTING

Classic style meets modern convenience! This newly renovated condo has two exposures, a private entrance and secured patio! The open layout invites an abundance of natural light throughout the entire home. New custom kitchen features granite countertops, stainless appliances, Bosch fridge and separate wine cooler for entertaining. Brand new flooring throughout the entire home. Even the water heater, washer / dryer and recessed lighting are brand new!

 

…

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BUCHANAN PARK
Capitol Hill

Site Plans Site Plans Buchanan Townhomes Buchanan School Living Room Bedroom Rooftop Deck

Address: 13th & D Streets NE

Type: Condos and Townhomes

No. of units: 41 condos, 32 townhomes

Affordable Housing: N/A

Type of Unit: One-, two-, three-bedroom condominiums and three- and four-bedroom townhomes

Price: 500

Status: Selling

First Move-in: 2017

Developer: Ditto Residential and Insight Property Group

Buchanan Park, a community now under development located at 13th and D Streets SE, has become a neighborhood within a neighborhood, with plenty of landscaped green space, lots of lovely outdoor gathering areas and walkways to connect the…

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Tips and tricks to becoming a standout seller in the DMV.

Even in a seller's market, achieving the highest possible sales price for your home is all about thoughtful preparation. First off, minimize or eliminate potential objections. No matter what market you're in, curb appeal still matters, so take extra steps to ensure buyers first impression of your home is a positive one. Keep the yard looking its best, paint your porch, clean the windows, pick up trash around the neighborhood if you have to! The same applies if you live in a condo. When addressing curb appeal, keep any eye out for anything in your control that would detract from initial impressions of your beautiful abode.

Once you've tacked curb appeal, it's about getting all the small…

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An overview of title insurance when it comes to owning a home.

When you buy your home, you receive a deed, which shows that the seller transferred their legal ownership to you. Legal ownership is called the “title.” Title insurance protects you in case there is any legal trouble down the line.

Title insurance is crucial when it comes to completing your home purchase. It protects you and the lender from the possibility that your seller (or previous sellers) don’t have total ownership of the house and/or property. If they don’t, they may not be able to transfer full ownership over—but title insurance prevents that from happening.

A couple of questions to ask about title insurance include “is the seller pushing a specific title company?” or “who do…

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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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