Comments on: Good Deal or Not? “bathrooms are brand new and really shine” edition

By: j

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:54:52 +0000

I think they must have used the RiverSmart Home program.

http://ddoe.dc.gov/riversmarthomes

By the way, don’t let all the negative comments on here get you down. We looked at this house and thought it was cute (admittedly they did fix somethings compared to the photos). The POPville jury never seems to think anyplace is a good deal. Good luck!

By: stayinonu

stayinonu — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 02:13:47 +0000

Hi! I actually ended up purchasing this house. As an FYI – the washer/dryer is no longer in the kitchen, the bathrooms have been upgraded and a pantry has been put in. However, the concrete in the back remains. Can you ask your neighbor the specific name of who he or she used to get the $1000 environmental credit? I would really appreciate it!

By: janie

janie — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 05:34:46 +0000

I’ve called and emailed the agent, Gregory Allen, several times and am extremely interested. He has not responded to a single email and, after multiple phone calls, he finally had an assistant call me. She told me she lives in Reaton and didn’t feel like driving out to DC to show the property. I feel badly for the owner…. no wonder they keep having to lower their price.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 14:48:39 +0000

Oy. It’s not that it is such a bad remodel–but for the money–checks will be flying out of your checkbook to fix the things that the “Low Ball Lou” contractor did. Trust me. I bought one of these because of its beautiful location and the quality of the house/neighborhood (which is higher), but still, think about laying down close to $600K and still: a. moving the washer and dryer out of the kitchen, making a garden or doing something with the concrete “yard’, replacing the cheap fixtures, fixing issues with the layout, and addressing issues which they glossed over (paint, repointing,etc.)

Like I said, I am living this drill now–and I wish I had been able to negotiate the price down $50K lower–live and learn.

By: photodork

photodork — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 09:35:51 +0000

I wouldn’t exactly say they are going to make $300k+ profit…just the realtor fees alone eat away $30K @ 5%.

Not to mention the actual cost of the remodel. Still agree that it is not one of the better flips I’ve seen.

By: christanel

christanel — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 02:19:31 +0000

The rooms are so oddly shaped. Living room/bay room area and kitchen are all awkward. Washer/dryer combo was an afterthought: 1) it’s in the kitchen and 2) the least they could have done is put it in a closet in the kitchen.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 01:06:32 +0000

I love, love, love my concrete pad. No basement leaks. Fewer mosquitoes. No mud. Easy to keep clean. It’s awesome.

By: Annonny

Annonny — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 22:43:06 +0000

I don’t think any of these comments are harsh…it’s a cheap “builder’s quality” remodel. The developer is trying to flip it for a $300K+ profit, since it sold in August for $300K.

The comments are frank and point out all of the shortcomings. You can’t make (and charge for) a silk purse from a sow’s ear…..

By: 13thnearu

13thnearu — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 20:54:42 +0000

You cannot park a car in the back. That alley is not wide enough. I live in the area and the row houses on 12st between W and FL all do not have parking in the back. There was no reason for the concrete in the back yard.

By: textdoc

textdoc — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 20:20:50 +0000

Yeah, I think the criticism here is overly severe. Sure, the builders used cheap finished (with things like the lights), and the placement of the washer/dryer does look a bit awkward… but a 3-bedroom house with parking in that neighborhood for $600K seems like a good deal.

And although the finishes might be cheap, they have the saving grace of being plain — no super-busy tile patterns, etc.

Having the one full bathroom upstairs to serve 3 bedrooms is not ideal, but is workable. Probably better if the house is occupied by a couple or a single person with a roommate… I could see a couple and a kid maybe getting by with sharing one full bath, but if it were a couple and two kids they’d probably want two full baths.

The half-bath on the main floor is very handy. I believe most rowhouses from this time period _didn’t_ have any sort of bathroom on the main floor, and for 21st-century occupants that can be a bit of a hassle.