“all the rowhouses that come up for sale started being painted like pandas”

“Dear PoPville,

I live in Petworth and somewhere about a year ago, all the rowhouses that come up for sale started being painted like pandas: white brick, black windows and, whaddya call em… lintels.

How did this happen? At first I thought it was because a contractor got a deal on some paint, but then I started seeing it everything, from flips to genuinely nice renovations.

Its like how all banana candy tastes the same but not like a banana. How did everyone all of a sudden decide this was what buyers wanted. Is it what buyers want? Is this happening in other parts of the city or just my neighborhood. Pandas pandas pandas. My 8 y.o. has taken to calling them out in the car “Look papa another panda. Must be going on sale soon.”

Is this just a D.C. thing? Are cherry blossom houses next: white brick, pink windows and lintels?

As a trend it has lasted longer than the dark blue brick with black windows that blew through for a few months a year ago. The derecho of home painting schemes.

This is looking like it has some legs. Why? How?”