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This home is located at 129 U Street, NE:


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The flier says:

“Wonderful 3 BR 1 FB classic townhome in Eckington. Beaut. dark wood trim with inlayed HWD floors. All new paint. Full BSMT waiting for buyers personal touches. Lvl fenced back yard with access to alley. Has many orig. classic features found in the early 1900 townhomes.”

You can find more info and photos here.

The reader writes:

“I’ve been looking to buy my first home and have noticed a lot of recent home sales in Bloomingdale and Eckington. My realtor tells me that this is due to an influx of new home buyers taking advantage of the tax credit and the fact that these neighborhoods have a bunch of historic homes at relatively low prices. I know that there are some disadvantages to living in this neighborhood but would appreciate feedback from your readers as to the deal of this particular home.”

This 3 bed/1 bath is going for $229,900. Sound reasonable?


This house is located at 1720 Newton Street, NW:


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The flier says:

“Striking quality renov of sunny 1904 Vict TH into 21st century beauty! Soaring ceilings, big low-e wood windows, exposed nat brick, gorg oak flrs & stairs, huge granite/SS chef’s kitchen, Pakistani marble baths. All new from studs out. More closets, kitchen counter & cabinet space than most houses! Elegant marble hallway leads to parking (included). Best of Mt Pleasant!”

You can find more info on Unit A here and more info on Unit B here and a virtual tour on Unit A here and a virtual tour on Unit B here.

The reader writes:

“Just wanted to let you know that there’s 2 units for sale in a rowhouse on Newton St NW between 18th St. and Mt. Pleasant Rd, right across from Bancroft Elementary. I used to live a couple doors down and saw construction going on for a year….totally gutted the building.”

I am a sucker for exposed brick but these do look pretty nice to me. I’m thinking they might be priced a bit on the high side since they are both only 2 bedrooms. What do you guys think of the renovation? Unit A is going for $625,000 and Unit B is going for $649,000. Sound reasonable?


This condo is located at 1418 W Street, NW:


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The flier says:

“East facing unit. SQFT per Tax Record. Large, open Living & Dining rooms w/ space for home office. Gourmet kitchen with dark granite counters. Spacious Bedroom, W/ D in unit, hardwoods + plush carpet. 3 blocks – U St METRO. RENTAL PKG AVAIL. Seller reserves right to accept/reject all offers.”

More info found here and a virtual tour found here.

I have a serious question – what is considered the best direction to have for a condo? East? West? So I think this is a good looking condo but the major detraction, to me, is that it sits right next to a gas station. How much discount (if any) do you think there should be for being directly next to a gas station? Does $399,555 sound reasonable for this 1 bed/1 bath?


In real life, hipchickindc is licensed as a real estate broker in the District of Columbia and Virginia, and as a real estate salesperson in Maryland. Unless specifically noted, neither she nor the company that she is affiliated with represented any of the parties or were directly involved in the transaction reported below. Unless otherwise noted, the source of information is Metropolitan Regional Information Systems (MRIS), which is the local multiple listing system. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Featured Property: 613 Upshur St NW

Original List Price: $549,000.

List Price at Contract: $549,000.

List Date: 10/23/2009

Days on Market: 4

Settled Sales Price: $549,000.

Settlement Date: 11/30/2009

Seller Subsidy: $0.

Bank Owned?: No. Tax records indicate that it was sold by an investor (non-owner occupant).

Type Of Financing: Conventional with $137,250. down payment

Original GDoN Post is: here.

Recent Listing is:
here. Virtual tour is here.

Full price sale. $549,000. Under contract in four days…Fantastic.

This one drew a lot of comments for a Good Deal or Not (GDoN) post. Most readers seemed to like the renovation, although some pondered when we shall see an end to the granite/stainless trend of the 2000s. Located on Upshur, just a few blocks from Metro, Domku, and the organic market, this nicely done rehab featured the unusual amenity of a loft in the owners’ suite.

The recent sellers were investors out of McLean, VA and acquired the property for $181,000. in July 2009. I did not find a prior listing or any foreclosure records for the property, so my guess is that it was a direct buy from an estate. Someone mentioned that investors paying cash for the lower priced homes is frustrating for home buyers attempting to purchase for themselves. As an agent, I agree that it can be tough on owner occupant buyers, however, in my opinion, tougher lending standards for investors have led to a better quality of renovations. The lower prices have brought back the investors and subsequently areas like Petworth are seeing a surge in stunning rehabs. This is great for Petworth homeowners, as the values and desirability of the neighborhood are strong. Given that available inventory has dwindled over the past six months or so, prospective buyers are, in some cases, surprised to find themselves competing in what they expected to be a Buyers market.


I was originally gonna make this a GDoN but there were no pictures of the inside. It is pretty sweet though. I dig the brick work up top. For the curious it’s going for $699,900 at 939 R Street, NW.


This home is located at 1416 T Street, NW:


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The flier says:

“Very Lovely historic rowhouse with deep yard and basement located in the U Street Corridor. Spacious living and dining rooms, beautiful hardwood floors, exposed brick, cozy fireplace and modern kitchen all leading to private patio and one car parking. Above are two bedrooms and two baths with claw tub and Mexican tile, washer and dryer.”

You can find more info here and a virtual tour here.

I don’t know what it is about these mini row houses but I always seem to be attracted to them. The location on this one is pretty killer. What do you think of the home itself? Does $719,000 sound reasonable for this 2 bed/2 bath?


This home is located at 3333 Cleveland Ave, NW:


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The flier says:

“Timeless Wardman quality, thoughout enhanced. A classic 924 center hall colonial. In a choice Cleveland park setting. This is a superbly proportioned residence, well-suited for formal entertaining on a grand scale, with an abundance of private spaces, havens of calm and repose. The discerning buyer will appreciate the quality built in.”

You can find more info and photos here.

I’m digging the room surrounded by wood. What do you think of the house itself? It’s yours for $2,179,000.


This home is located at 1424 Florida Ave, NW:


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The flier says:

“Prop. Sold “AS IS. Amazing Potential!Very livable but needs work. Original Period Floor Plan! Many period details largely intact, wood flrs, high ceilings, marble fpl. , mantels & original molding, Double Lr. Potential Eng. basement unit. Steps from Metro, U St Corridor. Beautiful Floor plan for the Purist At Heart!”

More info and photos found here.

Well from the photos this house looks pretty sweet already. I’m curious what work is needed. What do you think of the home itself. I think this location is stellar. Does $529,900 sound reasonable for this 3 bed/2 bath?


This home is located at 1322 8th Street, NW:


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The flier says:

“HOUSE IS OVER 100 YRS, MANY ORIGINAL DETAILS, KITCHEN & BATHS REMODELED, 2BR , 1.5BA , LANDSCAPED, DEEP GARDENS IN FRONT & BACK W/ PATIO AREAS, DECORATIVE FP IN LR RM, KIT/W GREAT UNDER STAIR PANTRY, SOLD AS-IS BUT JUST UPDATED, SET BACK FROM ST, PRIVATE FEELING, ALLEY ACCESS -ONE COULD ADD PARKING, CONVENIENT TO METRO & CITY AMENITIES”

You can find more info and photos here.

I think this is a good looking little house but I am a bit surprised at the asking price. Do you think $548,000 sounds reasonable for this 2 bed/1.5 bath?



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This home is located at 4301 Kansas Avenue, NW:


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The flier says:

“Gorgeous Victorian Mansion. Amazing renovation with huge open living space, 7 bedrooms. Sep Dining Rm. Beautiful hardwood floors, high ceilings, audio sys speakers. Wrap-around porch. Encl brick patio. Two-story garage. With contract and negotiated terms developer will customize property including finished basement, create master suite and/or paved driveway.”

You can find more info and photos here and a mouse on house tour here.

Wow, this house is huge. What do you think of the renovation? I know folks have questioned in the past exactly how much a home in Petworth can go for and I suspect this price may bring similar comments. But I am curious to hear what you think about the home itself. This 7 bed/4 bath is going for $899,000.


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