Real Estate

Good Deal or Not? Apparently a Fixer Upper Edition

By Prince Of Petworth

This home is located at 1320-1322 Kenyon Street, NW:


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The flier says:

“You can expect A gem of a house waiting to be renovated! 6bdrms/4bths, 2homes now into 1, Grand proportions, finished basement/au pair suites, multi car prkng, 2 decks, Original detailing thru-out, Hardwoods, sky-lit stairwell, back yard & more. A designers dream in the heart of Columbia Heights. Currently tenanted, but notified. Bring your investors!”

You can find more info here but sadly no inside photos.

I think I once featured this property as house of the day. I think it looks awesome from the outside but had no idea the inside was a fixer upper. I’m always curious how much houses like this are going for. I think the location is pretty ideal but does $875,000 sound reasonable for a fixer upper?

Good Deal or Not? Reader Request Affordable Edition

By Prince Of Petworth

This condo is located at 5200 North Capitol Street, NW:


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The flier says:

“ART DECCO POST-WAR GARDEN COOPERATIVE, SITUATED WITHIN BLOCKS OF FORT TOTTEN METRO. COOP FEE OF $542.66 INCLUDES ALL UTILITIES AS WELL AS PROPERTY TAXES AND MAINTENANCE. FRESHLY PAINTED WITH NEW CARPET AND APPLIANCES. COMPARE AND YOU’LL SEE THIS A QUITE A VALUE! COOP FEE INCLUDES UTIL,COMMON AREA MAINTENANCE, WATER AND UNDERLYING MTGE PAYMENT.”

You can find more info and photos here.

A reader who lives in this building sent in the above condo after we had a discussion on the small loft for sale in Mt. P above Tonic. This 2 bed/1 bath is going for $149,500. Sound reasonable?

Good Deal or Not? Weekly Wed. House Porn Edition

By Prince Of Petworth

This mansion is located at 3101 Woodland Drive, NW:


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The flier says:

“Exceptional 1924 Estate highlighted by English-influenced architecture. Set on a rare, over 16,500 square foot lot of manuicured & mature landscaping w/ Guesthouse & Pool. Gracious & elegant principal rooms full of period details, paneled walls, wideboard hdwd flrs & handmade terra cotta tile flrs. 6 bedrooms, 5 full, 3 half Baths. 7th Bedroom and 6th Full Bath in Guesthouse.”

More info found here and a virtual tour found here.

Well I had to show another from Woodland Drive. It’s not quite as crazy as last week’s house porn but hey it’s only half the price. What I thought was really wild was that from the street you have no idea that this an estate. It just looks like a normal slightly bigger than normal house. But man you have to take the virtual tour. I’m guessing it’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea but hell it’s just house porn. What’s your favorite or least favorite part?

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For those looking for more moderate house porn. This home at 1311 S Street, NW went under contract in 12 days and the asking price was $1,045,000. You can see more info and photos from this house here.

Good Deal or Not? I Guess So As It Went Under Contract in 8 Days Edition

By Prince Of Petworth

This home is located at 1714 4th Street, NW:


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The flier says:

“Sun filled End Unit Town Home features 3 finished levels. Separate Unit in Lower Level 1/1 could be income producing. Main level features updated Kitchen w Hrdwd Fls, Gran/Stain & 1/2 bath. Upper/BD level features 2 BD, 1 BA w Mable tiled jetted tub, Sep Shower & W/ D. Deck views B/Yard w planters & cute neighborhood. Close to Metro, shopping, dining, U St & Downtown!”

More info and photos found here.

I know some folks don’t like homes that are under contract for GDoN but I still think it’s worth discussing. This 3 bed/2.5 bath home was going for $519,000. Are you surprised it went under contract so quickly? What do you think of the home itself?

Good Deal or Not? Sweet Floors Edition

By Prince Of Petworth

This home is located at 1823 12th Street, NW:


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The flier says:

“OPPORTUNITY! LOVELY, SUNNY SEMI-DETACHED BAY FRONT VICTORIAN: 3 BEDROOMS, 1 1/2 BATHS, FULL WALK OUT BASEMENT. HIGH CEILINGS, WOODEN FLOORS, LARGE DINING ROOM & EAT-IN KITCHEN WITH GARDEN VIEW. CEILING FANS AND WALL A/C UNITS. VERY PRETTY FRONT & REAR GARDENS & PATIO, PARKING OFF ALLEY. FULLY FENCED. “AS IS” SALE. SUPERB LOCATION NEAR U ST/LOGAN ON QUIET STREET 2 BLOCKS FROM METRO.”

More info found here and a virtual tour found here.

I really love the floors on the second floor here. I’m also a huge fan of the bay window on the first floor. The location is pretty tight as well. However, I’m always a little concerned by “As Is” sales, but it doesn’t look like it needs much work from the photos. Does $715,000 sound reasonable for this 3 bed/1.5 bath?

Good Deal or Not? New Building Edition

By Prince Of Petworth

This new building is located at 1910 8th Street, NW:


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The flier says:

“Ultimate perfection is what BlueSkyHousing had in mind when they constructed The Stella Polaris Condominium. A newly constructed sun drenched, 5 Unit upscale Condominium Building. It features 2-BR & 2-FB, open floor plan with 10 ft ceilings, Stainless-Steel Appliances, Granite Counters, MBR Suites. Security System, Video Entry System and Parking. JUST REDUCED by $ 20k!!!!”

More info and photos found here.

I’ve been monitoring this building pretty closely and am excited we get to take a look inside. I think the location is pretty good as there is a lot of movement on the 9th and U St. area and we’ve seen in the last few weeks. This is near the flea market that is going to get redeveloped plus the wine bar, consignment shop, and new tavern that are all slated to come in nearby. But anyway, back to the actual condo. How do you think it looks? How do you think the building itself looks?

Does $499,999 sound reasonable for this 2 bed/2 bath?

GDoN Revisited by Hipchickindc

By Prince Of Petworth

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: 651 8th St NE

Original List Price: $599,000.

List Price at Contract: $575,000.

List Date: 06/24/2009

Days on Market: 59 days

Settled Sales Price: $565,000.

Settlement Date:  09/24/2009

Seller Subsidy:  $16,950.

Bank Owned?: No

Type Of Financing: Conventional with $113,000. (20%) down payment.  There also appears to be a 10% second trust, which is very unusual in this day and age.

Original GDoN Post is:  Here.

The recent listing is:  Here.

Now that the Prince of Petworth is a full-time blogger, I am looking forward to his continued ventures into the other neighborhoods of Washington, DC (aka The Hill).  There’s something about that significant increase in price per square foot that makes for a heated Good Deal or Not (GDoN) smackdown between the NWers and Hill/H Street dwellers.  According to the GDoN comments, I expect more than a few readers will be surprised at the current sales price of this two bedroom, two and a half bath home.  For NWers who haven’t been paying much attention to the subject neighborhood, it’s worth a glance at the H Street Main Street web site. 

The sales history over the past ten years speaks to the extensive changes both the overall DC real estate market and this neighborhood have experienced.

1999: Listed for $169,900.  Sold for $169,900. less $3350. subsidy.  98 Days on Market.

2001: Listed for $299,000.  Sold for $312,000. less $6240. subsidy.  5 Days on Market.

2005: Listed for $529,500.  Sold for $529,500. less $500. Subsidy (usually a subsidy this small indicates a repair credit).  14 Days on Market.
2009: See above for details.

Good Deal or Not? Loft Studio Edition

By Prince Of Petworth

This condo is located at 3155 Mt. Pleasant Street, NW:


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The flier says:

“Lovely renovated studio at The Mount Pleasant with 14′ vaulted ceilings & stunning sunset & National Cathedral views. Charming LR with fixed stairs to sleeping LOFT, granite kitchen w/ breakfast bar, large renovated bath, loads of closets, exposed brick walls, wood floors, W/ D combo in unit, low fee (includes WiFi), pets welcome!”

More info and photos found here.

Well this is a bit of a contrast from yesterday’s house porn but I think this is one cool looking studio. In this case I think the Loft makes a big difference as you can put your bed up there. And as I’ve said before, I dig the exposed brick. What do you guys think? Does $209,000 sound reasonable?

Good Deal or Not? Weekly Wed. House Porn XXX Edition

By Prince Of Petworth

This mansion is located at 2850 Woodland Drive, NW:


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The flier says:

“NEW PRICE! Elegance, privacy, an acre of land & 1920s craftsmanship combine to make this residence a sophisticated in-town estate. Features include very high ceilings, ornate plaster moldings, herringbone oak floors, stucco exterior, multiple fireplaces and terraces. The home offers large entertaining rooms, excellent bedroom space, staff quarters w/ sep kitchens, 7-zone HVAC, and a pool.”

More info found here and a virtual tour found here.

Ok, while previously I have shown some Cinemax style house porn this one is of the full XXX variety. You have to see the virtual tour. You can barely tell it is that opulent from the street. Of course, this is from the new (to me) neighborhood of Woodland-Normstone. If you’ve ever wondered how the top .00001% live – here it is. Unbelievable. And there’s been a serious price cut. It was originally on the market for $14,600,000 but has come down to the more reasonable $10,750,000…

Good Deal or Not? Right Above Busboys & Poets Edition

By Prince Of Petworth

This condo is located at 1390 V Street, NW:


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The flier says:

“LOCATION-LOCATION! REDUCED $10K w/ $6K clos. help! Secure 4 yr old beautiful Condo in sought after bldg & conv. to bus, subway, stores, restaurants, etc. Spectacular views from private balc w/ gourmet kit, wood floors, SS appl. , stack W & D, track lighting, high ceilings, LOFT BR & more. Owner found HOC & ready to move. Priced below mkt for a quick sale. Call LA w/ ?’s & to show. HURRY, won’t last!”

More info and photos found here.

I’ve been curious to see the condos inside this building, the Langston Lofts. It is a pretty killer location. But what do you think of the condo itself? Does $389,998 sound reasonable for this 1 bed/1 bath?

There is also a 1 bed/1.5 bath for $452,900.

And a 2 bed/2.5 bath for $519,900.

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