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This is one of the more interesting new venues planning on coming soon. The new tavern, New York New York, is slated to come to 33 New York Ave, NE. Apparently this used to house a Go-Go club called Mirrors. Well a new liquor application just went up saying the space will be:

“New Tavern with Sports Bar Lounge serving sandwiches and microwave foods with
DJ, live bands, belly dancing and dancing by patrons. Seating capacity is 190. Total
occupancy load is 190.”

A sports bar with belly dancing has to be one of kind, right?


In real life, hipchickindc is actually the not-so-hip Suzanne Des Marais, an associate broker with Urban Pace. Voted one of the best real estate agents in DC by the Washington City Paper Readers’ Choice Poll in 2009, Suzanne is currently Chair of the DC Public Policy Committee for the Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS® and is President Elect of the Washington, DC Association of REALTORS®. She lives (and sells a lot of houses) in Bloomingdale, but works all over DC, with everyone from first time buyers to highly regarded developers.

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: 38 Rhode Island Ave NE

Original List Price: $450,000.

List Price at Contract
: $450,000.

List Date: 04/15/2010

Days on Market: 5

Settled Sales Price: $495,000.

Settlement Date: 05/18/2010

Seller Subsidy: $0.

Bank Owned?: No

Type Of Financing: Conventional

Original GDoN is: here.

Listing is: here.

Despite being located on busy Rhode Island Avenue, this fully renovated Victorian with three levels above grade went under contract in less than a week. Listed about two weeks prior to the end of the Federal Home Buyer Tax Credit contract deadline, it sold for nearly $50,000. above list price. Granted, it is a lot of house for under $500,000., even with an unfinished basement and no off street parking.

Continues after the jump. (more…)


A reader wrote in suggesting this property in Eckington be nominated for this week’s horse’s ass award. The work this reader put together is incredible. He compiled all of his research in PDF format here:  329 Rhode Island Ave NE

The reader writes:

“My Eckington neighbors and I have been battling the owner of 329 Rhode Island Ave NE (a 6 story boarded up building that has stood vacant for 12+ years). It’s been on a “watchlist” since 2000 (http://www.dcwatch. com/mayor/ 000314.htm). Last year, it magically caught fire a day after it was placed on the tax sale list, and burned for 3 days since the firecrews couldn’t extinguish the tar roof. You also featured video of the blaze on your website… And now the building owner has collected his insurance money, but the building still languishes and the owner gets even more exemptions from vacant and blighted property taxes.

DCRA has been unwavering in their dedication to giving exemption after exemption to the building owner, since he always says he’s trying to renovate it, or sell it. However no work is ever done on the building, and there certainly isn’t any MLS listing the building as “for sale.”

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From DDOT:

As previously announced, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is making major safety improvements at one of the busiest intersections in Northeast Washington, where New York Avenue, Florida Avenue, First Street and Eckington Place meet. Now, as the next phase of construction is about to begin, DDOT will be switching the traffic patterns at the intersection. The changes are scheduled to be implemented at 9 pm on Friday, June 4, 2010, weather permitting.

After the changes are made, traffic will flow in a circular pattern around the intersection (see diagram above). Drivers and cyclists will need to pay close attention to the posted signs and lane markings.

With the new traffic patterns:

* First Street will become one way southbound from Florida Avenue to New York Avenue.

* Florida Avenue will be limited to one way traffic westbound between New York Avenue and First Street.

* Eastbound Florida Avenue traffic will be detoured to First Street. From there, drivers can go left on New York Avenue to return to Florida Avenue, or they can use the following detour from southbound First Street: left on M Street, left on Third Street right on Florida Avenue.

* Northbound First Street traffic wishing to access westbound New York or Florida Avenues will be temporarily detoured via M and Third Streets, NE.

* Southbound Eckington Place traffic will no longer be allowed to turn left on Florida Avenue. Eckington traffic will use First Street to reach New York Avenue and eastbound Florida Avenue,

The $3 million reconfiguration of the intersection is designed to improve circulation and decrease accidents. The project is scheduled to be completed in August and final traffic pattern changes will be announced at that time.

Additional information about the project is available online at dashboard.ddot.dc.gov.


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This home is located on the Unit block of T Street, NE at 30 T, NE:


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The flier says:

“BRIGHT AND SUNNY HOUSE SIZE CONDO. EMBELLISHED 2-LEVEL IN 2 UNIT BUILDINBRIG. GLEAMING CHERRY HWD FLRS, HIGH END SS APPLIANCES, GRANITE COUNTERTOPS, SMASHING MASTER SUITE W/ JACUZZI TUB AND STONE VANITY TOP, LARGE DECK GREAT FOR GRILLING AND ENTERTAINING. SPIRAL STAIRCASE DOWN TO OUTSIDE OFF STR. PARKING. ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES PLUS MORE. .A MUST SEE”

You can find more info and photos here.

How do you think the renovation turned out? Does $487,000 sound reasonable for this 3 bed/2.5 bath condo? Do you think it would be significantly more expensive if it fell on the other side of North Capitol street?


This is going to be, “a $107 million public-private mixed-use transit-oriented development that will bring a 24-7 town center development to the Rhode Island Avenue corridor in northeast Washington, D.C. Ground will be broken for 274 Class A apartments, 70,000 square feet of main street retail, and a new Metro commuter garage.”

This area of Rhode Island could definitely use some upgrades.


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This home is located at 38 Rhode Island Ave, NE:


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The flier says:

“True luxury living at the home of well known designer! A gem of a house and a steal at this price! Features include electronic entry system, surround sound speakers in every room, high ceilings, gourmet kitchen, two luxurious bathrooms, two fireplaces, exposed brick, views of Capitol & Monument, recessed lighting. Within steps of Metro, dining, shopping & nightlife.”

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

I normally don’t like to show houses already under contract but I decided to show this one because it was a reader request and it’s an area of DC that I don’t normally show. So firstly, what neighborhood is this exactly – Edgewood, Eckington? I think Redfin lists Brookland, which can’t be right…

Anyway, the house looks pretty amazing. Since it went under contract so quickly was $450,000 a ridiculously good deal?


In real life, hipchickindc is licensed as a real estate broker in the District of Columbia, 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 Properties: 129 U St NE

Original List Price: $229,900.

List Price at Contract: $229,900.

List Date: 12/10/2009

Days on Market: 14

Settled Sales Price: $255,000.

Settlement Date: 02/22/2010

Seller Subsidy: $10,200.

Bank Owned?: YES

Type Of Financing: FHA…looks like a 203(k), since the loan amount is significantly above the sale price

Original GDoN Post is: here.

Listing is: here.

In a city where finding a condo priced under $300,000. is a challenge, there are still several neighborhoods where an entire house can be had in that price range. Eckington, located directly east of Bloomingdale, across North Capitol Street, is one of those spots. Toward the north end of the neighborhood, the houses tend toward three bedroom porch front rowhomes built in the early 1900s. The southern part of the neighborhood has both porch front homes, as well as large bay front Victorian rowhomes. Continues after the jump. (more…)


In real life, hipchickindc is licensed as a real estate broker in the District of Columbia, 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 Properties: 1835 North Capitol St NE

Original List Price: $450,000.

List Price at Contract: $430,000.

List Date: 11/14/2009

Days on Market: 57

Settled Sales Price: $399,000.

Settlement Date: 2/12/2010

Seller Subsidy: $4000.

Bank Owned?: No

Type Of Financing: Conventional

Original GDoN Post is: here.

Recent Listing is: here.

Commenters to the original Good Deal or Not (GDoN) post were quite vocal in their objections to the busy, busy street that is North Capitol. I live a block off of North Cap on the Bloomingdale side, so I know first hand how active it is during commuting hours. Historically, prices for comparable sales located on North Capitol reflect this concession. Similar homes on east-west streets, even very close to North Capitol typically sell quite a bit higher. North Capitol also serves as a physical boundary between Bloomingdale and the NE side of Eckington. Again, very similar houses within a short distance of each other can show a significant price differential with homes on the NE side selling for less than their NW counterparts.

With all that said, I actually think that the net sales price of $395,000. was a good deal. Given that I live in and do much of my business in Bloomingdale, I often have buyer clients who specifically want to purchase a bay front brick Victorian rowhome. As prices have steadily risen in the neighborhood over the past several years, it can be a challenge for first time homebuyers to find this type of property in their price range. Over the years, I have had numerous buyers willing to live on a busy street or to make some other compromise in order to buy the kind of home that they really want at a price that they can afford. Continues after the jump. (more…)


New York Pizza is located in the old chicken spot (either Popeyes or KFC, can’t remember which) on North Capitol Street, NE not far from Florida Ave. A buddy of mine lives nearby and says it’s decent. For folks that live in Eckington/Bloomingdale have you tried it out yet? Is it better than fast food chicken?

For folks that live in this area, please also let me know if there are any other restaurants nearby that I should check out. And in other North Capitol news, I was recently emailed the North Capitol Street Cloverleaf Feasibility Study.


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