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The Think Tanck: The Honey Do List

By PoP Sponsor (a)

This weekly column is written and sponsored by D.C. real estate agent and Kalorama resident Jeffrey Tanck.  He can be reached at [email protected].

Everyone has one: the mental list of “quirks” or “wants” in our home that we live with on a daily basis that we really should have taken care of but just don’t have the time, know how, motivation, etc.

It can be as simple as replacing the burned out lightbulb in that ceiling fixture that requires a ladder to reach, or repairing the leaking faucet in the bathroom that has been dripping since you moved in or installing a cool new tile backsplash in the kitchen. The Honey Do List.

Maybe you’re a seasoned homeowner or just purchased a new place. Regardless of where you are in your personal real estate cycle, I am willing to bet that you have a list of things in your home that you’d like changed, fixed or improved.

When I meet with a seller client to discuss preparing their home for sale, one of my first questions is, “what’s on your Honey Do List?” The list that is produced (and there is ALWAYS a list) usually includes minor repairs as well as a couple of major projects.

The list is an honest assessment of how the property should be improved so that it is appealing to buyers. The list also represents a lost opportunity for sellers who could have enjoyed their home more had they made these adjustments during their time of ownership.

If I had a dime for every time I have had a seller say “I wish I had done that sooner,” I’d be sitting on a big ole pile of dimes.  (more…)

Real Estate Fresh Finds: Feb. 21

By PoP Sponsor (a)

Real Estate Fresh Finds is a weekly selection of newly-listed properties in the District, brought to you by Real Living At Home. 

With 150+ homes hitting the market in the past week, one thing is clear–the DC market is hot and it’s only February. Check out some of our Fresh Finds below to jump on one of these properties before it’s too late:

  • At $3.9mil, The Most Expensive Home of the Week is “6,000 sq.ft. of modern Kalorama luxury. Formerly the #4 Airbnb in the world,” including 2 koi ponds, an indoor stream and waterfall as well as a heated saltwater pool.
  • An incredible detached single-family home renovation in Brookland includes 5 bedrooms, 4 levels, full lower level inlaw suite and the perfect rear deck for summertime.
  • This 1-bedroom condo in Petworth might be a good deal, but it’s one you’ll have to see in person since this is also the Worst (and blurriest) Photos of the Week.
  • Wesley Heights 2-bedroom/2.5 bathroom end-unit townhouse in “one of the most desirable neighborhoods in DC.”
  • Your REO Property of the Week is a surprisingly new-looking 3-bedroom row house in Pleasant Plains.

DC Open House List for This Weekend

By PoP Sponsor (a)

There’s been close to 180 listings to hit the market this past week, but less than half of them are holding open houses this weekend.

While the temperature is set to drop off on Saturday, that 50 degrees and sunny forecast on Sunday is the ideal time to get out and see some of these featured open houses. To see the entire DC Open House List click here.

  • 5118 3rd Street NW — $750,000 — Petworth
    Open Sun. 1-4PM — Evelyn Guzman
    “Beautifully brand-new top to bottom” with several smart home features.
  • 5643 Clay Place NE — $409,900 — Grant Park
    Open Sat. 1-3 PM & Sun. 2-4PM — Curry Robert
    A 3-bedroom with 1,800 sq. ft. seems unusually affordable.
  • 2301 Champlain Street NW #301 — $699,000 — Adams Morgan
    Open Sat. & Sun. 2-4PM — Kerry Muldoon
    A contemporary loft with huge floor-to-ceiling windows.
  • 3934 Burns Place SE — $370,000 — Fort Dupont
    Open Sun. 2-4PM — Al Elliott
    “Great buy of this one owner home. Mr. Clean lives here and it shows.”
  • 2427 Chain Bridge Road NW — $2,950,000 — Palisades
    Open Sun. 2-4PM — Adam Rackliffe
    Not only does it have a swimming pool, but it also has a rock climbing wall.

Love Live DC: How to Choose a Real Estate Agent

By PoP Sponsor (a)

This column is written and sponsored by D.C. real estate agent and Edgewood resident Jessica Evans. Email her questions at  [email protected].

In part 4 of my “Buying in 2018” series, I will explore how to choose a real estate agent. The order of these first four steps isn’t that important, you may choose to work on them simultaneously or in whatever order works best for you. If you missed the first 3 columns, here they are:

1: Define Objectives
2: Financing
3: Location

One of the most important yet underrated steps in the homebuying process is choosing who you plan to work with. This is, and should be, an intentional choice. The person you choose will be responsible for helping you make one of the biggest investment decisions of your life, a decision that will impact your financial future, day to day happiness and overall life trajectory. I can’t emphasize this enough, choosing the right agent matters.

Tips for finding a real estate agent:

  • Start the process before you find the house you want to buy. You may notice a common theme with my last few columns, one which I cannot emphasize enough, do not start your home search by looking at properties. Please do not go to an open house, with the intent to submit an offer on that house, before you have an agent. Don’t get me wrong, I love DIY, but not when it comes to a major financial investment.
  • Accept that you may not fully understand why who you decide to work with is so important before you begin the homebuying process. You will understand by the end of the process. The majority of horror stories that I hear from buyers are a result of working with the wrong person (or with no one). Working with a good agent does not guarantee that you will have a smooth transaction, but it does guarantee that you have someone representing your interests and have the best possible chance for success. Real estate transactions, more often than not, will come with challenges, overcoming these challenges requires skill and experience.

(more…)

Real Estate Fresh Finds: Feb. 14

By PoP Sponsor (a)

Real Estate Fresh Finds is a weekly selection of newly-listed properties in the District, brought to you by Real Living At Home. 

Happy Valentine’s Day! What better way to celebrate than to fall in love with these newest Fresh Finds:

  • The Most Expensive Home of the Week in Cleveland Park is listed for $5.9 million with 6 bedrooms and over 5,000 square feet.
  • This Brookland home has 4 levels of living space with original architectural details throughout.
  • If you’re looking in Petworth, this house has maintained its original character with a few upgrades.
  • REO of the Week is this home in Deanwood.

For less than $250k this condo in Capitol Hill is the Cheapest Home of the Week.

Legal Insider: How to Prepare for the Investigative Interview

By PoP Sponsor (a)

This is a sponsored column by attorneys John Berry and Kimberly Berry of Berry & Berry, PLLC, a local employment and labor law firm that specializes in federal employee, security clearance, retirement and private sector employee matters.

By John V. Berry, Esq.,

In our last post we discussed the security clearance application process. This week we’ll focus on how to prepare for the security clearance investigative interview.

If an individual believes that there is a good chance that problem areas exist in a security clearance application, he or she should expect to be asked about these areas by the assigned investigator. The investigative interview can vary in duration from an hour to several hours depending on whether significant security concerns exist.

Early preparation for the security clearance interview can help the individual’s confidence when meeting with the investigator and minimize any problem areas. Unfortunately, many individuals go into the interviews without thinking about or preparing for the issues that could arise and often provide incomplete information.

Don‘t react defensively to security clearance questions

It is important to be calm and positive about the issues when speaking to an investigator. In addition, arguing with an investigator will never benefit an individual since the investigator can have significant influence over the application process in the initial stages.

Be courteous and professional with the investigator

It is important for all applicants to treat the investigator with professionalism. If an investigator attempts to contact you, be timely and courteous in your response. Even if it is inconvenient to meet or return calls, not doing so could be detrimental. Promptly responding to the investigator can give the investigator a positive impression, especially if the investigator will be providing a recommendation regarding your ability to obtain or retain a clearance.

Be patient during the security clearance process

It is important to understand that the security clearance process can often take a few months to complete depending upon a number of other factors, including:

  • Whether the individual is a federal employee or government contractor
  • The number or significance of the security concerns
  • Delays in obtaining responses from federal agencies in seeking an investigative file
  • The general investigative backlog
  • The specific employer involved

There are a multitude of other considerations that can also delay adjudication so it is important to remain patient during the investigation.

If you need assistance with a security clearance issue, please contact our office at (703)668-0070 or at www.berrylegal.com to schedule a consultation. Please also like and visit us on Facebook.

DC Open House List for This Weekend

By PoP Sponsor (a)

With an abundance of events occurring in DC this weekend, it’s best to plan your home search accordingly. Whether you’re attending the Chinese New Year Festival at The Smithsonian, seeing Steve Aoki at Echostage or participating in Cupid’s Undie Run, don’t put off these great DC Open Houses. To see the entire DC Open House List click here.

  • 70 Rhode Island Ave NW #201 — $525,000 — Bloomingdale
    Open Sun. 1-4PM — Dina Paxenos
    “Unique 2 level unit with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms” in The Providence, a 17-unit boutique condo building.
  • 560 N Street SW #N-714 — $399,900 — Southwest Waterfront
    Open Sun. 1-4PM — Craig Fauver
    The views from the balcony and roof alone are enough to want this condo.
  • 3028 Dogwood Street NW — $1,149,000 – Chevy Chase
    Open Sun. 1-4PM — Dogwood Living Group
    Over 3,000 square feet across 3 floors, with an extra bonus of Sunday’s open house including champagne and desserts by Catherine George Cakes.
  • 101 7th Street SE #5 — $448,500 — Capitol Hill
    Open Sun. 1-4PM — Robby Thompson III
    The exterior paint choice is suspect, but the interior on the other hand definitely is not.
  • 1700 17th Street NW #305 — $619,950 — Dupont
    Open Sat. 1-4PM & Sun. 2-4PM — Melissa Wilson
    “Elegantly renovated, modern, industrial condo with high-end, luxury finishes.”
  • 260 Gallatin Street NW — $815,000 — Petworth
    Open Sun. 1-4PM — David Ehrenberg
    End-unit row house appears to have entrances on both Gallatin and 3rd Street NW.

Annual Valentine’s Day Card Workshop at National Postal Museum

Love is in the air at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum’s annual Valentine’s Day Card Workshop!

Perfect for visitors of all ages, this open-house event will be held from 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. on both Saturday, February 10 and Sunday, February 11. The museum provides a bountiful spread of patterned papers, postage and rubber stamps, gems and other 3-D embellishments, special cut-out scissors, washi tape, stickers, markers of every color (with a surplus of red and pink) and more!

Following their own creative instincts, kids and adults can choose whichever supplies they would like to design one-of-a-kind Valentine greetings

Once finished, cards can then be placed in envelopes, addressed and adorned with a distinctive National Postal Museum postmark at the museum’s stamp store.

In keeping with educating children about the postal service and how mail works, kids can pop their own cards in an official USPS mailbox that is decorated to exactly resemble — none other than — SpongeBob SquarePants! Of course, visitors are also welcome to explore the whole museum and everything else it has to offer.

In the modern era, a handmade card can be hard to come by. This event is the perfect environment in which kids can express their love for friends and family with a heartfelt note of affection and appreciation.

They can also experience firsthand the satisfaction of crafting their very own unique creations from start to finish, and the pure joy of giving that creation to someone special. The National Postal Museum’s Valentine’s Day Card Workshop is free and requires no advance registration.

Visit the museum’s event calendar for information on the many fun and educational programs available at the National Postal Museum.

The State of DC: Buying Homes With Bitcoin?

By PoP Sponsor (a)

This column is written by Metro DC Houses, a local real estate team serving DC, MD, VA made up of Colin Johnson, the current President for the D.C. Association of Realtors and Christopher Suranna, the President Elect for D.C. Association of Realtors.

We started this article 2 weeks ago and a lot has changed, but as we try to grapple with what exactly Bitcoin (BTC) is and why everyone you know is getting rich and you’re not, it seems that the cryptocurrency’s time in the limelight has not run out.

BTC is a digital currency that is gaining acceptance as a method of payment for all sorts of online and real-world transactions. Today, over 10,000 merchants worldwide accept BTC, ranging from Microsoft and Virgin Galactic to Amsterdam coffeeshops.

Blockchain technology, which eliminates the need for a central bank to print and back the money, has sparked a revolution in how we think about currency. It was only a matter of time before this innovation spilled over into real estate with several instances all over the country of sellers accepting bitcoin as payment for the sale of their home.

However, it’s not as easy as it sounds, with the proven volatility of the cryptocurrency’s value in conventional US dollars, the 2,739 BTC which were needed to purchase a $1.6 million Lake Tahoe home in 2014 would allow you to trade for $24 million in hard cash today!

The standard contract used by many real estate professionals would have to be altered to deal with the actual exchange, as it currently notes US dollars. Due to the volatility in the currency and because a traditional purchase and sale takes 7-45 days, contract procedures would have to be modified.

Technically how would one handle this transaction? We have asked a few other real estate professionals their opinions. (more…)

Real Estate Fresh Finds: Feb. 7

By PoP Sponsor (a)

Real Estate Fresh Finds is a weekly selection of newly-listed properties in the District, brought to you by Real Living At Home. 

It appears to be the kind of week where it’s a heavy townhouse listing market, with new homes hitting the market all over the DMV. As the spring market nears, they will only become more coveted, so if you are trying to get a head start, check out some of the newest Fresh Finds below:

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