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

Question: I’m thinking that I’m going to be ready to sell my condo and move in a year or two, and I’ve set aside some money for improvements. I’d like to try to make improvements that result in a higher sales price or at least get back the money I spent on them. What do you recommend?

This is a great question and is a common discussion that I have with prospective sellers when they are preparing to sell their home. I strongly recommend starting this process as much as a year in advance (or more), and it’s always a good idea to consider the resale value of any money that you invest in your home. That imported Italian tile may be the most beautiful that you’ve ever seen, but that doesn’t mean the buyer who buys your home is going to be willing to pay any more for it.

To start with, I’m going to assume that all of the major systems and appliances of your condo are in normal working order. By major systems, I mean the HVAC, water heater, electric panel and wiring, plumbing — all the big ticket expenses. If they aren’t, you should start there.

It may seem obvious, but if your furnace is 30 years old, the chances of it coming up as a buyer objection when you go to sell are pretty good. Unfortunately, replacing mechanical systems doesn’t make your home LOOK any better, but I recommend saving receipts and creating a list of improvements (with the amount spent) so that buyers can better visualize the value of that new air conditioner. It’s not a bad idea to keep a running spreadsheet so that you have this info ready to go without having to dig through your records.  (more…)

This column is written and sponsored by Alan Lescht and Associates, PC, an employment litigation firm in Washington, DC, that handles cases involving contract disputes, wage and hour issues, discrimination and retaliation, wrongful termination, whistleblower retaliation and security clearances.

News of sexual harassment has dominated the media over the past several weeks. What are the signs of sexual harassment? What behavior rises to the level of illegal sexual harassment? And what are the solutions?

What is sexual harassment?

Sexual harassment encompasses a wide range of unwanted behavior. The law recognizes two distinct types of sexual harassment. The first type is hostile work environment. This occurs when a supervisor or coworker subjects an employee to unwelcome sexual conduct, which may include touching and/or comments. Unwelcome conduct does not necessarily have to be sexually explicit. For example, requests for dates or comments about physical appearance may constitute harassment, depending on the circumstances.

However, harassment is only illegal if it is “severe and pervasive,” which means that the harassment was so bad and occurred so frequently that it basically changed the employee’s work environment.

The second type or illegal sexual harassment is quid pro quo, where employment, or aspects of employment, are conditioned on satisfaction of a sexual demand. An example is when a supervisor hints that he/she will give an employee a promotion or a raise in exchange for a sexual favor.

How do I stop sexual harassment?

Your options depend on who you work for and where you work. Federal government workers must contact their agency’s EEO office within 45 days of the harassment. After the agency investigates, employees have several options, including the right to request a hearing before a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) administrative judge, or to file a lawsuit in federal court. (more…)

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

This week, we had a special “Development News You Can Use” request for information about the St. Elizabeths Hospital East Campus redevelopment. It’s no secret that there are many development projects under construction in wards 7 and 8 right now (21 to be exact), but this is one of the ones that hasn’t gotten as much recent publicity.

History: St. Elizabeths was established in 1855 as the Government Hospital for the Insane. In 1916 the name was changed to St. Elizabeths Hospital. There are 2 campuses on 176 acres, and approximately 70 buildings — to put this in perspective, the national mall is 146 acres. The West Campus is owned by the federal government and under the control of GSA (the award winning U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters are located there). The East Campus is owned by the District of Columbia, this is the redevelopment project that we will explore in this column. While the buildings are vacant and disrepair, there is something both eerie and beautiful about them at the same time.

Location: St. Elizabeths is located in Congress Heights, the east campus is bordered by Martin Luther King Jr Ave to the west, Alabama Ave SE to the south and the Congress Heights Metro Station adjoins the south east corner of the property.

Development Summary: The redevelopment of Saint Elizabeths East is a multiphase project. Progress has been slow but steady since the release of the new Master Plan in 2012.  Phase 1 will include the 15 acres nearest the Congress Heights Metro station and the highly anticipated 4,200 seat arena that would host Wizards practice, Washington Mystics home games and other entertainment. (more…)

Are you looking to give back this Thanksgiving? Washingtonians are invited to join SOME (So Others Might Eat) on Thanksgiving Day for a 5k run/walk on Pennsylvania Avenue. The District’s only Turkey Trot, SOME’s Trot for Hunger is hoping to raise over $600,000 to continue to provide critical services such as food, clothing and healthcare to thousands of homeless and poor men, women and children in DC.

Please sign up today and get your Thanksgiving off to a great start at the Trot for Hunger. It’s a fun way — come in your best Thanksgiving dinner-themed costume! — to get together with friends and family to give back on Thanksgiving morning.

Registration Fee: $40 untimed and $45 timed ($50 day-of registration), $15 for kids 10 and under
Date: Thursday, Nov 23
Time: 8:30 a.m. Kids’ One Mile Fun Run; 9:00 a.m. 5K Run and 9:15 a.m. 5K Walk
Location: Freedom Plaza, (corner of 13th Street, NW and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW)
Questions: Please contact us at [email protected] or 202.797.8806, ext. 1093.

SOME is an interfaith, community-based organization that exists to help the poor and homeless of our nation’s capital. Unable to participate on Thanksgiving Day? SOME has a variety of ways to get involved this holiday season.

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Join local DC startup cove for the Launch Party of their newest neighborhood workspace in Dupont Circle on Wednesday, November 15 from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at 1666 Connecticut Ave NW. There will be food from Luke’s Lobster and Popped. Republic, music and giveaways from partners at Getaround and Via. RSVP at cove.is/dupont.

Cove Dupont is the DC-based startup’s most spacious location that opened this month, just north of the Circle. It’s the latest addition to cove’s network of neighborhood workspaces, geared for productivity and built for people who need a place to get things done outside the house, and away from the crowded coffee shop or sea of office cubes.

Cove has been building workspaces across DC and Boston for the last few years. Having already tested the waters out in Dupont Circle in September 2013, cove has finally returned to the Circle with 5,000 sq. ft. and floor-to-ceiling windows that stretch across its storefront on Connecticut Ave.

The beautifully designed workspace features plenty of seating in both quiet and social areas, high speed fiber internet, private call spaces and meeting rooms, a large event space, speciality coffee, beverages, snacks and tons of natural light. Basically where you want to be, and where you want to work.

RSVP for the Launch Party at cove.is/dupont, and sign up for your free trial visit at cove Dupont today at cove.is/locations/dc/dupont.