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DC Open House List for This Weekend

By PoP Sponsor (a)

It’s been a dreary week in the district as we receive some left-over rain from various tropical storms. Luckily there’s over 100 new open houses that you can attend this weekend and maybe find your new home to brighten the day. For the entire list click here.

208 Varnum Street NW
Agent: Philip DiRuggiero
Open Saturday 1-4PM
Open Sunday 1-4PM
List Price: $724,900

Described as “O.G. details, new school systems,” this 3 bedroom rowhouse a few blocks from Grant Circle also includes a “basement music studio,” which just appears to be a finished basement with exposed brick.

611 Totten Mews NE
Agent: Terry Ryan
Open Friday 12-4PM
Open Saturday 12-4PM
Open Sunday 12-4PM
List Price: $574,990

A new series of luxury townhouses in Fort Totten that will be move-in ready sometime in October or November, but are currently pre-selling units.

314 16th Street SE
Agent: Daniel Llerena
Open Saturday 1-3PM
List Price: $874,900

Capitol Hill 4 bedroom with a remodeled kitchen, “gorgeous exposed brick, oversized windows and 10ft high ceilings.”

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Love Live DC: Homebuyer Myths

By PoP Sponsor (a)

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

Myth: When choosing a lender, shop around for the lowest interest rate

Reality: When exploring lenders and mortgage options there are many factors to consider besides the interest rate including:

Advertised low rates 

  • A lender can’t offer you an interest rate until you have a property lined up to purchase and they have reviewed your financial qualifications. Those low rates that you see advertised are available to specific borrowers for specific loans, not everyone who uses that lender.

Loan options

  • Different lenders do not all offer the same products. Shopping for a mortgage is not like shopping for a car.

Reputation

  • Many lenders have reputations, some good, some not so good. In a competitive offer situation, submitting a lender letter from a mortgage provider who doesn’t have a good reputation is not going to help get your offer accepted. In fact, it will likely have the opposite effect.

Why do sellers care?

  • A seller who accepts an offer from a buyer whose financing is declined can lose a significant amount of money in terms of carrying costs and a potentially lower sales price if the market has changed.
  • Yes, real estate agents are partial towards advising sellers to accept offers from buyers who are working with reputable (usually local) mortgage providers. They don’t receive any financial incentives for recommending a specific lender, and don’t want to be in a situation where a deal falls through because of a bad lender.

What’s the risk?

  • If you decide to work with a lender, and they don’t have your loan ready by the settlement date, you as the buyer may be in default of the contract. There is no penalty to the lender. The seller can pursue damages for this default.

The lender you choose has a substantial impact on your home purchase. This decision can impact whether or not your offer is accepted on a home and whether you are able to complete the transaction (or if you will face financial penalties as a result of default).

Yes, a lower interest rate will save you money, but only if you’re first able to complete your home purchase. It’s important to consider more than just the interest rate when exploring your financing options and make an informed decision that will set you up for success.

Wondering what questions you should ask prospective lenders? Check out our list here.

Real Estate Fresh Finds: Oct. 11

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 seems to be the week for a heavy dose of rowhouses to hit the market in DC. While there’s always an abundance of condos for sale, it’s a good time to jump on one of these renovated, almost always 3-level, 2+ bedroom rowhouses while the selling is still hot. Check out this week’s Fresh Finds below:

  • The most expensive home to hit the market this week is a $7.49mil Beaux Arts style in the Kalorama area that features more bathrooms than bedrooms and markets itself as ‘a true “smart house”‘ but at time of post we’re unable to find any smart features listed.
  • A Federal rowhouse near C St. NE on “a quiet tree-lined street” with some eye-catching hardwood floors and woodwork as well as a master suite with its own private balcony.
  • Self-described as a “quintessential Petworth row house,” this 3 bedroom has not only been “lovingly maintained,” but has a “charming front porch” and an “open & cheerful” basement. Insert your favorite adjectives of choice here.
  • Just north of Logan Circle is one of the pricier Bank-Owned properties of the week we’ve seen lately, but it’s a 3-bedroom condo in a good neighborhood, so maybe worth checking out.

For all of the DC listings that just hit the market TODAY, click here

Where Can I Find a Moving or Cleaning Company?

“Dear PoPville readers,

Have you ever hired a moving or cleaning company? What do you think about the way they charge? Do you think their services should be more customizable?

As a young professional living on a budget, I think the prices are very generic with little room for customization. People should be able to pay only for the help they need, right?

Most moving companies never tell you how much each item will cost you. They simply charge per studio or bedroom and decide how many men they will send. It doesn’t matter if you only need to drop off a couch at Good Will or move a fully furnished bedroom. Equally, cleaning companies send you a quote for a studio or a bedroom when what you need cleaned is only the basement or bathroom.

Well, OJAMOVE.COM is here to help change that. Through its service customization algorithm, providers can customize prices and users can compare and pay only for the specific services they need. Each item is priced and the system can calculate total price and weights. You contact the provider knowing the approximate total price, not the other way around.

OJAMOVE is an entirely free budgeting tool for users and providers.

No change is easy and we need your help. Please take our survey, sign up, spread the word and follow us on social media. Facebook, Twitter, Google+.

Thank you for reading my sponsored post! Hope to hear from you soon.”

Townhome Living in Totten Mews Starting at $549,990

dc real estate totten mews

City living just blocks from the Fort Totten Metro, luxury townhomes from $549,990, brought to you by Comstock.

From Totten Mews, a new townhome development, you’re just minutes from the Brookland Metro, and less than a mile away from the green, yellow, and red lines at Fort Totten Metro Station. In fact, it’s just 939 steps — we counted!

With the Metro station’s access to both downtown D.C. and Silver Spring, and nearby the Metropolitan Branch Trail — an eight mile paved stretch for cyclists and runners that connects D.C. with Maryland — Totten Mews is a model for transit-oriented development.

DC real estate totten mews

Located at 4900 Puerto Rico Avenue, each home at Totten Mews has 2,100 square feet, features three bedrooms, three full bathrooms, and a powder room. There are nine-foot ceilings on ground and second floors.

The kitchen features a side-by-side multi-cycle insulated dishwasher, microwave/hood combination with exterior venting, and gas range with convection oven–all from Whirlpool with Energy Star rating. There are granite countertops and designer cabinets with chrome knobs, pan drawers, and trash cabinet.

A one-car garage has direct access to the home — with garage door openers and two remotes — and a rear porch provides space for outdoor entertaining. (more…)

On the Job: DC Employees Get Generous Sick Leave

By PoP Sponsor (a)

This column is written and sponsored by Alan Lescht & 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.

With cold weather right around the corner, people around the District are lining up to get their flu shots. But did you know that DC law has one of the most generous employee sick leave policies in the nation?

What is FMLA leave?

The federal Family and Medical Leave Act allows qualifying employees to take unpaid leave for medical reasons. Qualified employees may take leave because of their own illnesses or to take care of a sick family member. However, DC has its own FMLA that gives employees additional rights. The DC FMLA provides more weeks of leave to more people:

Do I qualify for DC FMLA leave?

You may be entitled to take DC FMLA leave if you meet all of these requirements:

  • You work for an employer in DC that has more than 20 employees.
  • You worked for your employer for at least one year with no break in service. Holidays and sick and personal leave don’t count as a break in service. You don’t have to work for a continuous one-period during the year immediately before FMLA leave. However, the continuous period must have occurred sometime within the past seven years.
  • You worked at least 1,000 hours during the past 12 months. Paid leave for holidays, illness and vacation, as well as military leave, count towards the hourly requirement.

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DC Open House List for This Weekend

By PoP Sponsor (a)

Another weekend and another 100+ open houses occurring all across the District. This week seems to be big for condo open houses, but we’ve also found a few detached homes new-ish to the market. For the entire list click here.

1669 Columbia Road NW #T-2
Agent: Jeffrey Tanck
Open Sunday 2-4PM
List Price: $279,000

A renovated Lanier Heights 1 bedroom with a decent price tag as long as you’re willing to pay off the remaining mortgage from the previous owner.

1017 Hamlin Street NE
Agent: Kymber Lovett-Menkiti
Open Sunday 2-4PM
List Price: $674,999

A “beautiful brick charmer” in the lower part of Brookland boasts a “quiet street,” a “sunroom with Southern exposure,” a full master bedroom suite and of course a “full-width front porch.”

5107 Illinois Avenue NW
Agent: Mark Meyerdirk
Open Sunday 2-4PM
List Price: $549,900

A well-maintained rowhouse on the outskirts of Petworth with 3 bedrooms, 2 of which have their own separate sitting rooms.

(more…)

5 Ways to Cut Waste, and Pocket the Savings, with Energy Efficiency

best led bulbs dcseu

Second annual Energy Efficiency Day on October 5 urges Americans to “Save Energy. Save Money.”

Smarter energy use means we don’t have to generate as much power to meet our needs. Energy efficiency offers us the most bang for our buck, helping stretch resources to make our homes, schools, and businesses more comfortable and efficient. There’s a lot of untapped potential, which is why October 5 is so important — Energy Efficiency Day.

A collaborative effort between hundreds of government agencies, businesses, utilities, and individuals working to promote energy efficiency, EEDay started last year, with hundreds of municipalities participating.

Here are five ways you can save energy and money at home.

1. Make the Switch to LEDs

With LEDs as low as 95 cents per bulb at DCSEU Partner Retailers, it’s never been easier to upgrade and save. You can save approximately nine percent of your home’s annual energy costs by switching five of your home’s most frequently used bulbs with ENERGY STAR certified LEDs. Ready to make the switch? Join the lightbulb challenge online here.

best led bulbs dcseu

2. Seal Leaks

On average, heating and cooling account for almost half of your home’s energy consumption. You can save up to 20 percent on heating costs by caulking windows, sealing leaks around chimneys and recessed lighting, and sliding draft guards under your doors.

best led bulbs dcseu

3. Heat Efficiently (more…)

Love Live DC: Oldies But Goodies — The 365+ DOM Club

By PoP Sponsor (a)

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

Tired of hearing about homes selling in less than a week and multiple offer scenarios? Me too. So let’s explore the other end of the spectrum today and take a look at a few homes that have defied the odds and continue to remain actively listed, after a year (or more).

Homes that last on the market for a long time and have a high number of days on market can tend to be overlooked by buyers who remain focused on the newest listings, but they can also present great opportunities (and have way better negotiation prospects than new listings).

2620 Moreland Place NW — Chevy Chase DC — $800,000

  • $800,000 for a 3 bed/3 bath detached home in Chevy Chase DC is well below the market average
  • Originally listed in March 2016 for $925,000, and reduced as low as $710,000 in June 2017 but is back up to $800,000 — it’s possible that the seller would consider a lower price once again
  • Listing remarks specify that the home is subject to an existing lease, but the photos show a vacant home (added 8/2/17)

2619 University Place NW — Columbia Heights — $899,900

  • Over 3,000 square feet including a finished basement and only 4 blocks to metro
  • Insider tip — the home has a few additional rooms that are not legal bedrooms, but is much larger than the 3 bed/3 bath size suggests
  • Originally listed in August 2016 for $950,000 and reduced to $899,900 in February 2017
  • Outdoor space is limited but this would make a great investment property — no yard maintenance for tenants to keep up with! Prospects for adding an upper level deck are good

350 G St SW #N104 — Southwest/Waterfront — $479,000 

  • Originally listed in August 2016, this 1 bed/1 bath 892 sq ft condo has held a consistent list price of $479,000 for the last 428 days
  • Located in the Potomac Place condominium community, this unit is in one of the newer buildings that was built in 2004 and the condo fee of $422.42 includes great building amenities (outdoor pool, multiple fitness rooms, business center, concierge)
  • A few short blocks from The Wharf and all of the amazing things planned for this development

(more…)

Real Estate Fresh Finds: Oct. 4

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. 

Whether you’re looking to be a landlord or have buku-bucks for a gigantic house with rooms you’ll never use, this week’s new homes to hit the market cover a wide range of styles and price ranges. Check out our “Fresh Finds” below:

  • Our winner for the most expensive home of the week (and quite possibly the year) is an $18m, 15,000 sq. ft., obnoxiously large Colonial in Wesley Heights with “50 ft. heated pool and separate guest/pool house” as well as 2 garages, exercise room and “theatre.”
  • This row house in the Logan Circle/U Street area is technically 2 2-bedroom units, that says were previously rented for as high as $2,300/month, meaning that $900k price tag could get offset by rental income.
  • End unit 3 bedroom on the edge of Petworth has both a garage and backyard, two very rare and coveted features in DC.
  • A “spacious loft-like studio unit” in the Kalorama Triangle looks fairly manageable for being your REO property of the week.

For all of the DC listings that just hit the market TODAY, click here

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