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Real Estate Fresh Finds: November 23

By PoP Sponsor (a)

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

Featured Property of the Week: 419 Jefferson Street NE

“Beautifully renovated 3 BR/2.5 BA semi-detached row house in the heart of booming and vibrant Riggs Park! Where to start? You’ll love the charming front porch with views of the streetscape and garden. Step inside to a bright and airy space with gorgeous original oak floors, beautiful ceiling details and natural light pouring in from windows on 3-sides! The open floor plan has great flow, with roomy living and dining areas perfect for entertaining! The kitchen is stunning AND functional, with beautiful warm-toned cabinets, stainless appliances, quartz and wood countertops, and handcrafted touches! Even the powder room has personality! As you head upstairs look up — the fun lighting sets the tone for the rest of the home! The primary bedroom is spacious, moody and bright with large windows and bold lighting! The 2nd and 3rd bedrooms have a vibe all their own; the full bath with soaking tub is stunning! Downstairs, the fully finished LL has great ceiling height, large family room, full bath, utility room, and plenty of storage! The backyard is fully fenced with a huge deck and secure, off-street parking. The neighborhood is lovely with lots of green space and a real community feel! The brand new $23m, 23,500sf Lamont Riggs/Liilian Huff Public Library is at the end of the street, with the Fort Totten Metro station, a modern gym and big box grocery store within a few blocks. All the amenities of Petworth and Takoma Park with their restaurants, shopping, parks, etc. are only minutes away. This is the home you’ve been looking for!”

Other Notable Fresh Listings:

  • The Most Expensive Home of the Week is a 6 BR/6 FB/2 HB Craftsman in Kent built in 2015 with 7,900 total square feet spread across 4 levels and features a huge open layout main level, study/office, formal dining room, lower level in-law suite, multiple deck spaces and a massive backyard with a private garden and gourmet industrial outdoor kitchen — all for $4.7M.
  • “Cozy and Bright [1 BR/1 BA] condo in the heart of Brookland. This unit features open floor plan, tons of natural light, spacious bedroom and bathroom, eat-in kitchen, and washer and dryer facilities are located in the basement.”
  • “Stunning transformation in Petworth. Meticulously redesigned and restored, this 6 BR/5.5 BA custom Rowhouse is the perfect marriage of turn of the century craftsmanship & modern design.”
  • Your REO/Bank-Owned Property of the Week is a 3 BR/2.5 BA 3-level interior rowhome in Randle Heights that will need a lot of cosmetic renovations at the very least.

From Well-Paid Maids: “Thank You, DC”

By PoP Sponsor (a)
Photo via Priscilla Du Preez/Unsplash

Thanksgiving is around the corner, and it’s time for us to get a little sappy and show our gratitude for you, D.C.!

It’s been over five years since Well-Paid Maids was founded in D.C., and we’ve met some great folks!

Thanks to your support, we’re able to prove our living-wage business model works. We pay our cleaners, who are employees and not contractors, a starting wage of $22 an hour. For context, the median hourly wage for maids and housekeeping cleaners in the D.C. area is $15.44, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Plus, employees get 24 paid days off per year and are offered health, dental, vision and life insurance. We also provide 100% employer-paid commuting costs.

We couldn’t do this without your support, so thank you!

If you’re looking to get your home cleaned before the holidays, go ahead and book your cleaning online.

DC Open House List for This Weekend

By PoP Sponsor (a)

Find those gloves and scarves, bundle up and get to house hunting! There are 280+ opens scheduled across the District this weekend, many of which have price reductions. Check out our favorite open houses below and to see the full Open House List, click here.

  • 1517 Jackson Street NE — $750,000 — Brookland
    Open Sat. 1-3 p.m. & Sun. 2-4 p.m. — Valerie Blake
    “High atop a hill on a quiet, tree-lined street in Brookland sits this 1905 storybook Victorian painted lady. A full width covered porch invites you to sit come spring and enjoy afternoon tea or an evening cocktail. This 3 bedroom, 1.5 bath home exudes charm, with its original molding and staircase, high ceilings, hardwood floors, and historic windows. The ground floor features a large living room and formal dining room and half-bath. The kitchen has a breakfast bar and contains gas cooking and refurbished countertops. There is an adjacent room with outdoor access that can be used as a mud room, pantry, small office, or breakfast nook. Upstairs you will find 3 good-sized bedrooms and a full bath in the hall. One of the bedrooms accesses a huge storage attic. The lower level serves as a laundry and storage area. The sellers have just had the area professionally waterproofed and have installed a new, energy-efficient combination gas boiler for radiator heat and hot water. The home is cooled by four mini-split units that also provide additional heat, if needed. There is a 2-level deck off the kitchen in the back yard, as well as a new rear fence and a one-car parking space accessible from the alley. From there, you can enter the kitchen or the lower level using a minimum of stairs to bring in groceries. The sellers have cherished this home for nearly ten years and have priced it to leave room for a new owner to keep as is or choose their own renovations for a historic or more modern feel. This is your chance to own in Brookland only blocks from Metro and 12th Street amenities for a reasonable price, so make your offer today.”
  • 1443 Oak Street NW #102 — $299,900 — Columbia Heights
    Open Sun. 2-4 p.m. — Felicia Brewster
    “This light-filled one-bedroom, one-bathroom condo features an in-unit washer and dryer, hardwood floors, and spacious living and bedroom spaces. Freshly painted throughout — this home is MOVE-IN READY.”
  • 1411 F Street NE — $1,074,900 — Capitol Hill
    Open Sat. 2-4 p.m. — Pfashema Faber & Katherine Krevor
    $40k PRICE REDUCTION “This tastefully renovated classic D.C. Victorian row home has it all — including an English basement apartment that will subsidize your mortgage with the rental income you can generate! Light and airy, this home is a peaceful refuge in the heart of the city and perfectly situated at the crossroads of Capitol Hill and the H Street Corridor.”
  • 2550 17th Street NW #209 — $484,900 — Adams Morgan
    Open Sat. 2-4 p.m. & Sun. 1-3 p.m. — Monique Van Blaricom
    “Unit 209 is a spacious, move-in ready 1-bedroom condo featuring modern finishes and open-concept living — perfect for entertaining. The large window in the bedroom and balcony door drench this unit in sunlight! Enjoy a cup of coffee and a good book on the private balcony off of the living room.”
  • 1259 4th Street SW #7 — $1,299,900 — Southwest Waterfront
    Open Sun. 12-2 p.m. — Marshall Carey
    “Gorgeous and meticulously renovated 4-story, 4 bed, 3.5 bath mid-century townhome in the amazing Tiber Island community located in the vibrant SW D.C. waterfront. As you approach this gorgeous home, you’ll enjoy the beautiful new private bluestone patio and landscape lighting.”
  • 4121 9th Street NW #2 — $535,000 — Petworth
    Open Sat. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. — Ashley Brudowsky
    $10k PRICE REDUCTION “This stunning condo was built in 2018 — it boasts gorgeous hardwood floors, an open layout that is flooded with natural light, a designer kitchen that is perfect for entertaining, two spacious bedrooms, plentiful closet space, and the LOWEST condo fees in the neighborhood.”

Start Your Holiday Season With Messiah at Washington National Cathedral

By PoP Sponsor (a)

For many in the Washington area, the holidays don’t begin until they sing along to the resounding and inspiring “Hallelujah Chorus” that ends the majestic “Messiah” by Handel.

Don’t miss your chance to be part of this unforgettable show when the Washington National Cathedral Baroque Orchestra and the Cathedral Choir take the stage for three performances, from December 2-4, with a special concert — shortened, and ideal for children — on Saturday December 3 at noon.

G.F. Handel’s “Messiah” will resound around the classic and historic Neo-Gothic ecclesiastical architecture of the famed National Cathedral and will not only get you ready for the holidays but will stay with you for weeks to come.

Tickets are on sale now but will, if tradition holds, sell out soon!

City Ridge’s First Tree Lighting Festival December 3

By PoP Sponsor (a)
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There’s no better place to ring in the holidays than City Ridge’s Christmas Tree Lighting Festival!

The neighborhood is celebrating its first holiday season by hosting fun, FREE seasonal activities from 4-8 p.m. on Saturday, December 3, including:

Tree Lighting Ceremony — Hosted by NBC4’s Shawn Yancy, City Ridge’s tree lighting ceremony will kick off at 7 p.m., featuring a performance and sing-along with a local choir.

Festive, Kid-Friendly Activities — Throughout the evening, families are invited to join all kinds of fun activities across the property:

  • Face painting
  • Crafts
  • Train rides
  • Write letters to and take photos with Santa
  • Live performances from carolers, choirs and more!

Goodies & Giveaways — Warm up with delicious bites from King Street Oyster Bar before they open their permanent doors at City Ridge! At the Sweets Shoppe, guests can also select from a variety of seasonal treats or decorate cookies with Wegmans. Guests will also walk away with gifts and goodies to bring home and keep the celebrations going throughout the season.

WHEN — The event will be from 4-8 p.m. on Saturday, December 3, with the Tree Lighting Ceremony from 7-7:30 p.m.
WHERE — The Tree Lighting Ceremony will take place on the Great Lawn at the entrance to City Ridge (14 Ridge Square NW), with activities scattered throughout the property. Parking is available on-site.
HOW — Click here to register.

Real Estate Fresh Finds: November 16

By PoP Sponsor (a)

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

Featured Property of the Week: 2601 Klingle Road NW

“The rarest of opportunities is now available. 2601 Klingle Road NW is nestled into a quiet national park, surrounded by nature and protected lands with unparalleled wooded views. Yet it’s only a half mile from Cleveland Park’s Metro, shops and restaurants. Uniquely situated on a cul de sac with only five other houses, this contemporary 3,908 sq. ft. four bedroom, three and a half bathroom home awaits its next fortunate owner. As you enter the home you are greeted by a two-story sun-filled foyer and newly refinished oak hardwood floors throughout the main level. To your right an open plan living room, anchored by a cozy wood-burning fireplace, opens to a step-down family room with cathedral ceilings and a wall of windows overlooking the forests of Rock Creek Park. The formal dining room is to the left of the foyer. With ample countertops and cabinetry, including a center island, this spacious kitchen offers an eat-in breakfast nook to enjoy informal meals. Through sliding glass doors is the first of three outdoor spaces — a large deck overlooking sylvan Rock Creek Park and the ideal location for entertaining and al fresco dining. A two-car attached garage off the kitchen provides the ever-coveted covered parking, with a driveway for an additional two spaces. A powder room completes the main level. Upstairs you’ll find a loft-office or sitting room, with soaring ceilings that overlooks the main level and boasts peaceful wooded vistas. On the way to the primary suite is a thoughtfully proportioned space — ideal for reading or quiet contemplation. The primary suite provides a bedroom with vaulted ceilings, an en-suite bathroom with double vanity, tub and separate shower, a spacious walk-in closet and sylvan views. Three additional closets are found in the office. You will also find stairs to a roof deck with tree-top views. The newly carpeted lower level hosts three additional sizeable bedrooms and two updated, ceramic tile full bathrooms. Its generously proportioned recreational room gives access to the patio.”

Other Notable Fresh Listings:

  • The Most Expensive Home of the Week is a 3 BR/3.5 BA penthouse unit at Wardman Tower in Woodley Park and features 4 parking spaces, climate-controlled storage, a gas fireplace, heated floors, and a huge private rooftop terrace — all for $5.5M.
  • “This quaint 3 bedroom 2 bath [Petworth rowhome] is the perfect fit for someone looking to move out of their condo or apartment for more space or to start a family. The deep lot in the rear allows for plenty of room for entertaining complete with a carport for off-street parking. Tastefully updated, with mini-splits, hot water heater, boiler, bathroom upgrades, and fresh paint.”
  • “MOTIVATED SELLER! It’s the VIBRANT dream you’ve been waiting for! RARELY available, we invite you to 1115 H Street NE right in the heart of the H Street Corridor. You can’t miss this quaint LIGHT FILLED 1 BD|1 BA condo featuring FRESH paint throughout, gleaming hardwood floors, stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops, and community roof top!”
  • Your REO/Bank-Owned Property of the Week is a 3 BR/2 BA semi-detached 3 level rowhome “on a wonderfully level long lot, has been beautifully updated and is ready for you right now!”

Caring Managers, Flexible Hours, Good Pay: A Well-Paid Maids Employee Shares Her Experience

By PoP Sponsor (a)

Brittany was born and raised in the DMV area. The mom of two started working at Well-Paid Maids in May.

Well-Paid Maids is the only living-wage cleaning company in the District. It pays employees — not contractors — a starting wage of $22 an hour. It offers health, dental, vision and life insurance, and it gives employees 24 paid days off per year.

We caught up with Brittany to see what she had to say about her time at Well-Paid Maids so far:

What excited me most about Well-Paid Maids was the way everyone was so caring, the flexible hours and the reasonable pay. It was refreshing to know I could work somewhere with great pay all while having a flexible schedule — that was different from almost every place I have worked before. 

My favorite part of the job is the connections I get to make with my clients.

What has helped me most while being here is being able to set my schedule so that I can handle some of my daily duties as a mom of two.

If I had to describe Well Paid Maids in one sentence it would be, ‘It’s the best company you could work for.’

Want to book a cleaning with Brittany or any of our other cleaners? Schedule an appointment online.

DC Open House List for This Weekend

By PoP Sponsor (a)

Now that it’s getting dark much earlier, so are the open house times scheduled across the District. While interest rates aren’t dropping drastically, things are looking up. Take a look at our favorite open houses below and to see the full Open House List, click here.

  • 232 Nicholson Street NE — $625,000 — Riggs Park
    Open Sat. 1-3 p.m. — Molly Branson
    “Modern 3 bedroom, 2 full bath semi-detached home in Riggs Park! From top to bottom you will find meticulous craftsmanship with quality upgrades and high design appeal. The owners recently expanded and opened up the first floor bringing in even more light and additional kitchen storage space (which we all need!). Striking hardwoods throughout, skylights, ceramic tiled bathrooms floor to ceiling, a gorgeous kitchen with pendant lighting, quartz countertops, subway tile, pantry and stainless-steel appliances make this home a space you will enjoy living and entertaining in. The lower level has a third bedroom with a full bath, luxury vinyl tile flooring, washer and dryer and plenty of storage. Enjoy the privacy of a backyard for grilling and nights around the firepit! Ease of access to a rear two car parking pad with steps down to your backdoor. Fort Totten Metro is only minutes away along with many other neighborhood amenities you will enjoy.”
  • 525 Kennedy Street NW #6 — $498,000 — Brightwood Park
    Open Sat. 1-3 p.m. — Tommy Ferris
    “Act fast and check out this great 1,200 sq. ft. 2020 condo conversion in the Brightwood Park neighborhood It offers plenty of natural light, an open and airy floor plan for the living room, dining area and kitchen, plus two large bedrooms and two full baths.”
  • 1986 Retta Gilliam Court SE — $669,900 — Congress Heights
    Open Sat. 1-3 p.m. — Tiffanyanne Tomlinson
    “Your SE D.C. oasis awaits you right here in Fairlawn Estates! This exclusive gated community of only 20 fully detached homes delivered in 2010 is perfect for a new or growing household! This home features well over 2,500 square feet of living space spread across 3 levels.”
  • 3411 Holmead Place NW — $1,100,000 — Columbia Heights
    Open Sat. 2-4 p.m. — Kevin Wood
    “This 5 bedroom, 3.5 bath house is a 5 minute walk to the CH metro, Giant supermarket, Le Caprice French Bakery, Thip Khao, many more restaurants, services and shops. The property has been completely renovated and features, on the main level, a large, eat-in kitchen with high-end cabinets and appliances, soaring ceilings, a massive dining room, warm hardwood floors, ample living space, and a half-bath.”
  • 5011 Astor Place SE — $599,000 — Marshall Heights
    Open Sun. 1-3 p.m. — Tumi Demuren
    “Brand New townhouse comes with ample space and amazing natural light. This large 4 bedroom 3 1/2 bath townhouse also comes with 4 large bedrooms, 2 living rooms, wet bar, and a private back yard. Not too far from RFK stadium capitol hill, this townhouse gives you the space you need for storage, living, and entertaining.”
  • 5017 7th Place NW — $$1,099,000 — Petworth
    Open Sat. & Sun. 2-4 p.m. — Dshaminova Shaminova
    “Nestled on a quiet street in the popular Petworth neighborhood, located less than 1 mile from the metro, this immaculate classic interior unit row home has been meticulously renovated from the ground up to see the most stringent demands of modern luxury living without losing touch with it’s priceless historic charm.”

Get Smart With City Chic: Guide to DC’s First Time Home Buyer Programs

By PoP Sponsor (a)

Get Smart With City Chic is a bi-weekly column giving you the real talk rundown on what’s happening with the D.C. real estate market. Sponsored and written by Lindsay Dreyer, the broker/owner of City Chic Real Estate.

Can you really buy a house with zero down?

Buying your first home can be exciting and scary. The most overwhelming part is figuring out how to finance your purchase and making sense of all your options.

The great news? D.C. has some awesome first time homebuyer programs available. Before we dive into specifics, let’s define a few terms.

  • Down Payment: Upfront money to purchase a home.
  • Closing Costs: Additional fees due at closing, above and beyond your down-payment, such as fees for an attorney, a title search, title insurance, taxes, lender costs and some upfront housing expenses such as homeowners insurance. Usually 3-4% of sales price.
  • Transfer/Recordation Tax: Tax charged at closing by the city/county/state.
  • Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI): What you usually pay when you put less than a 20% down payment. PMI insures the mortgage for the lender in the event that the borrower defaults.

Okay, get to it… show me the money! Here’s the lowdown on D.C.’s first time homebuyer programs.

PS — income and price limits change annually, so these numbers are for 2022.

  • Overview: 30 year fixed, FHA or conventional loan where they give you 3-3.5% down-payment assistance. The down payment assistance is an interest free loan that is repaid when you sell, move out, or refinance.
  • Income Limit: $154,800
  • How to Apply: Through a participating lender

(more…)

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