Admin

Washington, DC Real Estate News

By Shantée Haynes | AHWD, C2EX, Helping the DMV On The Move...
(Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty | Washington, DC )
📍 Understanding the Surge in Expireds and What It Means for Sellers and BuyersThere’s a shift happening across the Washington, DC real estate market—and it's not just about prices or interest rates. A growing number of homes are being pulled from the market altogether, many after sitting unsold for weeks.In fact, across major U.S. cities, expired listings have surged nearly 50% year-over-year. Here in the DC metro area, sellers are backing out of the market at the fastest rate since the height of the pandemic. Why? Most are chasing prices that buyers are no longer willing to pay.Sellers Still Expect 2022 Prices — But It’s a Different Market NowMany homeowners are listing their properties based on what their neighbor got two years ago. The problem? Today’s buyers are shopping with 2025 w...
Comments 2
By Patricia Kennedy, Home in the Capital
(RLAH@properties)
In 1935, when Harry Truman rented a 2-bedroom apartment at the Kennedy-Warren, his rent was an outrageous $150 per month.  Today, there is one available for a montly rent of $7,500.  This Art Deco landmark is located at 3133 Connecticut Avenue NW, sitting on about four city blocks between Klingle Valley and the National Zoo.  Architect Joseph Younger designed the building for Edgar Kennedy and Monroe Warren, and soon after it opened in 1931, the Depression caught up with them.  At that time – and since then – the Kennedy Warren has been a bank owned property.  And B.F. Saul, the local lender that took it over when Kennedy and Warren bellied up, completed the building according to Younger’s original plan (the plans turned up after being lost for decades).  They started the project in 200...
Comments 16
We've known for a long time that Baltimore's Mount Vernon neighborhood is super convenient for DC commuters, but today we decided to put it to the test! My partner, Catrin Davies, agreed to start in "ms. davies takes the train," a video short showing the ease of the Marc Train commute.  Just one of the many things that makes Baltimore City, and Mount Vernon a terrific place to live!  
Comments 1
By Patricia Kennedy, Home in the Capital
(RLAH@properties)
If you or one of your clients is looking for a great house in Georgetown, there's a pretty Victorian bayfrong for sale at 1331 30th Street NW.  The agent, Lupe Rohrer, will be holding it open Sunday, August 17th between 1 and 4 in the afternoon.  Like many agents who blog on Active Rain, I sometimes write posts about agents behaving badly.  I try not to rant.  I try to make them funny. Well, this post is the exact opposite of a rant.  Lupe recently brought in an offer on one of my listings.  It was not a slam dunk for her.  While I was trying to get her offer to my clients, who were out of the country with dubious communications possibilities, another offer came in.  She was a total pro, and her quick action and good advice got her buyers the house. Now, I'd like to return the favor and...
Comments 7
By Patricia Kennedy, Home in the Capital
(RLAH@properties)
Whether you are visiting Washington, DC or you live here, the National Zoo is one of the city's favorite attractions for children of all ages. The zoo opened in 1889, and a year later it became part of the Smithsonian.  The oldest building now standing is the old monkey house (recently renovated and reopened as The Think Tank).  Today, the zoo is home to about 2000 animals, not counting a large population of mice who hang out in the gorilla cages. The best time of day to visit the zoo is in the morning.  The animals are pretty lively then, and for most of them, it's mealtime.  In the morning, you'll find the cheetahs racing around their area after a white rag on a pulley - they think it's a rabbit.  When they're exhausted from their run, the caretakers throw meat at them - sort of like ...
Comments 6
By Lanre-"THE REAL ESTATE FARMER" Folayan, I don't make promises.I deliver results.SOLD HOMES
(ERNAL REAL ESTATE GROUP with Samson Properties)
                                              Despite total home sold dollar volume down 29.82% from a year ago,people are still buying homes in Washington DC. 506 houses for sale in Washington DC were sold compared to 550 last month. Out of the total 506 of the houses for sale in Washington DC that sold in July 2008,221 of them were on the market from 1-30 days. That shows that if you price your home right based on recent solds and market activity,you have a very good chance of finding a buyer who is going to buy your house. There are also 3363 houses for sale in Washington DC. This amount of inventory creates a lot of buying opportunity for buyers who are talking about buying a house or have already started the home buying process.   Washington D.C. From: 07/01/2008 to 07/31/2008     ...
Comments 3
By Julie Kippen
I think most of us have seen pine cones. These pretrified cones found at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History are amazing. I can not imagine how big the trees would have been to have cones like these. The Museum can be found downtown at the National Mall. There is something for everyone to see at the National Mall from space to plants. Plan a few days to see all of the sites.      
Comments 2
By Julie Kippen
If you are planning a trip to Washington D C make sure you stop in the US Botanic Garden at the Nation Mall. The flowers and plants are incredible. Saturday August 16th is One Planet Ours Family Day from 10:00 am -4:30 pm. There will be cooking demonstrations, tours, and activities.  The US Botanic Gardens got it's start in 1816. It contains a collection of plants from all over the globe.  Here are a few pictures of orchids that you can see in the Conservatory.                      
Comments 8
By Shantée Haynes | AHWD, C2EX, Helping the DMV On The Move...
(Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty | Washington, DC )
So just how open are any of you to networking and marketing yourselves/brands to RE professionals ASIDE from other agents/Realtors?? You mean you don't have a separate set of business cards to hand out to a title agent, or occasionally take lunch to a small mortgage office? What are you in this business for?!!? It takes a village to put a family in a home! (LOL) Often, I hear and read from agents and Realtors how important it is to network and get your name out there, etc...Well who better to network with than others who are instrumental in the home buying/selling process as well as yourselves? The same process we come up with to get tactics to sell homes and get listings are some of the same things we can gather to attract others in the RE community, getting on a first name basis with ...
Comments 3
By Patricia Kennedy, Home in the Capital
(RLAH@properties)
As you cross the Taft Bridge heading north on Connecticut Avenue, you’ll see a mural of Marilyn Monroe.  This is your welcome to Woodley Park, one of Washington, DC’s most popular neighborhoods. Builder and real estate developer, Harry Wardman (1872-1938), left a large footprint in the neighborhood with his Wardman Towers.  He also designed many of the brick townhouses that are famous for beautiful oak floors with mahogany inlays and for their dysfunctional galley kitchens.While most of the houses have had their kitchens redone over the decades, you can live in Woodley Park and never cook or wash a dish.  Between the Metro stop and your home, you’ll find restaurants serving up cuisines from around the globe, and most offer takeout or home delivery.For runners and cyclists, there is an e...
Comments 2
By Shantée Haynes | AHWD, C2EX, Helping the DMV On The Move...
(Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty | Washington, DC )
Now as agents, I know a lot of you are not in the business of staging yourselves. Some of you are probably on sales teams that may have a couple of people who do staging. But have any of you considered going that little extra mile for some of your sellers and staging their patio? It's not as extensive as staging an entire home, in which an expert would be an order. If it's not something you haven't considered before, maybe this free e-book will give you some ideas for your next open house. The idea is that even if the showing/open house doesn't result in a sale that soon, the sellers will be so impressed with your willingness to give them something extra, they will have no problem recommending you to someone...good luck!   To get the free e-book just google: Staging fabulous patios Davi...
Comments 1
By Patricia Kennedy, Home in the Capital
(RLAH@properties)
OK, all you stagers out there!  Today, I learned beyond a doubt how important your role is in getting a home ready for the market. I started off my first day back at work on a high.  And not from having just gotten off an airplane.  I was going to show a fabulous house to some favorite clients, and I really thought it would make their hearts skip beats. Last year, I showed this Wardman bayfront townhouse in Woodley Park to some friends who were coming back to town.  The place had been beautifully restored by owners who obviously had great respect for Harry Wardman's original work.  Last year's buyers loved it, but their timing was a little off.  This had been our first outing, and their home in California wasn't even on the market yet.  By the time they were ready to buy, someone else h...
Comments 14
By Shantée Haynes | AHWD, C2EX, Helping the DMV On The Move...
(Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty | Washington, DC )
  Ever since I began say...back to taking my classes last summer, I became the queen of getting free stuff! Most of it, in the form of e-books! I will be more than happy to share these with you, of course upon the understanding that I will only be passing along things that are authorized to be shared, reproduced and passed along as per the original authors and distributors. I am a "googling" champion, anything I want, I find several ways to phrase it and wind up with a wealth of information, some of what I am looking for, and some good stuff I tripped upon! Magic phrases like: "free stuff for realtors" or "free stuff for real estate agents" usually bring a lot of great stuff. You pretty much learn your way around by being creative with various words and phrases.  The FREE e-book realm f...
Comments 4
By Shantée Haynes | AHWD, C2EX, Helping the DMV On The Move...
(Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty | Washington, DC )
One of my biggest challenges is the inevitable website. I have tons of ideas and have seen LOTS of various offers from companies who give free hosting, a free template, etc. Make no mistake, it's always tempting to take advantage of something free, so naturally my curiosity gets the best of me and I give it a look. W/O naming names, the offer for the free hosting turned out to be true...HOWEVER, it was a wash when it came to the "extras" they offered...at a cost. Then there are the few free templates that are given, but, they are limiting in that you can only upload but so much non-text content to the pages and you don't get many pages as per the proposed content you will want to have on. Does anyone use anything other than their company supplied websites? What benefits do you have with...
Comments 5
By James Downing - Metro DC Houses Team REALTORS®, CRS, GRI, ABR,MRP, MilRes, When Looking to Buy or Sell - Make the Right Move
(Real Living | At Home)
Current Number of Homes Active and Under Contract in the Washington DC area: Here is the breakdown as of August 4th, 2008 This week inventory levels have dropped; mostly due to seasonal drops.  Many Listings have expired and many sellers take their homes off the market during what is often 'said' to be the "slowest" time of the year.  Washington DC, Montgomery County and Arlington County; continue to have inventory levels close to last year.  However in Prince Georges County; the number of properties are SIGNIFICANTLY higher - in fact at the highest levels in years. Here are the number of homes on the market including the number of homes that were taken Off (EXPIRED) the market last week.  example: Single Family Homes in DC; 61 LESS on market from last week, but 68 "expired" - in realit...
Comments 2
By Shantée Haynes | AHWD, C2EX, Helping the DMV On The Move...
(Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty | Washington, DC )
Sooooo....can any office managers tell me what they look for in a new agent? I mean when a newbie comes to you for an interview, do you read their faces? Do you look for someone who asks more questions of you than you do of them? What has been your turnaround for those that you chose to take on? What were their reasons for leaving if they're still no longer with you?   I have TONS of questions as you can see. I look at my search for an office as though I am in the market for a new family. The place where I hang my license is where I am going to call home, even if I am not there very much. I'd like to know I can go to the "mother" or the "father" of the office and get the guidance needed so that at least SOME of the so -called inevitable "rookie mistakes" can be avoided.  Money and indep...
Comments 3
By James Downing - Metro DC Houses Team REALTORS®, CRS, GRI, ABR,MRP, MilRes, When Looking to Buy or Sell - Make the Right Move
(Real Living | At Home)
Who said the market is dead?  In the Popular Dupont Circle neighborhood; a properly-priced condo can get multiple offers. Dupont Circle is a fantastic location for many.  With close proximity to Metro, Restaurants, shopping and the simple fact that for those folks working in many Government Offices or downtown DC businesses; it is a fantastically short commute.  (and with $4 a gallon gas - WOW). There may not be multiple offers in the burbs - where homes are a plenty... in the heart of DC... they are not building more land!  Plus the prices of the Super-New constructed condos are at Top Dollar - even in this market. With only 10 days on the market; I for the 1st time in quite a while - have multiple offers on a listing.  With two offers in hand and perhaps one or two coming Monday morni...
Comments 5
By Claude Labbe, Realty for Your Busy Life
(RLAH / @properties)
I met the owner of Diana's Books today.. Think of how one recycles a book. Mostly, into the trash; if not, partial paper recycling. Diana' Books takes it to a whole order of magnitiude up. Donations cheerfully accepted, Thursday 6-9 pm in Fairfax. They are doing some great work, go see them. If you are looking to recycle anything else, here are a few ideas to get you thinking, the Alexandria/Arlington Reuse Directory.
Comments 1
By Catarina Bannier, DC Real Estate The Smart And Fun Way
(Compass)
We all know that trees, shrubs and ornamental plants can beautify a house and certainly increase its curb appeal. Usually, that is. There are some, however, that don’t help, like when they’ve grown to completely obscure an attractive façade, or when their roots have started to invade the foundation of the home like a malicious tumor, bringing in moisture and threatening the substance of the whole structure. The "tree" in the chimney here, right at the front of a house I just showed, is probably not a serious threat.  But it's on a beautiful old house on a beautiful block in a great neighborhood.  It’s an expensive house as well, with gracious proportions and a top dollar asking price. When we looked at old pictures from a previous sale of the same property a couple of years ago, my buye...
Comments 5
By Shantée Haynes | AHWD, C2EX, Helping the DMV On The Move...
(Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty | Washington, DC )
As a potential seller or buyer, you are probably wondering "Why did she bother stepping into this line of work with the kind of market we are experiencing now?" It wouldn't be the first time within the past year that question has been asked of me by friends, family, co-workers and people I have met and talked to casually. The main reason I became interested in Real Estate, was the many opportunities that I would be presented to help people, not simply just to list and sell homes. As an experienced salesperson, working retail was no longer challenging or fun, and I didn't want to start looking at customers only as transactions benefiting my pocket. Once that concern began to loom in my head on a regular basis, I knew it was time to move on and gain insight to how I could work a sales-bas...
Comments 3
By Dana Couch-Davis, CRS, GRI, ABR, SRES
(Kendall Haney Realty Group)
I'm not usually one for posting about other businesses, but I've decided to share a little information with the folks on the Rain. I'm a dog lover.  A big dog lover!  I mean, I have a Yorkshire Terrier who is 13 years old, and two Papillon sisters who just turned 3 years old a few months ago.  I really do love having them around ... they are constant. But that's a different post! I found this wonderful Veterinary Cinic in DC that is just wonderful.  It is call City Paws on 14th St NW at T Street.  The ladies who are the Vets at the clinic are wonderful.  They are loving towards the animals; they speak to the pets with love; they adorn their individual exam rooms with pictures of themselves with their own pets (and even their spouses); and they make it such a wonderful and gentle environ...
Comments 1
Explore Washington, DC
Washington, DC Real Estate Professionals