If you are considering a move to the Washington D.C. area, you might be interested in learning a little bit about our climate.  The D.C. area has four distinct seasons and its climate is classified as humid subtropical. Brian's Quick & Easy Reference Guide to the D.C. Area Seasons (you really don't need much more information than this):   WINTER:  Mostly mild, but sometimes bitter cold.  Not much snow.  Occasional ice storm.  SPRING:  Beautiful.  Come see the Cherry Blossoms bloom. SUMMER: HOT! HOT! HOT! and HUMID!  Frequent evening thunderstorms.  If you want to search for homes during the D.C. summer, please read some of the comments here: Hot, Hot, Hot: Showing Homes in the Scorching Heat! FALL:  Mild, but stays pretty warm until early November.   The following chart shows the averag... 02/26/2008

Washington, DC : Market Update 2/25/2008Current Number of Homes Active and Under Contract in the Washington DC area: Here is the breakdown as of February 25th, 2008In the Washington DC area, The number of Homes on the market continues to increase and should continue to increase until early July.The Washington DC Real Estate Market; does have a considerably larger inventory this year; comparedto the same time last year.  There are over 50% more homes for buyers to choose from vs. end of February of '07.   How this will play into going into spring; it yet to be seen.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; 22 more on market from last week, but 22 "expired" - in reality... 02/25/2008

There were 16 Properties Sold the the Dupont Circle Area in January.Here are the homes sold in DUPONT CIRCLE* in January 2008:The properties sold between: $170,000 - $925,000The average List price was: $372,200   The average SOLD Price was: $370,475Average Days on the Market: 53  Type           #Bedrooms/Baths          List Price         Sold Price        Days on MarketCondo               Studio/1                  $175,000        $170,000                91Condo               Studio/1                  $235,000        $237,000                 0Condo                   1/1                     $249,000        $251,500                 3Condo               Studio/1                  $249,500        $234,000                40Co-op                   1/1                     $274,000         $274,0... 02/23/2008

The month of January had mixed results around the DC Metro area.  Washington DC and Arlington County saw an Average Sold Price, higher than it was for last January.  The exception being Prince Georges and Montgomery Counties, where the average sold price continues to fall due to such a high inventory of homes for sale.Number of Homes Sold; continues to be lower than last year.  DAYS on the Market; shows how many days it is taking to sell a home. Arlington County has the lowest Days on the Market, followed closely by Washington DC.% of List Price; is the AVERAGE % of the LIST Price that a home is selling.  In January the % sold vs List price is the LOWEST it has been in years - with the exception of the District where it increased over 2% from December.  AV sold Price   Price vs.  LST YR... 02/23/2008

Ring Microsoft customer service and you will be speaking with someone in India.  Unwrap the Power Rangers action figures in the box under the Christmas tree and you'll likely find that it was made in China.  So was your iPhone.  The homegrown Ford that you drive may have been assembled in Detroit, but likely has parts from a dozen countries around the globe.The World is Flat, so wrote journalist Thomas Friedman in his oft-quoted 2005 book.  International boundaries are spanned by the internet and people around the world frequently communicate for free in real-time.  Jetsetting from New York to London to Shanghai to Berlin to Hong Kong and Seoul is no longer the exclusive province of the well-to-do but rather an essential part of doing business in the global economy and more and more fre... 02/21/2008

What's Selling - Washington DC - Logan Circle / Mt Vernon Square Neighborhoods Here are the Properties that sold in this Washington DC Neighborhood:  2/11 - 2/17Type of Property      #BR/Baths                 List Price           Closed Price     # Days on MarketCondo                      1/1.5                      $440,000            $439,000                 198        Condo                       2/2                        $539,900            $539,900                 270             Condo                       2/2                        $419,762            $475,000**             185Condo                       2/1                        $479,000            $467,000                 120Condo                       2/2                        $699,000            $699,000                  85C... 02/20/2008

There are lots of web sites out there promising you all kinds of help you might not need if you are buying or selling a house or condo.  It might be access to a gazillion lenders or real estate agents who will cut interest rates or commissions for a crack at your business.  It might be the ability to get access to listing information without speaking to some pesky real estate sales person.  It might be a free estimate of your home's value. So you push "Continue".  Then a little screen comes up asking for your basics - your name, where you live and how to contact you.  Then you're off to this wonderul web site where you can do it yourself or save a few bucks - or maybe not. What happens next is that the proprietor of this web site sells your information to one or more lenders and real es... 02/18/2008

In this market, our biggest challenge seems to be pricing our listings right on the bulls eye.  But how to do that is sometimes pretty tricky.  Today's Washington Post carried an article about an interesting approach to pricing, so looking for any help I can get, I read every word of it. Writer, Sandy Fleishman, cited a study by Cornell University showing that houses with prices ending in "000" tend to sell for less than homes with a more precise number.  If, for example, you set your number at $649,000, your home could be expected to sell for less that a number like $648,723.    Then there was a second study that Redfin did looking at 3,000 sales in Seattle.  They concluded that a price ending in "500" was the best for pumping up the bottom line.  So by lowering the asking price to $64... 02/16/2008

 Washington DC is the epi-center of the Federal Government and the many Agencies that are a part of US Government.  The Pentagon is most notably the home of the Joint Chiefs and the US Military.  However; the United States Coast Guard, under the command of Commandant Thad Allen - has it's own Headquarters - just a couple of miles away - inside the District of Columbia.The US Coast Guard is under the control of the Department of Homeland Security and it's Headquarters building is not a part of the Pentagon complex; the Coast Guard Headquarters is located in the South West section of the District Of Columbia.  An area of DC that has gone through a couple of Urban Renewal projects; is again seeing change as the new Washington Nationals Baseball Stadium is being built just blocks away.The C... 02/15/2008

Just 6 blocks from the grounds of White House, lies the Northwest Washington DC Neighborhood known as Logan Circle.  Logan Circle, which is actually a Park/Traffic Circle, was named after Civil War General and Senator John Logan.The neighborhood around this "Circle" is known as the Logan Circle Neighborhood.  It's popularity has grown over recent years.  It is directly to the East of the sought-after Dupont Circle Neighborhood, and its proximity to the downtown/business areas along the K-Street corridor, make the location perfect for those who want to be able to walk to their office.The neighborhood is bordered by S Street to the north, 9th Street to the east, 16th Street to the west, and Massachusetts Avenue to the south.Logan Circle has a wide range of housing options.  From the old V... 02/15/2008

What's Selling - Washington DC - Logan Circle / Mt Vernon Square Neighborhoods Here are the Properties that sold in this Washington DC Neighborhood:  2/4 - 2/10Type of Property      #BR/Baths                 List Price           Closed Price     # Days on MarketRow House                5/4.5                    $1,199,000         $1,185,000                368        Row House                 9/2                        $875,000            $765,000                 300             Condo                       1/1                        $395,000            $374,500                  52Condo                      1/1.5                      $431,900             $431,900                 115Condo                       1/1                        $323,900             $323,900                 0*Condo ... 02/11/2008

Buy a home in Washington DCWant to know one good reason to "Buy a home in Washington DC"? What if I told you that Washington,D.C is one of the hottest real estate market for foreign investors. Will that make you consider purchasing a Washington DC home? You should. Opportunities like this come once in a lifetime. While not take advantage of it now and make your money for you know? With the alarming rate of foreclosures in our country continuing to rise and home prices still declining, foreign investors are using this opportunity to beef up their investment portfolio. Washington DC is a very stable Real Estate Market.   According to a survey conducted by the Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate,Washington,D.C is one of the hottest real estate market for foreign investors. res... 02/09/2008

Join me Sunday at a wonderful Open House in the Logan Circle Neighborhood of Washington DC.  This condo in the Radius Building - at the heart of Logan Circle; is a Pet-Friendly Building, complete with e-lounge, and fitness center.This 1 Bedroom / 1 Bath unit comes with GARAGE PARKING and a wonderful OUTDOOR Terrace!Priced at $369,000.   Call James for all your Real Estate needs and questions; servicing Capitol Hill, Washington DC, Virginia and Maryland. RE/MAX Allegiance - Georgetown1720 Wisconsin Ave NWWashington DC 20007202-338-8900 Main OfficeLicensed in DC,MD,VA  02/08/2008

 In the Shadows of the US Capitol sits the popular Washington DC neighborhood known as Capitol Hill.  The Capitol Hill neighborhood, with its wide tree-lined avenues and many parks; is DC largest historic neighborhood.The Neighborhood became popular in the early days due to its close proximity to both the US Capitol and the Navy Yard, where members of Congress along with the craftsmen working at the Navy Yard; would walk the short distance to places of work.Capitol Hill Homes are composed mostly of many different styles of rowhouses. Everything from the early 19th century manor houses to  Federal townhouses, small frame dwellings, and late 19th century brick rowhouses.  While the lots for many of these homes are narrow; the Rowhouses of Capitol Hill can be quite large inside.While many ... 02/08/2008

 Breakwells Coffee, one of the welcomed new businesses near the Washington DC convention center; has reopened.  The coffee shop that was only about a year old; when an accidental electrical fire broke out and shut the local shop down last September.Located at the corner of 9th and M Street NW; the locally owned coffee shop is loved by the neighborhood folks, not just for the morning jolt of caffeine; but I hear the breakfast burritos are a MUST have!Many new businesses are opening around the Washington Convention Center; in the heart of the Mt. Vernon Square neighborhood and the local residents are excited with this increased number of new restaurants and services opening in the neighborhood.Breakwells Coffee. 900 M Street NW. Washington, DC 20001. Tel: (202) 289-4601   Call James for a... 02/06/2008

What's Selling - Washington DC - Logan Circle / Mt Vernon Square Neighborhoods Here are the Properties that sold in this Washington DC Neighborhood:  1/28 - 2/3Type of Property      #BR/Baths                 List Price           Closed Price     # Days on MarketCondo                       2/2                        $449,900            $426,000                178        Condo                       2/1                        $299,000            $299,000                 71             Condo                       1/1                        $259,000            $255,000                 67RowvHouse                1/1                        $299,999             $275,000                26Condo                       2/2                        $398,442             $390,000                42*Row Ho... 02/04/2008

Here's the Big Real Estate Story - Interest rates are headed in the 5-ish range again and prices have leveled. That's it. End of story. Sign here. In fact, the market is actually turning around. Despite what the two dailies have reported, homeowners and shoppers must look at pocket markets to determine how they're doing as far as the equity in their homes and in determining if it's time to hold or get sold.In the Washington, D.C. area, headlines from The Washington Post and The Washington Times would make any mere human shake in their household boots - "Region's Home Prices Continue to Fall; Some Pockets Thrive," and "Overvalued Homes Discourage Buyers." The statistics tell a different story. Consider these numbers from http://www.mris.com/ (the local MLS web site):December 2007 home sa... 02/01/2008

Like many cities, Washington, DC has landlord-tenant laws that really do protect a tenant's rights.  It is extremely difficult to get rid of a tenant who is paying rent, even after the lease expires.  If the tenant is a total deadbeat, it is very difficult to evict. In addition to making evictions a major challenge, the law protects tenants whose homes are for sale.  When an offer comes in on a tenant occupied house or apartment, the seller cannot sell until the tenant "rejects" the right of first refusal.  And the tenants, even if they don't have two cents to rub together, have a bunch of months to make up their minds.   I once acted as a buyer broker for a tenant who held up the owner of his Logan Circle townhouse for about four years, and during that time, the value dropped from some... 01/30/2008

What's Selling - Washington DC - Logan Circle / Mt Vernon Square Neighborhoods Here are the Properties that sold in this Washington DC Neighborhood:  1/21 - 1/27Type of Property      #BR/Baths                 List Price           Closed Price     # Days on MarketCondo                       2/2.5                   $1,500,000          $1,425,000                66        Condo                       1/1                        $399,000            $379,000                 98*             Condo                       2/2                        $539,000            $535,000                 12                            *Units were part of multi-unit, newly-built complexes; DOM may not be accurate              This area boarders U Street to the North; 16th Street to the West; H street to the South... 01/28/2008

Real Estate Workshop! Holiday Inn Conference Room 45 Patricks Drive Waldorf,Maryland 20603 301-645-8200     Here's a Sample of What you will Learn! Coaching Institute's Real Estate Investment Workshop is one of the most popular real estate seminars in the country. Our entertaining and professional instructors promise that you will walk out of the room with tens of thousands of dollars worth of ideas to improve your bottom line. In the workshop, we will teach you:            1)    Create additional cash flow as you learn how to own and invest in your own                   properties with little or no money down.           2)    Apply creative funding so you don't have to go through Banks and Mortgage                   Companies.           3)    Learn how to acquire property through whol... 01/26/2008