The Cribline House Pick of the Week – Sunday November 11, 2012

November 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Greetings Cribline readers on this Spring, I mean 67 degree Fall day!

We made some good twists and turns this week as we toured homes in Logan Circle, Shaw, Foggy Bottom, Capitol Hill, Mt. Pleasant, and West End.

And, for the pick of the week, we chose 3324 18th Street, NW #2 in the restored Schafer Mansion listed for $549,900.  This is a one of a kind 2 bedroom 2 bath home on 2 levels.  What once was the Parlor is now a stunning condo with all amenities including a private porch. This home features original wood panels and a lot of light.

I blogged about The Schafer back in September, and told the story that this home emulated my grandparent’s home in Spokane Washington.  The Spokane home was apparently replicated in Washington, DC., and after 19 years of living in DC, this is the closest I have come to finding the replica.  It has many of the same features.

The Schafer before renovation

This is the E.J. Cannon home in Spokane that is similar to the Schafer. It’s one of the majestic mansions found on E. Rockwood Blvd.  E.J. Cannon was a prominent attorney in Spokane and the home was built in 1906 (Picture from 1944)

The Schafer today:

To the Point Analysis:

With 20 percent down of about $110,000, the amount mortgaged would be about $440,000.  At an estimated 3.5 percent interest rate for a 30-year fixed loan, the estimated monthly gross payment would be about $2,434/mo.  After tax deductions, the estimated net payment would be about $1,700/mo.  This doesn’t include the condo fee.

Check out more pictures of The Cannon Home in Spokane.  (It’s 6 bedrooms and 4 baths, which has an estimated value of $839,000 to give you a comparison, and is being rented for about $2,900/mo today).

Happy house hunting!

 

Filed Under: House of the Week Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Cribline House Pick of the Week – Sunday November 11, 2012

November 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Greetings Cribline readers on this Spring, I mean 67 degree Fall day!

We made some good twists and turns this week as we toured homes in Logan Circle, Shaw, Foggy Bottom, Capitol Hill, Mt. Pleasant, and West End.

And, for the pick of the week, we chose 3324 18th Street, NW #2 in the restored Schafer Mansion listed for $549,900.  This is a one of a kind 2 bedroom 2 bath home on 2 levels.  What once was the Parlor is now a stunning condo with all amenities including a private porch. This home features original wood panels and a lot of light.

I blogged about The Schafer back in September, and told the story that this home emulated my grandparent’s home in Spokane Washington.  The Spokane home was apparently replicated in Washington, DC., and after 19 years of living in DC, this is the closest I have come to finding the replica.  It has many of the same features.The Schafer before renovation

This is the E.J. Cannon home in Spokane that is similar to the Schafer. It’s one of the majestic mansions found on E. Rockwood Blvd.  E.J. Cannon was a prominent attorney in Spokane built in 1906 (Picture from 1944)

The Schafer today:

To the Point Analysis:

With 20 percent down of about $110,000, the amount mortgaged would be about $440,000.  At an estimated 3.5 percent interest rate for a 30-year fixed loan, the estimated monthly gross payment would be about $2,434/mo.  After tax deductions, the estimated net payment would be about $1,700/mo.  This doesn’t include the condo fee.

Check out more pictures of The Cannon Home in Spokane.  (It’s 6 bedrooms and 4 baths, which has an estimated value of $839,000 to give you a comparison, and is being rented for about $2,900/mo today).

Happy house hunting!

Filed Under: House of the Week Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Cribline House Pick of the Week – Sunday November 4, 2012

November 5, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Greetings Cribline readers!

The housing market in DC, even in November, is hopping!  This week, I was joined by 2 good friends on the tour of our great city.  And, the sunny brisk day, made the hurricane from earlier in the week seem like a distant memory.  I think we got pretty lucky here in DC!

We covered a lot of ground this week, and looked at about 10 homes that are new on the market.  Our tour hit Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park, Shaw, Petworth, and Capitol Hill.

This week’s pick is 1210 Independence Avenue, NE.  This stunning renovated classic Capitol Hill row house has all of the bells and whistles! … and a basement apartment to help offset the mortgage.  At $1,199,000, this 5 bedroom, 3 bath home is located in one of the Hill’s best blocks! 

 

This home has top of the line finishes and a warm open floor plan.  The kitchen is gourmet, and includes an island and granite counters and stainless steel appliances.  There is a stunning master suite with a custom tile bath custom moldings.  There are also 2 decks, a garage and a 2 bedroom basement apartment that would rent for about $2,000.  Check out the real estate math to see how this will offset about half of the mortgage.

To the Point Analysis: With 20 percent down on $1,199,000 of about $240,000, the mortgage would be about $960,000. At an estimated interest rate of 3.75 for a 30 year fixed rate, the gross monthly payment would be about $5,445.  Minus $2,000 for the rental apartment that would leave a gross payment of $3,445/mo.  And, after tax deductions, we estimate a final net payment to be about $2,450/mo.  With this detail and quality, I know of studio apartments that cost more than this!

Happy house hunting!

Filed Under: House of the Week Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Cribine House Pick of the Week – Sunday, October 28, 2012 (Hurricane Sandy Edition)

October 29, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Greetings Cribline readers!

The imminent hurricane “Sandy” didn’t stop anyone from hosting open houses today.  Foot traffic around town was pretty heavy!  I hope everyone is as prepared as can be for what has been described as the “perfect storm” or “Frankenstorm.”

Today I was joined by my friend Cliff for this week’s tour of our great city.  He introduced me to a new restaurant in Columbia Heights called Coup where we had brunch.  Try the Cappuccino or a Latte. And, today’s special… Hurricane Sandy Cocktail.

This is a great neighborhood, and it happens to be close to this week’s House Pick of the Week, which Cliff also had identified as one to check out: 719 Princeton Place, NW.  It’s listed for $659,999.  Although we ended up selecting a home located in the Parkview neighborhood, we did cover ground today in Dupont Circle, Shaw, Bloomingdale, Columbia Heights and Capitol Hill. 

This fully renovated home has it all including and open floor plan with a state of the art kitchen in the middle of the main floor. It features granite counters and stainless steel appliances.  There are 4 good sized bedrooms that include a large master suite with a sitting area, and 3.5 baths.

The home is also filled with light, has exposed brick, a wet bar, dual head showers, and a bonus space in the fully finished basement. There is a front porch, rear patio and parking.  It’s also just a couple blocks from the Metro. Click here for a virtual tour.

To the Point Analysis: With 20 percent down, of about $132,000, that would leave a mortgage of about $528,000.  With an estimated interest rate of 3.5 percent for a 30-year fixed mortgage, the gross payment would be about $2,900/mo.  After tax deductions we estimate a final net payment to be about $2,000/mo.

 

There is one honorable mention today – 1934 2nd Street, NW in the Bloomingdale neighborhood.  This is a 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath with a rental unit in the basement.  It’s listed for $724,900. 

Also check out Meridian Pint and Red Rocks restaurants in Columbia Heights the next time you’re in the neighborhood.  These are great spots.

Happy house hunting!!!

 

 

Filed Under: House of the Week Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Cribline’s Sneak Peak – Wednesday September 19, 2012

September 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Dear Cribline readers:

I just received a hot tip on a great property that just came on the market.  Check out 1816 5th Street, NW.  It’s a hot 2 bedroom, 2 bath open floor plan condo in the exploding Shaw neighborhood listed for $499,000.  It’s features an open floor plan, beautiful hard wood floors, and a kitchen with stainless steel appliances and granite counters.  

It’s close to new shops and some of the best neighborhood restaurants in the city.  The METRO is 2 blocks away.

 

To the Point Analysis:

With 20 percent down of about $99,000, the mortgage would be $400,000.  Mortgages under $417,000 allow for a conventional loan and the best interest rates.  At an estimated 3.5 percent 30 year fixed rate that would be a gross payment of about  $1,539/mo.  After estimated tax deductions, the net payment would be less than $1,100/mo.  The condo fee is about $300/mo.  This is a find!  

Filed Under: Blog, Sneak Peek Tagged With: , , ,

The Cribline House Pick of the Week – Sunday August 12, 2012

August 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Greetings Cribline readers!

It’s Sunday 8/12/12, and I’m just getting home to write this blog, and it occurred to me that I had an Italian oriented weekend, with a little Chinese influence mixed in.  One of the great things about this international city of ours… you can feel like you’re living in a number of countries.

Friday night I had dinner  at the great Italian restaurant Acqua Al 2 which is walking distance from my house at Eastern Market with 3 great friends (Kim, Jim, Jimmy) and my mom (Pattie, who’s still visiting from Oregon).

On Saturday afternoon, it was lunch at Peking Gourmet Inn in Falls Church (yes I stepped foot in Virginia:) ) with my colleague Sabrina and her husband, daughter, and father who is visiting from Tiawan, my mom, sister and 3 nephews.

Sabrina introduced me to their Peking Duck specialty earlier this year, and I think it’s one of the best dishes in the area. Servers carve it hot at your table, and it’s accompanied by plumb sauce, scallions and little pancakes that together can be rolled in a great wrap.  It really is out of this world, and well worth the 25 minute jaunt across the Potomac River!

On Saturday night it was Italian again (it was just a coincidence REALLY) at my very favorite restaurant in DC… Pasta Mia in Adams Morgan/Kalorama with my friends Cliff and Amanda.

I highly recommend the Ceasar Salad, the Tortellini Bolognese, and the Tiramisu for desert with a little Limoncello or Grappa as an aperitif.  Be hungry, and the line starts forming about 5:30pm for a 6:30pm first seating. The restaurant can accommodate 37 patrons. So, get there early if you want to get in on the first seating!

After dinner, Cliff, who’s studying Italian on the side, invited us over to watch a movie Benevonnuto Al Sud (Welcome to the South)… subtitles and all. It was charming!

And, to top it off, tonight, I went to see To Rome with Love by Woody Alan at E Street Theater, a recommendation from Kim from the other night.  Perhaps it was not as clever as Midnight in Paris, but it was still good!

In between the accordion music, and red and white checkered tablecloths (and red wine), I managed to squeeze in my Sunday Cribline house tour of the city.

We started the tour in the American University Park neighborhood, then onto LeDroit Park, then Shaw, Logan Circle, Brookland winding up on Capitol Hill near H Street.

This week, it was difficult to pick just one house, but a rare stand alone home in Brookland at 1300 Taylor Street, NE made the final cut. It’s listed at $639,000. It’s minutes from the Brookland Metro, Catholic University and all of the new development occurring in the neighborhood.

This single family Colonial brick home on a huge lot is 5 bedrooms and 3.5 baths. It was just completely renovated. There’s an open living and dining room on the first floor along with a large living room and family room and a half bath.  The kitchen features custom cabinets, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. The upstairs has 4 bedrooms and 2 baths, and there’s a bedroom and bath in the basement as well as a large living area. There’s also a garage. This is a find!

To the Point Analysis:

With 20 percent down on $639,000 of about $128,000, the mortgage would be about $511,000.  At an estimated 4 percent (the rates may be lower depending on credit), the gross payment will be about  $2,970/m0. (includes principle, interest, taxes and insurance). After estimated tax deductions we estimate a final net payment to be about $2,000/mo. 

 

There are four honorable mentions this week:

1610 6th Street, NW in Shaw listed for $674,500. This newly renovated home is 3 bedrooms and 3.5 baths. It has an open living and dining room  with exposed brick, and a gourmet kitchen with great granite counters and stainless steel appliances.  The basement has a front and rear entrances, kitchen and full bath.  

2611 11th Street, NW in Columbia Heights listed for $519,000.  This is a Two bedroom plus den open row house with a gourmet kitchen with granite and stainless steel appliances, and a basement with separate entrance (possible in-law suite).  

609 L Street, NE on Capitol Hill.  It’s listed for $629,000.  This 3 level, 3 bedroom and 3 bath condo home is state of the art (it’s one of two units).  It has all of the bells and whistles of modern city living, including a rood deck with views of the Capitol and panoramic view of the city.  It’s also steps to H Street.

Finally, check out 929 11th Street, NE on Capitol Hill near H Street.  It’s listed for $785,000. This 3 story renovated row home has 4 bedrooms and 3.5 baths including a legal rental unit.  It also has a modern gourmet kitchen with stainless steel appliances and granite counters, a breakfast bar and custom cabinets. And, there’s parking!

 

 

Filed Under: House of the Week Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Cribline House Pick of the Week – Sunday July 29, 2012

July 30, 2012 By 1 Comment

Greetings Cribline readers!

The weather has “cooled” a bit today and it made for great touring of our ever evolving city!  This week, the tour took some interesting twists and turns.  We had such a successful exploration of Brookland last week–and featured a home there as The Pick of the Week–that we started our tour there this week.  We then went up to Petworth, back down to LeDroit Park and Bloomingdale, over to Florida Avenue, then onto Shaw, and we finished up on Capitol Hill.

We looked at about 10 houses today, and there were several great finds. As you know there is only one Pick of the Week, however,  this week there is one honorable mention that we believe should also be explored.

But before I get to that, I wanted to share a little story from last night when my house almost burned down!

As I was writing this up last night at the kitchen table, one of my best friends was over preparing us a healthy dinner… tapas style.  During the preparation of the 3rd course, with 60 Minutes on in the background (we’re both news junkies), the mini Greek burgers that were being broiled sparked a fire in the oven, and when I opened the oven door 4 foot flames flew out. No joke!  Fortunately, I had a fire extinguisher right there, and although it created a mess and the fire alarm was triggered… my house (mostly made of wood) was saved!  Whew!  Lesson to all you Cribline readers?  If you don’t have a fire extinguisher in your kitchen (and know how to use it… which is just as important), get one!  It literally could take seconds before your house goes up in flames!

Back to The House Pick of the Week which is 912 Madison Street, NW (in Petworth).  This fully renovated front porch federal style row home with 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths is listed for $599,650. The home has a ton of light and is over 1800 square feet. The main floor includes large open living and dining areas anchored by a chef’s gourmet kitchen.

There is just great design to this home with 8″ Walnut Floors, a gas fireplace with a limestone mantle. The kitchen counters are black granite, the applicances are Italian, and finishes are meticulous.The upstairs includes 3 bedrooms, including a master bedroom with an ensuite ultra modern bath with European fixtures.

There is also a sound system in the home, a formal laundry right next to the mud room, a sleek deck, and off street parking for 2 cars.

To The Point Analysis:

With 20 percent down of about $120,000, that would leave a mortgage amount of around $480,000. At an estimated 4 percent interest rate that would be a gross monthly payment of around $2,800/mo. for principle, interest, taxes and insurance.  After tax deductions, depending on your tax bracket, we estimate a final net payment of around $2,000/mo. — maybe less.

 

For this week’s honorable mention, we went back to the Brookland neighborhood. There is a lot happening in here!  Take a look at 3220 15th Street, NE. This 5 bedroom, 4.5 bath home is listed for $699,900. 

This newly constructed dream home in the heart of Brookland has a grand foyer and entrance that leads to a  library, formal living room, dining room, gourmet kitchen, and a family room with fireplace!

The second floor has 4 bedrooms and 3 baths including a master with ensuite bath that includes double sinks, a shower and a tub that would impress any spa goer. The master also has a huge walk-in closet!  Bedrooms 2 and 3 share a Jack and Jill bath, and the 4th bedroom has its own ensuite bath. 

The lower level has huge rec room, media room, there’s a 2 car garage that connects to the house.

Happy house hunting!

 

Filed Under: House of the Week Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Cribline’s Ask Eric – How Much Does It Cost To Add Onto A House?

May 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Hi Eric,

My husband and I just bought a lovely home in Shaw that we are so happy with! The location is great and right now, even though it is tiny (900 sq ft), it is all the space we need. I could see us potentially wanting more space in about 5 years, and I am trying to start saving for an addition, but have no clue how much these things tend to cost! We would ideally like to put a two to three story addition on the back of the house–likely just one additional room on each floor and one full bath on the upper level (I’d say we’d add about another 400-600 sq. ft).

Do you have any idea how much this would cost or do you know any online estimator tools that could give me an idea of how much I should be saving?

Thanks!

-MK

Dear MK,

Thank you for the question. With inventories in the district being so low, I expect this to be a question on a lot of people’s mind.  I have several friends who have added on to homes, and have consulted with contractor Bill Bodine who is on The Cribline’s Approved Vendor list about your question.  The rule of thumb is about $100  to $200 per square feet.  That amount can also be higher if you decide to install top of the line faucets, toilets, or depending on the foundation, electrical requirements, and exterior materials.

But as a rule of thumb, adding another 600 square feet would be about $60,000 to $120,000.

You need to make sure that your contractor is licensed in DC, and has a successful track record of navigating the DC permitting system. I would also highly suggest getting several references.

I hope this is helpful.  Eric

Filed Under: Ask Eric Tagged With: , , ,

The Cribline House Pick of the Week – May 20, 2012

May 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Warm greetings Cribline readers:

It’s a week from Memorial Day weekend, and today, I began my day at brunch at the Omni hotel with 2 good friends from Colorado. The hotel has a great buffet that includes steel cut oatmeal, cage free egg omelets, and much more. There’s also covered seating outside and on a day like today it was pretty spectacular.

I was already in Tenleytown/Cleveland Park, and coincidentally one of the homes I identified to view today was in Cleveland Park.  The tour then continued to Adams Morgan, Dupont Circle, Logan Circle, Ledroit Park, Shaw, Eckington, and finally Capitol Hill (where I live).

There is only one pick of the week, and 3 honorable mentions to check out.

The pick of the week is 3218 Woodley Road, NW, in Cleveland Park. It is listed for $1,495,000 (new on the market)

This is a 4,400+ square foot grand Wardman home is just steps from National Cathedral. It features 5 bedrooms, and 5.5 baths.  The home opens to a grand stairwell in the main hall that leads to a spacious living room with French doors that let in a lot of light.  The architectural details are stunning and have been preserved in the famous Wardman style. On the other side of the hall is a dining area that connects to an open gourmet kitchen with granite counters and stainless steel appliances including double Wolf burner oven and stove, and a large Sub Zero.  There is also a formal dining room with windows galore, again letting in a lot of light, and a half bath.

The second floor includes a 2 bedrooms, each with a private bath, and a master suite with 2 master baths and 2 walk in closets. The top floor is a 4th bedroom with private bath, a sitting area and walk in closet.

There’s also a basement area with a 5th bedroom, laundry, office, rec room, bath and kitchenette. It would be perfect as an in-law or Au Pair suite. There’s also a fireplace and plenty of storage.

There is a terrace in the back yard and parking for 4 cars.

To the Point Analysis:

With 20 percent down of $299,000, the mortgage amount is going to be $1,196,000.  At an estimated 4 percent 30 year term interest rate, we estimate a gross payment to be about $6,000/mo.  After tax deductions, we estimate a net payment of about $4,200/mo.

According to Zillow.com, this home peaked in 2005 at 2.2 million.  It’s currently estimated by the website to be valued more than the listing price by over $30,000.

There are 3 honorable mentions this week:

2440 16th Street, NW, listed for $379,000 in Adams Morgan.  This 600+ square feet meticulously restored one bedroom, one bath home has an open layout and kitchen with granite and stainless steel appliances. There is a lot of light in this condo and parking for one to two cars.

49 Quincy Place, NE, just listed for $655,000. This grand Victorian is recently renovated and has 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths. It has an open floor plan, a basement, a rear porch, and includes parking. 

1740 Church Street, NW, in Dupont Circle is listed for $1,250,000.  This 5 bedroom, 2.5 bath home is a classic Victorian includes a 2 bedroom basement legal 2 apartment that we estimate could rent for about $2,000/mo. which at today’s interest rates could pay for about $500,000 worth of the mortgage.

Happy house hunting!!!

 

 

 

Filed Under: House of the Week Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

The Cribline House Pick of the Week – April 22, 2012

April 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Greetings Cribline readers!

Finally the rain has arrived, and it looks like we’re actually going to go from Winter to Spring, versus what seemed like Winter to Summer.  For all of you allergy sufferers, like myself, hopefully this rain will bring down the high levels of pollen flying around.

While The Cribline scans the Internet for homes for sale in DC using Redin, Trulia, Zillow and other websites, we still find the newspaper to be one of the best sources for getting a great snapshot of what’s on the market on Sunday’s. The Washington Post lists homes conveniently by neighborhood in alphabetical order.

I still find it an easy and friendly way to scout out the latest homes on the market, and I can just take it with me and not have to carry around my computer (too heavy), iPad (not always easy to connect to the Internet), or iPhone (often too small to see details of properties). Hat tip to my friend Lila for encouraging me to include a picture of the Sunday real estate section of the Post after I marked it up to identify which homes to tour today. I utilize it every week.

This week’s home tour included the following neighborhoods: Shaw, LeDroit Park, Bloombingdale, Columbia Heights and Petworth, and the House Pick of the Week is 1518 6th Street, NW. This home is listed for $689,000.

This 1900 square foot home originally build in 1900 is a very well designed home that was recently renovated with all of the modern amenities. This home has a nice open entry that flows into a modern kitchen with cabinets that go right up to the ceiling (a rarity), and a powder room on the main floor. The kitchen leads to a large glass sliding door that goes out to a large covered patio, and a backyard area that includes a grassy plot, shed, and parking for 2 cars.

An open stairwell, leads upstairs to a 3BR/2BA plus laundry. The home is also close to 2 Metros and the upcoming O St Market.

To the Point Analysis:

With 20 percent down on $689,000 of about $139,000, that would leave $550,000 to be financed with a mortgage. We estimate a rate of around 4 percent for a 30 year fixed rate depending on your credit and other factors (check with your mortgage broker).  That would calculate to be about $3,000/mo. before the tax benefits of mortgage interest deduction and property taxes.  We estimate a final net monthly payment to be closer to around $2,000/mo.

 

There are 2 honorable mentions this week. Both are in Petworth.  Thank you Cliff for spotting these homes.
The first is 3924 5th Street, NW offered at $619,813.  This is a classic beauty with 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, 4 finished levels, hardwood floors throughout, kitchen with granite and stainless steel, and a large backyard with deck and parking for 2 cars (at least).  This is a find!

And, the second is 3536 Park Place, NW listed for $499,000. This 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath urban gem was built in 1912 and has many modern features including stainless steel appliances. This home is close to both Petworth and Columbia Heights metros.

Filed Under: House of the Week Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,