Washington DC Area Realty Blog - RealEstateHappenz

More Special DC Real Estate: New Arts Centers Frederick to Woodbridge, Bowie to Manassas

2011-01-10T06:47:00.001-08:00

Finishing off the theme of new(er) theatre spaces near DC real estate, in Sunday's Washington Post, Anne Midgette highlighted the culture boom from Frederick to Woodbridge, Bowie to Manassas. The spaces include both independent and campus-based facilities. A list of these special DC real estate sites can be found at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2011/01/07/ST2011010703159.html?sid=ST2011010703159

Some Special DC Real Estate: Wonderful New(er) Theatre Spaces

2010-12-15T10:36:00.000-08:00

Speaking of DC Real Estate, the opening of the renovated Arena Stage (www.arenastage.org) highlights some very special features of DC Real Estate: this is the fourth largest theatre community in the US and many of the theatre companies have terrific new DC homes. Arena is just the latest. The $135 million dollar renovation encompasses the two original theatre spaces (the Fischandler and the Krieger), as well as "Black Box" experimental space, classrooms, rehearsal halls, and a cafe, Next Stage, with food by Jose Andres (of Jaleo and Zaytinya fame).

In the last ten years, Shakespeare Theatre's Sidney Harman Hall (www.shakespearetheatre.org), Woolly Mammoth (www.woollymammoth.net), Studio (www.studiotheatre.org), Ford's (www.fordstheatre.org), Signature (www.signaturetheatre.org), and Round House (www.roundhousetheatre.org) have all built new homes. GALA Hispanic Theatre (www.galatheatre.org) moved into new space at the Tivoli in Columbia Heights and the H Street Corridor now boasts the Atlas Performing Arts Center (www.atlasarts.org) and the H Street Playhouse (www.hstreetplayhouse.com). If you're occupying DC Real Estate during the holidays or hosting family and friends, check them out - many have performances through the holidays.

If you attend a particularly good performance, let us know!

ARTISPHERE OPENS THIS WEEKEND IN ROSSLYN: A modern, edgy cultural center!

2010-10-08T09:38:00.000-07:00

Arlington opens its doors this weekend to the BRAND NEW Artisphere – home to visual art, off the wall discussions, innovative theater, performance art, ballroom dance and a full spectrum of different types of music. The hope is to transform this sleepy area of Arlington – filled with high-rises and fast food restaurants – into a new and exciting area for its residents and fun destination for tourists alike. This Saturday, October 9th begins three days of music and performances. For a list of all shows, go to: www.Artisphere.com!

Alix Myerson & Aelita Brolis Girard
www.MyRealEstateHappenz.com
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DC Area vs. US home values

2010-10-01T11:58:00.000-07:00

What Are You Doing This WEEKEND?

2010-09-24T07:23:00.001-07:00

The awesome John Kelly of the John Kelly's Washington column in the Washington Post Metro section has his own SPOTLIGHT items for this weekend....The 10th Annual National Book Festival, sponsored by the Library of Congress, takes place on the Mall between 3rd and 7th Streets, NW from 10 am to 5:30 pm on Saturday. Go to The Library of Congress website for schedules and information. It's also broadcast live on C-Span and at C-Span.org. It's free!
CulturalTourismDC is sponsoring WalkingTownDC/BikingTownDC on Saturday and Sunday. There are 100 tours - too many to list here but to give you an idea Saturday's choices include a Spanish Stroll, Congressional Cemetery's Uppity Women, the Urban Eco-Loop and the Gardens and Grounds of the National Arboretum. Check it all out at www.CulturalTourismDC.org. Most of the tours are free but all require reservations!

What's a Cultural Landscape? According to Charles Birnbaum, the President of The Cultural Landscape Foundation (TCLF), it's "any landscape in an area shaped by humankind". And Washington, DC, he says, "is unrivaled in terms of its collection of living art." This weekend, TCLF is hosting a What's Out There Weekend on Saturday and Sunday. Participants will have a chance to explore 25 free, accessible sites - what's special is that TCLF is providing FREE TOURS with EXPERT guides. The sites include Dumbarton Oaks, the FDR Memorial, the Franciscan Monastery, the National Cathedral, TR Island, Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens and Tudor Place. Go to the Cultural Landscapes website for schedule and downloadable guides.

And have FUN!!!

Alix Myerson & Aelita Brolis Girard
www.MyRealEstateHappenz.com
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Buying a Home- Worth a Second Look!

2010-09-17T06:48:00.000-07:00

Yet again it bears repeating, you CAN buy a home, there are places you can afford, and it's worth a look - we never pressure anyone. This week we've helped a client who was paying $1,500 in rent and will be buying a home whose PITI (mortgage, interest, taxes and insurance) will be slightly less plus she'll have room for a roommate. Rates are hovering around 4.375% at the moment. That means every $100,000 of loan will cost you (at base) $364.58/month.

To follow up on Professor Karl Case's discussion in last week's E-blast, David Leonhardt of the NY Times responded with an Economic Scene column on Monday, September 8, comparing bearish and non-bearish views of housing. Is it a luxury item in that societies spend more on it as wealth rises? Or is it more like food and clothing which continue to account for a decreasing share of household income over time? There's no right answer except that an automatic "no" isn't right - it depends on your circumstances. But it helps to think of a home primarily as a place to live rather than simply as an investment. That idea, we can perhaps all agree, has been oversold. Read David Leonhardt's column for more thoughts on this view.

Alix Myerson & Aelita Brolis Girard
www.MyRealEstateHappenz.com
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To Buy or Not to Buy?

2010-09-10T07:24:00.000-07:00

To buy or not to buy is the question for so many people these days. But it's hard to cut through the din of commentary, both informed and uninformed. With all the dire prognostication, it's difficult to get beyond feeling just plain scared to figure out what's really important in making a decision to buy, and what's just noise.

Karl E. Case, professor emeritus of Wellesley College and co-creator of Standard & Poor's Case-Shiller housing index, wrote an Op-Ed article for the September 2, 2010, NY Times, "A Dream House After All," in which he analyzed the last five years in terms of the housing market and offered a framework for understanding today's risks and rewards in housing. Read Professor Case's article on page A35 of the NYT 9/2/2010.

Alix Myerson & Aelita Brolis Girard
www.MyRealEstateHappenz.com
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So DC Metro has moved from Snowmageddon to HeatORama

2010-08-13T08:59:00.001-07:00

....So DC Metro (or "the DMV" if you want to be really kewl) has moved from Snowmageddon to HeatORama. The plants at my house and around my neighborhood were initially very pleased with all that water and May and June looked lovely. It's been downhill ever since - it's too hot, the water is coming in torrents which don't do much good since it comes down too fast to be absorbed; the weeds are riotously happy. What to do, other than hide in the air conditioning?

Trust the This Old House team for some good answers. What to do about poison ivy (safely), how to handle shrub borders, picking a pruner that won't lead directly to carpel tunnel syndrome, safe answers for weeds, free newsletters for garden problems. You name it. So pick a (very small) project and get it done. Then go relax in a cool spot and celebrate one item checked off the list.

My advice for annuals looking scraggly right now? Whack them back, water well with a good organic fertilizer and watch them come back in a few weeks looking good as new. Pruning really helps all plants but annuals, especially in containers, really benefit from regular haircuts and will reward you with rebloom in a very short time. Whatever you planted has burned and died? Hit the garden center one last time looking for annuals which like sun and water daily to keep their roots cool (don't drench!). Or switch to succulents and perennial grasses which require little water, will winter over and greet you next year. Have a great weekend!

Alix Myerson & Aelita Brolis Girard
www.MyRealEstateHappenz.com
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H St Corridor VIDEO!

2010-08-06T07:05:00.001-07:00

The personalities of H St are interviewed! Fun, urban and hip individuals – with their own sense of style – tell us who they are.

Watch the Video!

Alix Myerson & Aelita Brolis Girard
www.MyRealEstateHappenz.com
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DC-Area home prices up 7.4%

2010-08-06T07:03:00.001-07:00

May was another good month for our area! May home prices were up 7.4% over May 2009. We were ahead of the national average of 4.6% which is still not shabby. We also had one of the best month over month increases with an increase of 1.5% from April. The national average was 1.3%.

To read the full post, go to the Washington Business Journal!

Alix Myerson & Aelita Brolis Girard
www.MyRealEstateHappenz.com
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FHA financing guidelines change...again

2010-08-05T08:16:00.000-07:00

There have been many recent changes to FHA guidelines and underwriting. It feels like on a weekly basis new information comes out that affects buyers and the home buying process. FHA-financing allows many purchasers to buy with putting very little down but if you are thinking about doing FHA-financing be prepared that there may be hoops and red tape. Banks are trying to protect you as well as themselves. One big issues that buyers run into is that THEY may be FHA-approved but the building they want to buy in is NOT. FHA used to have "spot approval" in these circumstances but have done away with it. The building has to be FHA-approved for you to purchase there with FHA-money.

Here are a couple of specific changes to keep in mind:

Upfront insurance premium
What is it? A fee the Federal Housing Administration collects from borrowers that can be paid in cash at the closing table or rolled into the loan.

What's changed? The FHA raised the premium earlier this year from 1.75 percent of the loan's value to 2.25 percent.

Why? The money will replenish the funds FHA uses to compensate lenders for default-related losses.

How does this affect me? If you take out a $300,000 loan, you will now pay $6,750 in premium instead of $5,250. If you roll the premium into the financing, you will also pay interest on it during the life of the loan.

Condominium spot approval
What is it? To purchase a condo in a building that is not FHA-approved, FHA borrowers had to receive "spot approval" for the unit. The process required the condo's management to fill out a questionnaire addressing the agency's must-meet conditions.

What's changed? The agency eliminated spot approval earlier this year. Now, any condo buyer with an FHA loan must stick to an FHA-approved building. A lender, developer/builder, homeowners association or management company can submit a package to the FHA seeking approval. The change was part of a broader initiative to tighten FHA condo policy. Some elements of that initiative have been temporarily loosened through Dec. 31 to try to stabilize the condo market.

Why? Condos are widely considered the market's shakiest segment because they are popular with speculators and financially vulnerable entry-level buyers. A lot of foreclosure-related losses have come from condos, which is why industry policies have forced lenders to look more closely at the makeup of entire complexes before extending loans.

How does it affect me? As part of the temporarily loosened guidelines, the FHA will insure the loans on up to 50 percent of the units in a condo building, though it will back 100 percent if a project meets certain criteria. At least 50 percent of the units in a project must be owner-occupied or sold to owners who plan to occupy the units. As for new construction, 30 percent of the units must be pre-sold before an FHA loan can be financed there.

Read the full article at the Washington Post.

Alix Myerson & Aelita Brolis Girard
www.MyRealEstateHappenz.com
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More From The Grill...

2010-07-30T08:37:00.000-07:00

The national real estate news shows continued struggles across the country. But, as Dina ElBoghdady reported an article titled "A Resilient DC Area Housing Market," in Tuesday's Washington Post, home purchases for the 2nd quarter in DC Metro were significantly higher than last year and houses were selling more quickly and at higher prices, according to a study by Delta Associates of information compiled from Metropolitan Regional Information Systems, the local MLS. As we work with buyers, we see this demonstrated in several ways: in many neighborhoods, there is not much inventory; prices are higher, even if only slightly; homes in good condition and well-priced for their condition sell in days or a few weeks, not months; and there are numerous occasions in which there is more than one offer. Read the full article in the Post.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BATHROOM RENOVATIONS from Quick Fixes to Total Renovations: check out the This Old House website which is full of all types of useful information.

Alix Myerson & Aelita Brolis Girard
www.MyRealEstateHappenz.com
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A Grills' Worth of Random Thoughts and Notes...

2010-07-23T07:13:00.000-07:00

ALONG H STREET... The shuttle service is being extended beyond H Street onto Benning Road and out to the golf course (the route of the trolley). In fact, anyone venturing out past Hechinger Mall along Benning can view completed trolley tracks and imagine what H Street will look like when the construction crews pack up.

AND OPENING TODAY... As part of the DC Office of Planning's "temporary urbanism" initiative designed to support emerging commercial areas, The TEMPORARIUM has opened in the RL Christian Library at 13th and H Streets, NE. This retail incubator/boutique will house 12 designers and artists and their wares and creations from July 23 to August 15th. While it's all for sale, the effort is also designed to help participants focus on the business of art and the creation of viable business models for selling their work.

GRILLING... If you can, why would you have the oven on in this heat...Anahad O'Connor of the NYT reports that marinades with rosemary, garlic or onion help eliminate some carcinogens in grilled meat. www.nytimes/scitimes.com

Also in the NYTimes in the July 1 Home Section, John Biggs discussed newer home security systems which can be installed without professional help. A couple even allow you to monitor your system yourself. View the NY Times article.

Speaking of WATER... Want to help our rivers and the Bay and your garden all at the same time? Learn about rain gardens and consider installing some version of this beautiful form of water-capture and pollutant filter. Joel Lerner discusses ways, means and examples in the July 10 WP Green Scene, read the article.

Alix Myerson & Aelita Brolis Girard
www.MyRealEstateHappenz.com
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Making Sense of the DC Area Real Estate Market

2010-07-09T07:16:00.000-07:00

Are you somewhat confused by the real estate news these days? It IS confusing, particularly because, despite the way news is reported there is NO national real estate market – there isn’t even a state by state market – it’s neighborhood by neighborhood, area by area. The Washington Business Journal, in an article published July 8, 2010, titled “Washington home prices jump 7%” by Jeff Clabaugh, reported“One measure of housing prices shows median prices in the Washington area are up 10.7 percent from a year ago, fueled by a quarter-over-quarter rise of 7 percent in the second quarter.

“Clear Capital.com Inc., whose data is used by assessors and investors, ranks Washington as one of the 15 healthiest housing markets. Baltimore, however, ranks as one of the 15 worst housing markets — and one of only two major metro areas to post a quarter-over-quarter decline, with median prices down 1.8 percent. Prices were down 4.9 percent from a year ago.
“Nationally, median prices posted a quarterly gain of 5.2 percent and were up 8.8 percent from a year ago.

“Price trends nationwide have seen a considerable upswing driven in large part by the flurry of recent sales attributed to the tax credit and springtime buying activity,” said Clear Capital senior statistician Dr. Alex Villacorta. “This month’s quarterly gains are certainly a positive sign that many markets have responded to the tax incentive, but overall markets remain volatile as evidenced by the six month price change keeping mostly flat.”

Memphis, Tenn., Cleveland and Milwaukee showed the best three-month price gains.
The news for buyers and sellers in the DC Metro area? It’s a great time to buy – rates are historically low and it’s a great time to sell for the same reason but also because inventory in most DC Metro neighborhoods remains low and there are lots of well-qualified buyers out there.

Alix Myerson & Aelita Brolis
www.MyRealEstateHappenz.com
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Changes to Your Washington Neighborhood

2010-06-25T07:38:00.001-07:00

If you have the feeling that everywhere you turn these days, something is being repaired, replaced, upgraded or completely changed, you’re not wrong! We cover a lot of territory in any given week – this week it’s been from Annandale to Falls Church to SW waterfront to Riggs Park and Woodridge with stops in Brookland and Dupont Circle in between.

In the District…
In Brookland, Palisades and along the H Street Corridor, businesses and residents are again urging the DC Department of Transportation to invest in the future and bury power lines. The latest outbreak is in Brookland, along the 12th Street commercial corridor. Many residents contend that putting the wires underground is the last step in a multi-year streetscape project but, despite a two-year old City Council directive to bury the lines if money were available, DDOT is proceeding with final landscaping with wires intact overhead. View more information on this project from the Washington Business Journal.

UDC will use a $2.2 million grant from The DC Department of the Environment to install two green roofs at its Van Ness campus and renovate the plaza to reduce storm drain runoff. The work on the plaza, which has already begun, includes a permeable surface and a central fountain using recycled water. The project will allow UDC to treat “graywater” – water drained from sinks and washing machines – and collect runoff for potential reuse. Green roof construction starts later this year.

Construction began June 13th on the conversion of the Old Naval Hospital at 921 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, a Civil War-era building, into a 16,000 SF community center which will include offices for non-profit organizations, program, meeting and classroom space, as well as a computer laboratory and café. The property, built 1866, was operated as a hospital until 1911 when it was converted to lodgings. Recently, it has been vacant. Title to the property was passed from the Federal government earlier this year. Funding for the project is coming from DC, the Capitol Hill Community Foundation and a grant from Save America’s Treasures through the National Park Service. The Old Naval Hospital Foundation is leading a capital campaign to raise the remaining $3.2 million.

In Montgomery County…
The County Master Planning process has just been completed for the Great Seneca Science Corridor (Gaithersburg West) and White Flint. Planners’ attention now moves to two smaller projects for the central business district in Wheaton (72 acres) and the commercial area between Takoma-Langley Park (112 acres). The original master plan for Wheaton was established in 1990 and updated in 2006. Now the County is looking for development partners for ten publicly owned sites along Georgia Avenue. The Takoma plan, which includes a partnership with the Prince George’s County Planning Department, must contend with more than 100 small businesses already in the area. The Purple Line, a contemplated 16 mile light rail system linking New Carrollton and Bethesda, would have an enormous impact on the area. Visit the Washington Business Journal for more information. These two areas already are home to a large proportion of Washingtonian Magazine’s 100 Best Cheap Eats – look for more walkable landscapes to enhance the livability and desirability of both Wheaton and Takoma-Langley Park.

In Arlington…
Here comes more change in Clarendon. I’ve eaten my way through the “Little Saigon” era (sadly now further out in Falls Church due to rising rents – nice for Falls Church, admittedly but not as easy for those coming from the northern reaches of DC). We’ve bought and sold through the arrival of Whole Foods and Apple and now comes another round largely driven by local developers who live and work in Clarendon. Fascinating! You can read more about it….

And Fairfax…check out these great land use maps for the coming changes in Tyson’s Corner, courtesy of the Washington Post…
DON’T MISS THE SMITHSONIAN FOLK-LIFE FESTIVAL on the Mall beginning this weekend and continuing over the July 4th weekend. Visit the Smithsonian Fold-Life Festival website for details.

Alix Myerson & Aelita Brolis
www.MyRealEstateHappenz.com
View DC Area Listings

Top Chefs: Welcome to our town!

2010-06-18T11:50:00.000-07:00

Top Chef comes to DC! I am unfortunately without Bravo at the moment (booo) but this week launched the new season of Top Chef in our very own backyard. The line up of guest appearances this season are Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, MSNBC host Joe Scarborough, Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, CIA Director Leon Panetta and more. Should be entertaining. At the very least - a mouthwatering hour of food!

How To Create Your Ideal Summer Outdoor Space!

2010-06-18T07:26:00.000-07:00

Today is a clear, bright and breezy summer day in Washington, just the sort of day when you want to be outside – on the deck….speaking of which have you thought about simple ways to perk up your deck or balcony? A chair, a container of flowers and trailing greens or succulents (very little water required), an old piece of drift wood for a special touch? Even if you never sit on that balcony or deck, just adding a pot of flowers or something living and green to it will extend your view and bring the outside in. If you’re thinking about selling, sprucing up and decorating the deck as an extension of your home, is essential. Think of that outside space as another room because that’s exactly what it is in our area – a place to relax, entertain, read, chat or just sit.

For a good range of inexpensive to higher end idea of what to do with your deck or balcony and how to do it, check out This Old House: 53 Ways to Make Your Deck the Perfect Summer Retreat. Small projects, larger ones, and information about the huge range of choices and materials available to you are covered here. Have fun!

Alix Myerson & Aelita Brolis
www.MyRealEstateHappenz.com
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METRO Migrations: Who's Going Where and Why?

2010-06-14T05:08:00.000-07:00

An interesting report from The Washington Examiner via the Washington Business Journal:

http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/morning_call/2010/06/dc_area_residents_flee_immigrants_move_in.html?ana=e_wash_rdup

Spotlight: Bargain Hunter Alert – Checkout Homepath Mortgage Program…

2010-06-11T10:38:00.001-07:00

This is Fannie Mae’s attempt to stimulate the housing market by offering a program to all potential buyers that requires little down, low monthly payments, and the elimination of potential deal killers (closing costs and appraisals). Here’s an overall summary of the loan requirements:

Low down payment and flexible mortgage terms (fixed-rate, adjustable-rate, or interest-only).

You may qualify even if your credit is less than perfect.

Available to owner occupiers and investors, as well as for purchase of second homes.

Down payment (at least 3% for owner-occupants and 10% for investors) can be funded by your own savings; a gift; a grant; or a loan from a nonprofit organization, state or local government, or employer.

No mortgage insurance – ask your lender about costs associated with a loan with no mortgage insurance.

No appraisal or appraisal fees.

Also eligible for HomePath Renovation Mortgage - available only on homes you make your primary residence and offers these benefits:
1. Financing to fund both your purchase and light renovation.
2. Low down payment and flexible mortgage terms (fixed-rate or adjustable-rate)
3. Down payment (at least 3 percent) can be funded by your own savings; a gift; a grant; or a loan from a nonprofit, state or local government, or employer.
4. No mortgage insurance – ask your lender about costs associated with a loan with no mortgage insurance.

Talking to a knowledgeable, qualified lender is a critical first step! Several lenders have been selected by Fannie Mae to originate these loans. You can contact our partner, Rob Cohen of Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, at (202) 895-5165 Tel or (301) 807-0717 Cell Robert.A.Cohen2@wellsfargo.com

Here’s a link to a podcast from HomePath:
http://www.fanniemae.com/homepath/podcast/HomePathFinancing.mp3

Alix Myerson & Aelita Brolis
www.MyRealEstateHappenz.com
View DC Area Listings

DC housing prices are UP 9.3% !!

2010-06-07T06:14:00.000-07:00

DC’s housing PRICES ARE UP 9.3% over a year ago. We are doing better than the national average of up 6.8%. The DC area has some of the best housing-price appreciation versus our neighbor Baltimore which has one of the worst. Baltimore’s prices fell by 5.9% from a year ago.

http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2010/05/31/daily47.html

FIOS Launch in DC - the schedule!

2010-06-04T12:33:00.000-07:00

With FiOS, Verizon is launching an assault on Comcast Corp.’s dominance in the nation’s capital. Philadelphia-based Comcast relaunched its television and Internet products as Xfinity earlier this year as a reaction to declining customer service ratings and more aggressive competition.

The 15-year franchise agreement between Verizon and the D.C. Office of Cable Television, adopted in 2008, requires that FiOS be available District-wide within nine years, with an optional 12-month extension.

By next year, FiOS should be available in most of Ward 4 and all of Ward 3 in Northwest — including Friendship Heights — as well as in Barry Farm and historic Anacostia in Southeast and in Deanwood and eastern Capitol Hill in Northeast.

Verizon will add the Southwest Waterfront and Buzzard Point, most of Ward 1, Dupont and Logan circles, and Shaw within six years.

The final three-year phase will bring FiOS to Brookland, Congress Heights, downtown, Georgetown, midtown and Lincoln Heights.

Turn Your "Small" DC Home Into Your DREAM Home!

2010-06-04T07:30:00.001-07:00

In the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s, newly built homes across the US became larger and larger. In 1970, the average US home was 1,400 square feet; by 2004, it had ballooned to 2,330 (statistic from the National Association of Realtors). By the mid 90s, an architect named Sarah Susanka and her husband decided it was time to build an addition on their 1920 Four-Square. In thinking through that process, she realized that her family actually lived in their original space in a completely different way than the original owners. Susanka, who practices in the Twin Cities, also began to hear from clients in large homes (3,000 SF and more) who felt lost in their large homes and were looking for ways to remedy that feeling. Gradually, Susanka developed the idea of

....A house that is more than square footage; a house that is Not So Big, where each room is used every day. A house with a floor plan inspired by our informal lifestyle instead of the way our grandparents lived….The Not So Big House isn’t just a small house…it’s a smaller house, filled with special details and designed to accommodate the lifestyles of its occupants. (Susanka, The Not So Big House, A Blueprint for the Way We Really Live, 1998)

When I bought my house in 1998 (standard 1927 brick semi-detached), I discovered how to use ceiling height to make a room seem larger, how built-ins create more actual and visual space, and how the use of a single color, in varying intensities can help unify several spaces, as well as make them seem larger. The Not So Big House website has loads of useful information and ideas to think about and utilize.

In 2004, Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan founded Apartment Therapy which specializes in the what-to-do and how-to-do it for small apartment spaces. Take a look at this neat solution to the need for kid space in a small apartment.

Cool, fun and we know contractors who can help you do it! If you have questions or have ideas you want to share, please let us know!!

Alix Myerson & Aelita Brolis
www.MyRealEstateHappenz.com
View DC Area Listings

SUMMER GARDEN PLANS for Most Situations

2010-06-03T05:29:00.000-07:00

Never mind what the meteorological calendar says - it's summer NOW. The pansies died this week unless you stood over them watering. So what next for the container, the front patch, the edge of the patio? Should the lawn stay or go? And if it stays, what can you do to improve it? And what if the stuff you plant always dies - is anything foolproof? Find some answers here...

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/garden-planning?xid=ygnewsletter-100603-garden

Pending home sales are UP!

2010-06-02T13:13:00.000-07:00

Properties under contract rose for the 3rd striaght month in April. Up 6% from March and 22.4% from April last year. No doubt the now-expired $8k federal tax credit helped. Don't forget though - DC still has its $5k credit in effect!

Getting Ready for Summer

2010-06-02T06:24:00.000-07:00

Here's a list of 21 quick and useful ideas for getting your home ready for summer. I particularly liked the idea about plants in windows filtering city air - at least on the shady side and when there's a nice breeze. :) http://www.myhomeideas.com/healthy-home/get-your-home-ready-for-summer-00415000067647/index.html?iid=newsletter-mhi-head-060110&PromKey=XET

Conquering the Tree Box...

2010-06-01T06:18:00.000-07:00

TREE BOXES aka that spot between the sidewalk and the curb that might have had something green in it once. Dead grass in tree boxes is a wasted opportunity - some communities have rules about those spaces. In DC, Casey Trees has launched a long-term effort to plant new tree cover. Meanwhile, there's the mostly dead crab grass. Since the area is also an extension of your home, even though you don't own it, you can spruce it up. It will make you happy and improve the curb appeal of your house or apartment or condo building. Native plants work best and will require very little assistance from you once they get started. You can find a list of natives at http://www.epa.gov/reg3esd1/garden/plant s.htm In addition, an enterprising NYT reporter actually managed to conquer his tree box with great results - check that out at http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/27/garden/27garden.html?scp=1&sq=michael%20tortorello&st=cse

METRO fares are going up!

2010-05-29T11:06:00.000-07:00

METRO just approved the most expansive fare hike in history! Fares will increase about 18 percent for rail and about 20% for the bus – from $1.65 to $1.95 and $1.25 to $1.50 respectively. Metro has a $189 million shortfall in their 2011 budget, which they believe stems from a decrease in ridership. Most will take effect by July 1. To ready more, go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/27/AR2010052704840.html?wpisrc=nl_cuzhead

DC is a TOP 10 city!!

2010-05-28T13:34:00.000-07:00

I am a proud Washingtonian to begin with and even more proud this week as we are ranked 3rd in the 10 Best Cities for the Next Decade! We are a lucky bunch to live in the DC area with better than average growth, employment and income. (Austin and Seattle took 1st and 2nd places.) To read the full article, go to http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2010/05/24/daily27.html?surround=lfn

DC says NO to $3/hr parking rates!

2010-05-28T12:32:00.000-07:00

Whew! 25 cents to park for just 5 minutes seems a little much to me. It looks like sodas and medical marijuana may get hit instead. To read the full article, go to http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/D_C_-Council-says-no-to-_3-an-hour-parking-rates-94873829.html#ixzz0p3M6aQNN

Quick Fixes for Old Baths - Inexpensive Too!

2010-05-27T05:29:00.000-07:00

Eighty per cent of the housing stock in the DC Metro area was built 50 or more years ago. That means there are a whole lot of you looking at blue tile baths (or maybe pink?) in good condition. The only problem: no time and money to fix it right now plus it's making you crazy. Fear not - (shades of) chocolate to the rescue! If it the tile is that intermediate, nowhere blue, paint the walls a bittersweet dark chocolate, add some simple framed prints and stock up on white accessories - towels, shower curtain etc. If the tile is pink, the chocolate should shade more to the cocoa; otherwise proceed as above. For other budget suggestions for bath updates...http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20308903,00.html?xid=kbnewsletter-100527-100-diy-bath-hed

New Safeway opens!

2010-05-26T13:34:00.000-07:00

The NEW Safeway in Georgetown (Wisconsin Ave & S St) just opened! It's nice, modern, clean and everyone was friendly and helpful. The World Cuisine vegetable section was impressive. See attached pic. There were also many tastings around the store. May I recommend the blue cheese stuffed olives!

Who loves FIVE GUYS bacon cheeseburgers?

2010-05-26T09:22:00.000-07:00

I love food and I have this weird obsession with top 10 food lists. Top 10 best restaurants. Top 10 healthiest foods. Top 10 unhealthiest foods. The Center for Science just awarded its Xtreme Eating Awards and FIVE GUYS’ BACON CHEESEBURGER ranks among the worst meals in America with 920 calories. So sad…yet, so delicious. Here are the other meals to avoid (or atleast eat less often)... http://consumerist.com/2010/05/the-8-worst-meals-and-1-dessert-in-america-for-2010.html

KITCHEN RE-DOs for less...

2010-05-26T08:47:00.000-07:00

We're big believers in always staying on top of maintenance issues and keeping your home up-to-date - you might as well enjoy the benefit and not just do it for re-sale. Many of us in older DC homes and apartments have smaller kitchens. Here are some great ideas for galley kitchens ... http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,1555949,00.html.

And don't forget to check out www.communityforklift.com for great bargains and good stuff for re-use and recycling.

Great illustration of heat exchanges!

2010-05-25T07:16:00.000-07:00

It's always easy to say "yes" to going green without really understanding what's actually going to happen. The Landsburgh, an original keystone to the redevelopment of Penn Quarter, is going green. Nice but what does that really mean? It's pretty simple: heat recovered from the CAC for the building will be used to pre-heat water going into the boiler which will provide everyone with hot-water. The space saved by eliminating individual hot water heaters in the units will be used for showers in each bathroom and the cooling tower will expel less heat because the return line is actually transferring that heat to a centralized hot-water system. Got that? Here's the article from the Washington Business Journal http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2010/05/24/tidbits8.html

YUM!!!

2010-05-24T14:13:00.000-07:00

Food can drive a neighborhood - so kudos to Michael Landrum whose newest restaurant, Ray's the Steaks at East River (3905 Dix St NE), is east of the Anacostia River. Like Ray's The Classics or Ray's Hell-Burger - now you can enjoy the same great food in a part of DC that's been starved of good restaurants. The new addition to the Landrum empire just made the Washingtonian Magazine's Cheap Eats/100 Favorite Bargain Restaurants, too!

You can rush on by...or slow down and get a glimpse...several of the new glass and steel buildings around downtown DC are hiding a surprise inside...take a look!

http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2010/05/24/tidbits7.html#

Mt Pleasant neighborhood installs solar panels!

2009-09-08T06:05:00.000-07:00

After two years of networking and negotiating, D.C.'s Mt. Pleasant neighborhood is installing solar panels on 48 homes in a cooperative move that neighborhood leaders say could be replicated around the region.

In a tour Sept. 19, the Mt. Pleasant Solar Cooperative is debuting the results of efforts to convince the D.C. Council, D.C. Public Service Commission, D.C. utility Pepco and other businesses to enact policies and price targets that make it easier for a neighborhood to go solar at once. Read more at http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2009/08/31/daily84.html

Hold old are some homes in DC??

2009-05-28T11:33:00.000-07:00

Talk about old. Talk about beautiful. There are 20 single family homes currently on the market that were built before 1875. The oldest of these was built in 1787.

The majority (11) are located in Georgetown - no big surprise there - and the rest are in Dupont, Capitol Hill, Cleveland Park and Shaw. They range from $649,000 - all the way up to $39,5 mil.

The oldest COOP on the market was built in 1795 and is located on N St - down in Southwest's Waterfront. It is listed at $899,900. The oldest CONDO on the market was built in 1837 and is located on 16th St in Dupont. It is listed at $399,000.

MaKeOveR - Good and Cheap!!!

2009-03-13T06:06:00.000-07:00

No money but need a little freshening up for spring...check out "On the Cheap: the $300 Makeover from the March 12th NYT Home section -http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/12/garden/12m-intro.html?ref=garden
- truly some cool and very inexpensive ideas!

Lots of Reasons to Buy

2009-03-09T07:35:00.000-07:00

With all the turmoil, it's hard to see the opportunity for buyers right now. But it's there.

Prices are lower. In the summer of 2005, the national median sales price of a home was nearly eight times as much as the average per capita after-tax income of Americans. In January 2009 that multiple was less than five.
Inventory is strong (high in some neighborhoods, lower in others) so there are good choices for buyers.
Rates are historically low - 4.625% on conventional loans (10% or more down) and 4.750% on FHA loans (3.5% down) - the difference in your pocket every month on $100,000 of 30 year fixed-rate loan at 4.75% vs 6% is $77.90/month or $934.80 a year (per $100,000 of loan).
If you purchase before December 1, 2009, you could qualify for an $8,000 tax credit (useable for 2008 or 2009 taxes) depending on your adjusted gross income. Details are in a post several down from this one - just scroll down.

If you're a first time buyer, check out http://www.dchomebuyerseminar.com/.

Thirty-One Free Things to DO in March

2009-03-03T07:38:00.000-08:00

The Washington Post Weekend Section staff has selected great, FREE things to do in March - you can check them out at http://http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/26/AR2009022601161.html

You can also check out things to do at www.washington.org which has monthly calendars of things to do. You can plan trips using www.wmata.com - check out "Trip Planner" on the top left.

ATTENTION Gardeners!

2009-03-03T07:31:00.000-08:00

It's time to clean up in the garden - everything you waited to prune can be pruned right now (or at least as soon as the snow melts) - check out Adrian Higgins' guidelines in the Washington Post http://http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/25/AR2009022501020.html

That $8000 Tax Credit - What You Need To Know

2009-02-25T12:41:00.000-08:00

An $8000 tax credit for first time buyers sounds like a great incentive but is it? Obviously, it depends on your situation but it's certainly worth considering! Here's a series of Questions and Answers designed to help you understand the 2009 Tax Credit for first timers.

Frequently Asked Questions

In 2008, Congress enacted a $7500 tax credit designed to be an incentive for first-time homebuyers to purchase a home. The credit was designed as a mechanism to decrease the over-supply of homes for sale.

For 2009, Congress has increased the credit to $8000 and made several additional improvements. This revised $8000 tax credit applies to purchases on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009.

Tax Credits -- The Basics

1. What’s this new homebuyer tax incentive for 2009?

The 2008 $7500, repayable credit is increased to $8000 and the repayment feature is eliminated for 2009 purchasers. Any home that is purchased for $80,000 or more qualifies for the full $8000 amount. If the house costs less than $80,000, the credit will be 10% of the cost. Thus, if an individual purchased a home for $75,000, the credit would be $7500. It is available for the purchase of a principal residence on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009.

2. Who is eligible?

Only first-time homebuyers are eligible. A person is considered a first-time buyer if he/she has not had any ownership interest in a home in the three years previous to the day of the 2009 purchase.

3. How does a tax credit work?

Every dollar of a tax credit reduces income taxes by a dollar. Credits are claimed on an individual’s income tax return. Thus, a qualified purchaser would figure out all the income items and exemptions and make all the calculations required to figure out his/her total tax due. Then, once the total tax owed has been computed, tax credits are applied to reduce the total tax bill. So, if before taking any credits on a tax return a person has total tax liability of $9500, an $8000 credit would wipe out all but $1500 of the tax due. ($9,500 - $8000 = $1500)

4. So what happens if the purchaser is eligible for an $8000 credit but their entire income tax liability for the year is only $6000?

This tax credit is what’s called “refundable” credit. Thus, if the eligible purchaser’s total tax liability was $6000, the IRS would send the purchaser a check for $2000. The refundable amount is the difference between $8000 credit amount and the amount of tax liability. ($8000 - $6000 = $2000) Most taxpayers determine their tax liability by referring to tables that the IRS prepares each year.

5. How does withholding affect my tax credit and my refund?

A few examples are provided at the end of this document. There are several steps in this calculation, but most income tax software programs are equipped to make that determination.

6. Is there an income restriction?

Yes. The income restriction is based on the tax filing status the purchaser claims when filing his/her income tax return. Individuals filing Form 1040 as Single (or Head of Household) are eligible for the credit if their income is no more than $75,000. Married couples who file a Joint return may have income of no more than $150,000.

7. How is my “income” determined?

For most individuals, income is defined and calculated in the same manner as their Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) on their 1040 income tax return. AGI includes items like wages, salaries, interest and dividends, pension and retirement earnings, rental income and a host of other elements. AGI is the final number that appears on the bottom line of the front page of an IRS Form 1040.

8. What if I worked abroad for part of the year?

Some individuals have earned income and/or receive housing allowances while working outside the US. Their income will be adjusted to reflect those items to measure Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI). Their eligibility for the credit will be based on their MAGI.

9. Do individuals with incomes higher than the $75,000 or $150,000 limits lose all the benefit of the credit?

Not always. The credit phases-out between $75,000 - $95,000 for singles and $150,000 - $170,000 for married filing joint. The closer a buyer comes to the maximum phase-out amount, the smaller the credit will be. The law provides a formula to gradually withdraw the credit. Thus, the credit will disappear after an individual’s income reaches $95,000 (single return) or $170,000 (joint return).

For example, if a married couple had income of $165,000, their credit would be reduced by 75% as shown:

Couple’s income $165,000
Income limit 150,000
Excess income $15,000

The excess income amount ($15,000 in this example) is used to form a fraction. The numerator of the fraction is the excess income amount ($15,000). The denominator is $20,000 (specified by the statute).

In this example, the disallowed portion of the credit is 75% of $8000, or $6000
($15,000/$20,000 = 75% x $8000 = $6000)

Stated another way, only 25% of the credit amount would be allowed.
In this example, the allowable credit would be $2000 (25% x $8000 = $2000)

10. What’s the definition of “principal residence?”
Generally, a principal residence is the home where an individual spends most of his/her time (generally defined as more than 50%). It is also defined as “owner-occupied” housing. The term includes single-family detached housing, condos or co-ops, townhouses or any similar type of new or existing dwelling. Even some houseboats or manufactured homes count as principal residences.

11. Are there restrictions on the location of the property?

Yes. The home must be located in the United States. Property located outside the US is not eligible for the credit.

12. Are there restrictions related to the financing for the mortgage on the property?

In 2009, most financing arrangements are acceptable and will not affect eligibility for the credit. Congress eliminated the financing restriction that applied in 2008. (In 2008, purchasers were ineligible for the $7500 credit if the financing was obtained by means of mortgage revenue bonds.) Now, mortgage-revenue bond financing will not disqualify an otherwise-eligible purchaser. (Mortgage revenue bonds are tax-exempt bonds issued by a state housing agency. Proceeds from the bonds must be used for below market loans to qualified buyers.)

13. Do I have to repay the 2009 tax credit?

NO. There is no repayment for 2009 tax credits.

14. Do 2008 purchasers still have to repay their tax credit?

YES. The $7500 credit in 2008 was more like an interest-free loan. All eligible purchasers who claimed the 2008 credit will still be required to repay it over 15 years, starting with their 2010 tax return.

Some Practical Questions

15. How do I apply for the credit?

There is no pre-purchase authorization, application or similar approval process. All eligible purchasers simply claim the credit on their IRS Form 1040 tax return. The credit will be reflected on a new Form 5405 that will be attached to the 1040. Form 5405 can be found at www.irs.gov.

16. So I can’t use the credit amount as part of my downpayment?

No. Congress tried hard to devise a mechanism that would make the funds available for closing costs, but found that pre-funding would require cumbersome processes that would, in effect, bring the IRS into the purchase and settlement phase of the transaction.

17. So there’s no way to get any cash flow benefits before I file my tax return?

Yes, there is. Any first-time homebuyers who believe they are eligible for all or part of the credit can modify their income tax withholding (through their employers) or adjust their quarterly estimated tax payments. Individuals subject to income tax withholding would get an IRS Form W-4 from their employer, follow the instructions on the schedules provided and give the completed Form W-4 back to the employer. In many cases their withholding would decrease and their take-home pay would increase. Those who make estimated tax payments would make similar adjustments.

Some “Real World” Examples

18. What if I purchase later this year but can’t get to settlement before December 1?

The credit is available for purchases before December 1, 2009. A home is considered as “purchased” when all events have occurred that transfer the title from the seller to the new purchaser. Thus, closings must occur before December 1, 2009 for purchases to be eligible for the credit.

19. I haven’t even filed my 2008 tax return yet. If I buy in 2009, do I have to wait until next year to get the benefit of the credit?

You’ll have a helpful choice that might speed up the process. Eligible homebuyers who make their purchase between January 1, 2009 and December 1, 2009 can treat the purchase as if it had occurred on December 31, 2008. Thus, they can claim the credit on their 2008 tax return that is due on April 15, 2009. They actually have three filing options.

If they purchase between January 1, 2009 and April 15, 2009, they can claim the $8000 credit on the 2008 return due on April 15.
They can extend their 2008 income-tax filing until as late as October 15, 2009. (The IRS grants automatic extensions, but the taxpayer must file for the extension. See www.irs.gov for instructions on how to obtain an extension.)
If they have filed their 2008 return before they purchase the home, they may file an amended 2008 tax return on Form 1040X. (Form 1040X is available at www.irs.gov)

Of course, 2009 purchasers will always have the option of claiming the credit for the 2009 purchase on their 2009 return. Their 2009 tax return is due on April 15, 2010.

20. I purchased my home in early 2009 before the stimulus bill was enacted. I claimed a $7500 tax credit on my 2008 return as prior law had permitted. Am I restricted to just a $7500 credit?

No, you would qualify for the $8000 credit. Eligible purchasers who have already claimed the $7500 credit on a 2008 return for a 2009 purchase may file an amended return (IRS Form 1040X) for the 2008 tax year. This amended return will enable them to obtain the additional $500 credit amount.

21. If I claim my 2009 $8000 credit on my 2008 tax return, will I have to repay the credit just as the 2008 credits are repaid?

No. Congress anticipated this confusion and has made specific provision so that there would be no repayment of 2009 credits that are claimed on 2008 returns.

22. I made an eligible purchase of a principal residence in May 2008 and claimed the $7500 credit on my 2008 tax return. My brother, who has never owned a home, wishes to purchase a partial interest in the home this spring and move in. Will he qualify for the $8000 credit, as well?

No. Any purchase of a principal residence (or interest in a principal residence) from a related party such as a sibling, parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle is ineligible for the tax credit. Since you and your brother are related in this way, he cannot qualify for the credit on any portion of the home that he purchases from you, even if he is a first-time homebuyer.

23. I live in the District of Columbia. If I qualify as a first-time homebuyer, can I use both the $5000 DC credit and the $8000 credit?

No; double dipping is not allowed. You would be eligible for only the $8000 credit. This will be an advantage because of the higher credit amount, plus the eligibility requirements for the $8000 credit are somewhat more easily satisfied than the DC credit.

24. I know there is no repayment requirement for the $8000 credit. Will I ever have to repay any of the credit back to the government?

One situation does require a recapture payment back to the government. If you claim the credit but then sell the property within 3 years of the date of purchase, you are required to pay back the full amount of any credit, including any refund you received from it. A few exceptions apply. (See below, #24). Note that this same 3-year recapture rule applies, as well, to the $7500 credit available for 2008. This provision is designed as an anti-flipping rule.

25. What if I die or get divorced or my property is ruined in a natural disaster within the 3 years?

The repayment rules are eased for many circumstances. If the homeowner who used the credit dies within the first three years of ownership, there is no recapture. Special rules make adjustments for people who sell homes as part of a divorce settlement, as well. Similarly, adjustments are made in the case of a home that is part of an involuntary conversion (property is destroyed in a natural disaster or subject to condemnation by eminent domain by an authorized agency) within the first three years.

26. I have a home under construction. Am I eligible for the credit?

Yes, so long as you actually occupy the home before December 1, 2009.

WITHHOLDING EXAMPLES:
Note: The impact of estimated tax payments would be the same.

Situation 1: Sally plans her withholding so that her withholding is as close as possible to what she anticipates as her income tax liability for the year. When she fills out her 1040, her liability is $6000. She has had $6000 withheld from her paycheck. She also qualifies for the $8000 homebuyer credit.

Result: Sally’s withholding satisfies her tax liability and reduces it to zero. She will receive a refund of the full $8000.

Situation 2: Nick and Nora file a joint return. Nick is self-employed and makes estimated payments; Nora has taxes withheld from her salary. When they compute their taxes, their combined withholding and estimated tax payments are $11,000. Their income tax liability is $9800. They also qualified as first-time homebuyers and are eligible for the $8000 refundable tax credit.

Result: Ordinarily, their combined estimated tax payments and withholding would make them eligible for a refund of $1200 ($11,000 - $9800 = $1200). Because they are eligible for the refundable tax credit as well, they will receive a refund of $9200 ($1200 income tax refund + $8000 refundable tax credit = $9200)

Situation 3: Cesar and LuzMaria both have income taxes withheld from their salaries and file a joint return. When they file their income tax return, their combined withholding is $5000. However, their total tax liability is $7200, generating an additional income tax liability of $2200 ($7200 - $5000). They also qualify for the $8000 first-time homebuyer tax credit.

Result: Cesar and LuzMaria have been under-withheld by $2200. Ordinarily, they would be required to pay the additional $2200 they owe (plus any applicable interest and penalties). Because they are eligible for the refundable homebuyer tax credit, the credit will cover the $2200 additional liability. In addition, they will receive an income tax refund of $5800 ($8000 - $2200 = $5800). If they owed penalties and/or interest, that amount would reduce the refund.

Time to Buy....

2009-02-17T13:27:00.000-08:00

Has this ever happened to you? You go to a party at a friend's and discover s/he lives in a great place - it's just like what you've always dreamed about. And they got it for a great price. You wish that could happen to you. Well, it can but you have to seize the moment, starting right now. If you wait to read about it on the front page of the Washington Post, I guarantee you prices will be up, rates will be nearer 7% than 5 and it will be a seller's market (less inventory) with fewer choices. In eighteen months, people will be saying "I should have bought then".

Let's look at prices, interest rates and incentives - the indicators you need to review. Depending on neighborhood and condition, prices are already low. And if something has been sitting on the market for a while now, there's no reason to offer full price in your initial offer. According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, the number and rate of mortgages entering foreclosure has continued to slow down. In addition, the anecdotal evidence (from agents and settlement attorneys) inside the Beltway is that purchases of foreclosed properties are rising more quickly. The rest of the market is starting to follow. Just as an example, sales of homes in Northern Virginia in January 2009 jumped 39% over sales in January 2008. You were waiting for the bottom? We're hitting it now.

Interest rates are at 50-year lows - hovering at 5% and even below. The Feds are doing a lot to keep those rates low but as people come back into the market to buy, the rates will start creeping up again. The difference in your checking account per month on a fixed-rate 30 year $300,000 loan at 5% vs 6% is $188/month or $2,256/year.

In addition, if you are a first-time home buyer, you have a great incentive to purchase before December 1, 2009. The President recently signed your $8,000 tax credit into law today. It applies to all purchases between January 1 and December 1, 2009; it's a credit against your tax liability to be used for tax year 2008 or 2009 and any unused balance is refunded to you after settlement. It applies to any single family residence (house, townhouse, condo, co-op) for single tax payers with adjusted gross incomes of less than $75,000 and joint filers with AGIs of less than $150,000.

That's it - low rates, good prices, lots of choices. If you've been thinking about buying but waiting for the "right" moment - it's here. Make an intelligent, informed choice and call us to get started. If you know someone at work or among family and friends who has been talking about buying, please send them our way. You know we'll take good care of them!

Sustainable Gardens!

2009-02-05T08:05:00.000-08:00

If you're a gardener (on your balcony, in a community garden, or in your own yard) you can make a difference just by what you plant and how you care for it. Check out Adrian Higgins' article in the February 5, 2009, Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/04/AR2009020401255.html

Additionally, if you are interested in becoming part of a network of gardeners and backyard naturalists check out the online USA National Phenology Network at http://www.usanpn.org. A late-winter redesign of the website will allow citizens to record their observations of plant and animal life and become part of a new 30-year project to measure the affects of climate change in the world around us.

GUIDE to INFORMED WINDOW PURCHASE

2009-01-29T07:20:00.000-08:00

Is the icy air blowing through your windows? Energy-efficient windows can make a huge difference in comfort and in your energy bills. But there are so many choices and ratings, it's hard to know where to start. This chart from the January 29, 2009 Washington Post is a good place to begin:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2009/01/28/GR2009012801181.html

WP 10 Best Picks to Click-Designer Blogs

2009-01-28T10:58:00.000-08:00

From Terri Sapienza at the Washington Post, her list of ten favorite design blogs:

Absolutelybeautifulthings.blogspot.com
cotedetexas.blogspot.com
decorno.blogspot.com
www.elementsofstyleblog.com
www.houseofturquoise.com
www.makingitlovely.com
oliveaux.blogspot.com
stylecourt.blogspot.com
urbangraceinteriors.typepad.com/the_blog
brookegiannetti.typepad.com (Velvet & Linen)

Enjoy!

Is it 1 or 24?

2009-01-28T10:55:00.000-08:00

Check out this amazing space in Hong Kong as reported by Virginia Gardiner in the NY Times and make sure to look at all the pictures and plans.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/15/garden/15hongkong.html?r=1&emc=eta1

Selecting a Mattress - Organic Style

2009-01-28T10:41:00.000-08:00

Turns out it's not so easy to figure out "organic" when it comes to selecting a mattress for you or your child. Check out Julie Scelfo's NYT article on the subject at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/15/garden/15mattress.html?r=1&emc=eta1.

2009-01-28T06:29:00.001-08:00

IT's snowing outside!!

Black out curtains. Oooh, I like this...

2008-10-09T11:46:00.000-07:00

... blackout curtains aren't just for blocking light. 33% of home heating and cooling energy loss occurs via your windows. Blackout curtains can help insulate your home, saving you money in heating and cooling and the energy savings can also assist in reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with energy production. Additionally, as blackout curtains are much heavier than normal curtains, you can expect them to last a long time. Blackout curtains have a backing that is made from a very tightly woven fabric, usually multiple layered, which blocks most of the light; with some brands claiming up to 99.9%. reduction. According to the Eclipse Curtains site, their blackout curtains can reduce thermal loss by up to 25%; so if you're spending a few thousand dollars a year on heating and cooling, the savings add up quite quickly and can offset the cost of the curtains within a short space of time. This varies greatly, but Eclipse's range of blackout curtains cost around $15 - $40 each which is quite reasonable given how long they'll last and the associated energy savings. Eclipse curtains are available at most large retail chains in the USA. If you're handy with a sewing machine you can also save a bit of money by converting your current curtains - just add the blackout liners which you can buy from a haberdashery store. As there's varying quality in blackout liners, be sure to hold samples up to a strong light before purchasing to ensure it works sufficiently. Just a couple of simple tips for using blackout curtains that will maximize your energy and greenhouse gas emission savings. To get the most from blackout curtains, you need to ensure the gather is sufficiently high above the rod to block light from appearing at the top and the rod is situated so that it minimizes the amount of light "leaking" out the sides. During the cooler months, only have the curtains open when the sun is shining into the room or outside temperatures are warmer than inside. During summer, curtains should be kept closed as much as possible; even if the sun isn't shining directly upon the window.

(From GreenLivingTips.com)

More quick and easy GREEN tips

2008-10-09T11:37:00.000-07:00

Check lights. Identify frequently used light fixtures that use incandescent bulbs; order fluorescent replacements bulbs

Check the temperature setting on your water-heater. Reduce the setting to 120°F (typically the “warm” setting; or halfway between the low and medium settings), if it is not already set to that temperature.

Check the settings on your appliances. Where the option is available – and is not already selected -- select the energy-saving setting on your refrigerator, dishwasher, washing machine and other major appliances.

Check your thermostat settings. During the heating season, set the thermostat lower, especially at night or when rooms are unoccupied. During the cooling season, set the temperatures higher. If you have a programmable thermostat you can automate the daily settings.

Check showerheads and faucets. Determine whether any of your showerheads are models that use more than 2.5 gallons per minute. If so, order low-flow showerheads. Similarly, verify that your bathroom and kitchen water faucets have aerators. Order an aerator for each faucet that does not have one and that can accommodate one. These steps will reduce your use of hot water – and your use of energy to heat that water.

Turn off appliances that you are not using. Switch off TVs, computers, lights, etc. that are not being used and unplug items on “standby” (that use electricity even when not being used) , including TVs, video and audio systems, computers, and chargers (for cell-phones and other electronic equipment).

Check car tires for proper inflation. This can improve gas mileage. The appropriate air pressure typically is listed on the door-pillar on the driver’s side, on the inside of the glove-compartment door or in the vehicle manual.

Write a letter to one of your elected representatives at the local, state or Federal level. Tell them you believe climate change is important; and that you support the development and implementation of a climate action plan to reduce emissions and prepare for climate change impacts

source: WorldWildlife.org

2008-10-09T11:32:00.000-07:00

It's so simple!! You can save 80 % on energy used for LAUNDRY and save an estimated $60/year just by washing your clothes in cold water. You will also ave 700 lbs of CO2 a year by air drying or line drying your clothes (source: My Home Channel)

"Keep Your Energy Dollars from Going Up in Smoke" by Elizabeth Razzi in the Washington Post

2008-07-17T08:28:00.000-07:00

When you recover your breath after paying the electric bill or filling your tank, you might want to start thinking about preparing for winter. Elizabeth Razzi tells you how and offers a calendar that starts right now. Click here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/12/AR2008071200174.html

Don't forget about Brookland, DC!

2008-05-12T10:17:00.000-07:00

I find that Brookland, NE DC is often overlooked when buyers are looking to buy. As I live here and love it - I wanted to share some pictures and show that even a rainy day in Brookland is a beautiful day. Actual single family homes are affordable. Some are done to the 9's and others need work but regardless - the potential is great. We have an organic market, Pilates studio, little shops, coffee house, eateries and are close to two red line stops.

Pet Showers are IN this year?

2008-04-08T07:23:00.000-07:00

So what's IN and what's OUT this year? Well, OUT this year are traditional living rooms, voluminous ceiling heights, tiny balconies and McMansions. Thank God. IN is everything from more outdoor living with massive fireplaces and kitchens to home elevators, freestanding (awesome, old school) bathtubs, floating homes on a river, bathroom suits with mini-fridges and flat screen TVs, fully concealed appliances, reducing your carbon foot print, and yes - pet showers. "Clean pets mean clean homes, and who wants to mess up the bathtub when this feature can be part of the garage or mudroom?" Good thing we have our priorities straight. The IN and OUT List - not comentary - is from Realtor Magazine, April 2008, page 26.

More GREEN ideas

2008-04-07T07:41:00.001-07:00

I hope everyone is already using Compact Florescent Light bulbs. A little extra cost up front but will last you longer and save you more $$. Use cloth bags at the grocery store. Just think of how plastic bags add up. If you use the plastic bags - make sure to recycle them at Giant or other locals. Don't just throw them away. Individual space heaters are also a great way to stay warm in the winter, keep the thermostat down and keep $$ in your pocket. Bring your to-go coffee mugs to Starbucks and fill them up with coffee. Switch from using individual bottles of water to a Brita and fill up the same ONE bottle over and over again. I myself own and LOVE my Prius Hybrid. It's fun for my clients, I save a lot of $$ on gas and reduce my carbon footprint!

H St revival!

2007-12-17T07:55:00.000-08:00

I drive up and down H St all the time, visiting its local pubs and other attractions...waiting for its "U St"-esk revival. There are so many places to now to sit down and relax with friends over a cup of coffee, a pint of beer or a freak show... Here is a great article from the NY Times sent to me by a client that recently bought right off H St:

"...Over the last few years, though, H Street, also known as the Atlas District, has seen a marked revival. Four years ago, half of the street’s 300 storefronts were empty; now only about 45 sit unoccupied. The area’s anchor is a collection of bars and music clubs opened last year by a local entrepreneur named Joe Englert, who also helped drive the night-life explosion in the Adams-Morgan neighborhood. One of Mr. Englert’s venues, a popular stop-off for indie bands called the Rock and Roll Hotel (1353 H Street; 202-388-7625; www.rockandrollhoteldc.com), has become a neighborhood hub, with a wide range of acts and a spacious upstairs bar and lounge, outfitted with worn-in sofas and winged guitars hanging from the ceiling. A few doors down is the..."

To read the full article please go to http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/12/16/travel/16DayOut.html. Enjoy!!

How big is a 3,300 square foot CONDO?

2007-11-06T11:20:00.000-08:00

At one of Washington, DC's "Best Addresses" - The Woodley Park Towers (located in the Garfield / Cleveland Park neighborhood) has a condo on the market for $1,550,000. It is 3,300 square feet. Yes, a CONDO with 3,300 square feet. It's elegant, recently renovated and renovated well I might add. This 3 bedroom and 2.5 bath home has lovely oak hardwood floors, Amana appliances, "shivakashi" granite counter tops... it also has a foyer, separate dining room, laundry room, library, gallery and solarium. This one story living is huge and would be perfect for extravagant dinner parties, art shows or skate boarding events. The possibilities are endless. You don't even have to use the main "art deco" lobby (equipped with a 24 hour front desk) as there is a side entrance a mere 53 steps from the unit. The building's large, shared patio is only 63 steps and the hair salon (yes, that's right) is only 85 steps down the hallway from your front door. The downside to all this greatness is that the unit is extremely dark. At 1pm - I could not tell that it was bright and sunny out. Also, just one more tiny detail - the monthly condo fees are $2,457. If you put down 20% and go with a 30 year fixed rate - you are looking at roughly a monthly payment of $10,000.

To sell your home: Bury St. Joseph in your yard?

2007-11-02T10:54:00.000-07:00

Sellers – desperate to sell – are burying a statue of St. Joseph in their backyard. Yes, you heard me – burying a Saint in their yard. The Wall Street Journal (10/30/07 in the Personal Journal section) recently reported “The Catholic saint has long been believed to help with home-related matters. And according to lore now spreading on the Internet and among desperate home-sellers, burying St. Joseph in the yard of a home for sale promises a prompt bid…Some realtors, too, swear by the practice.” Further the article explains that “the statues can be as tall as 12 inches…most home owners favor the simpler three or four inch replicas – most of which are made in China and depict St. Joseph as a carpenter. Most statues come in a “Home Sale Kit” that is priced at around $5 and includes burial instructions and a prayer.” In the Catholic faith “St. Joseph, a carpenter, is honored as the husband of Mary and foster father of Jesus. Representing a humble family man, he is the patron saint of home, family and house-hunting, according to the Rev. James Martin.” I did not know we had a patron saint for house-hunting? Really? Per the article, it appears there are many ways of burying the Saint. Most bury him upside down in the yard (by the “For Sale” sign, in the backyard or by the front door facing away from the house. Condo sellers can bury him in a house plant. Some believe that it is a tad insulting to BURY a Saint and encourage sellers to display him in their home. “Once someone’s home sells, the custom holds, the statue should be dug up and put in a place of honor in the new home…but not everyone is aware of the follow-up step.” Rev. James Martin says “I’m afraid a lot of statues won’t be unearthed and someone will go over St. Joseph’s feet with a lawnmower.” These kits can be purchased at Stjosephstatue.com or by calling 1-888-BURY-JOE. Who knew?

What does a $3,795,000 home look like in DC?

2007-10-30T14:17:00.000-07:00

...It looks like a castle. A gorgeous, country castle on a hill, surrounded by trees and yes, is huge. I saw a beautiful 7 bedroom home in Forest Hills, Washington, DC on Tilden St today. You walk up a winding driveway to an enormous, stone estate. The very private 1.25 acre lot has views of Rock Creek Park as well as its landscaped property. Trees everywhere. It is its own secret oasis in the city. The home boasts a formal living room, dining room, study, fireplace room, renovated kitchen and bathroom after bathroom after bathroom. Lets also not forget the regular staircase as well as the service staircase...everything a multi-million dollar home should have. My favorites of any home are always the quirks: there were at least three fridges, two sets of washers and dryers and a "gift wrapping" room. Yes, a room to wrap your gifts.

As if sellers don't have it hard enough...

2007-10-29T14:54:00.000-07:00

I just tried to preview a condo in lovely, historic Brookland, Washington, DC. When I got there, trusty lockbox key in hand, I found that there was no lockbox. I called the listing agent and he informed me that the condo association CHARGES the owner to place a lockbox on the property. As if sellers do not have it hard enough in this market...now their condo associations are making it more difficult to sell their places. I have never heard of this added expense. Owners pay monthly condo fees. You would hope that "renting" a few inches of a fence railing to sell your place would be included in those condo fees. So, now the property sits on the market and with no access to potential buyers until the owner and/or agent pay. I'm sure they will - it just seems like an added hoop to jump through.

Purchasing a house right now in DC is still pretty expensive, is it worth it?

2007-10-29T10:51:00.000-07:00

This questions was recently posed to us. Our response: It depends on where you want to be. DC has many niches and neighborhoods and they are all different. On average - since the 2005 highs - the average and median DC prices for single family homes has NOT gone down. In 2005 the average was $628,170 and now in 2007 it is $689,677. Average condo and coop sales prices are currently at $408,436 and fighting their way back up to the 2005 highs of $426,576. (All stats from gcaar.com.) Those again are averages. Depending on your price range and areas of interest (both in and outside of DC) the story is different and prices have come down. In some areas significantly. Inventory in both condos and single family homes increased again in September. There is more to chose from as buyers. Think of what areas interest you and then investigate how that niche market is doing. Good luck!

Finding Bright Spots Among the Dark Clouds

2007-10-05T06:42:00.000-07:00

By Kenneth R. Harney
Saturday, September 15, 2007; F01

Just how bad is the foreclosure situation? If you caught summaries of the latest delinquency and foreclosure numbers released by the Mortgage Bankers Association, you could only conclude: Yikes, it is getting scary out there.

The percentage of U.S. home loans entering the foreclosure process last quarter hit its highest level in the history of the survey, which dates to 1953. In some states, the mortgage crisis is particularly severe. In Ohio, 5.2 percent of all home loans were either three months past due or in the foreclosure process. Michigan and Indiana were not far behind. In Michigan, one of every 100 houses had foreclosure actions initiated in the three-month period covered by the survey.
News like that is obviously tragic for the families involved and demonstrates that the combination of job layoffs and exotic loans extended to financially strapped home buyers can be highly toxic.

But from a national perspective, how bad is the situation? Not as bad as it may sound. Drill down into the latest delinquency and foreclosure numbers, and you'll find that for the overwhelming majority of homeowners across the country, delinquency and foreclosure are not issues -- at least not yet.

Remember that mortgage delinquency problems affect only people with outstanding loans and that more than one in three homeowners own their properties debt-free. Of the remaining two-thirds -- the latest survey examined 44 million of them -- prime loans that are at least 30 days past due constitute just 2.6 percent nationwide. In other words, among mortgages made to borrowers with good credit at application, 97.4 percent are continuing to be paid on time.

In some states, delinquencies among prime borrowers are far lower -- just 1.35 percent in Oregon, 1.39 percent in Washington state, 1.89 percent in Virginia and 1.9 percent in California. Prime-credit borrowers who took out fixed-rate loans in most states are performing even better than prime borrowers as a whole -- just over 2 percent on average nationally and barely more than 1 percent in California, Oregon, Hawaii and Washington, are paying late.

The numbers get more sobering when you look at borrowers with subprime mortgages: 14.5 percent nationwide are behind on their payments by at least 30 days. That's more than five times the rate of delinquency among prime borrowers. On the other hand, it means 85.5 percent of subprime borrowers are still paying on time every month.

High housing costs and local economic conditions are key factors for subprime homeowners. In California, where borrowers with prime credit outperform most of the country in on-time payments, 12.6 percent of subprime homeowners are now late, and 8.4 percent are 90 days or more delinquent or are already in the foreclosure pipeline.

In economically stressed Michigan, more than one in five subprime homeowners are delinquent. In Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, delinquency rates exceed 15 percent.

The numbers get even worse when you look at the performance of subprime borrowers who took out adjustable-rate loans, such as the notorious "2/28" mortgages that allow low monthly payments for the first two years but then reset upward with a big jolt at the beginning of the third. In West Virginia, 26 percent of owners with subprime adjustables are past due; in Mississippi, it's almost 27 percent.

What about the record jumps in new foreclosure filings? Here again, you've got to look closely at the hard data in the survey. In 34 states, the rate of new foreclosures actually decreased. In most other states, the increases were minor -- except in California, Florida, Nevada and Arizona, where they were attributable in part to investors walking away from condos, second homes and rental houses they bought during the boom years.

Doug Duncan, chief economist for the Mortgage Bankers Association, said that without the foreclosure spikes in those states, "we would have seen a nationwide drop in the rate of foreclosure filings." In Nevada, for instance, non-owner-occupied (investor) loans accounted for 32 percent of all serious delinquencies and new foreclosure actions. In Florida, the investor share of serious delinquencies was 25 percent; in Arizona, 26 percent; and in California, it was 21 percent. That compares with a rate of 13 percent for the rest of the country.

Bottom line: The scary foreclosure and delinquency rates you're hearing about are for real. But they're highly concentrated -- among loan types, local and regional economies, and are especially prevalent among investors in formerly high-flying markets who are throwing in the towel.

Kenneth R. Harney's e-mail address is KenHarney@earthlink.net.

Multiple Offers Sign of Faltering Buyers Market

2007-10-03T14:20:00.000-07:00

by M. Anthony Carr
I've talked with four agents this week who have had contracts beat out by competing buyer offers. This news surprised me, but it shouldn't have. With last month's meltdown in the mortgage industry (actually, more of a purifying), it seems that buyers are starting to come out of the woodwork with good financing in hand to compete with other buyers for houses that are in good shape and priced right.

There are tales of multiple contract offers (when the seller actually gets to choose between offers, instead of beg for one); the use of escalation clauses once again; and sellers holding the line on subsidies to buyers.

This isn't across the whole market, but we're seeing pockets of neighborhoods where if a house comes on the market in great condition and priced at the last sale, the buyers are moving in like chickens after the proverbial flock of June bugs.

Is the buyers market over? Not yet. In fact, in the Washington, DC market area, where last year more than 22,000 houses sold around the District, Virginia and Maryland, there were plenty of homeowners who are walking away with large sums of gain from a market that has doubled in value over the last five years. Nevertheless, they are still having to price right and put the house in marketable -- nay -- “wow-ness” condition to sell them to a group of finicky buyers.

With that said, we are starting to see well-financed buyers put in full-price offers for homes that fit the definition of great condition and pricing. The challenge now is for those real estate agents who don't know how to survive in a buyers market to keep the lights on during this transition market -- which isn't disappearing just yet.

To determine if a market is turning from buyer to seller, you have to look at the same statistics you would research to see if the opposite is true -- a buyers market turning into a sellers market.
The first two stats would be for listings (inventory) and sales (how many sold). Is the inventory retreating over year-to-year numbers? If it is, then how are the sales holding up? With sales maintaining last year levels or moving upward, then the trek up the seller's market mountain has begun.

This doesn't mean sellers can now wait for a better offer, it just means the days on market will start tumbling, which is what has happened month after month in the DC market since February 2007 at 108 days to just 75 days on average in August. The days on market rate has been growing month after month for nearly two years, till it peaked in February, when it started its slow slide town to where it is today.

We'll have to see what happens with the DOM as a result of August's mortgage trials, but if this last week is any indication, the buyers who can qualify for a good mortgage are jumping off the fence, brushing off their jeans and hopping on the Bull.

We've been watching the market turn slowly but surely in the DC area for the last several months, starting with housing sales on Capitol Hill and moving out from there into the Virginia suburbs. The average home sales price in Washington has edged up from $416,000 in January of this year to $516,000 in August. Arlington County, the first county outside the District, is in a thriving market right now, as well.

In Arlington, the average sales price from August to August is up 18 percent, while days on market are clipping along at a spring-like pace at 49 days (barely a month). (The median sold price is up 25 percent).

Is it a buyers market? Yep. But not for long.

Sensationalism and the Housing Bubble

2007-10-02T07:30:00.000-07:00

Sensationalism and the Housing Bubble
By Rich Levin

This makes me mad every time I see it. Either the National Association of Business Economists is full of people with no real business experience or fools.

This is a headline from a major online Real Estate publication,

"Economists See Credit Problems as Bigger Threat than Terrorism."

I know they were all alive just seven years ago when terrorism cost the lives of three thousand American citizens. That headline goes beyond sensationalism. It is rude and insensitive.

The article goes on to say that one in three members of the NABE, "...Said the housing boom can be described as a 'serious National bubble." Then later in the article three in four said they would "buy a house today if they intended to use it as their primary residence."

Would someone please tell these academic fools that housing is local in nature? While many major markets suffered and are suffering from the over-zealousness of investors followed by the over-zealousness of foolish sub prime lenders; there are many markets that are healthy and many more that are suffering a softening but nothing close to a collapse.

These gloom and doom headlines supported by a minority of questionable economist opinions feed the problem they are describing. While the facts support the opposite conclusion. Even the economists own research supports the opposite conclusion.

In the same article, "Asked to look five years into the future, 42 percent expected US home prices to remain flat, 41 percent said prices would rise." How did 34 percent of the same group call this a bubble that is fed by a threat bigger than terrorism.

Let's give credit where it is due. "59 percent still say there is no national housing bubble, only significant local bubbles. Another 8 percent said there's no bubble at all and that the market is functioning correctly."

Hooray for those groups. They got it right. There are some local bubbles where there were hundreds and thousands of development parcels and homes developed and built in anticipation of future sales and the sales that were feeding that demand was investor speculation (Boise and Sarasota to name two).

In late 2005 and through 2006 the investors realized that the boom was being fed by their own demand so withdrew. This left a tremendous inventory in some cities or areas of cities.

Unfortunately, in 2006, the secondary market lenders realizing that they had allowed a foolish combination of underwriting standards for the previous five years or so immediately followed this. They were buying loans that allowed buyers to have both, little or no down payment and marginal credit. How this happened (and who should be prosecuted for it) is a mystery that will likely to remain such.

The result was that in some communities around the country, particularly where there were high priced homes and with less sophisticated buyers; many of these mortgages were used to purchase homes. That created additional pockets of excess inventory which stalled prices in those areas.

Now in the fall of 2007 the majority of lenders loaning jumbo loans, over $417,000 have stopped funding these high-end loans for some period. This will further increase inventory and dampen prices in some areas.

Notice the language, dampen prices in some areas. Most of the country is experiencing a normal buyer's market that normally follows a long healthy seller's market.

The latter group of economists put it perfectly. The market is functioning correctly. In 1986 after two to three years of a soft buyer's market not unlike what we are experiencing now (Although it was driven by different causes.) there was a long strong period of a healthy seller's market with steady appreciation.

There was a momentary softer buyer's market around the Gulf War in 1991 (although not caused by it) followed by over a decade of a healthy buyers market that lasted until 2006. If we learn from history strong seller's markets last longer than softer buyer's markets.

So again, the economists got this right. The same article said 58% of the economists predicted a 'meaningful' recovery in U.S. housing markets before the second half of 2008 or in the second half of 2008. The majority of the other 42% predicted the recovery in 2009.

This is completely consistent with history. This two or three years of soft buyer's market with slightly flattening prices will likely be followed by five or more years of a healthy seller's market with equally healthy price appreciation.

REALTORS® all learned in their first Real Estate class that the market is driven by supply and demand. As long as there is an increasing population of people with reasonable or better incomes, the demand will keep the market healthy.

Add to that the fact that the Federal government repeatedly states that they realize that the Real Estate market is critical to the health of the economy and they will do whatever is necessary to keep mortgage money available.

It all adds up to a principle residence continuing to be the safest and smartest investment for a person living in this fabulous nation. (Just be careful of areas that have experienced rapid appreciation for more than twenty-four months. There could be a windfall or just a fall looming.)

A bit of a real estate RANT :) from your friendly agent Alix

2007-09-28T09:40:00.000-07:00

Our job is to educate you and help you understand the market and make it work to your advantage. The DC market or the one in Montgomery, Arlington, Prince George’s, Fairfax or Alexandria. Not the Detroit market or the San Francisco market. All real estate markets are completely different. They may all involve buyers and sellers but that’s where the similarities end. Every neighborhood is a micro-market and the DC Metro area, fueled by the presence of the Federal government and strong technology sectors, is actually a series of micro-markets. We have constant job growth (90,000 new jobs last year with growth continuing this year), good inventory in many markets, and historically low 30 year fixed loan rates.

Look at the market in August (the most recent month for which we have figures). There were more than 2,700 units on the market during a typically slow month. Serious buyers are buying and serious sellers are selling. Buyers have choices and are taking their sweet time making decisions. They know this and could stand to be a little less cocky. Sellers fear this. Get over it, sellers. You had your day in the sun and made buyers suffer until they bled. But guess what? We are in an adjusting market – likely moving towards a momentarily completely balanced market. Both sides are learning to negotiate. Sellers, your places are selling if they are priced properly for their condition. Buyers, you are getting better deals than ever and rates are still historically low…not to mention the tax benefits, credits, etc. you are eligible for and – duh – this is a great area to LIVE.

So take a deep breath, forget the clamoring headlines and read the inside story. Stop listening to national averages or foreclosures in Nevada. Or even regional averages. This isn’t Baltimore or the beaches. Call us. We would love to give you a free – no obligation - housing analysis of your current area or area you dream about. It’s the end of 2007 – time to move on, understand all the facts (good and bad) and get excited again about buying and selling. After all – you are buying a home. A place to live, to relax, to make memories and call your own. NOW FOR THE HARD FACTS….

DC Single Family Home Average & Median Price

In August we had a 7.8% average increase in inventory compared to August 2006. Buyers, that means there is more out there for you but it does depend on your price range. The $600,000 to $1 million range saw significant DROPS in inventory (14.3% - 54.2% drops). Sellers, you may have less competition in this range. On average 11.6% fewer went under contract. However, there was a 48.2% increase in contracts in the $800,000 to $899,999 range and a 12.1% increase in the $900,000 to $999,999 range. On average 10.1% fewer units settled but 41.8% more units in the $800,000-899,999 settled. With all this being said, average prices have consistently INCREASED from 2005 average highs of $628,170 to $682,609. That’s $54,000 MORE.

For more information, graphs and charts: http://gcaar.com/statistics/2007-home-sales/dcsf0807.pdf

DC Condo/Coop Average & Median Price

In August we had an 11.6% decrease in inventory compared to August 2006. Since June of this year, average inventory has consistently gone down. We had an increase of 9.2% go under contract over last year. Every price category had more contracts except the $150,000-199,999 range. The $400,000-499,999 range stayed strong with a 10% increase in contracts; as did the $700,000 – $999,999 range with 14.7% - 33.3% increases in contracts. Settlements were up in absolutely every category from $0 to $1,500,000+. The average was a 13.9% increase. The $600,000 – 799,999 range was strong at almost 20% more settlements than last year and $1,250,000 – $1,499,999 had 109.1% more settlements! Wowza! This means buyers are making more offers, sellers are accepting them and more transactions are settling than last year. At the height of the market, the average condo/coop price was $426,576. It dropped to $406,501 in 2006 and is back up at $412,100 right now. We are only $14,476 away from beating the 2005 highs. This is GOOD news.

For more information, graphs and charts: http://gcaar.com/statistics/2007-home-sales/dccc0807.pdf

All statistical information from www.gcaar.com – the website of the Greater Capitol Area Association of Realtors. More coming soon for Montgomery and Alexandria, Arlington, Falls Church and Fairfax.

U Street Businesses Switch to Green Power....

2007-08-17T06:26:00.000-07:00

The New York Times reported yesterday ten small businesses along the U Street corridor have joined forces to buy wind power energy credits. The businesses include world famous Ben's Chili Bowl, Coppi's Organic, Busboys & Poets and Boundless Yoga http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/15/business/15wind.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1187357350-a8K5nLWAsDQJJzKop51BrQ

TOO Hot for Serious Cooking - Here are 100 Quick Meal Ideas from Mark Bittmann at the New York Times

2007-08-03T06:38:00.001-07:00

When it's August and in the '90s way past 9 pm who wants to think about cooking? Here's 100 delicious ideas from Mark Bittman which can be whipped up in less than 30 minutes - no sweat!

http://http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/18/dining/18mini.html?ex=1201579200&en=1bf683d6a283240f&ei=5087&excamp=mktat2

SMALL-scale Furniture Sources from the New York Times Personal Shopper

2007-07-26T07:48:00.001-07:00

Finally, some realistic furniture sized for the small apartment or condo or row house. Check them out what's available at www.tinyliving.com, www.westelm.com, www.angelaadams.com, www.rowefurniture.com, www.vastudc.com and www.mxyplyzyk.com.

BARGAIN HUNTERS' ALERT....the Deal on Foreclosures

2007-07-17T13:32:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't want to make easy money? Buying foreclosed homes is often advertised as a great way to go but Dina ElBoghdady explains why "Foreclosure Bargain Hunters Find Their Quarry Elusive"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/13/AR2007071301985.html?sub=AR

Now that the garden is starting to look a little shaggy...

2007-07-12T09:06:00.001-07:00

it's time to start planning for next year! Stacey Stowe outlines some software options and offers other tips in the July 12th issue of the NYT http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/12/garden/12gside.html?_r=1&oref=slogin and
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/12/garden/12garden.html

With a little practice you can be your own version of Landscape Challenge! Let us know what you think!

SUPER KITCHEN RENO's for LESS...

2007-07-05T10:13:00.000-07:00

Check out the current issue of Consumer Reports for all the tricks that work...send us an email (alix@realestatehappenz.com) and I'll send you the logon information. There are ratings for all appliances, counters, floors, as well as ways to save big, what to look for in cabinets, etc. Very useful article if you are thinking of doing renovation work in your kitchen.

9 Ways to Use Less Water

2007-06-28T13:06:00.000-07:00

Clean water and air are our most precious, life-sustaining resources on Earth. Here are ways to help protect this important resource by reducing the amount you use.

(1) Run your washing machine and dishwasher only when full - save almost 1,000 gallons A MONTH.
(2) Look for and repair leaky faucets, pipes and hoses indoors and outdoors - save as much as 2,400 gallons a year per leak.
(3) Install water-saving devices - such as aerators and low-volume toilets.
(4) Save up to 1,000 gallons a month by taking five-minute showers. Turn off the water while you brush your teeth, shave and shampoo your hair.
(5) Check your sprinkler system frequently and adjust it so only your lawn is watered and not the house, sidewalk or street.
(6) Water your lawn during the early morning hours to minimize evaporation.
(7) Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your driveway or sidewalk and save 80 gallons of water every time.
(8) Wash your car on the grass. This waters your lawn at the same time.
(9) Use native or other low water-use plants for landscaping.
To request a free water conservation kit with water saving devices for your home, email your name and address to marias@arlingtonva.us and enter "save water" in the subject line.
---taken from AIRE Environmentsl Action Guide
www.arlingtonva.us/climate

Energy Savings that cost LESS than $50

2007-06-28T12:45:00.000-07:00

Energy Savings for Every Budget - Think you have to spend a lot of money to save energy? Not true! Many free or inexpensive options help conserve natural resources and save energy and money.

(1) Turn your thermostat down five degrees in the winter when you're not home (or up in the summer), or install a programmable thermostat. For each degree you turn down the thermostat, save 3% on your energy bill.
(2) Change your most frequently used light bulb(s) to compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs).
(3) Set your fridge, dishwasher and washer/dryer to the energy-saving setting. Skip the heat setting to dry the dishes and use "autodry" sensors on clothes dryers.
(4) Unplug nonessential appliances - they're energy vampires!
(5) Install an insulating blanket on your hot water heater. Save 5-10% on water heating costs.
(6) Caulk around leaky windows - the ones that whistle on windy days or feel drafty. Save up to $100 a year.
(7) Start an energy conservation team in your multifamily building.

---taken from AIRE Environmental Action Guide
Find more info at www.arlingtonva.us/climate

Watch Those Gutters...Especially In Heavy Summer Rains!

2007-06-21T12:19:00.000-07:00

Clogged gutters can lead to sagging plaster and drywall and worse. Clean gutters are one of the best ways to stay dry! Check out this helpful graphic on what to expect, what to look for and how to keep up with your gutters http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/artsandliving/homeandgarden/features/2007/gutters-052407/gr/art-gutters.gif

Stats for DC Comparing '07 to '06 - You Might Be Surprised!

2007-06-07T11:16:00.000-07:00

Metropolitan Regional Information Systems, Inc. Real Estate Trend Indicator - <$100K to >$5M Format

Washington D.C.
From: 04/01/2007 to 04/30/2007 Statistics generated on: 05/08/2007

	Residential Unit Sales Number of Bedrooms					Active Listings			Time on Market
Price Class	2 Or Less	3	4 or More	Condo Coop	Ground Rent	Residential	Condo Coop	Ground Rent	of Units Sold (No. of Units)
Under $100,000	0	0	0	2	0	2	7	1	1 -30 Days	293
$100,000 - 149,999	1	1	0	4	0	3	29	0	31-60 Days	107
$150,000 - 199,999	4	1	0	31	0	19	226	0	61 - 90 Days	51
$200,000 - 249,999	6	6	1	40	0	42	153	0	91-120 Days	44
$250,000 - 299,999	9	17	5	49	0	110	159	0	Over 120 Days	151
$300,000 - 349,999	6	10	3	43	0	130	159	0	Total	646
$350,000 - 399,999	2	18	3	43	0	152	162	0
$400,000 - 449,999	7	11	3	23	0	131	105	0	Type of Financing of Units Sold (No. of Units)
$450,000 - 499,999	8	8	3	27	0	141	122	0	Type of Financing of Units Sold (No. of Units)
$500,000 - 599,999	4	11	9	48	0	183	140	1	Conventional	542
$600,000 - 699,999	7	12	8	20	0	117	79	0	FHA	4
$700,000 - 799,999	1	11	5	18	0	81	49	0	VA	0
$800,000 - 899,999	0	12	9	5	0	65	37	0	Assumption	37
$900,000 - 999,999	0	3	6	6	0	45	12	1	Cash	48
$1,000,000 - 2,499,999	2	5	26	18	0	144	55	0	Owner Finance	1
$2,500,000 - 4,999,999	0	0	4	1	0	32	8	0	All Other	14
$5,000,000 & Over	0	0	0	0	0	14	0	0	Unreported	0
Totals	57	126	85	378	0	1411	1502	3	Total	646
Grand Totals	646					2916

	2007	2006	% Change
Total Sold Dollar Volume:	$ 352,285,380	$ 346,314,896	1.72 %
Average Sold Price:	$ 545,333	$ 531,158	2.67 %
Median Sold Price:	$ 419,000	$ 425,000	- 1.41 %
Total Units Sold:	646	652	- 0.92 %
Average Days on Market:	73	53	37.74 %
Average List Price for Solds:	$ 569,605	$ 551,451	3.29 %
Avg Sale Price as a percentage of Avg List Price:	95.74 %	96.32 %

Total Number of NEW listings
taken for the month:	1288
Total Number of Properties
marked Contract for the month:	592
Total Number of Properties
marked Contingent for the month:	167
Total Number of NEW pendings
(CONTRACTS + CONTINGENTS):	759

Source: Metropolitan Regional Information Systems, Inc. - MLS Resale Data
Copyright 2007 - Information deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed.

from Washington Business Journal...

2007-05-31T12:54:00.000-07:00

Washington Business Journal - May 31, 2007
http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2007/05/28/daily29.html

Business Pulse Survey:

Area home price appreciation ahead of national average

Washington Business Journal - 1:05 PM EDT Thursday, May 31, 2007

by Jeff Clabaugh

Staff Reporter

The latest report on housing prices comes from the federal government, and it shows that price gains in Maryland, Virginia and D.C. have outpaced the national average.

The Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight says prices in the first quarter were up an average of 4.3 percent from a year earlier, the slowest pace in 10 years.

But Maryland posted average price increases of 6.37 percent from a year ago and 0.46 percent from the previous quarter. The District had an annual gain of 5.91 percent and a quarterly gain of 0.5 percent. Virginia's increases were 5.42 percent and 0.68 percent.

Compared with other states, Maryland had the 18th strongest gain. The District ranked 20th and Virginia 24th.

The OFHEO does not include actual prices in its quarterly report, only percent changes.

"As always, real estate prices are local with seven states showing double-digit annual appreciation rates and seven with rates of less than 2 percent," said OFHEO director James Lockhart. "Seven states, including California and Florida, also showed home price depreciation in the first quarter."

When price appreciation is measured by metropolitan area, Washington records a 3.65 percent rise in the past year.

Two separate reports this month paint different pictures of Washington-area home prices. An S&P/Case-Shiller report released earlier this week said median prices in Washington are down 4.8 percent in the last year. The National Association of Realtors said earlier this month that Washington-area home prices were 1.2 percent above year-ago levels in the first quarter.

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2007-05-31T07:22:00.000-07:00

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From the New York Times Business section 5/29/07...

2007-05-30T07:10:00.000-07:00

The Energy Challenge

Efficiency, Not Just Alternatives, Is Promoted as an Energy Saver

By MATTHEW L. WALD

Published: May 29, 2007

WATERBURY, Vt. — Green Mountain Coffee Roasters makes a lot of money selling individual servings of ground coffee in white cups that are churned out by the millions from a hissing, clanking production line here. But it recently found a way to generate even greater profits from the operation that will require only a modest investment.

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Paul O. Boisvert for The New York Times

Ron Davison monitoring a system at Green Mountain Coffee Roasters in Waterbury, Vt. The company is investing a relatively small amount of money in more efficient equipment to save money in the long run.

Companies seek economies of scale in alternative energy.

Spending $150 to $200 to install a more efficient blower to cool the laser that carves the date and batch number into each passing cup will cut Green Mountain’s annual electricity bill for each laser by about $200, says Paul Comey, its vice president for environmental affairs. That might not seem like much, except that the company has 40 such lasers, which it plans to upgrade this week.

Green Mountain Coffee was persuaded to undertake such improvements in efficiency through an unusual effort by the Vermont Energy Investment Corporation, which is under contract with the state to find thousands of such energy savings.

Opportunities like this abound in the commercial and industrial sectors, requiring no new research or technology. But few places are doing an effective job of finding them, experts say.

Vermont is one that is. Similarly, New York committed itself to pushing its utilities to do the same when Gov. Eliot Spitzer said recently that his goal was to cut electricity demand by 15 percent from what it would otherwise have been in 2015. That implies holding demand almost steady.

Renewable energy sources like wind and solar are getting a lot of attention these days as a way to reduce the impact of energy use on the environment. But even enthusiastic supporters of alternative energy agree that the easiest way to cut carbon emissions and air pollution is to focus more on efficiency, less on pollution-free generation.

“Efficiency is the steak,” said Carl Pope, executive director of the Sierra Club. “Renewables are the sizzle.”

At a recent conference on energy efficiency and investment strategy, Pedro Haas, an energy expert at McKinsey & Company, said his consulting firm recently asked people worldwide what payback time they would find acceptable before investing money to save energy.

One fourth of them said they would never spend any money to improve energy efficiency; 50 percent said they wanted to earn back the investment in two years or less.

“That means about 75 percent of the public will require economics that are just not there,” Mr. Haas said.

The alternative is to let utilities make the investment. James E. Rogers, the chief executive of Duke Energy, said he would like to persuade regulators to let his company invest in energy efficiency on customers’ premises, and receive a profit on those investments.

For example, if buying an extra-efficient air-conditioner costs an additional $1,000, a homeowner might hesitate, he said, but the utility would not. Duke would offer to pay for the device and collect a monthly fee as a return on the investment over time by adding a small charge to the electric bill.

It would also collect an additional amount from other ratepayers, but they would end up saving money over the longer run because the investments help hold down demand, lessening the need to build expensive new power plants, the thinking goes.

Ralph Cavanagh, an electricity expert at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said that utility returns average 15 percent, and that the willingness of the utilities to invest in relatively low-return generation projects while customers ignore high-return efficiency investments was driving consumption 20 percent to 40 percent higher than it should be.

Mr. Rogers and other utility executives sometimes talk about “decoupling” electricity rates, to encourage utilities to help their customers save money. At present, most regulated utilities have their rates set by state officials by calculating how much money they would need for a fair rate of return, and dividing by the amount of electricity sold, to arrive at a price for each kilowatt-hour, or for a kilowatt of load. Spend dollars to make more power, and earn a return on that money; spend dollars to sell less, and watch your income fall.

The idea of decoupling peaked in the 1980s but after competition was introduced in the generating system, the idea lost favor. “We had those discussions 20 years ago, and we need to have them again,” said Diane Munns, the former chief utility regulator in Iowa, who now runs the retail energy services group at the Edison Electric Institute, the trade association of the investor-owned utilities.

But not everyone agrees. Money for such programs always comes from all electricity customers. In several states, industrial customers have argued that they should not be forced to subsidize investments in other factories that lower their competitors’ costs.

In Vermont, a different argument has carried the day. Cutting electric consumption at Green Mountain’s coffee roasting plant and hundreds of other places will eliminate the need to build some additional power plants, string transmission lines and fuel the plants.

The last few megawatts of power, from new generators and lines, is more expensive than the cost from existing plants and lines, so cutting growth in electricity demand also cuts high-cost supplies.

Nancy C. Floyd, co-founder and managing director of Nth Power, an investment banking firm that specializes in energy, said utilities may be best situated to promote efficiency because they already have a relationship with every building owner.

California has long enlisted utilities to help cut electricity use, partly by structuring rates so a customer’s last few kilowatt-hours are extremely expensive, raising the incentive to buy more efficient equipment. The state was a pioneer in giving utilities rate increases for spending money to improve the efficiency with which customers use electricity. California has another enforcer, the threat of repetition of recent blackouts.

Decoupling is not limited to electricity; Utah just began an experiment in decoupling natural gas rates.

Vermont took a different tack, hiring Vermont Energy Investment, doing business as Efficiency Vermont and describing itself as an “efficiency utility.” Some Vermont utilities were just too small to have effective efficiency programs, regulators said, and some did not have their hearts in the work.

But no matter what the attitude of the utility, in most places the traditional ways of making energy still turn out to be easier to do than to save it. William R. Prindle, the deputy director of the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, a nonprofit group in Washington, said that it was simpler to finance and build a new power plant than to find the thousands of places to invest in energy efficiency, even if the dollars buy more power through efficiency than through new generation.

But the incentives for energy efficiency are growing, experts say.

“When we started talking about this in 1990s in terms of energy efficiency versus coal energy, we were talking 4 cents a kilowatt-hour for coal, and 4 cents for energy efficiency,” said R. Neal Elliott, the industrial program director at the council. “Today we’re talking optimistically, without carbon taxes, 10 cents for coal. With carbon taxes, we may be talking 20 cents for coal.”

“And energy efficiency,” he said, “is still 4 cents or less.”

Today’s Rates Continue to Hold Near Historic Lows!

2007-05-25T09:01:00.000-07:00

Today’s rates continue to hold near historic lows – 6.25% 30 year fixed! Click Here for More Detailed Information.

Please call us if you have questions!

Good Real Estate News for Metro Area!

2007-05-17T13:33:00.000-07:00

District home sales jump in first quarter
Washington Business Journal - 12:27 PM EDT Tuesday, May 15, 2007
by Jeff Clabaugh
Staff Reporter

Home sales in the first quarter were down 6.6 percent from a year ago nationally, but sales of existing homes in the District jumped 9.3 percent, the second biggest increase in the country.

A quarterly report from the National Association of Realtors also says Washington-area home prices rose a modest 1.2 percent from year-ago levels, while nationally, median home prices fell 1.8 percent to a two-year low. Prices fell in almost half the U.S. cities listed in the NAR report.

The median price of an existing home in the Washington area was $427,800 last quarter, compared with $422,800 a year ago.

The biggest gain in year-over-year median prices was in Cumberland, Md., up 17.1 percent, to $100,000.
Sales in the District were outpaced only by a 20 percent gain in Wyoming, but sales were down 5.7 percent from a year ago in Virginia and down 10 percent in Maryland.

While the numbers look better locally than they do nationally, the National Association of Realtors said the report shows a broad stabilization in the housing market.

"It appears the worst of the price correction is behind us," said NAR President Pat Combs. "More stable home prices and declining mortgage interest rates are increasing buying power, which should encourage potential buyers who've been on the sidelines."

The most expensive market in the nation last quarter was San Jose, Calif., with a median home price of $788,000. The cheapest market was Elmira, N.Y., at $75,300.

How Do They Pick "Best Places to Live"...

2007-05-09T10:24:00.000-07:00

Check out the man behind city rankings for best places to live http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/06/realestate/06cov.html from the Special National Edition of NYT Real Estate dated May 6th. Washington DC is rated third for singles!

SPOTLIGHT: First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit...

2007-04-27T11:47:00.000-07:00

First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit!

Congress has passed and the President has signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. First-time home buyers (purchasers may not have owned a principal residence in three years previous to purchase) are eligible for a one-time maximum tax credit of $8,000. Any type of single family residence (including condos, co-ops, townhouses) qualify. Purchasers with adjusted gross income of no more than $75,000 ($150,000 on joint return) are eligible for the full credit which phases out above adjusted gross income of $95,000 and $170,000.

The credit reduces (or can eliminate) income tax liability for the year of purchase. Any unused amount of tax credit is refunded to purchaser. The credit is effective for purchases on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009.

PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO COLLEAGUES, FRIENDS, FAMILY! We specialize in first-time buyers and we especially want to help the people that you know. There's more information at www.DCHomeBuyerSeminar.com! Check it out!

Here’s a look at a selection of Single Family Homes ($300,000 - $400,000) and Condominiums ($200,000 - $400,000) across the city. We’ll show you more next week, but until then... Enjoy!

Single Family Homes Available Across the City Priced Between $300,000 and $400,000

5104 Drake Place SE

CLICK HERE FOR A VIRTUAL TOUR
List Price: $319,000
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 2 Full and 1 Half

617 16th Street NE

CLICK HERE FOR A VIRTUAL TOUR
List Price: $329,000
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2 Full and 1 Half

5113 New Hampshire Avenue NW

CLICK HERE FOR VIRTUAL TOUR
List Price: $399,900
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 2 Full and 1 Half

4600 13th Street NW

CLICK HERE FOR A VIRTUAL TOUR
List Price: $349,900
Bedrooms: 6
Bathrooms: 3 Full

2628 22nd Street NE

CLICK HERE FOR VIRTUAL TOUR
List Price: $360,999
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2 Full

913 10th Street NE

CLICK HERE FOR A VIRTUAL TOUR
List Price: $399,900
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2 Full

Condominium Homes Available Across the City Priced Between $200,000 and $400,000

2504 22nd Street NE #3

CLICK HERE FOR VIRTUAL TOUR
List Price: $200,000
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 1 Full

200 Rhode Island Avenue NE #33

CLICK HERE FOR VIRTUAL TOUR
List Price: $250,000
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 1 Full

803 7th Street NE #2

CLICK HERE FOR VIRTUAL TOUR
List Price: $288,500
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 1 Full

301 G Street NE #2

CLICK HERE FOR VIRTUAL TOUR
List Price: $329,000
Bedrooms: 1
Bathrooms: 1 Full

2310 Ashmead Place NW #401

CLICK HERE FOR VIRTUAL TOUR
List Price: $359,000
Bedrooms: 1
Bathrooms: 1 Full

616 E Street NW #409

CLICK HERE FOR VIRTUAL TOUR
List Price: $384,900
Bedrooms: 1
Bathrooms: 1 Full

2633 Adams Mill Road NW #204

CLICK HERE FOR VIRTUAL TOUR
List Price: $399,900
Bedrooms: 1
Bathrooms: 1 Full

And Now for This Week's...Sneak Peek!

District of Columbia Links
Maryland Links
Virginia Links

Search all listings at www.RealEstateHappenZ.com/clients

Alix Myerson & Aelita Brolis
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
4400 Jenifer St. NW
Washington, DC 20015
O: 202-364-1300
F: 202-318-8775
Click to visit our website

Finding Trees Which Can Survive Climatic Changes

2007-04-09T14:01:00.000-07:00

Peter Del Tredici of the Arnold Arboretum outside Boston offers lists of tree species which are particularly good at coping with climate change. You can check out "Survival of the Most Adaptable" at http://arnoldia.arboretum.harvard.edu/public/show/152.

How to Choose a Light Bulb

2007-04-09T13:56:00.000-07:00

So many choices and ways to save money and be green - check it all out here http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/artsandliving/homeandgarden/features/2007/bulb-040507/bulb.html

Making Your Garden a Home for the Birds

2007-04-09T13:48:00.000-07:00

Joel Lerner's Garden Scene in the WP tells how to attract and keep birds in your garden http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/06/AR2007040600967.html.

A Garden from the Ground Up....

2007-04-09T13:43:00.000-07:00

The Washington Post's Gardening Editor, Adrian Higgins, is advising a young couple on redoing their tired yard and deck. Read the introduction http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040400677.html and the follow the action online.

A lot of house(s)! Read on....

2007-04-03T11:48:00.000-07:00

Check out this amazing tale of two lots, four houses, four mortgages and 16 credit cards http://www.dwell.com/homes/new/6465732.html from the March issue of Dwell.

Calculations...

2007-03-23T09:56:00.000-07:00

The This Old House website has hundreds of great articles and videos about all things old-house. One of the most useful is the materials calculator. http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/knowhow/calculator - it will help you calculate the amount of paint or mulch or insulation you need - no more guesswork!

Lists of Plants Native to Specific Areas

2007-03-23T09:48:00.000-07:00

If you plant species native to your particular region they will require less prep and upkeep since they are naturally adapted to the soil and climate. You can find state and regional lists here...http://www.newfs.org/nps.htm#US

Seven Ways to Give a Small Lot Big Impact

2007-03-23T09:42:00.000-07:00

Landscape architect Christopher J. Cohan has how-to tips for building intimate spaces that work hard for you - more... http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/knowhow/yardandgarden/article/0,16417,1592703,00.html

How to Make Bambi and Friends Leave Your Garden Alone!

2007-03-23T09:32:00.000-07:00

Here's lots of different ways to keep deer at bay from Roger Cook at This Old House http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/video/yardgarden/article/0,26206,1182276,00.html

A Kit for Green Roofs the Easy Way from This Old House

2007-03-23T09:14:00.000-07:00

Weston Solutions, an environmental consulting firm, has developed GreenGrid, a DIY green-roofing kit. You can see how it all works at http://www.greengridroofs.com

More Puzzles from Sudoku creator - NYTimes

2007-03-21T05:09:00.000-07:00

Check out the latest puzzles from Japanese puzzle master Maki Kaji http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/21/business/worldbusiness/21sudoku.html?_r=1&ref=business&oref=slogin

DC Market Shows Hints of Comeback...Washington Business Journal

2007-03-20T12:53:00.000-07:00

Residential Real Estate
Home sales show hints of making comebacks in D.C.
Washington Business Journal - March 16, 2007
by Joe Coombs
Senior Staff Reporter
Single-family home sales showed a little bounce in D.C. and some of its inner suburbs during February.
Sales volume increased in D.C. and a large part of Northern Virginia as the nation's housing market tries to climb out of a slump that lasted through most of 2006.
The Washington area's housing slide hasn't been as extreme as the rest of the country's because of continued job growth and a strong economy, but sales volume nonetheless dipped by more than 30,000 units in 2006 on an annual basis.
The market is looking more promising at the start of 2007.
Sales activity in D.C. increased by more than 15 percent in February, and the median sales price dropped by only 2.7 percent, according to data compiled by Metropolitan Regional Information Systems.
In an area of Northern Virginia that includes Arlington and Fairfax counties, sales volume increased nearly 7 percent for the month.
"This is exactly what you'd expect to see in a recovering market," says Ken Wenhold, D.C. regional director for research firm Metrostudy. "It starts in the core city and ripples outward, like throwing a stone into a pond."
That means outlying areas such as Loudoun and Prince William counties won't see the rebound just yet.
Sales volume dropped nearly 30 percent in Prince William County in February, and the median sales price in Loudoun fell nearly 12 percent.
Loudoun and Prince William had a high level of investor purchases in 2005 and early 2006, which is why sales activity hasn't started up again very quickly, Wenhold says.
Prince George's County, which has seen steady increases in prices and sales activity in recent months, reported a 24 percent drop in sales volume in February.
Nationally, sales and construction continue to lag.
This January, 937,000 new single-family homes were sold in the U.S., a decline of more than 20 percent from January 2006, according to the Department of Commerce.
About 1.5 million building permits were issued nationally in January, down more than 28 percent from January 2006, according to the Commerce Department.
Beazer Homes "had a decent February" in sales activity, says Dave Carney, president of Beazer's Maryland division.
The residential developer currently has projects in Clarksburg in Montgomery County and near Laurel in Prince George's County.
Homes in the $500,000 range are still selling, Carney says, but buyers are shying away from anything in the $600,000 range.
Beazer isn't pursuing any new projects for the time being and will wait for the market to make a resurgence, he says.
"We're not looking to make any major land acquisitions right now for new projects," Carney says. "We're going to focus on our active developments."

Planning a Green Remodel

2007-03-14T11:59:00.000-07:00

The latest renovation project on This Old House is green. Check out what they've learned about renovating eco-friendly - you can see it now via the live webcam at toh.com.

Saving Big While Renovating

2007-03-14T11:48:00.000-07:00

A recent renovation on This Old House shows how to stretch your design dollar. http://thisoldhouse.earthcam.com/boston/

Crime Stats Street by Street

2007-03-14T11:41:00.000-07:00

Check out a new mapping program from DC Police at crimemap.dc.gov to see an interactive map showing crime reports for a particular geographic area.

Getting a Human Voice in Customer Service

2007-03-14T11:38:00.000-07:00

Check out GetHuman.com/us for a database of call center numbers and the secrets to reaching a human being.

Cell phone contracts - help getting out!

2007-03-14T11:26:00.000-07:00

Do you have to endure poor service until the end of your cell phone contract (typically two years)? It's not easy - check out this article from the NY Times.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/10/technology/10money.html?_r=1&oref=slogin