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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Earlier this week, I got a call from an agent who showed a listing I have last week.  His people loved it, he said, but the husband was out of town until the end of the week.  They planned to make an offer Friday or Saturday.  This afternoon, Saturday, as I was driving to my Mother's 85th birthday party, he called to say he was sending it via MongoFax and would like to present it over the phone.  I explained that I'd be available late this afternoon to take a look at it and would call him then. Then 20 miles down the Baltimore Washington Parkway, my Blackberry's ear bud tickled my ear once again.  It was a second agent calling to say she was leaving the same listing with her clients and was writing an offer.  And what did my sellers need as a time frame.  An hour or so later, her offer ... 01/26/2008

There is something beautiful and amazing about many of this areas old stone homes.  The one at the right is a 20's vintage craftsman bungalow  here in Washington.  The wall are thick.  The house is solid.  The stone exterior is virtually maintenance free. Nearby, in the same neighborhood is a house I listed many years ago that I called the Perma Stone Palace.   It is covered with a product that was popular during the 1930's.  The original patent was issued in 1929 for Perma Stone, and for a long time, I thought their top salesman lived in Baltimore.   But there were several companies around the country that manufactured the polyester of stone, and one of them, the Lasting Products Company in Baltimore, manufactured a synthetic stone product called Formstone. This stuff is all over Balti... 01/26/2008

Museums, movies, monuments, memorials, music -- D.C.'s got it all (and that's just the 'm's).  If you live in the area or you are visiting and looking for some fun, here's a short list of upcoming events that might interest you.  Should you be considering a move to the D.C. or Northern Virginia region, this sampling will give you an idea of the activities and culture that the area has to offer. MOVIEWhile it got mixed reviews and has become cliche at this point, Sylvester Stallone's latest Rambo movie was released yesterday.  I don't know what number he's up to at this point.  If you want to pass up more intellectual fare, you can spend two hours at the local movie theater listening to Stallone grunt and groan in what's sure to be a good old fashioned shoot 'em up!  Sure to be fun, if n... 01/26/2008

What's Selling - DC - Logan/Mt Vernon Square Neighborhoods Here are the Properties that sold in this Washington DC Neighborhood:  1/14 - 1/20Type of Property      #BR/Baths                 List Price           Closed Price     # Days on MarketCondo                       1/1                        $374,400            $395,000                 2*      Co-op                       2/2                        $389,000            $389,000                 115   Condo                       1/1                        $335,000            $335,000                146             Condo                       1/1                        $359,000            $350,000                138              Row House                 4/4/2                     $440,000            $440,000                139Condo     ... 01/21/2008

     Call me crazy - Okay! Maybe I am crazy. But does anybody out there think that the New England Patriots are going to lose today? I mean,I know New England Patriots destroyed San Diego Chargers in Week 2. But this team is a very different team now then before. Plus,they have been a very good Indianapolis Cots team twice this year. That should help them prepare for the mighty New England Patriots. Anyway,I didn't say that the New England Patriots lose. I am saying that do you think they are going to lose? I guess we will find out later today. Update: New England Patriots won this game! But they didn't win the Super Bowl. They lost to the New York Giants. So New England Patriots home fell down afterwards.                                                           To receive a free list ... 01/20/2008

Relocating to the Washington DC ?  Here is a list of some helpful websites for you. James Downing -Your Real Estate Agent Search Homes on the MLS Independent School Evaluation Site Metro (Subway & Bus system) - Includes a map and Trip planner DC Government Web Page VA Government Web Page MD Government Web Page Smithsonian Institution Craig's List (Classifieds for jobs, services & more)  Monster.com (Job search) Moving.com (Moving help and advise) ZIP Car  ZipCar is a local car rental - rent for an hour or a day!                                                   Things You'll Need once you are here:   Info for DC Parking Permit Change your Driver License (DC) Change your Driver License (VA) Change your Driver License (MD) Local Utilities Contact Information           Contact James Downin... 01/19/2008