Starting Friday, November 30th; The District will suspend weekly street cleaning.  Which means those who park their cars on the street - will not have to worry about the pesky "No Parking / Street Cleaning" restrictions during the day.  Not having to move your car to the opposite side of the street is wonderful. What will all those parking ticket folks do all day?!The District stops street cleaning during the winter, because the street sweepers spray a mist of water while cleaning, which when cold, could turn quickly into ice.The Public Works department can now focus on leaf collection and the inevitable snow removal. No date has been set for when the Street Sweeping will resume in the Spring of '08.Search for Homes in Washington DC                DC Real Estate NewsCall James for all y... 11/28/2007

Properties that sold 11/18-11/26ADDRESS:                                           LIST PRICE        CLOSE PRICE    DAYS ON MARKET1312 MASSACHUSETTS AVE NW #209      $514,900            $505,000              18 ****And that is it for Thanksgving week !  *******                This area boarders U Street to the North; 16th Street to the West; H street to the South and 3rd Street to the East.              Search for Homes in Washington DC                DC Real Estate NewsCall James for all your Real Estate needs and questions; servicing Logan Circle, Mt Vernon Square and the Greater Washington DC area. 11/26/2007

 In 2008; Washington DC property owners will be paying lower property taxes.  This is the 2nd such cut in the past 2 years in the District of Columbia.The Office of Tax and Revenue has said that because of the substantial market price increases of the past several years; many property owners have paid higher and higher taxes.  The new property tax rate for residential property changed October 1 from $0.88/$100 to $0.85/$100.It's not a HUGE savings; but every bit helps.  A quick breakdown:$350,000         Assessed Value-$64,000         Homestead Deduction (for qualified owner/occupied residents)*$286,000/100  Divide by 1002860 * .85       Multiply by Tax rate$2431             Yearly Tax (Split between the 2 payements made in March and September)* In 2006 and 2007, the amount of the homes... 11/19/2007

  I wrote what I thought was a heart warming post regarding balance and the upcoming holiday. My room mate read it and told me that she was looking forward to driving down and preparing a Thanksgiving meal for her dad.  I packed the car Friday night before she got home from her job and last minute errands. We spent the early evening packing the last suitcase (I am a guy and thought that two pairs of pants would be plenty for five day trip.) While my dearly beloved was laying out all the things I had forgotten to pack, she had me go fetch one of the suitcases in the car. I hate that. I knew that she would open it, dump it and proceed to repack it so that there would be no wrinkles in our clothes upon arrival. (and I thought it was a vacation) Then.....   The phone rang. You guessed it. ... 11/17/2007

A fellow real estate agent sent this to me from my old brokerage. I thought that I share it with everyone here to see if you might be interested in calling in.  FREE AGENT CONFERENCE CALL! 2nd Wednesday of every month NOVEMBER CALL: Avoid the Holiday Shutdown. Time:11AM EST Number:866-898-9626. No pin required for this call. Remainders: To mute yourself: hit 6                    To unmute yourself: hit 7.   Looking for a Washington DC Real Estate Agent that will help you buy or sell your next house or want a "Free Real Estate Market Report in your area of choice? Check out my website Houses for sale in Washington,DC. I can also be reached at Lanre Folayan "Buy Washington DC Real Estate" (EXIT PREMIER REALTY ... or Twitter http://twitter.com/DCHomesforsale. Please give me a call at 202-3... 11/12/2007

  Sell your home! Five tips to help you sell quickly for the highest valuation As we all know,the home sales have hit a record low even though this is a home buyers market and this will be the best time ever to buy a home since there are more supply than demand. However,some motivated home sellers have become savvy in doing whatever they can to sell their home. I would like to share with you what someone shared with me. Here are five tips to get your home sold quickly for the highest valuation: - Prelist Home Inspections. These inspections allow home sellers to identify and repair problems rather than lose money during the sale. Statistics show that for every $1 of identified repairs, the home buyer would ask for double that in a price reduction. Paying $5,000 to repair a roof is far mo... 11/12/2007

Properties that sold 11/5 - 11/11ADDRESS:                                           LIST PRICE        CLOSE PRICE    DAYS ON MARKET1401 CHURCH ST NW #303                     $849,990           $840,000             1612020 12TH ST NW #714                          $699,000           $685,000             222910 M ST NW #118                                 $499,900           $499,900             621715 15TH ST NW #22                            $539,900           $525,000             231701 16TH ST NW #450                          $379,000            $374,000            28*223 S ST NW                                         $539,900           $515,000              17         *Units were part of multi-unit, newly-built complexes; DOM may not be accurate              This area boarders U Stree... 11/12/2007

I just got home from Whole Foods at Tenley Circle.  They did the equivalent of a "5 Wow" service. When I got carded on my 30th birthday, I was really flattered. Then, as I grew into the "woman of a certain age" stage, it stopped happening. Now that I'm beyond the "certain age' stuff, it happened, and I was stunned! Today, when I got to the checkout with groceries and a couple of bottles of vino, the hunky kid manning the cash register said, "I need to see your ID." "You're kidding, right?" "Nope.  If there's any doubt at all, we have to ask."  Ahhh!  And he didn't even call me "ma'am"! His mother raised him right!  11/10/2007

Homeowners Go Green to Save Some Green Environmentally conscious homeowners can trick out their homes with a bevy of "green" products, including carpets, windows, and even dog beds. Now, they can pay for those homes with green mortgages. Lenders are the latest group to jump on the environmental marketing bandwagon by pitching mortgage products that offer homebuyers bigger loans or discounts if they are making energy-efficient improvements or if their new home meets certain efficiency standards. Last month, Citigroup Inc.'s mortgage division launched a program that offers $1,000 off closing costs with its energy-efficient mortgage through the end of the year. Energy-efficient mortgages allow borrowers to qualify for bigger loans because lenders permit the estimated savings on utility bil... 11/09/2007

 During the "BOOM" years of Real Estate; neighborhoods like Dupont Circle and Logan Circle became the hot - new areas where buyers wanted to buy.  These neighborhoods still have great popularity with home buyers, even in the slower market we have been experiencing.For example; when we look and compare the Average Days a home is on the market (Sept 07):  In Washington DC as a whole the number was 69.         Logan Circle (primarily zip code 2005) it was 45.Dupont Circle (zip code 20036) it was 50.                     Dupont (North & Adams Morgan 20009) : 49 daysMany are counting on the market in DC to pick up in mid to later 2008 and eyes are turning to the the area known as Mt Vernon Square.  This area; North of New York Avenue and the very popular Chinatown area, is anchored by the New... 11/09/2007

Properties that sold 10/29 - 11/4ADDRESS:                                           LIST PRICE        CLOSE PRICE    DAYS ON MARKET1529 14TH ST NW #606                         $679,900           $679,900            101531 T ST NW #104                                $339,900           $339,000             481606 5TH ST NW                                   $425,000           $409,940            101400 MASSACHUSETTS AVE NW #205         $379,900           $395,000             551 SCOTT CIR NW #520                          $259,900            $250,000             631701 16TH ST NW #732                         $399,000           $400,000              241417 5TH ST NW                                   $349,000           $352,500              131300 N ST NW #819                               $3... 11/05/2007

So, I was sitting at my desk getting ready to comment on a few posts, and I hear a sort the "um-pah, um-pah" - it sounded like someone was playing the tuba.   Now, that's sort of weird! So, I grabbed my small camera and went outside to investigate.  I looked up and down the street and didn't see anything.  But there were certainly strains of "Down By The Riverside" wafting through the neighborhood.  And, Oh!  My!  God! Then I saw them, coming around the corner!  A neighborhood school's Halloween parade, complete with a New Orleans Style combo leading the way!   One of the great things about being a real estate agent is that once in a while, I get to actually be home and see something really fun that's happening while many of my neighbors are toiling at their desks down town.  The childr... 10/31/2007

Hello The news media does not always fully show and represent what is going on in our market place.  I would like to help show you that yes, this year is slower than previous years, which were records, but things are still moving: http://www.wtopnews.com/?sid=1278353&nid=25 I hope to find more articles and present them along with other valuable information for you to learn from either as a buyer or seller.  Enjoy! Melissa  10/29/2007

Properties that sold 10/15 - 10/28ADDRESS:                                           LIST PRICE        CLOSE PRICE    DAYS ON MARKET1420 N St NW #914                               $215,000            $205,000          1002008 10th St NW                                   $205,000            $550,000          1041115 12th St NW #103                           $207,228            $190,000          1041225 13th St NW #508                           $335,000            $330,000           501117 10th St NW #613                           $425,000            $425,000           101245 13th St NW #303                           $350,000            $331,000           931001 L ST NW #410                               $374,900            $370,000           101133 14th St NW #208                        ... 10/29/2007

Current Number of Homes Active and Under Contract: Here is the breakdown as of October 29, 2007The number of homes for sale seem to have started the normal season declines in the past week.  In Prince Georges County - current home inventory levels continue to reach the highest they have been in years. Here are the number of homes on the market including the number of homes that were taken "OFF" the market last week.   example: Single Family Homes in DC; 108 less on market from last week, but 135 were taken off - in reality 27 new listings came on the market. Washington DCSingle Family:     Actives: 1934 ( Down 7 from last week)    OFF: 16       Under Contract: 441Condos:             Actives: 1515 ( Down 31 from last week)  OFF: 14       Under Contract: 464 Arlington CountySingle Family:... 10/29/2007

This is an article written by Martha Stewart. So I decided to share it with everyone A playroom should be as bright and full of possibilities as the child in it. Choose toys and furnishings that will encourage and accommodate a child's imagination. Versatile Components -  Children grow overnight, so let today's table become tomorrow's bench. Story Tie - Designate a corner for reading by placing a plump armchair next to a well-stocked bookcase. Drawing Paper - A giant paper scroll is an ideal surface on which to paint, draw or simply make a mess. Mirror - Hang an unbreakable Plexiglas mirror in the room for playing dress-up. Storage Bins- Rolling translucent plastic bins are ideal toy boxes: Easy to clean and all but indestructible,they can be moved to any spot where their contents are n... 10/15/2007

Properties that sold 10/1 - 10/14ADDRESS:                                           LIST PRICE        CLOSE PRICE    DAYS ON MARKET1225 13th St NW #605                           $259,000            $253,000            1871927 11TH ST NW                                  $870,000            $860,000            1071918 15TH ST NW #2                             $799,000            $775,000              871750 16TH ST NW #11                            $399,999            $389,900              42001 12TH ST NW #307                          $349,900            $353,000              51314 MASSACHUSETTS AVE NW #606        $399,000            $389,000              5*        *Units were part of multi-unit, newly-built complexes; DOM may not be accurate              This area boarders U Street to t... 10/15/2007

Fill your saltshaker with a low or no sodium salt or replace it with herbs and spices. Growing evidence shows that substances in herbs and spices may fight cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. The taste for salt is partly hard-wired,but mostly learned or acquired. Train your taste buds to be satisfied with less salt. Gradually cut back on salt in favor of lemon, pepper, vinegar,herbs and spices. Over time,you might rediscover the true flavor of food and the supper sizzle that herbs and spices have to offer. Looking for a Washington DC Real Estate Agent that will help you buy or sell your next house or want a "Free Real Estate Market Report in your area of choice? Check out my website Houses for sale in Washington,DC. I can also be reached at Lanre Folayan "Buy ... 10/13/2007

The new breed of reverse mortgages allow for higher loan amounts and lower fees but may charge higher interest rates. Reverse mortgages allow homeowners, 62 and older to convert home equity into income, with the lender paying out via a lump sum,monthly payments or a credit line. When the house is sold,the lender is paid back with interest. With a typical reverse mortgage, the homeowner never owes the lender more than the value of the home. More lending institutions are getting comfortable with reverse mortgages and offering more variety so more choices are available. There are more resources and more products. This allows you to set aside a portion of your home's equity to be preserved for your heirs. The fees charged are a lower percentage of the home's value than those charged on trad... 10/13/2007

The Waterside Mall Project in SW DC is waiting for complete change.  But when will this happen?  In my lifetime?The Waterside Mall, which is to be renamed Waterfront Mall, sits at the Waterfront-Southeastern University Metro stop.  This mall is a key part of the redevelopment efforts along the Southwest and Southeast waterfronts. The Waterfront developers plan to tear down the mall, built in the 1960s, and turn two office towers that were once home to the Environmental Protection Agency into residential buildings. They also plan to build 1.2 million square feet of offices; 1.2 million square feet of residential space, with 130 affordable housing units; and 110,000 to 165,000 square feet of restaurants and shops, relocating a Safeway store. The project, which is to be built over the next... 10/12/2007