Real Estate Agents Back on Crack
I swear some Real Estate Agents are on crack. And it has been a while since I've written that phrase. I was going to ponder the minor mistakes of location listing, like listing a house that is clearly in the TC as being in Eckington. But then I spotted a LeDroit Park house listed for over 4 million dollars. 1-2-3-4 Million! Yes, it
has a huge lot, and 8 bedrooms, but great googgly-mooggly.
The days of houses in the hood selling in a matter of a few days gone. Gone with the $400,000 mortgages, no down payment loans given to unemployed. Gone, hopefully, is the army the get rich quick flippers and hysterical buyers descending on the next new thing.
We were the next new thing. The hot hip neighborhood. We were like the bright newly graduated student, full of potential and promise. In the 7 years I've been here we have come a long way, but there is still a ways to go. Still more untapped potential and promise. But it's not going to be released any time soon with the fury and near mindless abandon we experienced, until we are once again rediscovered.
Until then lets continue to add value, real value, to those who live here now. Let us improve our homes, not for some faceless unknown buyer, but for ourselves. Let us fight for usable parks and recreational facilities. Let us encourage businesses and non-profits we will actually patronize and support with our dollars and our time and our hearts, not just to heighten our property values or to have something to mention on the MLS as an amenity, but to improve our quality of life.
Labels: real estate
Crap house, 1/2 a mill
According to our friends at redfin, this lovely piece of crap is up
for sale for $500,000. As you see, it is a shell.
Here is what the script about it says:
APPROVED PLANS AND PERMITS EXISTS FOR THIS ONE STOREY ADDITION AND CONDO CONVERSION TO 2 BED 2.5 BATH LUXURY CONDOS. .. .STARTED CONDO REGISTRATION, PLUMBING, FOUNDATION AND BLOCKWORK TO 3RD FLOOR, INTERIOR FRAMING AND ROOFING. ONE OF PRIVATE LENDERS DIED, THE ESTATE EXECUTORS PRESSED TO CLOSE HIS ACCOUNTS, BUILDER/OWNER COULD NOT FINISH WORK; WHAT A DISTRESS. I NEED A QUICK SALE, BRING ALL OFFERS PLEASE.
First, I am sorry for your loss.
Second, Luxury.... There is nothing luxury about this, no guarantee that it would have been luxury even if a lender lived, and was just really sick.
And, third, my mind races wondering, ok, your individual, not a bank or financial institution, lender dies, what does that have to do with anything? I could understand if a part owner, part investor died that would be a problem for the other owner/investor and builder. But if my lender/ mortgage bank was to implode, go out of business, etc, then my mortgage would get sold to another lender, as it is an asset.
So let me get this straight. You buy a property at the top of the market for $405K in 2005. You screw around with it to try to turn it into two condos, mess up the windows, and throw a pop up on top, which could be incredibly ugly. The city discovers, hey, this is vacant and in 2008 starts charging you at the vacant rate and now you owe $13K in taxes, some of it looking like back taxes from 2007 too. At some point somebody necessary to this scheme passes on to the great beyond. And so you place this mess on the market, during a downturn.
Best of luck with that.
My deepest condolences to the people who have to live near this.
Make your dog parks where you may
Coming home yesterday from the R Street exit of the Shaw/Howard station, noticed a man with his mid-sized black dog finishing up a romp around the enclosed space that was the Waltha Daniel's Library. It appears that the gate was open on the 8th Street side and I guess the pair made use of the temporary green space. As far as a more formal option goes, ANC 2C02 Kevin Chapple
has a posting about a petition for a dog park in Shaw.
I don't own a dog, but I see a need for dog parks. And to the argument that parks should be for people. Well they are for people, people with dogs.
Labels: misc
Bloomingdale Farmers Market Back This Sunday
Are you excited?
I'm excited.
This is the message from Ted from the other side of Florida Ave:
This Sunday May 18th the second season of the Bloomingdale Farmers Market will start at 10am on R street NW between First street NW and Florida Ave. (same location as last year)
The market will run from 10am till 2pm each Sunday rain or shine, May 18th through November 23rd.
We welcome Senior and WIC GET FRESH checks.
Our theme this year is act Green, lets try to have a plastic bag free market. Please bring reusable bags or recycled store bags to haul the bounty of the Good Earth home. Buying locally grown or raised foods will help to reduce your annual carbon footprint by 11%. Using your own bags will reduce that amount even further. Ask about the new line of compostable single use cups and plates that the Big Bear Cafe plans to use. We are going to start a demonstration composting project at Emery Elementary school using the post consumer waste from the Big Bear.
Reid will have herb plants for sale
Truck Patch will have free range Pork and great spring salad greens
Bread Line -Fresh baked breads
See you all there.
Labels: Bloomingdale/Eckington, farmers markets
Prices Slash. Everything Must Go!
Well finally, the owner of this rental at 1624 4th St NW has finally got the price down from $375K to a possible, $299,999. It's one of those you can live in it but you're going to have to fix it up kinda deals. And the price slash should help matters as the current occupants appear very hostile to anyone who comes by to look at it.
I'm one of those people who when I hear the stock market is going down, I say, "Yay, stocks on sale." Because, in time the solid companies do go back up. I say the same with houses. The silver lining, I see, is houses are getting back to somewhat affordable. So now the houses are on sale, prices are getting slashed, and you can actually put in sweat equity.
I'm really trying not to call a house an investment. It can be, but for the most part it is a place to leave your stuff. A place to sleep and eat at. I think that whole housing as investment, flipping thing screwed the system up.
Wet, Wet, Wet
My cellar is very, very wet. Stay home from work wet. Throw down newspapers to soak up water, wet. When I called in saying I couldn't come in, I apparently wasn't the only one.
Ah, the joys of homeownership.
I have a sump pump. It probably should be replaced, as it 'hiccuped' leaving about 2-3 inches of water on the floor. It's failed me before. I worry that one day I'll lose power or the darned thing will just die and the ground will be rain soaked and I'll be totally screwed.
Luckily, most things in the cellar in are plastic bins. But there are other things. Plugged in things. Mechanical things. Wood furniture things that are getting wet.
It will probably get better when the rain stops.
Labels: weather
Renovation 2007: Air Conditioning
If I haven't mentioned it, Phase II of my house renovations is 99.99 complete. Phase I was the kitchen, Phase II was the big monster budget killing renovation, Phase III will be the cellar. But Phase II is 99.99% complete, the .01% is some touch up painting I need to get around to doing with the doors and where the wall meets the ceiling.
Anyway, I have AC, and the system that I have is the
Space Pak. We've had a few warm days, and so far my feelings are mixed. First off, where I work there are spots where it is 60F and I have to bundle up, so I don't want to freeze at home. And so I've had the AC on and turned it off because I thought it was too chilly. The 1st floor does get nice and cool and the 2nd floor, where the heat rises, is iffy. It isn't hot, just noticeably warmer. This can be dealt with the ceiling fans.
I do like the look of it. No boxy ducts.
When Summer comes I'll give another review.
Labels: renovation
Bates Street 2008
See today's other post for an explanation.
Bates Street 1968-1972
For your entertainment and interest, the unit block of Bates St. NW.
Funny thing. I went over looking for the same house, but even with a house number that is quite visible, I can't match up this picture with the houses of today.
