Can I tell what shape the house is in? It’s always smart to have a professional home inspection as part of the home buying process. You may not want to make it a condition of purchase, but, even so, it can give you an idea of what needs to be done and how soon you […]
This is forecasted to be the rainiest month of the year. (Edit: July summary registered almost 10″ of rain in the DC area.) I get lots of calls from clients and friends asking for waterproofing company references because of moisture penetration in and around their basements. Moisture in a basement and the moldy walls and […]
Q. We put written offers on two homes after starting our search this summer. Each offer contained an escalation clause, and in both cases we discovered that the homes we bid on sold beneath the top price we were willing to pay, one by $20,000! At best, we feel like there was some sort of […]
Whether you are moving for a job, more space, a nicer place, across town or cross-country, it’s stressful. I’m not saying it “can be” stressful, I’ve been through it over 2,000 times just as facilitator, and the only “can be” is that it can be brutal for me and, therefore, must be excruciating for some. […]
Housing stock in Hill East, according to real estate agent Tom Faison, is a complete reverse from the fancy Victorians closer to DC’s center. “Builders between 1915 and 1935 delivered homes with a nod to the Craftsman style,” Faison said. “With porches, extra width, and large square roots, Hill East homes offer a lot of elbow […]
Did you see the new Acura? With the clean lines, sophisticated engineering, leather seats, and real wood trim? What I just heard was “clean” and “sophisticated,” not because I want to drive those two things, but because I want to be those two things. If I hear “hybrid,” I’ll be as green as Al Gore. […]
Washingtonian “When I started selling homes 22 years ago, I would read these remarks that start off by saying, ‘This three-bedroom has a stove,’ ” Faison says. “I’ve always hated that. I feel like it’s describing the Mona Lisa as a woman with two eyes, a nose, and a mouth.” Hill Now “If someone is […]
War is a really strong word. The term “bidding war” suggests an open auction: thrilling and tension-building with occasional scuffles over artwork or farm implements, I’m sure. But unlike most residential real estate sales, this type of auction requires cash in-hand when the gavel comes down. If a home performs particularly well on the contract/offer […]