1834 15th St.: Price Reduction Watch

This is a lovely two bedroom house in Logan that has sat on the market quite a while. Initially listed on April 18, 2009 (with a price of 979,000 on April 24, 2009), the seller recently reduced the listing price to $889,000. The location is fantastic, and it has a true "chef's kitchen" in the basement. But only a bath and a half in this three story, two bedroom house? One has to think that the lack of a second full bath is greatly hindering the sale. The listing is here.

Brdms: 2

Baths: 1.5

Price: $889,000

Parking: 1 space in detached garage

Photos: Are available here

Cmmt: Interesting entertaining space in basement with open-beam ceiling and kitchen

There is yet another open house this weekend. How long will it take to sell? What is an appropriate price?

1445 Church St. #34: Rainbow Lofts

Rainbow Lofts is my favorite boutique building in the city. But is it worth the pricetag? For the Rainbow Lofts, this unit has sat on the market an absurdly long time. Why? Overpriced? The listing is here.

Bdrms: 2

Baths: 2

Floors: 1

Price: $769,000.

(listed on 4/3/09).

Parking: 1

HOW: A whopping $565.

Photos: Are here.

Has anyone seen this unit? The second bedroom looks small, and with minimal closets. Plus, the second bathroom is oddly situated. Nonetheless, it has all the fun features of a true loft. Perhaps the high condo fee -- which strikes me as steep for a non-full service building -- keeps this from selling.

2127 10th St: A perfect condo alternative

This 2br, 2.5 bath is a perfect condo alternative. It hit the market just a week ago, and I'm a bit surprised that it is still an active listing. Don't get me wrong: it is a small, cozy house. But for those wanting to live in U. St., the location is ideal, just two short blocks from the metro. There is a very interesting ceiling above the dining area. There is ample closet space in the master bedroom. The upstairs baths are lovely. The house has a small back deck. All in all, I think this is a lovely property. The listing is here.

Bdrms: 2

Baths: 2.5

Floors: 2

Price: $535,000.

(sold on 7/17/06 for $547,000).

Parking: None. The house is landlocked.

Photos: Photos are here.

So, what is it worth? How long will it take to sell?

1737 Johnson Ave. Unit A: Condo porn

This is a gorgeous condo in the Soho Lofts building in Logan. It has amazing outdoor space and a dramatic living/kitchen area. However, I'm unsure if this is a true 3 br. It's surely not a typical family residence, and it has lingered on the market for almost a year now. Is it overpriced? Are there condo buyers at this price point? To be sure, 1.5m buys a beautiful house in the same neighborhood. Click here for the listing.

Bdrms: 3

Baths: 2

Floors: 2

Price: $1,495,000. (price changed 2/6)

(initially listed on 9/9/08).

Parking: 2 spaces

HOA: $375

Photos: Click here for a jaw-dropping photo tour.

Extras: Some of the best outdoor space in the area.

So, will this proper sit until the market rebounds? Would you buy this over a fantastic house?

1307 R St. #1: A nice basement condo?

Is the phrase "a nice basement condo" an oxymoron? This listing (like the one a few doors down at 1321 R St) begs the question. At a recent open, I quite liked the well-appointed kitchen and living space. Like most 2-br units, the second bedroom is rather small, but this one is passable. It has a backdoor to the real parking space. But at the end of the day, you are still living in a basement with less than ideal light. The full listing is here.

Bdrms: 2

Baths: 2

Floors: 1 (below ground)

Price: $449,000. (price changed 6/24)

(initially listed at $484,900 on 4/03).

Parking: 1 space

HOA: $315

Photos: Click here for a photo tour.

The home owner's fee strikes me as quite high for such a renovated victorian. How much more need this price come down in value to sell? Readers, would you rather buy this condo or the one mentioned below on 8th St?

1505 8th St. #3: Price reduction watch

This is a two-bedroom, three-story condo in Shaw that appears to have been on the market sometime now. With the recent price reduction, I think the condo is rather attractively priced for a two br. Click here for the full listing. An open home is scheduled for this weekend. Given the recent price change, I predict the property moves relatively quickly.

The basics:

Bdrms: 2

Baths: 2.5

Floors: 3

Price: $399,900. (price changed 6/24)

(previously listed at $475,000 on 4/30).

Parking: 1 space

Add.: Lovely outdoor patio.

HOA: ??

Photos: Click here for a photo tour.

I saw this listing at an open a month or two ago. The space is lovely, but it feels like true vertical living. The second bedroom is cozy, but is on a seperate floor for great privacy to be used as a guest room. Each floor is narrow, but because the condo has three floors, it still feels livable.

What do folks think about this location? It's right across the street from the Shaw Giant, i.e., the planned "O St. Market." Does the coming development spell good things for this block and climbing property values? Will it simply mean a half-decade of construction across the street? Or is the O St. Market a casualty of the economic decline?

Do leave your comments.

PS, I note that following the price change, this is flagged as a potential short sale. It could be a great value for a buyer.

Welcome to DC Real Estate Blog

Welcome to this blog. I'm a young lawyer who recently purchased a house in DC. I found the process enjoyable and loved exploring listings. Now that my search is over, I decided to turn my interest into a blog. Although websites like Redfin were useful, I found a distinct lack of sites for buyers to discuss listings on the market. (To be sure, Prince of Petworth includes a lovely "Good Deal or Not" feature discussing real estate listings. I think that blog is terrific, but I wanted to add a blog that focuses exclusively on reader-driven feedback of DC real estate.) Thus, I decided to create this blog as a forum to discuss the residential real estate listings in the Dupont, Logan, U St, and Shaw neighborhoods of DC.

Whether this blog survives is very much a question of readership. I'm hopeful that DC residents will use this as a forum to engage in discussions of current listings. I'll post my comments and attempt to identify properties that strike me as good values, but these are solely my own opinions. The true value of the blog will stem from reader comments. So, post away, and let's see if we can make a valuable tool for current buyers in the real estate market.

If you would like discussion of a particular listing, I'm happy to post it by reader request. Just send an email to DCRealEstateBlog@gmail.com.