New listing in Silver Spring-Hillandale Subdivision

I just put this property on the market. It is a custom built home in Hillandale featuring over 5,200 feet of total space. I think it is one of the nicest homes in the area, (I am a neighbor) and know that the community is the best. If you are curious about what is for sale in surrounding Area you can check out the search engine on my web site. And, if you are thinking about selling you home and have some questions about the process you can let me know by going to this page on my website.

Blogging lazy. A follow up on the state of the market from the NAR.

I thought I would write a follow up today on my last article about the state of the market. However, I am just going to be lazy and re-post this excellent article from the National Association of Realtors on the current state of the housing market. These are national statistics but I think they do reflect what is happening here in Silver Spring and the DC area. Just add a few points to everything figure that they cite. That is, the market for this area is actually looking slightly better than the national average. Based on this report and the current lack of decent inventory all through the Washington Metro area, I can find no reason why we should not have a very strong market in 2014. I think we might just "blast off." Interested in taking a peek at what homes are selling for in your area. Usually, I put a direct link to my web one web site's search engine. However, I actually have two sites and there is a different search engine on that one powered by Wolfnet. I think it is a great one to use and it has a bit more chrome than my regular engine. Take a look.

Market report. What to expect in Silver Spring in 2014

As we begin to shake of the cold and look forward to the spring selling season in Silver Spring and surrounding areas, I would like to talk a little about where the real estate market is currently and what I look to see coming for 2014. I want to also examine the factors that I think will affect the market in the long term.

Personally, I expect the coming year to be a good one for home sellers and for home buyers. How can that be for both sellers and buyers? Well for buyers, although home values in the area have gone up for the past few years the increases (unless you are looking in DC) have not been dramatic and housing values compared to five years ago still are fairly low. There are not so many "steals" out there as in the past few years but there is plenty of value and I expect any home sold this year to appreciate over time and prove to be a good investment overall. The bad news for buyers is that interest rates have gone up from last year. With the improving economy both locally and nationally it is impossible to sustain the super low interest rates that we have seen in the past. However, rates are not expected to go up sharply this year and should remain in the 4.5% range. This is an excellent rate and well below the historical average for the past 30 years Having worked this business since 1985 I think any rate below six percent is pretty darn good.

For home sellers it should be a good year as well. Homes in Montgomery county are steadily appreciating. Appreciation has been stronger in the western portion of the county but Silver Spring. especially those neighborhoods near the beltway and metro, is doing just fine. Our biggest problem today and this will benefit those who are considering selling is that the inventory of homes on the market is very low. The active homes on the market for this past December was the lowest that I have seen in quite a long time. This translate into demand as the weather and market heats up. I will say this and it was true at this time last year, any home that is in top condition and not overpriced is selling very fast. Multiple price offers are not uncommon. On the other hand, tired homes that have not been updated seem to sit on the market for a very long time. Things have changed and the tastes of consumers has changed with the times. I think most buyers these days are not interested in buying homes that need work and thus are discounting their offers to reflect the condition of the home. To get top dollar today it is very important to take the time and bring your home up to market. If you need some advice about your home just let me know. I will be glad to come out and consult with you about the market and your home. I you would like to do some research on your own, you can go to my IDX search engine and check out the activity for your neighborhood

Replace your window? Part Deux: Steel Casement Windows

In my last post I railed about needlessly replacing your old windows. However, there are times when window replacement does make sense. Some original windows are pretty crappy-especially those that are made of metal such as steel and aluminium. Steel casement windows were considered stylish, easy to maitain and inexpensive back in their day. There are some fine homes where the design was well integrated and the steel casement windows fit the home. Many old deco style homes were built with metal casement windows.

 A perfect example would be John  Joseph Earley's famous Polychrome homes located in the Four Corners area of Silver Spring. It would be criminal for a home owner to consider replacing the casement windows in an historic property. In many cases the windows are protected by local historical preservation laws. The problem is that these windows in their original form were poor insulators to begin with and tend to get worse as they age. In an historical home or even a home where they fit the architectural style of the property the key is to restore the windows-not to replace them. However, in some homes mostly built post World War II s it is just probably a better idea to replace them. A small brick track rambler in Silver Spring is not going to look any worse if the old casement windows are replaced by something different. The good news is that there are plenty of good replacement window options. If you have the desire you can opt not to use the standard vanilla vinyl sash windows as there are some attractive casement style replacement windows out there. I sold a home in Woodmoor some years ago and the new owners replaced the metal casement windows with some very good vinyl casement windows. In this case, the appearance of the home was actually improved. My point is that you need to try preserve your home's original look when replacing windows. Doing this should give you the best value when you go to sell your home.

Want to piss some money away? Why not replace your windows?

I know the title is somewhat inflammatory but it just drives me crazy when I show an older home in the DC Metro region to prospective buyers and the first thing I hear about is the need to replace the old windows. There are so many reasons that this is a bad idea and in my opinion a bad investment. My home was built in 1938 and it has the original double hung sash windows. I love them and they add to the charm and feel of the home. It is unfortunate that most things written about replacement windows are  the product of the same people who have a vested interest in getting you to drop a wad of bills on new windows. They tout the ease of use of new windows and the energy savings but when you look at the costs of new windows vs the benefits of keeping and repairing your old wood windows, then perhaps keeping the old will sound more attractive. Here are some of my reasons.

• No matter how expensive you go, your new windows will not be the same quality as your old windows. It is a fact, new windows cost a lot of money and they will never last as long as good quality older windows. Most replacement windows are vinyl and the quality can vary depending on the price. However vinyl eventually wears out and the average useful life of vinyl windows is about 20 years and you then will need to replace them again. Even high dollar (and good quality) wood replacement windows are not as good as old windows because older windows were made from high quality old growth wood that is not commercially available any more.
• Energy savings with new windows may not be as much as promised. The reason is only a small percentage of your energy losses is through your windows. Most energy loss in a home takes place in poorly insulated attics. Instead of spending thousands of dollars on new windows, you probably can spend less just upgrading your attic insulation and save more money in the end.
• Double pane vinyl windows are not necessarily better insulators that old wood windows. It is most important to understand that wood is a better insulator that plastic. A well maintained wood window with good storm windows may actually provide better insulation.  They now make decorator, low visibility storm  windows to replace the older exterior aluminum ones that do look pretty bad.
• As long as the old window is not totally rotted out, it can be repaired by a competent handy man. Some projects such as sash windows  that have been painted shut (quite common) will require a bit of restoration but broken sash cords, replacement window panes, glazing are all fairly simple jobs that either you or your handyman can do.
• I don't care what you say. Original windows just look better and will always complement the style and architecture of your home over any replacement window you can find. Simply put, these are the windows that the original builder intended your home to have. They reflect the era that your home was built. Street appeal adds value to your home and the wrong replacement windows can cost your value. 

Now there are times when you should replace those windows. Stay tuned for my next post.

Here is a nice simple video about old windows. I like the video because the old gent talking about them obviously knows his stuff. No slick sales pitch here.

I love old homes. If you are a fan and want to see values for older homes in Silver Spring or other areas pay to my web site.

Five cheap Washington, DC things that you can do in five days. Day five: Brookside Gardens Annual Garden of Lights

This photo of Brookside Gardens is courtesy of TripAdvisor

I know that this one is not technically in Washington, DC but I am going to mention it because it is too nice to miss. Brookside Gardens is located in Silver Spring, MD (Wheaton, to be exact) and aside from a being a  very nice "free" place to visit at all times of the year, features it's annual Garden of Lights this time of year. The event  runs from November 29th of this year through January 5th of 2014 with closings for for a few days around Christmas and New Years. We have pretty much gone every year since it began and it just get's better (and more crowded) each year. Last year I even took an unplanned dip into the pond but that is another story for another blog post.

Basically they take a portion of the grounds and decorate the foliage and surrounding area with an amazing display of colorful holiday lights. Typically entrance to Brookside Gardens does not cost anything, however, they do charge admission for the Garden of Lights. You pay by the vehicle ($20) for a car so it pays to load up the ole sedan with as many friends and family members as you can stomach as there is no extra charge. As long as it is only one vehicle you are good to go. The images here speak for themselves so dress warm, take a thermos of cider and go have a great evening.

Some nights it can get a bit crowded. Best time to go is on a weeknight and if you go early,  say right after sunset, you won't have problem.

Brookside Gardens is a great place to go anytime of the year. Any time of year there is just lovely and they always have something special going on such as the Wings of Fancy butterfly exhibit in the spring and summer months. Brookside is well worth the visit and should be on your list of places to take family and visitors when they come from out of town. But the Garden of Lights is the "place to be" for the next six weeks or so and would be the perfect outdoor event to get on your holiday calendar.

Burnt Mills Hills, the best kept secret in Silver Spring

I am amazed at how the market has recovered in Chevy Chase and Bethesda. It is getting very frustrating to find suitable homes for my clients in this area. And, when a nice home comes up on the market, it seems like there are already a number of folks waiting in line with offers. Many of them above the asking price.

That brings us to the beautiful neighborhood of Burnt Mills Hills. This small community (about sixty homes) located near Lockwood Drive and New Hampshire Ave offers up what I consider the best luxury home values in the close-in Metro area. Consisting of mostly older homes built just before and after World War II the community features quality homes build on broad expansive lots with lots of trees and privacy. It is the large lots that get me. Similar homes are just impossible to find elsewhere without traveling further out.

A number of homes in the neighborhood were designed by John Nutter, a local architect of some renown who at 101 years of age still lives in Burnt Mills Hills in the home he designed for himself. Fourteen of the homes in Burnt Mills Hills are Mr Nutter's designs.

The problem with Burnt Mills Hills is that there are very few listings ever on the market at any time. Currently there are no homes for sale there and only two homes have sold in all of 2013 so far. The first one is on Jarboe Ave. and it sold for $960,000 in October

And the second home sold back in the summer of 2013. It was on Burnt Mills Ave and sold for only $799,000 which seemed like a very good price to me. 

If you are getting frustrated with the lack of good homes and skyrocketing values in Bethesda and Chevy Chase then I suggest you take a look at some of the great neighborhoods such as Burnt Mills Hills that are located along the New Hampshire Ave corridor in Silver Spring. For a list of homes currently on the Market in this area you can go here. 

Go Green With a Whole House Fan.

In my community of Hillandale, Maryland a lot of the homes were built in the 1950s and 1960s.  Back in those days air conditioning was not too common and considered an expensive luxury. Many homes instead had "whole house fans" installed. Typically you see a whole house fan installed in the ceiling between the upper level of a home and the attic. They are pretty big and when turned on the force of the fan opens up louvers in the ceiling and pulls fresh air into the house through open windows and vents it out through the attic. Not only does it cool the house with fresh outside air but the fan also pushes hot air out of the attic space. This actually benefits the home in two ways as an attic without ventilation can get very hot in the summer and force your cooling system to work harder. You really do not see whole house fans installed in newer homes and I can't figure out why. Even with a central air system in place, a whole house fan can save a homeowner a wad of cash. It is estimated that a modern whole house fan uses about 1/10th the electricity that a central air conditioner would. You can still run your AC in the hottest days but when the outside temperature is below 80 and the humidity low, a whole house fan will keep you house just as cool. Here is a nice little video that I found that explains the principal of whole house fans in a quick nutshell.

Whole house fans are not too expensive but if it is not in your budget you can get yourself a high quality window fan that can just about do as good of a job as a whole house fan. I have an "Air King" window fan that goes into my window in the spring and comes out in the fall when the weather cools. It is bit noisier than a installed whole house fan but it is a "brute" and does a great job of ventilating my home.

Grace Church Rd in Silver Spring MD.

I took a minute yesterday and walked through the cemetery located on the Grounds of Grace Episcopal Church. Located on Georgia Avenue just out of downtown Silver Spring. Grace Church has a long history in Silver Spring dating back to before the American Civil War.

Back when I lived in North Woodside my wife and I liked to walk our dog in the neighborhood and would on occasion visit the cemetery. I sort of like old cemeteries but this one is unique in that there is a marker there for 17 unknown Confederate soldiers who lost their lives nearby in the summer of 1864.

In July of 1864 a Confederate force under the command of Jubal Early moved into Maryland near Sharpsburg and raised heck in Maryland. Eventually they ended up marching through Silver Spring up  to the very gates of Washington DC. Although, the region was thrown into a panic the attack proved to be just that, "a raid" and posed no serious threat to the eventual outcome of the conflict. Once the Confederate troops bumped up against the strong fortifications of Fort Stevens (located just over the DC line near where 13th Street meets Georgia Avenue) they really could not go any further. After two days of noisy skirmishing the Confederates pulled back and melted back into Virginia. Probably the most significant achievement of the raid in Silver Spring was the burning down of Montgomery Blair's home on July 12, 1864

I often wonder who these soldiers were and how they met their fates. I assume that most were killed in the fighting around Fort Stevens and not near the church. According to a earlier blog post by Allen Brown the bodies were buried at various sites around the area and gathered up for reburial well after the battle. Ironically Montgomery Blair contributed funds to this effort. Visiting the monument brings home the tragedy of the Civil War. It is hard to imagine that 150 years ago Americans were fighting and killing one another over the very ground that we live, work  and play on today. If you get a minute you should stop by the church and visit the memorial.

The Royal Mile Pub in Wheaton, MD

I love Scottish food (insert beer here) and music. So why have I never been to the Royal Mile Pub in Wheaton MD. We paid a vist last night on the invitation of my brother who was playing with a local band there. The pub, a Wheaton fixture for 30 years, closed down in late 2011 due to financial trouble but reopened with a new owner in January of 2012. I am glad they did and we are glad that we finally discovered the place. The food is Scottish traditional fare-solid and soulful. We split a great fruit salad with walnuts and goat cheese and then dove into their famous Scottish beef stew. It was kind of funny because my wife's stew was full of beef and my bowl did not have one single piece of beef in it! But somehow I did not mind. The stew was so darn good that I would not have cared. However, my willing wife sent some of here ample beef cubes my way and I just let the matter pass. I had a Belhaven Scottish Ale which was smooth as silk and served only slightly chilled which is the way it should be.

I highly recommend that you give the Royal Mile Pub a look. It is located on Price Ave., near the new Safeway in Wheaton. Take my word for it,  downtown Wheaton MD is destined to be the next real estate hot spot in Montgomery County. With it's own metro station and it walkable core of fine inexpensive restaurants it would not be a bad place to look for a home. If you want to see some of the homes for sale near the Wheaton Metro then click in this link.

What Buyers Want

It is hard to say where the market is going these days in this area. One thing I know, is that we currently have a shortage of good listings. There are still plenty of short sales and distressed homes coming on the market but what is missing is an inventory of homes that show well. Buyers are out there in droves. There has been a lot of pent up demand built up over the past few years. The strong local economy combined with  mortgage interest rates that are so low that it is obscene has generated a large pool of folks wanting to buy a home. However, with the recent recession under their belt many young buyers are choosing to be very picky about the homes they look at. We are not seeing the rush to plop down good money on just anything that comes on the market. Most buyers who are not investors want more bang for their buck when considering a home purchase. I would have to say that one of the biggest factors is the age of the kitchen. New or refurbished kitchens are in high demand with new bathrooms being a close second. If you are selling a home with a 20-30 year old kitchen  then you are going to have to be patient and price it correctly. There are two factors driving home sales these days- product and price. Exposure is not necessarily the issue. Any good Real Estate Company is going to get your home exposed on the Internet. But if your product (home) is not in top shape then your only choice is to consider the asking price. You must measure what the competition has to offer and act accordingly. I realize that this is not rocket science. But many sellers are having a hard time adjusting to the realities of the market. Yes, we are in a competitive market with hungry buyers. However, the buyers out there are looking for value and passing up on the average or the overpriced. They are limiting their choices to homes that are in exceptional condition and/or have an attractive low price.

Shotgun Shack?

Many of you who regularly drive on Jones Bridge Rd. in Bethesda are familiar with this home. For thirty years I have driven by the home and wondered about it. It seems so out of place in Bethesda where so many of the homes are upscale. There is a history to this home and the neighboring community that I will perhaps write about at a later date. The question for today is exactly what style of home is it? I have been doing some research but have come up with a few style descriptions that this home might fall under. I kind of think it is a two level "shotgun" style home.  Shotgun homes are more typically found in the South and generally consist of one level only. However, I did find a few examples of two level shotgun homes. If you want to see some great examples do a search for images of  shotgun homes in New Orleans. You can get a good idea of what the style is like from the many examples found in that city. The most important thing in defining a shotgun home is that there are typically no hallways. The houses lead from front to back and one room (generally the living room first) leads directly into the next, usually through a single door.

I asked my friend Gordon Bock, the former editor of  "Old House Journal" and author of a few books on renovating historic properties, and he was not sure if it is a true shotgun house. However, Gordon admitted that he was not sure which style the home could be classified under as well. How about you? Want to take a stab at it. I would be interested to hear your comments and opinions about this home.