patricia kennedy: Friday Fotos: Gargoyle Condo - 12/30/16 05:14 AM
This is another Paris photo.  It's a gargoyle condominium, also known as Notre Dame Cathedral. 
These creatures spend their days in their units multitasking.  
Their first job is to ward off evil spirits, a task at which they are very experienced.
Their second job is a little more practical. Gargoyles are an important part of the Cathedral's water management system, carrying rainwater away from the walls and into the building's gutters.
As a lot of you already know, I love Paris and head over every chance I get.  And on each trip, I pick up at least one tidbit about one of the iconic buildings … (45 comments)

patricia kennedy: Houses For Sale in Cleveland Park: 10/18/2016 - 10/18/16 06:18 AM
f you've been coveting a home in Cleveland Park with an unobstructed view of the National Cathedral, this is your big chance!  There are currently three homes on the market, all on the 3500 block of Woodley Road that offer breathtaking views of this national landmark from their front porches.  
There are currently a total of eight houses on the market in Cleveland Park, ranging from a high of $6,500,000 for one of the homes with a Cathedral view, to a low of  $1,249,000 for a charming town house that boasts it's own elevator!  
              … (8 comments)

patricia kennedy: Houses for Sale in DC's 16th Street Heights: 10/18/2016 - 10/18/16 04:46 AM
16th Street Heights is an affordable neighborhood (at least by DC standards) just east of 16th Street.  It has a mixture of Wardman style yellow brick row houses dating to the early 1900's and detached homes that include many "farm house" style homes and brick colonials.  And you never know what you're going to walk into - although the tip off is often the list price of the home.
It's a neighborhood where there have been some stunning renovations of old granny houses needing a ton of work, and ther are also some granny houses waiting for someone to give them a face … (12 comments)

patricia kennedy: My Condo Is a Bidding War Zone - What' My Strategy? - 09/26/16 01:49 AM
Your condo went on the market and there are several sets of buyers who want it.  Their agents have contacted your agent, and it's time for the offers to come flowing in.  
What's the best strategy for picking the "best" offer for you?  Here are some suggestions:
Don't get greedy!  There is an old saying that applies to real estate sellers and life in general: "Pigs get fat.  Hogs get slaughtered!" In most markets in the DC area, it is customary to have the buyers submit a financial information form showing employment income, assets, and liabilities.  They should also have a … (32 comments)

patricia kennedy: Cheetah: Speechless Sunday - 09/18/16 01:49 PM

This afternoon, I visited the cheetahs at Washington's National Zoo.  There are two cats currently at the Cheetah Conservation Station, Justin and Bakari, but only one was accepting visitors.   The area is quite large to give them plenty of room to run - something cheetahs are very good at.  And the best time to visit is during their morning feeding time when they put on a great show.
The National Zoo is on Connecticut Avenue, just below the Cleveland Park Metro Station.  Just click this link to find more information if you'd like to plan a visit.  
(3 comments)

patricia kennedy: Affordable Homes in Cleveland Park: Ordway Gardens - 09/18/16 12:51 PM
Ordway Gardens is a group of mid-rise brick buildings built soon after World Was II ended, designed to be apartment dwellings for returning veterans and their brides.  In the late 1970's, most of the units were converted to condominiums, and today they are about the closest thing you'll find to affordable living in popular Cleveland Park. 
Over the years, many owners have upgraded the 1970's bedrooms and baths, and you never know what you'll walk into.  There are 1 and 2 bedroom flats, some with lofts, and the lower floors often are 2-level 2 or 3 bedrooms. Most of the units have … (1 comments)

patricia kennedy: The Boys on the Boat - 09/11/16 01:42 PM

 
The Boys in the Boat,  by Daniel James Brown, is one of those books that you never want to end.  It's about the University of Washington crew team that made it to the 1936 Berlin Olympics.  It's the kind of book you'll love if you loved Seabiscuit.  
It's about what it takes to be the best, and the ups and downs along the way.  It's about dealing with doubts and discouraging setbacks.  And the writing is just beautiful.  
And if you live near a river or lake (it's the Potomac in the photo) where you see kids on the water in all … (10 comments)

patricia kennedy: Last Week's Favorites on ActiveRain: September 4th-10th - 09/11/16 12:29 AM
Last week was a busy one without a whole lot of time for blogging, but I did manage to read some terrific posts.  And here are my favorites:
The Grab Bag - Special Labor Day Mega-Edition!! Dick Greenberg: This is worth it for the New Yorker link.
It's been a long haul, but this one should do it! Andrea Swiedler: This made it for the image!
One of My Most Important Tools for Staging…. Kathy Streib: Your camera is your friend.
Just Keep Swimming Amy Mahlen: Amy is a newbie who could become a Sunday morning regular.
J. R. Martinez - You could Hear Hearts Breaking … (43 comments)

patricia kennedy: Ask an Ambassador: How do I write the perfect first-time post? - 09/06/16 10:26 AM
 Dear Ambassador:  A recently joined ActiveRain, and while I've been asking and answering questions, as well as commenting on other blogs, I'm nervous about jumping in with a blog post of my own.  Any advice?
Some bloggers think their first post on ActiveRain is the first chance to make a good impression, although many current bloggers can look back on some pretty lame first posts.  What am I saying here?  Don't take it too seriously.  
My favorite first-time posts are the ones you write to introduce yourself.  Who are you?  What kind of real estate do you practice? Where do you work? … (64 comments)

patricia kennedy: On the Eiffel Tower Elevator - 09/04/16 01:40 PM
I took this picture on the Eiffel Tower's elevator, on the way to the top observation deck. The elevator was moving quite fast, and it was a fairly hazy day.
So, when I downloaded this, I was surprised at how sharp the image was. The Seine is below, and you can see the right bank , all the way to the Bois de Boulogne. 
During World War II, Hitler came to German-occupied Paris, and his big thing was to climb to the top of the Eiffel Tour.  Some of the men who had built the tower years before snuck in late at night … (23 comments)

patricia kennedy: Friday Fotos: Big Pig! - 09/02/16 01:11 PM

I met this big guy on the 2300 block of M Street NW, on my way to show a condo down the street.  For a minute, I thought he was a gigantic piggy bank.  He stood in front of a youth center, and I thought this was a fund raising effort.  And I would have put in a contribution, but he turned out to be a work of art kind of a pig - DC street art.  
And he made me smile - with my camera in hand.
(24 comments)

patricia kennedy: Smart Houses for Dumb People? - 09/01/16 02:38 PM
At the height of the heat wave, I was doing an Open House for a colleague at a smart house.  I mean, this place was wired for anything you could want.  It had a talking dishwasher, an alarm system that could figure out who was a Realtor and who was a burglar, and a thermostat with an IQ higher than my own.  
And the thermostat was the problem. The place was hot.  I mean, yeah, it was hot good!  But it was also hot not good, like warmer that the 107 degrees it was supposed to feel like outside.  So in a … (22 comments)

patricia kennedy: What's Sold in Crestwood: YTD June 2016 - 06/26/16 12:07 PM
So far this year,  11 Crestwood homes have sold and settled.
The lowest sold price was $749,000 for a fixer upper on Blagden Avenue, and the highest price was $1,250,000 for a fixed upper on 16th Street.
The median sold price was $860,000, with an average of $965,905.
Only two of these sales were at or above the asking price, and the other nine were below the list price.  And only two of these homes saw price reductions between the time they were listed and the date they received offers.
If you are looking for a new home in Crestwood, let's talk! I'll help you … (0 comments)

patricia kennedy: Last Week's Most Expensive Condo Sale in DC: 941 S Street NW #2 - 05/12/16 10:24 AM
Right now there are 68 condo and cooperative units for sale in Washington, DC at asking prices over $1million.  Most are in Georgetown. The highest priced listing today is an amazing Georgetown penthouse overlooking the Potomac River with over 6000 square feet of space, and a list price of $13,950,000. 
But last week's most expensive sale was across town in Shaw, two floors of a downtown bayfront Victorian for $1,265,000.  The honors go to  TTR-Sotheby's Tom Daley, who listed this unit at 941 S Street NW for $1,299,000, and got it sold after 96 days on the market.  This unit has … (6 comments)

patricia kennedy: Why have a home inspection on a newly renovated house? - 03/01/16 08:20 AM
Why have a home inspection on a "totally" renovated house?  After all, everything is new and under warranty, right?  
Well, not so fast!
A couple of years ago, I had a client who fell in love with a place that was represented as being New! New! New! And he questioned the need for a home inspection.
It was an older home with great bones that had recently been purchased from an estate and, from the looks of things, pretty thoroughly renovated.  But at my (and the buyer's dad's) insistence, we included a home inspection contingency in the offer.  
Once we were ratified, in walks the scourge … (23 comments)

patricia kennedy: Is Your Condo FHA Approved? Should It Be? - 11/20/13 11:37 PM
Here in Washington, DC, most of the larger condos have not jumped through the hoops necessary to allow buyers to use FHA financing to purchase in the complex.  Others have let their eligibility lapse.  And the bottom line is that not having FHA approval for your condo reduces the pool of buyers who will be able to get a mortgage loan to live there.
If your condo isn't approved for FHA financing, here are some reasons to investigate what's needed to get your building on the list.  Why?
FHA eligibility makes your building more attractive to more buyers.  Conventional loans generally require … (12 comments)

patricia kennedy: Last Week's Favorites on Active Rain: October 13th-19th - 10/20/13 12:00 AM
Sorry this is a little late.  Last night, I went to see Gravity, and it was impossible to sleep, and then to wake up this morning!  So without further adieu, here's the list:
Elizabeth Weintraub:  View the Sacramento Real Estate Market Train from the Caboose  This is a great snapshot of what we do.
Anita Nickerson:  How Much Should I Offer for This House?   In her first post, Anita gives buyers great advice.  
Bryan Robertson:  How do you find off market properties?   Helpful information for this tight market.
Kristin Johnston:  Motivational Mondays...Top 100 Inspirational Quotes  This is Lou Ludwig on steroids!
Jennifer Monroe: A … (36 comments)

patricia kennedy: Contraband Leaf Photo! - 10/08/13 12:55 PM
 

This little flash of color comes to you from Rock Creek Park, which is, of course, federal property.  And it's pretty much as shut down as Yellowstone.  They have, however, left Rock Creek Parkway, one of DC''s main traffic arteries, open to vehicular traffic, at least through part of the park.  I snapped this on a ride up the parkway.  What I really want to do is to get through the barricades and take advantage of the other amazing photo opportunities on this lovely part of federal real estate.
(18 comments)

patricia kennedy: 7 Ways to Make Your Home Competitive - And Not Just to Buyers! - 10/08/13 07:13 AM
When your home is for sale, it becomes more than your home.  It's a commodity that has to compete with other homes in the complex real estate market place.  How can you make your home it's most competitive?  Well, you do the obvious to make buyers want it - have it looking great, no bad kitty litter boxes, and a reasonable price tag.  But you also have to make it competitive from the vantage point of the buyers' agents, or the buyers who would love the place may never see it.
You want to make your home the one every agent with … (53 comments)

patricia kennedy: This Old Petworth House! - 09/24/13 03:32 PM
Petworth, a formerly funky Washington neighborhood is coming around.  According to the guys at "This Old House", Petworth has become one of the top Old House neighborhoods.
It has certainly attracted a lot of renovators, both professionals who buy homes and fix them up to sell as well as people who are buying funky old places to turn into dream homes.  
There are several reasons the neighborhood is seeing a huge comeback.  First, a Metro station opened along Georgia Avenue.  Second, these old places are often rundown to start with, but they tend to good bones.  Many were built in … (2 comments)

 
Patricia Kennedy,  Home in the Capital (RLAH@Properties)

Patricia Kennedy

Home in the Capital

Washington, DC

More about me…

RLAH@Properties

Address: 2001 S Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC , 20009

Mobile: (202) 549-5167

Office: (202) 759-7581

Pat Kennedy -- author of The Irreverent Guide to Real Estate -- gives you a look at life on the streets as a real estate broker in our nation's capital. And her blog is peppered with great advice combined with humor!


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