Day after Day, as new condo buildings are being built in the Washington D.C. Metro area and nearby Arlington, VA, I read new descriptions that say “cozy boutique condo building.” But what does a “boutique condo building” really mean? Here’s my personal (i.e. others may have other viewpoints) definition:

Dictionary.com defines ”boutique” as:

“1. a small shop or a small speciality department within a larger store

2. any small, exclusive business offering customized service

So how does that apply to real estate?

I tend to think of a Boutique building as a smaller building, with fewer than 100 units, under 5 floors. Sometimes they have a front desk, but often they don’t. They also usually have fewer amenities, as the feel/atmosphere of the building is much like a single-family home/personal residence; it tends to be a nice foyer/lobby and that’s it. Often times, this results in lower condo fees.

Examples of Arlington VA Boutique Condo Buildings:

1800 Wilson

The Berkeley Condo

Examples of Washington DC Boutique Condo Buildings:

Harvard Lofts in Columbia Heights

Adams Station in Adams Morgan

Of course, there are more than the few examples I listed above. Have questions? Feel free to contact me.

Laura J. Rubinchuk
Keller Williams Realty
703.283.6120
Laura@TheLJRGroup.com