Rent Move Buy - Ep. 37: Estate Planning and Passing on Real Estate in DC, MD, and VA

Rent Move Buy - Ep. 37: Estate Planning and Passing on Real Estate in DC, MD, and VA with Guest Marissa Bagasra

Your house is one of your most valuable assets so making sure you have a plan for how it will be taken care of after you pass is something all homeowners should consider and understand. 

Marissa Bagasra is an attorney who practices and specializes in estate law in DC, MD, and VA. In this episode, we discuss the process of what happens to one's home when they pass away in all three jurisdictions so you can plan for the unexpected and hopefully make these decisions ahead of a time when they need to be made.

RARE Pick of the Week: 1312 21st St NW, Unit 2 -- DUPONT CIRCLE, DC

What makes this a RARE pick?

Old world + new updates = <3

This owner’s suite is a total dream with its funky chandelier, custom wallpaper, and fireplace mantle. There are also a large private outdoor space with pergola that has us dreaming of al freso dining especially on these gorgeous Fall days we’re currently experiencing!

3BR / 2BA / 1,350 SF / $949,900

RARE Pick of the Week: 609 Maryland Ave NE # 1 -- CAPITOL HILL

What makes this a RARE pick?

Eastern Presbyterian Church was built in 1892 and was converted into 6 3-story condos in 2018. This unit, and all within the complex, retains historical and architectural festures such as stained glass windows and arching beams. This conversion stands out against so many others, and while the price tag is nothing to bat an eye over, you certainly know you’re investing in something original and full of unique history.

3BR / 4.5BA / 2,700 SF / $1,575,000

Rent Move Buy - Ep. 36: Listing Price and Offer Price Advice and Theories for DC, MD, and VA

Rent Move Buy - Ep. 36: Estate Planning and Passing on Real Estate in DC, MD, and VA with Guest Amit Bhuta

Figuring out how much to list a home for or price at offer at is far from a perfect science, and picking the wrong price can set up a real estate transaction well or on the wrong foot.  Amit Bhuta is the leader of a top-selling Miami FL Real Estate team that prides themselves on thinking like a consumer and not like a typical real estate agent. In this episode, we discuss things to consider when pricing properties and offer prices that can help you make sure you arrive at a place that you’re happy with in the sale or purchase of your home.

RARE Pick of the Week: 4018 Ingersol Drive -- NORTH KENSINGTON, MD

What makes this a RARE pick?

HOLY SHIT!!! This house is incredible!

Straight out of the 70s, this Charles Goodman house looks incredible, with all of the details we want and need in our life. Honestly, we could write a novel about this listing… it’s just too awesome for words! Just go to the listing and check it all out for yourself… that’s the best way to go on this one!

4BR / 2BA / 1,950 SF / $925,000

BALTIMORE

Honestly, I’ve always had a thing for Baltimore.

Maybe it was the fact that I spent my whole freshman year at GW taking the MARC train there to visit my friends at Hopkins and have so many fun memories of that time. Maybe it’s because I have always liked gritty cities (hello, NYC, with the always present street garbage!). And maybe more recently, it’s because there are so many incredible homes there that cost a fraction of what they’d cost in DC.

So I started a Baltimore Homes Collection and have been keeping my eye on things there for a bit. Please enjoy and marvel at some of this splendor.

… and if you find yourself wanting to buy one of these bad boys, you know who to call 😉

RARE Pick of the Week: 4805 Bending Lane NW -- PALISADES DC

What makes this a RARE pick?

This. Is. Sexy.

According to the listing, this home has 5,492 total indoor and outdoor living SF, which is hard to come by this close to downtown DC. And so you’d have to pay the price for that. But honestly, if you can, why wouldn’t you? :)

5BR / 4.5BA / 3,800 SF / $3,395,000

Rent Move Buy - Ep. 35: Top 10 Mistakes First Time Home Buyers Should Avoid when Buying in DC / MD/ VA

Rent Move Buy - Ep. 35: Top 10 Mistakes First Time Home Buyers Should Avoid when Buying in DC / MD/ VA with Guest Michael Fowler

Buying your first home is an exciting and sometimes overwhelming process, so it’s important to make sure you don’t go down some paths that may make the process harder for you in the long run. Michael Fowler is a real estate Agent at Compass in the DC Metro region with over 10 years of experience helping clients rent, sell, and buy real estate. In this episode, he and Alison go through their list of top 10 mistakes to avoid when purchasing your first home so that when you’re ready to jump in, that you can go in with eyes open and with your best foot forward.

RARE Pick of the Week: 6517 Dearborn Drive -- LAKE BARCROFT, VA

What makes this a RARE pick?

It’s hard to find waterfront property (especially that which you can actually swim in) around the DC Metro Area, so this is definitely a RARE find. Add to that the fact that the house and outdoor areas are gorgeous, and you’ve got yourself a winner.

In terms of Lake Barcroft itself, it is community of over a thousand homes on a wooded lake in Falls Church, Virginia. The lake has five private beaches (private because Owners pay dues), staffed by lifeguards in the summer, and allows electric powered pontoons, sailboats and self-propelled boats

5BR / 3BA / 3,670 SF / $1,595,000

Rent Move Buy - Ep. 34: Basic Home Maintenance that All Homeowners Should Do

Rent Move Buy - Ep. 34: Basic Home Maintenance that All Homeowners Should Do with Steph Toler

The 1% rule of home maintenance budgeting says that you should plan to spend at least 1% of a home’s purchase price for regular home maintenance per year, but what are all of the tasks that should be done regularly to ensure your home stays in tip-top shape? Steph Toler is a Senior Vice President at Flock who’s charged with running the company’s maintenance, client experience, leasing divisions, and Birdwatch, a monthly management service that tracks and coordinates annualized preventive maintenance tasks and repairs. Proper maintenance of a home is extremely important and can be stressful, especially in a metropolitan area where it’s always go go go, so in this episode we aim to give you a place to start when figuring out what needs to be done in a home you already own or one that you may consider buying in the future.

RARE Pick of the Week: 5063 Overlook Rd NW -- SPRING VALLEY, DC

What makes this a RARE pick?

Stop it. We don’t need to tell you. JUST LOOK AT IT. But here’s some info from the listing anyway…

“Architect Robert Gurney, whose work is among the most coveted in D. C., designed this house as a sympathetic melding of the original with the contemporary. A modern masterpiece finished with beautiful materials incl. limestone, beech, teak & rosewoods, perfectly executed. Smart-home with controlled security, utilities, lighting & entertainment, and attached heated pool house with stunning hardscaping.

6BR / 5.5BA / 8,000SF / $3,995,000

RARE Pick of the Week: 88 V St SW, Unit 414 -- BUZZARD POINT SW DC

What makes this a RARE pick?

We’re not sure we would love this listing quite as much if we weren’t in love with the styling and the fact that it’s a stone’s throw from the water… but we think this 1BR condo listing is straight fire.

If you’re going to pay over $600k for a 1BR, our opinion is that it either needs to be truly funky and unique, or it needs to have ALL of the bells and whistles that add value. This listing definitely is the later: 11” ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, beautiful wall paneling, wide plank wood flooring, spa-inspired bathrooms, balcony, electric fireplaces, smart blinds, walk-in closet with a custom organization system). Other unit features include a front door smart lock, select smart lighting, in-unit washer & dryer, and assigned underground parking spot.

1BR / 1.5BA / underground parking + storage / 760SF / $615 month condo fee / $665,000

Rent Move Buy - Ep. 33 Aging in Place Homes and ADUs in DC, MD, and VA

Rent Move Buy - Ep. 33 Aging in Place Homes and ADUs in DC, MD, and VA with Guest Florence Macauley

As baby boomers continue to age, the U.S. Census Bureau predicts that people over the age of 65 will outnumber those under the age of 18 as soon as 2034. With this being the case, multi-generation housing and so-called aging in place homes are in higher demand and homes with Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are being considered more and more with Buyers. Florence Macauley is a Geriatric Physical Therapist, and CEO & Founder of AgeWise Home, an innovative aging in place consultancy business in the DMV. Plenty of people can’t  or don’t want to move as they age, and in this episode we discuss how to tackle this topic in general and some helpful ways to get started planning for aging in ones home, should that be what they choose to do.

RARE Pick of the Week: 2109 Paul Spring Road -- Alexandria, VA

What makes this a RARE pick?

I guess we have a thing for Mid-century modern homes because we feature them a lot here… The listing write-up is pretty perfect, so let’s just re-post it here:

“This iconic home is one of the largest in Hollin Hills with two architectural additions. The Charles Goodman # 6 with butterfly roof is both stunning and completely livable and has been featured in numerous design publications. It's artist-owners have continually improved the original home with attention to design and detail at every turn. Featuring walls of windows and floors ranging from hardwood to Durastone, 4 bedrooms, 2 en suite baths plus a 3rd full bath, upper and lower living areas each with wood-burning fireplace and floor to ceiling windows looking out on lush surroundings. The kitchen, complete with a chef's dream vintage commercial Viking stove, opens to dining and living space that then flows to outdoor patio space and garden. The curving-walled additions, designed by Robert C Smith in 1969 and Patrick Collin in 1981, include a large studio/office space, an entry hall/gallery with soaring glass door and a lower level workshop. Enjoy the outdoors on the upper deck that's cleverly built into the curved studio wall, on the upper and lower flagstone patios, and in the meandering stone garden paths.

Rent Move Buy - Ep. 32: How to Own or Foster a Dog While Navigating Breed, Size Restrictions, and More in DC, MD, and VA

Ep. 32: How to Own or Foster a Dog While Navigating Breed, Size Restrictions, and More in DC, MD, and VA with Guest Liza Malnik of P.A.W.

In 2020, the United States saw a massive rise in dog adoption and fostering and the DC Metropolitan Area was no exception. This growth in interest led many people in the area to start considering how a dog would fit not only into their lives, but their homes, which oftentimes were rental buildings or where they would be sharing floors, walls, and common areas with other people. Liza Malnik is the Outreach Coordinator for Partner for Animal Welfare (P.A.W.), a nonprofit organization serving DC, MD, and VA whose mission is to facilitate the rescue of homeless dogs and cats and place them in loving forever homes. In this episode, we break down all of the things to consider when looking to foster, adopt, or take a new pet into one’s home, whether you are renting, moving to the area, or own here already.

RARE Pick of the Week: 7606 Elba Rd -- ALEXANDRIA VA

What makes this a RARE pick?

—

Mid-century modern homes always make us gush, and this one is no exception. Situated in one of the largest MCM neighborhoods in the country, this home packs a punch. Single level yumminess with incredible outdoor space is the place we want to retire in… or live now… Deadline for offers is set for Monday 7/26 at 5pm so it seems a lot of other people feel the same way.

Rent Move Buy - Ep. 31: Owning and Operating Short Term Rentals, AirBnBs, and VRBOs in the DC Area

Owning and Operating Short Term Rentals, AirBnBs, and VRBOs in the DC Area (Ep. 31)

AirBnBs and VRBOs were already widely known as short term housing options by travelers before the pandemic, but since Spring 2020, there has been an even bigger uptick in non-hotel short term rental use (and hosting!) in the DC-area.  Karl Scarlett is the Founder and Owner of Great Dwellings, a Washington DC-based property management company that helps homeowners maximize their homes long and short-term vacation rentals. In this episode, we discuss the interest that short term rentals in the DMV have received both before, during, and after the pandemic along with our predictions for how they'll do in the future.

RARE Pick of the Week: 115 Seven Islands Refuge -- SPERRYVILLE

What makes this a RARE pick?

———

It’s a house that sits in the middle of a lake with views in all directions. Full stop - that’s why.

Seven Islands Refuge is the largest private landholding on the East Coast devoted solely to waterfowl and other bird habitat. The 221 acre parcel offers an extensive trail network, stunning mountain views, dramatic lakefront vistas, and intimate ponds to explore along with 2 separate homes. It is truly one of a kind.

Rent Move Buy - Ep. 30 NYC Style in DC Homes: Staging and Design Tricks

Ep. 30 - NYC Style in DC Homes: Staging and Design Tricks with Guest Jason Saft and Guest Host Michael Fowler

It’s a Seller’s Market currently in the DMV, but that doesn’t mean that a Seller doesn’t have to do anything in preparation for sale.  Some listings still sit on the market because they didn’t receive the proper TLC needed to get the listing noticed and under contract quickly. Jason Saft is a real estate industry veteran with over 15 years of record breaking sales and is the creator of “Staged To Sell,” a 30-point action plan that he applies to all properties he transforms.  This creative vision organically led to the growth of Staged To Sell which has become a go-to resource for other real estate agents and their sellers.  In this episode, we discuss how Jason reinvents and reintroduces properties that have failed to sell in the past, along with some new ways of evaluating what a home needs before hitting the market.

Rent Move Buy - Ep. 29: Should You Live in DC, MD, or VA? Key Differences Between the Three.

Rent Move Buy - Ep. 29: Should You Live in DC, MD, or VA? Key Differences with Guest Charles Huang

When looking to purchase a home in the DMV, Buyers usually consider multiple neighborhoods to buy and live in. Rosslyn vs Foggy Bottom, Brightwood vs Silver Spring… but the fact that these different neighborhoods aren’t always in the same state or jurisdiction means that they’ll have different taxing structures, laws, and regulations that can affect which place really makes the most sense to buy in. Charles Huang is a real estate attorney with KVS Title who has worked in real estate law since 2015. In this episode, Charles and Alison break down some of the key distinctions between DC, MD, and VA, from taxes, level of disclosure, and rental laws so Buyers can consider more than one jurisdiction with eyes open and be aware of the differences.