About Washington's Mclean Gardens

When you are pushing Open House arrows into the groud at McLean Gardens, you never know who you will encounter. I met this turqoise person (a bit androginous) on the corner of Macomb Street and 39th, just sitting there minding his/her own business. There are at least for statues similar to this one throughout the complex. I wonder if they conveyed when the McLean family sold their old estate?

And considering the weather was a bit wet and dreary, it was a good afternoon!

Open House: 3901 Langley Court NW, Unit F558 - May 1 from 1 to 4 pm

This top floor condominium is McLean Garden's largest 1-bedroom with loft floor plan. Here are some of it's features:

• 1317 sqare feet of space
• Cathedral ceilings
• Large loft looking down to living and dining rooms
• Abundant storage
• A coveted parking space is included in the price
• Master bedroom with large sitting area
• Stackable washer/dryer
• Stainless kitchen appliances
• Pet friendly
• Tennis Courts nearby
• Tot lots
• Swimming pool
• Walk to restaurants, shops, groceries and public transportation
  
• FHA approved

Listed for $449,000, which includes parking.

Please drop by tomorrow afternoon between 1 and 4 to take a look. Or you may contact me to arrange to see this unit by appointment.

Back when McLean Gardens was making the transition from rentals to condominiums, it got a little messy. There was an extended battle between the feisty tenants and the developers who couldn't really do the conversion without them. But with all of their early difficulties, McLean Gardens has become a wonderful place to live and own.

It is situated on a 43 acre estate just off Wisconsin Avenue, in the shadow of the National Cathedral. For decades, it was the summer home of newspaper owner, John McLean, who lived and entertained lavishly in a Greek Revival mansion designed by John Russell Pope. There was also a cast iron swimming pool, 18-hold golf course, stables, tennis courts, and When McLean died, his only son Edward and wife Evalyn spend his fortune on such trinkets as the Hope Diamond, and when Edward died, the original mansion was torn down to make room for affordable housing for the many government workers pouring into Washington during World War II.

In 1980, the developer bought out the feisty tenants and converted the original 31 red brick apartments into condominiums, and with interest rates at an all time high, they did not exactly fly off the shelf when they hit the market. But by the end of the 80's, the project was on it's way to becoming one of Washington's most popular addresses.

There is a swimming pool, although not the wrought iron one built by John McLean. The community also has a tot lot, community garden, dog run, picnic areas, and several parking lots with spaces that sometimes convey with a unit when it is sold. And while it is not on a Metro line, there is excellent bus service to downtown, and there are many fun restaurants and the city's worst Giant Foods store near the complex.

The condos have a variety of floor plans. Most are two levels, and the top floor units have loft space created from the old attics.

There are currently 11 units for sale, ranging from a 1-bedroom flat listed for $324,900 to a 1-bedroom with a loft for $465,000. Two units are under contract, and six have sold since the beginning of the year. Here is a summary of the recent market activity, including the units that are available for sale.

Please contact me if you are interested in this complex, and I'll make arrangements for you to to see the units that are available.

If you are planning a move to or from the Washington, DC area, I can help. Call, email or text me at:

Housepat@mac.com

202-549-5167

Licensed in DC, Virginia and Maryland

Our Function as Realtors is to Provide Information for Our Clients' Analysis

Analysis Is the Key to Making Good Decisions

I just read a very useful blog by Bill Marriott, CEO of Marriott Hotels et al about analysis as the key to making good decisions. He referenced General George Custer, famous for being annihilated in Custer's Last Stand at the Battle of Little Bighorn before the turn of the 19th century. He described Custer as a somewhat impetuous, but brilliant, officer, who became Brigadier General in the United States Army and was an important contributor to the Union victory at the Battle of Gettysburg by the age of 23.

As Bill Marriott noted Custer was always anxious to charge forward and get the job done. At the Battle of LIttle Big Horn, Custer should have stopped and assessed the situation and waited for the rest of his army to catch up. Instead, he rushed into battle and he and his troops were massacred.

It's so very important to get things done but it's also important to understand the field of play. In business, information is extremely important, and so is analysis. Our clients can find the houses that they want to see on the internet sometimes more quickly than we can since the only thing they are doing is looking for a house in a particular neighborhood. At times we seem reduced to the function of key carrier and door opener.

That is such a mistake. We need to demonstrate our value to our clients from the very beginning. When we first meet a client, it is helpful to bring some statistics and analysis of the DC neighborhoods they are interested in. Put together a comparative market analysis on the neighborhood in Bethesda or Chevy Chase, Maryland. Demonstrate your knowledge to them. Bring them information about schools or commuting patterns. Demonstrate to them how you intend to save them money or beat out the competition if there are multiple offers. Show them how you will help them analyze their purchase. Make them realize how valuable you are. Cement their loyalty to you.

If you have any questions about how to put together a winning offer to purchase, please call Lise Howe at 240-401-5577. She has been a realtor, associate broker, and attorney for over 20 years in the DC metro area.

McLean Gardens is a residential neighborhood in Northwest Washington, D.C., bounded by Rodman Street NW to the north, Idaho Avenue to the south, Wisconsin Avenue to the east, and 39th Street NW to the west. At McLean Gardens, children still can meet each other on the playground, gardens can be planted in flower beds, dogs enjoy long walks with their owners on the sloping hills and yet the restaurants and shops and excitement of the city lie less than a block away. The National Cathedral sits just a few blocks away as an exquisite addition to the landscape.

The sense of community extends beyond the layout of the development to the residents themselves. Many of the homeowners participate in association activities. Over the years, they've organized everything from bridge clubs and tennis tournaments to dog-walking groups and lawn sales.

As a 1993 article in the Washington Post noted, If the residents of McLean Gardens in Northwest have anything in common, it's that they all love suburban life, and they all hate the suburbs.

McLean Gardens is close to Sidwell Friends School, home to several Presidential daughters and the Washington Ballet School. There are some great restaurants just a block or two away, like 2Amys, the pizza restaurant, and Cactus Cantina. There is a very old Giant grocery store, a CVS, Burka's Liquor Store, a Starbucks, and Sullivan's, one of the few old style toy stores left in America. It is a great place to call home. The Tenley Metro is even a ten minute walk away! What more could you want!

If you would like more information about McLean Gardens, just give Lise Howe a call at 240-401-5577.