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Marcie Sandalow Bethesda Chevy Chase DC real estate

DC Speed Cameras- Driver Beware!

DC speed cameras

Original Source: New Speed Cameras in DC

I confess... sometimes I speed. Not intentionally, of course, but it happens. WTOP just reported that there's a new (pesky) crop of speed cameras in DC. Having paid for a camera or two myself, I thought I'd share the information. Knowing of their location has certainly lightened my lead foot. And it's good to slow down and sniff the flowers, eh?

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Add to list: 4700 block of MacArthur heading towards Canal Road and right alongside Reservoir.....25 mph.

Also add the corner of Fessenden and Nebraska Ave .... there is a camera .... not for speeding but you get a $150 fine if you don't stop at the "limit" line (line before the crosswalk line).

Safe driving, folks!

Homes for Sale- East Bethesda MD 20814 - 9/2/2011

Original Source: East Bethesda MD 20814 Homes for Sale 9/2/11

surfing summer goodbye

Summer. Update for 9/2/2011… No new listings, no sales, and one withdrawn listing.

All the homes in this article are currently for sale within East Bethesda. The top of the list features the newest listings, while the bottom showcases those that have been on the market for quite some time. I’ll be updating this post every Friday, so be sure to check back to see what’s new, what’s gone, & what might be coming (and check out the date up top… if it’s not current, neither is this information!). I’ve lived in East Bethesda for over 15 years. I’ve sold real estate in East Bethesda for over 11 years. It’s a wonderful neighborhood within walking distance of two metro stops AND downtown Bethesda. While all of this information is available to you on the various search engines, I’ve taken the time to inject my opinion on the condition, pricing, and likelihood of each property selling… or not. I hope you’ll give me a call if you have any questions. I have loved living here over the years, and I want to share it with other enthusiastic people!

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4709 Chestnut Street4709 Chestnut Street, $1,187,800
5 Bedrooms, 3.5 bath contemporary home just steps from Wisconsin Avenue and metro. Built in 2011. Great light. Walk-out lower level. Eat in kitchen. Pretty deck. 2-car garage. Days on Market: 4

under construction4301 Rosedale Avenue, $1,895,000
New property to be built by Miller Development on a 10,605 s.f lot. Touts upscale finishes, designer kitchen, energy efficient systems, hand cut stonework, and wide plank floors. 5BR/4.5BA.
Days on Market: 72

4514 Chestnut Street4514 Chestnut Street, $550,000
Wonderful cottage with 2 bedrooms and 2 full baths. Large, dry basement with a 1960s wet bar awaits your finishing touches (3rd bedroom… rec room, you choose!). Furnace and Central Air Conditioning replaced in August 2011! Newer appliances in the kitchen. Pretty, level yard with mature plantings.
More Photos. Days on Market: 80

4717 N. Chelsea4717 N. Chelsea Lane, $1,488,000
First PASSIVE house in the metro area. A passive house is so energy efficient that it saves an average 90% of HVAC energy of a standard home. Cool. 5 bedrooms, 4 full baths & 1 half bath. There are a lot of really neat energy/resource saving practices taking place in this house… shutters on the south side, reclaimed hardwood flooring, etc. Recent $50K price reduction. Days on Market: 107

4701 Rosedale4701 Rosedale Avenue, $720,000
Brick colonial with 3 BR/2.5FB. There’s a lot of fresh paint. And some refinished hardwood floors. 2-story carriage house offers up even more possibilities (and it has a 1/2 bath, albeit, a little rustic). There’s a bonus room via the master bedroom on the third floor. One block to Wisconsin Avenue and a quick jog to NIH Metro. One of the bedrooms is in the basement… Recent $39K price drop. Days on Market: 112

GetMedia8513 Halston Way, $979,900
Yikes!
Another townhouse! 4-levels of fun. Marble-tiled bath, jacuzzi tub, 11-foot ceilings and a custom kitchen with granite counters. Private deck. Days on Market: 140

4502 Rosedale4502 Rosedale Avenue, $1,349,000.
This one listed and sold last spring. So, if it was the “one that got away” you’ve got another chance (for more money, of course). Pretty house, great kitchen, nice finishes, and despite the teeny lot, there is a satisfactory little yard and patio. Constructed in 2007, it still offers up that new house feel. 2,880 square feet of living space AND a 2-car garage. Days on Market: 155

SAM_48467917 Kentbury Drive, $998,000
4BR/4FB and a lap pool (aka endless pool). Chic, contemporary renovation with an open floor plan and an abundance of sunshine. Love the stair railings and the whimsical shelves dividing the LR/DR. This one sits on the Capital Crescent Trail… and while the jury is still out on the Purple Line, this one would tempt me to take that chance. Really lovely house. Recent $40K price reduction. Days on Market: 178

8507 Halston Way8507 Halston Way, $989,000
This townhouse features 4 bedrooms, 3 full baths and 2 half baths. 4-levels of living, including a 2-car garage. Granite in the kitchen, and private deck with a fig tree! Days on Market: 225

under construction4306 Chestnut Street, $1,749,000
This one hasn’t been built yet. There are additional home designs available that can work the price down to $1,600,000. Built by Georgetown Development. Beautiful block. Shady, large trees. Fabulous location. No photo available. Days on Market: 448

4608 W. Virginia Ave. 4608 W. Virginia Avenue, $939,000
This house is really different. It consists of a lovely bungalow, originally built in 1923, along with a sizable addition, which serves as a studio/office. The bungalow is inviting, though dated. The kitchen is older, but the house and garden ooze charm. The addition in the back, which is connected to the bungalow portion of the house by a corridor just off the kitchen, is large and cavernous, and also quite nice. It features a separate entrance off of the driveway, a full bath, a large studio, and a second floor office- quite large. It’s not obvious how to incorporate this space into the bungalow… they really do function as separate quarters. Perfect for someone in need of a home office. Very buyer specific. Days on Market: 472

under construction4514 Maple Avenue, @ $1,525,000
This is a property not yet available on the MLS, and in the beginning stages of building. Delivery is expected in Spring 2011. It will have 6 bedrooms and 5.5 baths, and sits on a lot that measures 6,000 square feet. For more information and floor plans, give me a call. Days on Market: unavailable

under construction4527 Maple Avenue, TBD
Same situation as the house above and likely to have a similar price. 6 bedrooms/5.5 baths. Sits on a 6,269 s.f. lot. 4 levels. Estimated delivery: Fall 2011. Days on Market: unavailable

If you like East Bethesda, you might enjoy reading some of my other posts:

Top 10 Reasons to Live in East Bethesda

East Bethesda School Guide

B-CC Cluster Schools

Walk to Bethesda Metro & Walk to NIH/Medical Center Metro

If you would like to take a look at any of these East Bethesda properties, give me a call. I’d be happy to arrange a tour.

Lastly, if you would prefer to break outside the confines of East Bethesda, take a look at the attached alternative Bethesda/Chevy Chase zip codes. I work throughout Bethesda, Chevy Chase, and DC:

View Homes Bethesda

View TH Bethesda

View TH CC

View Homes CC

Information deemed reliable, but not guaranteed.

Car Donations in Montgomery County MD

Original Source: Donate Your Car in Montgomery County MD

donate your used car for a tax deduction in Montgomery County MD

Back when I was in high school a kid could take a class in auto mechanics. Usually classes were full of guys who were crazy about cars (or not so crazy about the rest of school). When I got around to buying my first clunker, I took a class at my local car repair shop. Taught me a lot of practical stuff. With the recent spate of budget woes, I pretty much assumed that these classes had been done away with, like a lot of shop classes, or Home Economics (oh, the memories) ... so I was quite happy to come across this announcement:

DONATE TO EDUCATE AND RECEIVE A TAX DEDUCTION

Please donate your vehicle to The Montgomery County Students Automotive Trades Foundation, a non-profit foundation, for use by Montgomery County Public Schools Automotive Technology high school students. You will be providing the automotive students with a valuable educational experience, while giving yourself the added tax deduction. Vehicles may be donated at any one of four Montgomery County Schools automotive technology locations: Thomas Edison HS of Technology, Damascus HS, Gaithersburg HS, or Seneca Valley HS. For more information about the Automotive Trades Foundation visit the website at www.autocareers.org or contact Mike Snyder at 301-929-2164.

I really hope you can take advantage of this great program.

Alert Montgomery MD

tornadoWell... Hurricane Irene may have come and gone, but it's still a good idea to let folks know about Alert Montgomery.

This alert system is administered by the Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security and will contact you during a major crisis, emergency, or severe weather event. Residents who register on this system will receive only the most urgent alerts (e.g. Water main break, Tornado Warning). Alert Montgomery can deliver important emergency alerts, notifications and updates to you on all of your devices at once, including e-mail, cell phone, text message, etc.

Great service.

July 2011 Evers & Co. Real Estate Report

Original Source: The Evers & Co. July 2011 Real Esate Report

Bethesda Chevy Chase High School at Dusk

The close-in Washington, DC Metropolitan area market continues to improve, showing an 11.4% increase in dollar volume of sales in July over last year at this time. Then, for the 15th consecutive month, the average price increased, which indicates a long term trend of solid improvement. The forecast for interest rates is very good, with the Federal Reserve pledging to keep interest rates in general low for the next two years. More important, the bond market, on which mortgage interest rates depend, appears to be a safer haven for investors than the volatile stock market.

Last but not least, with prices in our area improving for so many months in a row, interest rates continuing to stay at all-time lows, and the availability of a variety of mortgage loan products, real estate is again being perceived as a good investment.Not only will this continue to fuel the market for primary residences, but it should also spur the market for second homes and investment properties.

*Statistics are taken from the Metropolitan Regional Information System for three areas: Washington, D.C.; Montgomery County, Maryland; and Fairfax County, Arlington, Alexandria and Falls Church in Virginia.