Get organized in 20 minutes

View Photo Gallery —  Bethesda-based professional organizer Rachel Strisik spends her days helping folks around the region get their lives in order. Here, she offers a peek inside her own home and shares some of her favorite organizing products.

By Terri Sapienza, Published: January 25

Whether your home is 700 square feet or 7,000, having organized spaces will make your life easier and less stressful, says professional organizer Rachel Strisik, who is based in Bethesda. Here, she offers three household projects that should each take about 20 minutes to accomplish.

If you’ve been ignoring the need to get your home in order, this is an easy way to get yourself motivated. Setting aside time this weekend to tackle one of these projects will not only leave you feeling a little more organized come Monday morning, it might even give you incentive to keep going.

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Heritage trails mark the path to preserving D.C. history

View Photo Gallery —  As H Street NE gentrifies, neighborhood natives are working with historians to uncover and restore the corridor’s history.

Others contain largely unknown D.C. tidbits: Who knew that go-go king Chuck Brown was a shoeshine boy outside the Howard Theatre as a child? (That story is on the Georgia Avenue/Pleasant Plains Heritage Trail) Or that deaf football players at Gallaudet University invented the American football huddle, so they could conceal their signs from opponents. (Photos of that first huddle are on the Greater H Street NE Heritage Trail).
Bennett says tracing the neighborhood’s history also brought her family together. As part of the research for the upcoming LeDroit Park/Bloomingdale trail, her cousins got together over breakfast to research the story of two priests in the family. One was Father Leslie Branch, the first African American Catholic chaplain in the U.S. Navy.

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A lesson on real estate deductions

Daniel Acker/BLOOMBERG - U.S. Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service 1040 Individual Income Tax forms for the 2010 tax year are arranged for a photograph in Tiskilwa, Illinois, U.S., on Wednesday, March 23, 2011.

By Benny L. Kass, Published: January 27

“People who complain about taxes can be divided into two classes: men and women.”
— Unknown

Selling your home (including condo or co-op) in today’s market is not easy, but when you are successful, you may be pleasantly surprised by the favorable tax laws.
In general, if you are married and meet two legal tests, you can exclude up to $500,000 of the profit you have made. If you are not married or file a separate tax return, the exclusion is reduced to $250,000.

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Posted at 04:47 AM ET, 01/30/2012

Renovating an old D.C. home? Know this first

By Pat Kennedy

Special to The Washington Post

Pat Kennedy’s home in the Crestwood neighborhood of the District. These rowhomes were built in 1915 and some are still in need of repairs and upgrades. (Pat Kennedy)
Historic old houses are notorious flirts, and in many District neighborhoods, homes dating back to the turn of the last century are the norm.  You walk in and they grab you with beautiful old woodwork and light fixtures.  Oh, and the claw foot tub will seduce you every time.  But before you say “I do” to one of these charmers, remember that renovating an old house can be daunting.

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The Art of House Hunting

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Eight tips to help in your search

By Michele Dawson

Armed with your down payment and your pre-approval letter for a mortgage loan, the next step is finding the house that will best meet your family's needs. With realistic expectations, patience and plenty of research, you'll be well on your way.

Once you narrow the search to neighborhoods you like, you'll want to determine the maximum house price you can afford. Even though you're pre-approved for a set loan amount, it doesn't mean you can afford it. You'll want to factor in other expenses, including retirement and college savings, vacations, and home maintenance and repairs, when you calculate how much you can afford for a monthly payment. And don't forget to budget for homeowners insurance and property taxes. There's also homeowner's assocation fees, especially in newer developments.

Next, differentiate your needs versus your wants. You need three bedrooms, but a fourth room would be nice for a play room or guest room. You need a two-car garage, but a larger one would be nice for storage. You need a functional kitchen but want hardwood floors. You need two bathrooms but want a luxurious master suite. You get the picture.

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Amazingly Colorful Homes

John Giuffo, Contributor

 1/24/2012 @ 1:02PM 

We may remember them through a sepia-toned lens, but the Victorians loved their color. In fact, many of the intricately-restored Victorian-era homes found around the country are clad in eye-catching colors.
Take the multi-toned Armour-Stiner Octagon House in Irvington, New York, for example. Built in 1872 for a tea merchant who wanted the building to resemble a teapot, it is the only house in the world with an octagonal-domed roof, according to Elizabeth Pomada, co-author of five books on Victorian homes called Painted Ladies. “It was meant to amuse,” says Pomada. “It was meant to be a vacation home, there are whimsical touches all over.” Now owned by an architect and preservationist, the home has been fully restored to its original appearance, including painstaking matches of the original color scheme, which included 10 colors in 27 shades.

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Home buying could soon beat renting

By John W. Schoen, Senior Producer

 

Falling home prices have sent many would-be buyers to the sidelines. If all goes well, record low interest rates and rising rents may soon prompt some of them to take a second look at buying.

Unfortunately, that's a big "if," according to Paul Diggle, a housing economist at Capital Economics.
Much of the decision to buy a house still depends on your personal finances and preferences, your career or family life, or level of financial security.

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9 remodeling tips to make your home feel bigger

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By Josh Garskof @Money January 20, 2012: 11:29 AM ET

(MONEY Magazine) -- You don't have to be underwater on your mortgage to feel trapped in your home.
Now may be a less than ideal time to put a house on the market or to take on big debt -- icing your plans to trade up or build an addition anytime soon. But that doesn't mean you're stuck living in an uncomfortable home. For a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, you can make your place "live" bigger without actually making it bigger, says architect Sarah Susanka, a small-space specialist and author of "Not So Big Remodeling."

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Home sales continue to improve

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By Chris Isidore @CNNMoney January 20, 2012: 11:19 AM ET

Sales of existing homes continued to improve in December, lifting full-year sales volume modestly higher.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Home sales ended a difficult year on a high note, resulting in a gain in full-year sales volume. The National Association of Realtors reported that the annual sales pace in December reached 4.6 million homes, up 5% from November's pace and 3.6% from a year ago.

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Mortgage rate continues to hit new lows

View Photo Gallery — How does your city stack up?: The Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller home price index offers a monthly assessment of how home prices are faring from city to city. In the most recent report, only one city saw an increase in prices for the month.

By Sara Kehaulani Goo, Published: January 19

The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage reached a new low this week, falling to 3.88 percent, according to data released Thursday by Freddie Mac.
The average 30-year rate fell a fraction of a percentage point below last week’s 3.89 percent, the previous record low, and marks the seventh consecutive week in which the average has been below 4 percent. The average 15-year mortgage rate, which is popular among homeowners who are refinancing, hit 3.17 percent, up from last week’s 3.16 percent figure.

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Cool and unusual homes for sale

From spinning UFOs in upstate New York to magical kingdoms in Arkansas, these homes offer a truly unusual living experience

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New Paltz, N.Y.

Price: $1.2 million

Bedrooms: 3

Baths: 3

Square feet: 2,300

This dome-shaped home not only looks like a UFO, it spins like one. The eco-friendly structure sits on a turntable and can turn at the touch of a remote control to take advantage of lush forest views or capture the warmth of the sun. It may look small from the outside, but the interior is surprisingly spacious, according to real estate agent Ann Rajs. The first floor is 54 feet in diameter and tall windows create the feel of cathedral ceilings with a spiral staircase that winds to the second floor. 

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Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 01/13/2012

What’s going on with...Uline Arena?

By Jonathan O’Connell

WASHINGTON, DC- JANUARY 05: The Uline Ice Arena, which was later renamed the Washington Coliseum is seen on Thursday January 05, 2012 in Washington, DC. The Beatles played a concert at the Coliseum in 1964. The structure is featured on a series of placards on the history of H Street NE and the surrounding neighborhood. The building is viewed along M St. NE. (Photo by Matt McClain For The Washington Post) (Matt McClain - FOR THE WASHINGTON POST)


Passengers aboard Red Line trains headed east out of the New York Avenue Metro station have all seen it out the window: a concrete dome adorned with graffiti and banner advertisements.
It’s the Uline Arena, a building that was erected in 1941 as the Washington Coliseum and in 1964 played host to the first U.S. concert by the Beatles, shortly after the band’s famed performance on the Ed Sullivan Show.

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A House That Looks Good Will Sell

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How to attain curb appeal

By Al Heavens

A house should have curb appeal, they say, but what exactly does that mean?

What it means is that, if a buyer drives past a house at 5 or 10 m.p.h., the front of the place should be alluring enough for that buyer to stop the car. If the seller has done the job properly, the buyer should then get out of the car and write down the real estate agent's name and number.

You can achieve curb appeal - which the National Association of Realtors says sells 49 percent of all houses - whether you have a city townhouse with no front yard or a suburban house with trees and a lawn.

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Don't Overlook a Home's Potential

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Cosmetic issues are easy to remedy

By Michele Dawson

Home shopping for first-time homebuyers it's an exciting, albeit nerve-wracking, experience. If you're like others in the market for their first home, you probably have in mind exactly how your soon-to-be home will look.

But it's important not to fall into the bad decorating, dingy walls and dirt-bare back yard equals bad-home trap. If you don't see past the hideous wallpaper, funky light fixtures and avocado green carpeting, you may miss out on a home with great potential.

And, if you're looking for a home in a seller's market where homes are being snatched up as soon as they go on the market, you'll come to realize you can't be choosy if you want to make a competitive offer.

One of the first things to do is to get pre-approved for a loan and determine the maximum you can afford to offer for a house. Don't look at homes that are asking for more than 5 percent above your maximum, otherwise you'll be setting yourself up for disappointment if you find the perfect—but outside your budget—home.

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Top 5 Home Design Requests

Zillow, Contributor

Years ago, I attended a trade show for kitchen and bath products in Dallas. You know the kind: Huge convention hall, lots of booths, vendors hawking the latest in whatever the latest is. Lots of free logo pens, letter openers and key chains. A friend of mine told me that stuff is called “swag.” And it was. Heavy swag. After a couple of passes around the trade show floor, filling my canvas tote bag with catalogs and brochures and swag, I popped in on a seminar, where a representative of a national home builder was talking about new home design to a room full of eager builders.

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Which Home Improvement Projects Offer the Best Returns?

When it comes to remodeling, exterior replacement projects have routinely rewarded home owners with more bang for their buck. This year is no different: REALTORS® recently rated many exterior improvements as among the most valuable home investment projects as part of the 2011-12 Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report.

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Keep Your Energy Bill Low While Selling Your Home

by Phoebe Chongchua

Whether you are moving into a new home, getting ready to sell yours or a vacant home, keeping energy costs down is desirable to both buyers and sellers. Even though there are many energy-efficient options these days, there are a growing number of energy-suckers.You might be surprised to learn just how much that beautiful water feature costs to keep it running 24/7 year-round. Depending on where you live and the wattage needed, that fountain could cost an extra $30 per month.

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Top 10 Tips for Sellers

by Carla Hill

Today’s sellers may face challenging conditions in many markets, but that doesn’t mean choosing to sell is a bad idea. There are many reasons to sell and most are good ones. Here are ten tips to get you on your way to getting your home sold.

 

1. Hire a Professional. This is no time to be navigating the rough waters of the real estate market on your own. You want someone who can help you accurately price your home, bring in potential buyers, handle contracts, and market your home to the masses.

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5 Events that Really Mattered for Housing in 2011 – and Beyond

By Jed Kolko | December 29, 2011 | 

inShare50

Michael Melford / Getty Images

Government, the mortgage industry and forces of nature all shook the housing market in 2011. They had both an immediate impact and slow-burning effects, setting the stage for a bumpy 2012 with more foreclosures, political battles and local market risks.

Read more: http://moneyland.time.com/2011/12/29/5-events-that-really-mattered-for-housing-in-2011-and-beyond/#ixzz1j4fNQjL5

Washington, D.C. leads U.S. in attracting new residents

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By Les Christie @CNNMoney January 6, 2012: 7:07 PM ET

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Among those who moved last year, the nation's capital was once again the most popular destination.

According to a United Van Lines annual migration study, which took into account 146,000 interstate moves, nearly twice as many Americans moved to Washington, D.C. than moved out, making it the most migrated to destination in the nation for the fourth year in a row. Often, people go where the jobs are. As unemployment soared throughout most of the nation over the past four years, jobs were being created in or near D.C., thanks to one big employer: The government.

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10 Things to Avoid When Applying For A Loan

If you are going through the home buying process you’ve probably heard a lot about what you should do. But, if you are planning to get a loan to help you buy the house, there are also things you should not do. Realtor® Leslie Monaco of Greenwood Village, Colorado has compiled a very helpful list of ten things to steer clear of if you are in the midst of the loan application process”
The lending environment has changed drastically over the past three years.  Now more than ever, lenders are very nervous to lend money and are tightening their guidelines.  The process to obtaining financing for a home is extremely difficult and often times painful.  I have listed below actions to avoid before applying for a mortgage loan and during the loan process itself. Any one of these ten things could impact your ability to qualify for a mortgage loan so it is critical to avoid any of them until after your loan has closed or your loan officer has advised you.

Read more: 10 Things to Avoid When Applying For A Loan | REALTOR.com® Blogs 

Five Ways To Prepare To Buy A Home

Did you resolve that 2012 is the year you own your own home? Making this type of purchase requires a lot of planning. Realtor® Robin Jones of Norfolk, NE gives some first steps on getting ready to be a homeowner:
As promised, my next few posts will be about how to prepare to buy a home. Today we’re starting with what you’ll need to do one year out to start getting ready. No surprises…it’s all about credit.

Read more: Five Ways To Prepare To Buy A Home | REALTOR.com® Blogs 

Buying or selling a home in 2012? Here’s what you need to know.

View Photo Gallery — How does your city stack up?: The Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller home price index offers a monthly assessment of how home prices are faring from city to city. In the most recent report, only one city saw an increase in prices for the month.

By Amanda Abrams,

Matthew Branch and his wife Rachel Sayre decided to finally put down roots in Washington. After several months of searching for a house, the couple just made an offer on a detached home in the Northwest neighborhood of Takoma. Branch, 32, doesn’t seem particularly anxious about diving headfirst into the area’s housing market. “I think it’ll probably appreciate, but it’s anybody’s game,” he said. “It’ll be interesting to see what happens.”

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More parents helping kids buy homes

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By Les Christie @CNNMoney December 9, 2011: 11:34 AM ET

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Hey, baby boomers! Pondering what gift to get your kid who's all grown up? For many of your peers, the answer is a house.
One in five baby boomer couples have already given at least one of their children the means to purchase a home -- either buying it outright, furnishing the down payment or co-signing the loan, according to a survey from Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate.

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Mortgage rates fall to record lows

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By Les Christie @CNNMoney December 15, 2011: 1:44 PM ET

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Mortgage rates sunk to record lows again this week.
The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage fell to 3.94%, matching the all-time low hit in early October, according to Freddie Mac's weekly mortgage rate survey. Meanwhile, 15-year fixed-rate loans hit a new record low of 3.21%, surpassing the record set on October 6.

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