The Fabulous Tale Of One Family’s Kit Home

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History of a Sears Kit Home

History of a Sears Kit HomeAs Marcie and I have been chasing (and writing about) kit houses for a while, we’ve always been interested in their history, or better: their connection to history. sometimes, I have found an old ad in the Washington Post that advertised a house we identified, or that promoted the local mail-order offices from Sears and Lewis. Sometimes information about the people who lived there in the early years can be found, about their successes or their death.

Most of the time, however, there’s a blank. We can only speculate (and we often do!). More often than not, current kit house owners have no idea their home was built from a kit, and sometimes they have no idea what that even means. (We’ve been asked whether that meant it was “kind of manufactured” or “prefabricated.”) Other people, however, who have heard of kit homes and are excited about them, frequently have come to believe their house is a kit when in fact it’s not.

Rare House HistoryThat said, it’s always delightful to come across a real kit house history, like the one that’ so lovingly documented on this little website. The Troyers of Kansas are telling the almost 100-year old story of their Sears “Concord,” complete with lots of pictures. Gee, I love this. Really.

Romantic Rodessa in Northwest DC’s Kent

Marcie Sandalow Kit Houses , , , ,

If Cati and I had our druthers, we would write about local kit houses on a weekly basis (this has  always been the goal).  Work, however, has a way of interfering with our plans.  I guess we shouldn’t complain!

So, about three weeks ago I headed out with my trusty tape measure to pay a visit to 5414 Hawthorne Place, NW in the District, right along MacArthur Blvd. Had I been a bit speedier with my posting, some of you might have chanced a visit.  As it stands now, the Sears Rodessa (see a pdf of the original catalog page here) bungalow is under contract.  Rats.

Built in 1925, this modified “Rodessa” (click here for MLS pictures) offers up 3 bedrooms and 2 full baths.  It would appear that it started off with a simple 2 bedrooms and 1 full bath (hey- count your blessings. Sears also offered a version without a privy).  Along the way, someone added some really unfortunate faux-stone siding, which remains to this day.  At the same time, they appear to have expanded the front porch to accommodate the massive FormStone® posts, so perhaps it was a good trade-off?  Naah.

Identifying this Sears Rodessa was pretty easy, given all of the clues (again, see pictures at the very bottom of this post):

  • Many exterior finishes survived the not-so-pretty faux stone dress: the exposed pegged rafters under the clipped gable roof and decorative blind boards for instance
  • The front door matches the exact classic bungalow-style door in the Sears catalog.  With 8-glass panels sitting atop a small “shelf”, this one is in the bag
  • The original Sears medicine cabinet with its plain bottom and three-member crown… a dead give-away
  • All the interior window and door trim and much of the hardware (such as the “Stratford” door plates–see pictures in the slideshow below) are preserved, and some are more unusual, for instance the “door butts” or closet hinges.  To be honest, these had us fooled, until Cati spied them in a long lost catalog
  • Many exterior finishes survived the not-so-pretty faux stone dress: the exposed pegged rafters under the clipped gable roof and decorative blind boards for instance
  • The measurements of all the (unaltered) rooms in the front of the house “check out,” meaning, a clone would not adhere to Sears specs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kent is a popular, if not sleepy little section of Washington, DC.  While it’s hard to know how the Hawthorne house came to the neighborhood, remnants of the old Capitol Transit #20 trolley line (Union Station to Cabin John) are to be found throughout the Palisades, the neighborhood next to Kent. The #20 was a popular route though the Palisades out to the Glen Echo Amusement Park. Chances are strong that the Sears kit house was transported on this very rail line.

 

 

 

 

 

If you think you’ve got a kit house, or if you are interested in living in a kit house- get in touch!  Fill out the form below, or give us a call (yup, we still answer our phones).

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Sukkot in DC — Celebrating Shelter And Comfort

Catarina Bannier Community , , , ,
Private Sukkah in Rosemary Hills, Silver Spring MD

In a way, it’s a celebration of the home. This week, Jewish families all over the world celebrate Sukkot, the “Feast of Booths.” The observance requires life — meals, gatherings and perhaps even sleep — in a fragile and temporary structure that is neither heated nor rainproof. It’s a joyous and at the same time humbling experience. Even if you’re not Jewish, you might have seen the big tent-like structures set up in many places downtown that office workers take their lunches to, or you might have noticed the little hut your neighbor built on their balcony or in their backyard. Sukkot is a way to connect not only to our suffering biblical ancestors but to those today who are without proper homes and shelter, who are refugees or otherwise lacking the basic comfort we take for granted.

We have asked friends and clients to share cell phone pictures of Sukkot (booths) this week, either their own or of any they might spot somewhere this week.  You can find the beautiful collection in the slideshow below, and we will keep adding to it. So, if you happen to have a Sukkah or see one, make sure to email or text us a picture!

[Update 10/7: Thanks to all of you who contributed! One picture was even sent in from Denver, Colorado!]

Sears From The Palisades To Silver Spring — A Couple Of Neat New Kit House Listings

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Authentic Sears “Colchester” (a 1930s brick version of the popular “Lewiston”) kit house in Silver Spring, Maryland

No matter how busy we are, we always seem to make time to feed our kit house addiction. This week, the scouting produced  two fun early 20th century Sears mail-order houses that hit the market for sale. One of them is a 1925 “Rodessa” in the Kent neighborhood of upper Washington DC  priced at $759,000 which Marcie visited. The other — a listing from our own Evers & Co. office — is a fabulous, updated 1936s “Colchester”/”Lewiston” (pictured left) with 6 bedrooms and 3 full baths in Washington’s Silver Spring suburb, priced at $489,000.  We’ll post more pictures and some exciting details later. For now, you can get some info from the linked MLS fact sheets.

The “Rodessa,” located at 5414 Hawthorne Pl NW, has an Open House from 2 – 5 pm today — you might still make it! And if you’d like to see the “Lewiston,” just let us know!

For those of you who are celebrating the Jewish New Year tonight —  Shana Tovah!

Update on 9/21/2012: You can find the post on the Colchester/Lewiston here.

The Sears “Colchester” as seen in the company’s 1930 mail-order catalog

 

Owning in DC 43% Cheaper than Renting

Marcie Sandalow Market Statistics and Updates ,

Trulia just published a report citing that buying a home is cheaper than renting in the DC real estate market.  The average monthly cost of rent is $2,098.  The average monthly cost of home ownership is $1,205, or a difference of $893 (-43%).  These figures are based on average prices during the summer of 2012.

Now, there are a few caveats to consider.  First off, these figures are based on owning the home for more than 7 years.  It assumes that you qualify for a low mortgage interest rate, and it also assumes that you itemize your taxes.  Under this scenario, home ownership is cheaper than renting.  Interestingly, it turns out that buying a house is cheaper than renting in all of the one-hundred largest metropolitan areas in the United States.  Seems to me that some DC types have already figured this out, given the very low inventory of homes for sale in the area.

All said, this isn’t a slam dunk.  Borrowers need to have 20% down payment to qualify for these loans.  That can take years.  Furthermore, a lot of people have suffered from job losses, or home losses.  Repairing credit, or just catching up on savings doesn’t happen overnight.  There is still a huge swath of people who can’t qualify for a mortgage and will find home ownership out of reach for many more years.

If you’re thinking that it might be time to take that leap, please fill out the form below.  We also take phone calls! Marcie 301-758-4894 or Cati 202-487-7177.  We look forward to hearing from you.

4 Cheapest Houses in Bethesda MD 20817

Marcie Sandalow Homes For Sale , , , ,

You’ll find a lot of blogs out there promoting the most expensive, luxurious and exclusive listings in Bethesda, Maryland… but not too many agents focus in on the least expensive offerings.  We are the exception!

Not surprisingly, most of these homes are pretty close to 495.  You’ll find that properties close to large arteries or highways are often priced about 10-15% less than their quieter counterparts.

#4:  6206 Hollins Drive, $649,000
Big house.  You get lots of space for your money.  4 bedrooms and 4 full baths, in fact.  It’s got a lovely screened porch.  The house is dated.  There’s parquet flooring on the main level.  Sloped, large yard (away from the house!).  Tiled lower level with multiple rooms and a full bath.  Basement apartment potential?  Some updates in the bathrooms. Newer HVAC. Days on market: 56[space]

#3:  6810 Renita Lane, $645,000
4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths.  Built in 1962… and it sort of feels like a 1960’s house.  Lots of brass and carpeting.  Super clean.  Updated kitchen.  Nice yard.  Backs to freeway… no way around it.  Across the street from Stratton Woods, which is a huge, undeveloped parcel of land with nothing on it.  Unfinished basement.  Lots of space. Days on market: 163[space]

#2:  9523 Ewing Drive, $619,500
This one is my favorite.  Lovely cape cod with 3 bedrooms and 2 full baths.  Updated kitchen open to dining room. Expanded living room with pretty hardwood flooring and fireplace.  Master bedroom addition with decent closet space, overlooking back yard.  2 more bedrooms and a full bath on the second floor.  Finished basement.  Glorious screened porch.  Days on market: 9[space]

AND THE WINNER IS…..#1:  5807 Ryland Drive, $599,000
A smaller version of Ewing (no bedroom addition), without the finesse.  Updated kitchen with corian counters and pretty white cabinets.  Corner lot, which provides lots of space, but not much privacy. All the walls are cream-colored or white.  Lacks pizzazz.  Fenced yard.  Basement is finished but a bit of a disappointment.  4 bedrooms and 3 full baths.  Days on market: 7[space]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As always, we would be delighted to help you find your next home.  Please fill out the form below, or just pick up the phone and give us a call.  We would love to hear from you!

What’s New In Rock Creek Forest Real Estate?

Catarina Bannier Homes For Sale , , ,
View of Rock Creek Park from the first-floor deck of the townhouse.
Idyllic RCF setting: Derby Ridge Lane — view of Rock Creek Park (in DC) from the row house

Nothing, really. The one house that came on the market last week pretty much sold immediately — reportedly with four or five offers. That was not a surprise — the place It was not only pretty, bright and move-in ready, it was also very well priced. In short: it was the kind of house we’re lacking in our slim inventory.

Every agent we talk to in this area has the same complaint: there’s not a whole lot we can offer. We all seem to have plenty of eager buyers and little we can pull out of the hat for them — at least that’s the case in the neighborhoods many of them are hoping to move to: Chevy Chase, close-in Silver Spring, Colonial Village, Shepherd Park, Takoma Park, Bethesda, Northwest DC.

Rock Creek Forest makes no exception. To the contrary, it seems to be worse here because in many ways, we have the best of all worlds: Chevy Chase schools, Silver Spring prices, DC commute. If you have had any thoughts of selling, now might be the time. There will be little competition out there, and a lot of demand.

So, no new listings for this weekend! 2635 Colston Drive and the Derby Ridge Lane townhouse are the only two houses for sale right now. The situation with rental houses is similar: A new rental on East West Highway earlier this week was gone within a few days. A total of four houses are under contract.

To see the homes for sale in Rock Creek Forest, click here. If you are generally interested in buying a home in RCF or another neighborhood, click here.

Happy Labor Weekend to all of you — see you at the pool!

 

3 Cheapest Houses in Chevy Chase DC 20015

Marcie Sandalow Homes For Sale , ,

There are currently 17 active detached, single-family listings in Chevy Chase, DC 20015.  They range in price from $725,000 all the way up to $2,250,000.  We’re here to talk about the three cheapest listings.  So, here’s the skinny:

  • 7037 Wyndale Street NW.  Currently listed at $767,000 with Prudential PenFed Realty.  Days on market:  466. Originally listed at $819,900.  While not exactly close to the Connecticut corridor, this house has a lot of good things going for it.  Pretty hardwood floors, an eat-in kitchen with granite counter tops.  Screened porch.  Huge walk-out basement with high ceilings and good light.  It doesn’t have much of a back yard, but does offer up a pretty stone patio.  One of the first floor bedrooms, just off of the kitchen, can function as a family room or office.  The landscaping is attractive.  It’s a pretty decent house at a very decent price. BTW, the most expensive house for sale in Chevy Chase, DC sits right next door. As of 9/4 UNDER CONTRACT[space]
  • 2975 McKinley Street NW.  Currently listed at $745,000 with Long & Foster.  Days on market: 25. Pretty fireplace and wood flooring.  Modestly updated kitchen.  Funky family room with laminate tile at the back of the house.  Half bath on the main floor adds a nice touch.  Unfinished walk-out basement with decent head room. The garage eats into the back yard, but hey, it has a garage! One of the bedrooms shares the same unfortunate shape as the family room, though it does have a full bath, for a total of 2-full baths on the second floor.  Of the three listings, this one is the closest to shops along Connecticut Avenue. As of 9/4 STILL AVAILABLE [space]
  • And the winner is… 6687 32nd Place NW.  Currently listed at $725,000 with WC & AN Miller/Long & Foster. Days on market: 61. Originally listed at $749,000. Pretty brick colonial with 1-car garage and screened porch.  It also has 25 steps from the street to the front door.  Ouch.  Sunny living room, and a decently sized dining room.  Truly updated galley kitchen with new cabinets, granite, and a gas range. Partially finished basement (with a fireplace!) with access to the garage.  Half bath on the main floor in the paneled office/family room. The second floor is where things get squirrelly. An entry to the 3rd bedroom was closed off for some reason, and the access is now through the master bedroom.  Technically, without its own entrance, it cannot be called a bedroom.  An unfortunate update. Via this strange 3rd bedroom is access to a walk-up attic which serves as a large closet.  Some pluses, some minuses. Still, for the price, it’s a nice entry into the neighborhood. As of 9/4 UNDER CONTRACT[space]

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If you’re in the market for a new home, give us a call or fill out the form below.  We’ve been working with Chevy Chase buyers and sellers for over 20 years combined.  We would love to help.

 

4 Tips for Buyers in a Smoking Seller’s Market

Marcie Sandalow Buyers , , , ,

We’ve been complaining about a lack of inventory for a while now, but recently, the market has been behaving in a rather frenzied way, all benefiting the seller. In the close-in Bethesda/Chevy Chase/DC market, the well priced and well-appointed homes are receiving multiple offers within days of hitting the market.  Used to be that one could wait for the weekend open house.  No more.  So, as a buyer, what can you do to outwit the competition and get your offer accepted?

  1. Work with a buyer’s agent.  When it comes to identifying an agent, a lot of buyers like to sit on the fence until something attractive comes along (not the agent… the house!).  By the time they identify a hot house on the internet, and make a connection with any random agent, the house is gone.  Get someone on your side early in the game, and be prepared to jump.
  2. Get pre-approved for a loan.  It can take a day or more to secure a letter from a lender.  Sometimes that letter can make the difference between getting a house and losing a house.  Have it ready to go, and make sure to update it once it expires (usually 90 days).
  3. Keep your offer as clean as possible.  By clean, we mean non-contingent. Back in crazed market of 2005, we had one client make 7 offers before hers was the winner.  In order to be competitive, we would routinely pre-inspect a property before submitting an offer.  This allowed us to determine if the house was in good shape before submitting an offer without an inspection contingency. It was expensive and it was nuts.  Pre-inspections might be the way to go these days.  Or, a general inspection might work, whereby you make your offer contingent upon an inspection, but agree to either take it “as is” or leave it.  Financing and appraisal contingencies are difficult to make go away unless you are sitting on a big pile of money. These are all things you should discuss with your buyer’s agent ahead of making an offer!
  4. Be prepared to jump!  Yup- it’s time to drag out that old sense of urgency.  The days of casually viewing properties at an open house are gone.  If a listing comes on the market on Tuesday, waiting to see it until Friday because you want to watch the Olympics is a tactic that will not serve you well.  Ask your buyer’s agent to alert you as soon as something new hits the market, and do your best to see it that day. If you like it, be prepared to write up an offer… that night!

So, how do we feel about this uptick in activity? A little cautious, honestly. We’ve seen our share of distress among home owners that bought at the tip of the market and then found themselves in the position of having to sell just a few years later. It’s hard to advise people to pull out all stops to get a house without our crystal ball on hand. Turmoil in Europe, our upcoming election, super low interest rates, or traffic on Wisconsin Avenue all factor into local housing decisions. Thankfully, we’re operating in one of the few healthy markets in the country. We’ve almost made a full recovery from our 10-15% decline.

The bottom line is, we’re good at telling you how to get a house, but a lot more hesitant about telling you whether or not you should get it.

Perhaps more homes will hit the market once September rolls around?  Hard to tell.  But for now things are moving at break neck speed.  If you are searching for housing in the Bethesda/Chevy Chase/DC marketplace, please get in touch.  We’d love to help.