Wash Post Real Estate

At home with work
When Michael Gibbs and Hope Katz Gibbs moved this August, one house in Arlington rose to the top of their wish list: a remodeled and expanded ranch home. The big selling point? The house had enough flexible space that both of them could both set up their own home offices.



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Trendy now, but not by accident
Mark Milibrand is a rare breed among District home buyers. Before buying a two-bedroom condo in a renovated Victorian rowhouse in Logan Circle at the end of October, he lived in a 4,000-square-foot home in Fairfax. His decision to reverse the traditional migration from city to suburb was driven by a...



Housewatch: How to pick the most environmentally friendly countertops
Want the greenest countertop on the market? You're going to have to do a bit of research.



Artists carry on a regal tradition capturing pride of place, cherished memories
Randal and Judith Lemke have a very personal art collection on display in their Falls Church townhouse.




Decision maker: Converting a wood-burning fireplace to gas
When John Lynn's wife, Ellen, moved into his Arlington home a few years ago, allergies made it impossible for her to enjoy the wood-burning fireplaces in the living room and basement. So he had the fireplaces converted to gas -- and he finds he is using them much more often.



A big heart and a Little House
Until it was closed last year, the community center affectionately known as the Little House was the place where Westmoreland Hills all came together. "That's pretty much our town square," said resident John Nelson. "Scouts, art classes, yoga, neighborhood parties. I have so many good memories of...



Condos' reserve funds deserve more scrutiny
If you plan to buy into a condominium association -- or if you already own and plan to refinance the mortgage -- you should be aware of the new rules published by the Federal Housing Administration.



Real Estate Matters: There's more than the rate to consider in a refinance
Mortgage interest rates below 5 percent, combined with the recent extension and expansion of the home-buyer tax credits, give buyers a unique opportunity to purchase a home. But if you have enough equity in your property, it may also be a great time to lock in a lower interest rate and refinance...




Green Scene: Invasive plants are becoming a larger problem
We live surrounded by many trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals that aren't from this area. It may seem like they belong here, but they don't. They aren't the plants that Mother Nature originally intended for our region.



Rates decline on loans long and short
Rates for 30-year, fixed-rate home loans fell for the third straight week, offering a boost to potential buyers who may use a government tax credit to purchase homes. The 15-year rate declined to a record low.



Expect tightening from the FHA
For the past several years, the Federal Housing Administration has been the go-to financing resource for cash-strapped home buyers who can't come up with a big down payment. It has zoomed from barely a 3 percent market share to nearly 30 percent of home-purchase loans. But now, wildly popular...



A lesson from the toilet professor
DEAR TIM: Can you educate me on all the different toilet parts and how they work? I have my first home and need to buy toilet replacement parts, but I'm clueless. My toilet appears to be fairly standard-looking with a rectangular tank that rises up from the bowl. Do you think I'll be able to replace...




Do it yourself?
You can almost always install a new fill valve without the aid of a plumber. Of course, you'll have to check your local codes as some cities require a plumber to do it for you. The flapper valves can be restored with little effort. You can buy kits that let you install a new flapper valve in...



Do-It-Yourself: Fixing a drafty window on the cheap
Our house is about 60 years old and has the original wooden, double-hung windows. Several of the windows are drafty and loose, and they rattle when the wind blows. A few won't stay open unless I prop them with a stick. I can't afford new windows and wonder whether there is a less expensive way to...



Logan Circle
BOUNDARIES: Logan Circle is in the Northwest quadrant of D.C., sandwiched between Dupont Circle and Shaw. It is bounded on the west by the middle of 16th Street, on the east by 10th Street, on the south by M Street and on the north, roughly, by S Street.




Mark Wellborn is editor and co-founder of UrbanTurf, a Web site that covers condominiums and other homes in the District and close-in suburbs. This issue of Where We Live was produced in collaboration between The Washington Post and UrbanTurf.




Color of Money Book Club
Personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary hosts a discussion with Lynn Jimenez, author of "¿Se Habla Dinero? The Everyday Guide to Financial Success," a personal finance book geared toward multigenerational Hispanic families.



The FHA's nose dive
THE COST of the housing bailout continues to rise. The government-run mortgage giant Fannie Mae requested another $15 billion from the Treasury this month, to help cover a loss of $19.8 billion in the third quarter. That brings the total tab for rescuing Fannie to $60 billion so far. Fannie's twi...



A Brookings index of 'How We're Doing'
The economy's expansion last quarter, for the first time in more than a year, has prompted much speculation that the recession is over. This turning point, however, simply marks an end to the decline in activity. The unemployment rate is at the highest level since the early 1980s, and full...



Joseph Gyourko -- 5 myths about homeownership
Even as we wade through the wreckage of the housing collapse, Americans remain a staunchly house-proud people. And our government is apparently determined to encourage us: This month, President Obama signed into law an extension and expansion of the popular homebuyer tax credit, which had been...




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Real Estate Matters: The headache of a low appraisal
I applied for a refinance with my current lender. I did my application over the phone and was then told the rates and options. I was told I would most likely not need an appraisal, but if I did need one, the lender would pay for it.



What's in a faucet name?
As you search for faucets, you may discover that different suppliers call them by different names. For example, one company may call a claw-foot tub faucet a leg-tub faucet, as these tubs sit up off the floor on tiny legs or feet. Another may call it an antique tub faucet, as claw-foot tubs were...



A time to take a look back and plan ahead
Gardening tasks don't stop with the end of the growing season. You can still plant trees, do landscape design work, inspect insect damage, and evaluate what performed well in the garden this year and what needs more attention. Here are answers to some of the questions that have been sent in recen...



A lifeline after foreclosure
There is new vocabulary in mortgage lending: D4L. In order to be eligible for a D4L, or Deed for Lease, you must go through a DIL, short for a deed in lieu of foreclosure.




30-year mortgage rates fall to 4.91%
Rates for 30-year home loans stayed below 5 percent for the second week in a row.



Glass rules our cities, for better and worse
Architects love glass, sometimes with a passion. Its unique qualities -- transparency, reflectivity, the ability both to divide and unify space -- are alluring. Of course, both passion and glass benefit from tempering.



Ask the Builder: When picking a tub faucet, make sure you know what tub you want first
DEAR TIM: I'm pulling my hair out looking at tub faucets. What's complicating things is that I have not settled on the exact tub to use. One Roman faucet I've seen was so elegant that I couldn't take my eyes off it. But the claw-foot tub faucets are also beautiful, and that's what's got me on the...



New tax credit may be worth pouncing on
Take a close, hard look at the new $6,500 federal tax credit for "move up" home buyers that passed the Senate and House last week. Though it's been getting second billing to the original $8,000 credit for first-time purchasers -- now extended by Congress through June 30 -- the $6,500 credit for...




Westmoreland Hills
BOUNDARIES: Brookview Drive, Allan Terrace and Baltimore Avenue to the north; River Road and Western Avenue to the east; Little Falls Park to the west; and Dalecarlia Reservoir to the south



FHA cash reserves fall below legal limit
The Federal Housing Administration's cash reserves have shrunk to a level far below what is required by law, and the agency could need taxpayer funding if worst-case scenarios play out, according to an independent audit designed to measure the agency's financial soundness.



Manassas home sales and prices show signs of life
Residential sales in Manassas are up, and home prices are beginning to rebound -- two heartening changes, city officials said, for a city that has been plagued by foreclosures.



Upbeat reports lift home builder stocks
U.S. home builder stocks surged Wednesday, invigorated by Toll Brothers' announcement earlier this week that orders for its homes have jumped during the latest quarter, outpacing expectations.




Local Digest
REAL ESTATE The median home price for homes sold in the Washington area, a vast census territory that stretches from the Chesapeake Bay to West Virginia, fell 2.5 percent during the July to September quarter compared with a year ago, the National Association of Realtors reported Tuesday. Nationally,...



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FHA's reserve fund hits 7-year low
The Federal Housing Administration, which has played a crucial role supporting American home buyers after the collapse of the mortgage market, has burned through a huge cash reserve in less than a decade and could soon wind up with what amounts to an automatic taxpayer bailout if the agency's for...



Recession roommates
A one-bedroom apartment is not a lot of space for Julie Beers, her 2-year-old daughter, a golden retriever and a black Lab.



Charles County's Clarks Run a place to put down roots
Mike Hanks grew up in Clarks Run, and he loved his childhood days playing sports with his friends around the La Plata neighborhood. Years later, when Hanks was looking for a safe place to raise a family, Clarks Run was an easy choice. In fact, he bought his old house from his parents.




Basement condo? Busy road? It's a tough sell.
Gus Drakakis's single-family brick colonial didn't seem like it would be an easy sell. Yes, it was in good condition. And yes, it was remodeled.



30-year rates fall back below 5 percent
Mortgage rates for 30-year, fixed-rate home loans fell for the first time in a month this week as the Federal Reserve pledged to keep its benchmark rate near zero.



Housewatch: Architect Berkus's own house is small, full of poetry and surprise
When architect Barry Berkus designed a pied-à-terre for himself in Santa Barbara, Calif., three years ago, he brought an unusual depth to the project.



Real Estate Matters: Eight years later, bankruptcy still on lenders' minds
I am buying a house as a co-borrower. I declared Chapter 7 bankruptcy more than eight years ago. I have provided my lender with a copy of the petition and the discharge, along with every other document he requested.




Ask the Builder: Research soapstone counters before buying
DEAR TIM: A kitchen designer recommended soapstone countertops for my new kitchen. Do you have any experience with soapstone counters or even a soapstone sink? I've never heard of this material and wonder about it. Would you use it in your home? If not, why not? -- Tara M., Montrose, Calif.



Green Scene: It's not too late to plant trees and shrubs
If you thought you had missed your last chance to plant trees or shrubs in your yard this year, think again. November is still a good month to install such plants, as the ground has not frozen yet and the air is still warm enough to work outside.



Essential documents for domestic partners
My partner and I recently signed a contract to buy a condominium unit, and settlement is scheduled to take place by the end of the month. We will put up equal amounts of money for the purchase and have agreed to share all expenses equally.



Know your stone
Soapstone changes color as it ages, and, because it's a natural metamorphic stone, it almost always comes with random veining. The veins of color add a distinctive look. When first quarried, the stone is gray, but it gets darker with age as it begins to oxidize. My soapstone countertops, when wet or...




Putting 'good faith' back in closing
Remember the bad old days of 11th-hour mortgage settlement cost shocks and mystery junk fees? Remember when the "good-faith estimates" your lender gave you upfront said closing costs would be about $2,000, but somehow they ballooned to $3,500 on the final settlement sheet?



Clarks Run
BOUNDARIES: Clarks Run lies within the town of La Plata, southeast of the central business district. It is bounded by Charles Street (Route 6) and the Ellenwood subdivision to the east, roughly by Clark Run to the west, by the Wood Haven Park subdivision to the south and by an unincorporated area of...



Hit by huge loss, Fannie Mae seeks more federal aid
Fannie Mae, the federally controlled mortgage finance giant, said Thursday it lost $19 billion in the third quarter and had submitted a request to the Treasury Department for $15 billion in more aid to stay afloat.



Home prices rise across Asia
SINGAPORE -- Residential property prices are rising across much of Asia, prompting fears of a real estate bubble. Apartments are selling for staggering prices, and central banks and finance ministries have begun to rein in property-related stimulus measures.




House votes to extend jobless benefits, expand home buyers' tax credit
Congress gave final approval Thursday for an additional $24 billion to help the jobless and support the housing market as climbing unemployment poses a growing liability for elected officials.



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A misguided tax credit for home buyers, and other political follies
With the throw-the-bums-out results of this week's elections and the prospect that the unemployment rate is about to break through the 10 percent mark, politicians in Washington are desperate to show that they're doing something about jobs.



Color of Money Live
Personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary answers your personal finance questions and discusses other money matters.



U-Va.'s Larry Sabato is a high-tech political junkie in a home that still feels like Thomas Jefferson's scholarly village
It's easy to imagine political analyst Larry J. Sabato a few days from now, in his second-floor home office at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, pedaling away on his stationary bike while watching election results on the big flat-panel TV that decorates a room that is otherwise...




'Absolutely peaceful,' with room to roam
In 2000, Del Bender and his wife, Pat Mulcahy, who were renting in Springfield, searched for a house with some land and a wooded setting. They had no idea they would find their dream home only five minutes away from Woodbridge's busy Route 1 corridor.



Where you park doesn't have to be scary
Halloween is when many children, willing to risk being scared, bravely venture into a makeshift haunted house at a neighborhood elementary school. All year round, grownups occasionally venture into another kind of potentially scary house: a shadowy parking garage.



Green Scene: Look no further for gardening gifts
As the holidays draw near, it's time to start thinking about gifts for the gardeners in your life. Among the many possibilities worth considering are gloves, tools, planters, pest repellents, organic growing media and, of course, plants. To help get you started, here is a list of some products that...



Your first fireplace: Don't skimp, but don't go overboard on tools
DEAR TIM: I have moved into my first home, and fireplace accessories are at the top of my list of things to buy, as winter is fast approaching. I have both a gas fireplace and a wood fireplace, so I need both kinds! Money is tight, so my wish list is far bigger than my will-get list. What tools or...




Mortgage rates rise for third week
Rates for 30-year home loans climbed to 5.03 percent this week, the third consecutive weekly increase.



Foreclosed home can still have liens
I am in the process of buying a new home. It's a foreclosure. The lender foreclosed on the developer. In doing my due diligence on the purchase, I noticed that some contractors were not paid. Will these contractors be able to put liens on the house after I close?



A look behind the lack of affordable family housing
Families are being priced out of the Washington area housing market. Or at least they're being driven to the far edges of the metro area and forced into long commutes to and from employment hubs. That's the message in a new report from the Urban Land Institute's Terwilliger Center for Workforce H...



Home appraisal system could be rehauled soon
Could the controversial appraisal system imposed nationwide by mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in May -- and now tied to lowball property valuations, busted home sale transactions and higher fees to consumers -- be on its way out?




After the fire
Bear in mind that you should be careful when cleaning a fireplace, especially when dealing with ashes. If you need to clean out the ashes the morning after a fire, use a metal ash can with a tight-fitting lid. Shovel the ashes and any remaining hot coals into the can, and close the lid to starve...



Do-It-Yourself: Don't give up on cleaning grout
We had beautiful ceramic-tile floors in our bathrooms, but the gray grout has become discolored and I can't seem to get it clean despite lots of scrubbing. Is there a way to restore the grout color? -- D. Johnson



Dawson Landing
BOUNDARIES: Wigeon Way and Teal Way to the east, Neabsco Creek to the south, Marsh Overlook Drive to the west, Duckling Place and Decoy Court to the north



New-home sales take unexpected tumble, dragging down stocks
Wall Street stumbled Wednesday as unexpected weakness in the housing market and a slide in oil prices weighed on stocks.




Foreclosures double in Washington area




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Home prices up slightly for third straight month
Home prices posted another modest rise in August, according to data released Tuesday, but economists cautioned that the expiration of a home-buyer tax credit and rising unemployment could reverse signs of stabilization in the housing market.



Global by design
Adams Morgan condo owner Meral Karasulu was a renovation veteran. Architect Andreas Charalambous of Washington's Forma Design was professionally seasoned. So the two decided to attempt the construction equivalent of a high-wire act: They would gut Karasulu's two-story, three-bedroom apartment near...



Fighting isolation after relocation
When Roberta Eichenholz moved from Pennsylvania to Rockville in 2004, she faced a choice: She could make an effort to get involved in her new community or she could isolate herself in her new home.




Existing-home sales rebound to 2-year high
Existing-home sales climbed 9.4 percent in September to their highest level in more than two years, fueled by demand for cheap properties and an $8,000 tax credit for first-time buyers, according to industry data released Friday.



A place to party -- and to settle down
Mischa and Chrystina Levin's search for their first home lasted five months, during which they looked at more than 60 properties. Their long hunt ended when they found a four-bedroom rowhouse on Northeast D.C.'s H Street corridor.



Old credit disputes can scuttle loan
Could a little-known and potentially controversial practice by mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac kill or stall your next loan application? Absolutely.



From bulbs to fertilizer, fall gardening season is upon us
Since the beginning of July, rainfall in the Washington area has been five inches below normal. Tulip poplars yellowed early, and some late-blooming perennials and repeat-blooming plants, like roses, asters and irises, were disappointing in their second show of flowers. Last week's rain arrived just...




Stoves gain popularity as economical and environmentally friendly heaters
For 23 years, Julie Gore has heated her Ada, Ohio, home with a wood-burning stove. When the old one wore out, she didn't hesitate to buy another for her family room.



Refinancing lifeline fails to reach most 'underwater' homeowners
A seven-month-old government program to help homeowners with little or no equity refinance their mortgages has so far reached fewer than 3 percent of those targeted, with many struggling borrowers deciding that the benefits of a new loan aren't worth the closing costs.



Housewatch: Windows may not be first move to save energy
The first winter we spent in our house in Ann Arbor, Mich., we learned that the marble windowsills were not an upscale detail. They were a necessity.



Help your family, but beware 'phantom interest'
Q I plan to lend my son and daughter-in-law $100,000 to assist them in buying their first home, a condominium in Maryland. I have heard about a legal concept called "imputed interest" and don't want to get caught in some kind of Internal Revenue Service trap. Exactly what is "imputed interest?"




Ask the Builder: 'Solid stain' usually doesn't stack up
Q DEAR TIM: I visited a national brand paint store and talked with an employee about solid stain. I told him that I wanted a solid color on my home but that I didn't want to paint because it would peel eventually. The salesman said I should use solid-color stain. I bought 10 gallons of a custom...



Real Estate Matters: What it means to be a prospective buyer
Q Is there an industry-standard definition for a "prospect"? It seems that every real estate agent has a different opinion of what this means.



30-year rates rise to 5%, following bond market
Rates for 30-year home loans have inched up, hitting 5 percent for the first time in nearly a month after bond yields increased.



30-year rates rise to 5%, following bond market
Rates for 30-year home loans have inched up, hitting 5 percent for the first time in nearly a month after bond yields increased.




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H Street Corridor
BOUNDARIES: The H Street corridor is in the Northeast quadrant of the District, east of Union Station. It is bounded by Second Street to the west, 15th Street to the east, G Street to the south, and, roughly, K Street to the north



Home sales jump 9.4 percent to highest level in two years
Existing home sales jumped 9.4 percent in September to their highest level in two years, fueled by first-time home buyers pouncing on cheap prices and an $8,000 tax credit, according to industry data released Friday morning.



Color of Money Book Club
Personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary hosts a discussion with Noreen Perrotta, Money Editor for Consumer Reports.



Home-building rises, but worries persist
New-home construction rose modestly last month, according to government data released Tuesday. But the uptick was less than expected as economists continued to worry that the expiration of a tax credit for first-time home buyers could sap recent growth in the housing market.




Pushing Home Ownership Is a Questionable Policy
Some Americans simply can't afford to own a home.



Noble Honor Takes Root
When lightning destroyed one of two beautiful hundred-year-old trees in a North Arlington enclave, neighbors mourned the loss. It motivated them to consider the health of another centagenarian tree -- a while oak in their ironically named Black Oak Cluster neighborhood.



Pleasant Plains, D.C.'s Overlooked 'Bull's-Eye'
District residents and community groups are working to get one Northwest neighborhood some recognition -- because few people even know it exists.



Foreclosures to Rise Even More Next Year
Foreclosures will peak by the end of next year and unemployment will climb above 10 percent as the housing market and U.S. economy grapple with the aftermath of the recession, the Mortgage Bankers Association's chief economist said this week.




Cheap Chinese Drywall Causing Another Round of Nightmares
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- James and Maria Ivory's dreams of a relaxing retirement on Florida's Gulf Coast were put on hold when they discovered that their new home had been built with Chinese drywall that emits sulfuric fumes and corrodes pipes. It got worse when they asked their insurer for help....



Autumn Gardening Quandaries: Falling Leaves and Edible Dogwood Fruit
The leaves are changing colors, and the weather's turning crisp. That means it's time to answer some of your fall gardening questions.



Service Lets Homeowners Get Jump on Lien Jumpers
Adapted from Elizabeth Razzi's blog at washingtonpost.com/localaddress:



Mortgage Rates Up, but Still Under 5 Percent
Rates for 30-year home loans have inched up, but they remained below 5 percent for the third straight week as government efforts to aid the housing market continued to keep rates low.




Need Shelving? To the Lumberyard!
Q DEAR TIM: Tools and supplies are scattered on the floor of my garage, and I desperately need some storage shelving. How hard would it be to build storage shelves? I have room for shelves that would be about eight feet long. -- Gretchen S., Avalon, Calif.



No Matter What You Hear, There's No Quick Fix for Credit
With Americans' credit scores plunging amid record numbers of mortgage and credit card delinquencies, companies that promise to eliminate negative information in credit bureaus' files are proliferating, federal regulators say.



Save Your Tax Exemption When You Can't Sell?
Q After living in the Washington area my entire life (I'm now 68), my wife and I retired to another state in January 2007. We tried to sell our Virginia condo while purchasing a new home where we now live. The D.C. market was in bad shape, and we were unable to sell. We decided to rent our condo...



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Real Estate Matters: Failure to Repay Home-Equity Lines Can Result in Foreclosure
Q I live in Maryland and recently became unemployed. I have enough money to pay my monthly first-mortgage payment with Bank A for two years, if I do not make my home-equity line-of-credit payments to Bank B. Can Bank B foreclose on my home if I am current on my first-mortgage payments? If Bank B...




Shaping the City: Chicago Gets Gold Medal for Design
Chicago's 2016 Olympics bid was rejected, but the city hardly needs the Olympics. Chicago 2009 is already uniquely "Olympian" thanks to its soaring urban architecture and architectural legacy, its skyscraper-flanked downtown river, its Lake Michigan waterfront and its beautiful public parks.



Pleasant Plains
BOUNDARIES: Park Road NW to the north, Florida Avenue NW to the south, Warder and Sixth streets NW to the east, and Sherman Avenue NW to the west. (The civic association extends the western boundary to 14th Street.)