Comp and Circumstance: Under $400,000 House Edition

• December 3, 2010
• 8 Comments

by Rebecca Ortega

Comp and Circumstance presents two “for-sale” homes of roughly similar prices in DC and compares the pros and cons of each. This week, we examine two properties for sale for under $400,000 in neighborhoods that will likely see appreciation down the road. The price point of the homes ranges between $369,900 and $399,500.

See all our past Comp and Circumstance features here.

1323 1st Street NW

Two-Bedroom, Two-Bath Truxton Circle Row House

Located relatively close to both the Mount Vernon Square (Yellow/Green) and New York Avenue (Red) Metro stations, 1323 1st Street NW (map) is in a very good location for those looking to purchase around Truxton Circle. The two-bedroom, 2.5-bath bath home has a living room with a gas fireplace, a separate dining area, a small, neat kitchen without much counter space, and a rear yard on the first level. The upper level features two bedrooms, including a master bedroom with vaulted ceilings.

The second full bathroom is a relatively rare find in a two-bedroom house in the District; there is also a half bath on the first floor. Improvements could be made, including sprucing up the back patio, upgrading the kitchen and re-painting the exterior, but overall this is a good house for the money in an improving area close to downtown DC.

Living Room at 1323 1st Street NW

322 14th Place NE

Hill East Two-Bedroom Home With Great Master Bedroom

322 14th Place NE (map) is a bit smaller than the Truxton Circle house, but still offers a good deal of usable living space. The house has front and rear patio spaces, and the main level has a living and dining area, and a galley kitchen with counter space on either side. Upstairs is perhaps the best room in the house: a large master bedroom with three windows and hardwood floors. The second level also has a smaller bedroom and large full bathroom. The house is located in Hill East, and is in walking distance of H Street, Lincoln Park and Eastern Market. With only one bathroom in the house, street parking and no basement, this may not be the best home for a small family, but for a single buyer or couple, the size, price and location are pretty good.

Master Bedroom

So, what do you think? Let us know your preference in the comments below.

This article originally published at http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/comp_and_circumstance_under_400000_house_edition/2730

8 Comments

1. SimonF said at 2:17 pm on Friday December 3, 2010:

   Love the house near Truxton Circle, but that master bedroom in the Hill East house is beautiful. Tough choice!

1. EG said at 2:28 pm on Friday December 3, 2010:

   I think the Truxton Circle location has a greater likelihood of quick appreciation due to the changes in the area.  NoMa and Mt Vernon Triangle to the south, and the new Convention Center hotel and O St Market to the west are all major players.

1. Eric said at 3:58 pm on Friday December 3, 2010:

   Love this comparison. I am partial to Truxton Circle, but the Hill East location is not too shabby. Still, i would choose Truxton by a nose.

1. Tom A. said at 4:29 pm on Friday December 3, 2010:

   I’d definitely go for the Cap Hill house.  farther from the metro, but very safe and very quiet now.  There seems to be a lot of drug activity very close to the other house.

   Also Cap Hill seems much more quiet and residential.  TC seems much more “inner city” to me, with lots of lower-end retail close by.

1. Tom A. said at 4:34 pm on Friday December 3, 2010:

   I should have looked at the map before commenting.  I would NOT recomment anyone buying on 1st street NW, as compared to 14th place NE.  It’s a LOUD street with lots of traffic and front yard paries in the summer.  I drove through there on July 4th in 2007 or 2008, and thought I was in Bagdad.  There were a lot of explosions and flaming objects in the street that cars had to drive around.

1. Q-Street said at 4:39 pm on Friday December 3, 2010:

   I think Truxton circle wins for central air and proximity to the metro. An extra 30k in your pocket doesn’t hurt either.

   I agree with EG on the appreciation point. Yes, the Hill East property will be close to the eventual street car line (very cool). But, I live a few blocks west of the TC property and the investment in our neighborhood in the last 12 months has been astounding.

   Tough choice though. If you like the H street scene (which is pretty sweet IMO), then it’s a really close call!

1. shelly said at 7:22 pm on Saturday December 4, 2010:

   This is funny, I use to live on the 200 block of 14th place and now live north of RI ave on 1st st. If I had to pick which of these two I would go with the 14th place house. Smaller yes, but the truxton area is really not a nice area. I drive through it every morning and in the evening on the way home. Lots of drug dealing still present in the area. One good thing I have noticed is that from the list servers around the truxton circle area the neighbors are joining together more and more and putting down a lot of the problems. So if your brave and want to be part of solving the problem then the truxton house would be good choice and you will probably appreciate faster.

1. Ives Gal said at 12:39 pm on Monday December 6, 2010:

   Having lived in that area for 10 years (15th & E. Capitol), 14th St. Place is a wonderful address.  The area is residential and quiet.  The D6 bus, which I took often, runs on the C St side to Union Station and the D St side to Stadium Armory.  Both metro stations are maybe a 15-20 minute walk.  The one downside is it doesn’t have a half bath.  I love my new house in SE, but I do miss this neighborhood!

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