DC Buyer: DC Physician Looking for Traditional Two-Bedroom Home

• August 6, 2010
• 12 Comments

by Martin Smith

DC Buyer is a series on UrbanTurf where we look at buyers from various demographics and provide available housing options for them in the current DC market. If you are a prospective buyer and would like to be featured in DC Buyer, send an email to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). See all of our past DC Buyer articles here.

819 Davis Avenue

This week, we are working with Nioke, a 32 year-old physician who currently rents in Mount Vernon Triangle, and works in Silver Spring. She earns about $185,000 a year, but carries med school debts of around $1,500 per month. She has a strong credit score of 760 and around $90,000 to put down. Even though she could go higher, Nioke would like to shop primarily in the $450,000 to $525,000 range for a new house.

She loves old brick homes, and is not considering any condos. She wants at least two bedrooms and two bathrooms, and hardwood floors, a rear yard with a porch, and a property that does not need extensive renovation work are all high “wants” on her list. Lastly, Nioke is not considering properties with English basements, as she does not want to have to deal with having a tenant. Based on these criteria, options for Nioke were fairly limited in DC proper, but we looked at properties for her in Silver Spring, Takoma Park, Brookland, Petworth and LeDroit Park.

9207 Long Branch Parkway

Nioke’s first choice is 819 Davis Avenue in Takoma Park, MD. This 1910 two-bedroom, two-bath cottage has been remodeled with a brand new kitchen and a living room with a fireplace, and now has windows that provide abundant natural light for the entire property. The home sits on a corner lot and has a massive rear yard. All she would need to do is unload a truck and paint to taste, and this classic cottage is ready to go. 819 Davis Avenue is listed for $465,000.

The next option for Nioke is 9207 Long Branch Parkway in Silver Spring. The two-bedroom, two-bath colonial has the hardwood floors and rear yard with deck that were both high on Nioke’s list. It also is essentially in turn-key condition, so there would be no stressful renovations in the near future. In addition, this property is close to the Metro and possibly even walkable to Nioke’s job. Lastly, 9207 Long Branch Parkway is low on Nioke’s price scale at $415,000.

739 Faraday Place NE

Finally, there is 739 Faraday Place NE. This two-bedroom duplex in Michigan Park has been completely renovated, and meets Nioke’s needs with hardwood floors and a rear deck and small yard, and the home is just a quick walk to the Fort Totten Metro station. Unlike the two choices in Maryland, this home is attached to the neighboring property, but has a large finished basement and is the lowest priced option we found at $379,000.

Given these three choices, where should Nioke put in his offer?

This article originally published at http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/dc_buyer_dc_physician_looking_for_traditional_two-bedroom_home/2348

12 Comments

1. Lauren said at 2:40 pm on Friday August 6, 2010:

   It depends on what kind of neighborhood he wants, but just looking at the houses themselves, the one on Faraday Pl appeals to me the most, AND it’s the lowest in price and closest to the Metro, so that seems like the best value.

   Btw, the Silver Spring house looks like it’s 1.5-2 miles to the Metro—I wouldn’t consider that walkable.

1. CED said at 4:20 pm on Friday August 6, 2010:

   Just for the amount of space it offers for the price, I would go with the Takoma Park home.

1. Nioke said at 10:30 pm on Friday August 6, 2010:

   I’m a girl! But thanks for these great options…the Faraday Place home is the one that interests me most…but I’ll be checking all three out.

1. Christina said at 8:38 am on Saturday August 7, 2010:

   It’s funny about staging: I like the Faraday Pl property too, because it looks a bit more “lived in.” Seeing furniture in there helped me figure out how MY furniture might fit in there. I liked the Takoma Park property too, but it was just white, white, white. But there’s probably someone out there who prefers to look at homes that are a blank slate like that.

   Anyway, both of those properties are appealing. Faraday Pl a little bit more because it’s cheaper. But you’ll have to make sure an attached property works for you.

1. mon said at 9:38 am on Saturday August 7, 2010:

   I had just sent this link to a friend who is about to get in the market for a new home. It is in Ledroit/Bloomingdale. How come this was a consideration?

   http://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/2208-Flagler-Pl-NW-20001/home/10049577

1. Mark Wellborn said at 10:20 am on Saturday August 7, 2010:

   @ mon—Another good option, thank you! We would’ve featured it, but it came on the market shortly after we finished the piece.

1. TLM said at 7:15 am on Monday August 9, 2010:

   The home on Faraday Place if you want to stay in DC, the home on Davis Avenue if Nioke doesn’t mind being in Maryland.

1. Jerry A. McCoy said at 10:44 am on Monday August 9, 2010:

   Nioke,

   There is a 1921 front porch bungalow at 802 Thayer Avenue on the market.  It is 1/5 a mile from the Metro station and two blocks from Georgia Avenue and downtown Silver Spring.
   Jerry

1. Jerry McCoy said at 10:45 am on Monday August 9, 2010:

   Correction.  804 Thayer!

1. Kathy J, Washington Gardener Magazine said at 11:19 am on Monday August 9, 2010:

   Also 824 Philadelphia is for sale - walkable distance to both SS and TP metro stops/downtowns and 2 blocks from the DC border - sounds like it fits her lifestyle and pricing.

1. Ashley said at 11:31 am on Monday August 9, 2010:

   We just bought in North Michigan Park just a few blocks away from the Faraday Place option and it has been a great decision.  Of the three options, I believe that the Faraday Place one has the best long term potential, especially with the Cafritz Foundation’s Art Place that I believe is expecting to start construction this winter.  Plus, living walking distance from two distinct metro lines is definitely a plus.

1. Mary said at 2:45 pm on Monday August 9, 2010:

   I would also have a look in Brookland - they seem to fairly often have renovated single family homes in exactly that price range and the shops and cafes on 12th street are rather charming. It’s also just a couple metro stops from Silver Spring, easy street parking and so forth.

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