Tagged : notable washingtonians

As we celebrate President's Day here in the District, it is time to take a look at how the District has chosen to honor some of our past presidents.  Looking past the monuments, DC has honored past presidents with by naming neighborhoods after them including Adams Morgan, Fort Lincoln, Garfield Heights, Lincoln Heights and Washington Highlands. 

Contrary to popular belief, Georgetown was not named after George Washington, but either King George II of England or its founders George Gordon and George Beall.

Over the years, DC developers have honored past presidents by naming condo projects after them.  Here are several DC condo developments that were named to honor one of our nations presidents:

• Adams Alley
• Adams Row
• Adams Station
• The…

The East Village home of former IMF head Dominique Strauss-Kahn is now listed for sale for $5.2M. This Federal-style, brick-front home lis ocated on prestigious Dumbarton Street. The home was completely renovated prior to Straus-Kahn purchasing it in 2007 for $4M.

The two-story home features 3 BR / 4.5 BA with a spectacular pool and outdoor entertaining area. The modern chef's kitchen has top-of-the-line appliances and sleek white cabinetry and countertops.

Here is a resource to view this and other fine Georgetown properties that are currently listed for sale.

Is there a smidgen of truth to the rumor that the real purpose of Prince Charles visit to DC this week is to buy a new home for Will and Kate so they can relocate to the District?  We are definitely not confirming that one, but it would be great for the city if it was true. 

 With all the joint military missions involving the UK and the US, it makes sense for the Brits to have one of their own on the ground over here.  Also, DC would be a wonderful market for Kate to launch her photography career out from under the watchful eye of British paparazzi.

If you are still reading this far-fetched tale, the million dollar question is just where would Will and Kate live if they relocated to the District?  Our relo experts have scoured the DC MLS in search…

The DC real estate blogosphere has been buzzing this week about a Dupont Circle studio apartment listing where Washington Post columnist Bob Woodward lived during his days investigating the Watergate scandal.  The balcony of this unit was used by Woodward to signal his source "Deep Throat."  Woodward would plant a flag in a flower pot to indicate to Deep Throat that he wanted to meet.

It was incorrectly reported that Woodward owned the Webster House unit where he lived.  This is not accurate as the Webster House was an apartment building from its delivery in 1968 until it was converted to condos in 1978 by Holladay Corporation.  Bob Woodward confirmed to me renting at the Webster House " I believe that is the correct apartment number.  Never owned…

Above The Law reports that Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan is in the market for a Logan Circle rowhouse.  While still slightly gritty, but rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods are not seemingly good fits for the typical buttoned-down supreme court justice........it would seem that Justice Kagan and Logan Circle are made for one another.

Previously, while working at Harvard Law School, Kagan lived in Cambridge, which is often referred to as the "Peoples' Republic of Cambridge."    While Cambridge is heavily influenced by Harvard and MIT, it does have many of the same characteristics as Logan Circle.  These similarities include eclectic restaurants, historic row houses, newer luxury condo buildings, parking challenges and neighborhood activists. …

Former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson and wife Wendy recently sold their Massachusetts Avenue Heights home for $3.25M, a whopping $1.05M less than they paid for the home in 2006.  The home located near the Washington Cathedral on 32nd St NW was constructed in 1940 and completely renovated in 2001.  The 3-level custom home sits in a private .44-acre lot adjacent to a park.  

The Paulson's home dropped 24.4% in value their 52 months of ownership, beating the national average loss of 29.3% during the same timeframe. With a net worth estimated to be north of $700M, this loss in the DC luxury real estate market is basically amounts to a rounding error in the Paulson's portfolio. 

Nevada Republican Senate candidate Sharron Angle is attacking incumbent Democrat Harry Reid for living at the DC Ritz while the residents of Nevada are suffering.  It is most likely an effective campaign strategy to blast ownership of a condo at the Ritz, but doesn't truly reflect the realities of the DC housing market.

Reid owns a 1 BR / 2.5 BA 1,179 on the 2nd floor of the West End Ritz which he purchased in 2001 for $750,000.  The current assessed value of this condo is $1,022,920.

   

In the context of the overall DC housing market a 1 BR unit on the 2nd floor is not living large as this video depicts.  In fact, this would be a non-issue if Harry Reid lived around the corner at 22 West.

As we work both sides of the aisle here at DC Condo Boutique, if…

Primo Massachusetts Avenue Heights Location

Former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson is selling his Massachusets Avenue Heights home for 4.6M.  Hank and Wendy Paulson purchased the home located near the Washington Cathedral on 32nd St NW in 2006 for $4.3M.  This 3 BR /  3 BA home was constructed in 1940 and was completely renovated in 2001.  This three-story home includes a master-suite with living area and a home office.  Key features of the home include custom stone finishes, over-sized custom windows and a very private .44-acre wooded lot that is adjacent to a park.

In an interesting twist of fate, this home was previously owned by former New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine, who later served as co-CEO of Goldman Sachs with Hank Paulson, before Paulson…

 Congratulations on an impressive victory in Massachusetts yesterday.  We hear you are gassing up the truck and heading this way real soon.  One of the big decisions you will need to make in the coming days is where to park the truck in the District.

As you are a man of the people from the very middle-class town of Wrentham, it would be tough to picture you being comfortable living somewhere like the Watergate complex in Foggy Bottom.  Although you are replacing Ted Kennedy in the Senate, I also suspect that you probably don't have the necessary scratch required to buy his place in Kalorama on Tracy Place.  Its too bad, as the pick-up would be an interesting contrast to the Beemers and Benzes that dominate this neighborhood.

As your seat is up for…

The Washingtonian opines that new Good Morning America anchor George Stephanopoulos may soon be selling his Georgetown home.  Stephanopoulos has a long track record of buying a new digs each time he changes jobs.  He has done very well in the DC real estate market working his way up from an $835,000 townhouse all the way up to the current $5.2M home located on 31st Street in Georgetown.

 If George and his lovely wife Ali Wentworth do decide to cash out of Georgetown for new digs in Manhatten, we are sure going to miss you. Godspeed and best of luck!