All Blog Entries by Mark Washburn

First time buyers on a budget are sure to enjoy the quiet neighborhood of Lamond Riggs. Located in the far northeast section of DC, Lamond Riggs offers up a suburban feel, topped off with nearby shops and available green space.

While some residents of this tight-knit community have lived in the neighborhood for years, others are drawn to Lamond Riggs for its setting, it’s price point and its available home designs. Some of the residences also enjoy the added bonus of sitting within walking distance of area shops, businesses and schools.

First-time buyers and budget-friendly buyers, in particular, are discovering Lamond Riggs because they’ve already been priced out of other DC-area neighborhoods. Potential buyers are seeing their budget often

Photo: Kit Case

Offering up space to work, live and play, there’s plenty to discover in Reston. As the nation’s very first planned community, the vibrant Town of Reston was first founded in the mid 1960s.

Since then, it’s grown to become one of the most desirable parts of the DC area. Not only does Reston offer the enjoyment of easy access to parks, the airport and plenty of recreation, but it also offers some slightly more budget-friendly options for buyers who want to live close to DC and all of its offerings.

These days, you’ll find a large variety of different types of housing, from condos, townhomes and apartments in Reston Town Center, to single-family homes set in quiet neighborhoods. The town was also designed to incorporate plenty of

For amenities and affordability near Capitol Hill, it’s time to take a second look at Barney Circle. This small neighborhood sits in Southeast Washington and offers plenty of appeal for long-standing residents and new buyers, alike.

While small in size, many are drawn to the neighborhood for its available green space. It’s the kind of neighborhood where it’s common to see kids out riding bikes, people walking dogs, and families gathering to enjoy a picnic lunch.

A community garden sits on the edge of the neighborhood, while the tree-lined streets of Barney Circle also lead to two triangular parks. Characterized by mostly single-family rowhouses, the homes of Barney Circle are generally wide and shallow in style.

In fact, while the

While Eckington is one of DC’s oldest neighborhoods, it is also, perhaps, the city’s quiet little secret. While Eckington is virtually encircled by some of the city’s busiest roads it’s also quite peaceful.

You’ll find plenty of options to choose from in Eckington, including condos, colorful rowhouses and even some new development. Locals enjoy access to a playground, dog park and abundant green space at Alethia Tanner Park, plus the ease of connecting up with the Metropolitan Branch Trail.

You’ll also find a rec center with a public swimming pool in the neighborhood, basketball, tennis courts and a playground. It’s a popular neighborhood for young professionals, but you’ll also find some long-standing residents that have lived in the area for

Situated high atop the hills of Alexandria, historic Seminary Hill is full of beautiful homes, tall trees and plenty of history. Found in the western portion of the city, the old neighborhood is accented by plenty of hills and plenty of green space.

This upscale, suburban neighborhood also offers large lots and some gracious homes. While some of the more historic homes still exist, others have since been torn down.

That’s why you’ll now find a mix of single-family homes, townhouses and condos for sale throughout the neighborhood. Over the years and decades, a number of home designs have been constructed in Seminary Hill, including Colonial Revivals, Ramblers, Cape Cods, mid-century contemporary designs and split-level homes.

There are also,

After years of neglect and despair, DC’s Shaw neighborhood is finally enjoying the fruits of its transformation. For well more than a decade, the neighborhood’s welcomed in new retailers, apartments, condos and commercial projects.

The new, micro-neighborhood of North Shaw is where you’ll find trendy dining, shopping and some higher-end condos. The U Street Corridor, meanwhile, continues to transform, while condo conversions pop up in the area.

New condos and townhomes are selling in a neighborhood that’s seen its share of highs and lows. Strongly shaped by its African American history, jazz great Duke Ellington has ties to the neighborhood.

So does historian and author Carter G Woodson, considered the “father of Black history”. Sadly, while

They rank high on the list of DC’s hippest neighborhoods, but Logan Circle and Dupont Circle do have some differences. While the popular neighborhoods share some attributes, they are also distinctive in their offerings.

Logan Circle

Named after a traffic circle of the same name, the popular neighborhood of Logan Circle often attracts a mix of people, including singles, couples, artists and even nearby university students. Considered one of DC’s most diverse areas, Logan Circle is known for its trendy restaurants, hip stores and its thriving nightlife.

This is especially true along vibrant 14th Street. While most people know the walkable neighborhood for all of its offerings, it’s actually named in tribute to a Civil War general. You’ll see a

For a happening neighborhood and amenities galore, it’s time to take a second look at The Lexicon. This premiere condo property in NoMa offers your choice of around 180 residences, all of which range from around 650 square feet to more than 1,200 square feet of living space.

Considered by some to be the neighborhood’s very first full-service luxury condos, buyers have their choice of floor plans. Options generally include one- or two-bedrooms, with some of the units also offering up a den.

Common features and finishes of the homes include a mix of wide-plank hardwoods and porcelain tile flooring, as well as gourmet kitchens with floating islands, quartz countertops and stainless-steel appliances. New buyers are also treated to soaking tubs or

As one of DC’s most exquisite condo conversion projects, The Bell Tower at Stanton Park provides an exciting new option for condo buyers in historic Capitol Hill. Originally constructed in the late 1800s, crews more recently converted the more than 16,000 square foot church into a half-dozen new townhome-style condominium homes.

All of the three-story residences include well more than 2,000 square feet of living space, and typically come in a two- to four-bedroom design. Priced starting well upwards of $1 million, the multi-level condos share access to the church tower and wine cellar.

The 130-foot bell tower is perhaps the most prominent feature of the exterior of the building, but hardly the only thing that sets this property apart. It took

Photo: Yashh

You may think you learned everything you need to know about DC from the history books, but there are several commonly held myths that don’t stand the test of time.

Why are buildings short in DC?

Some say DC buildings have a height limit to keep them from overshadowing the Capitol, but that’s not exactly true. According to history, the limit originally came about for safety reasons. A building’s height is determined by the width of the street it faces.

Are all monuments & memorials crowded with visitors?

When you think of DC you probably have visions of some of the more prominent monuments and memorials. However, not all of them are obvious, and not all of them attract big crowds.

Take, for example, the more obscure