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Washington Post's Real Estate section is your source for buying and selling a home and finding open houses in Washington,DC,Maryland and Virginia.
DC,Virginia and Maryland. Post Real Estate also includes discussions and blogs on DC metro area real estate issues.
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Inhabit: A remodel that makes room for twoFri, 18 Mar 2011 20:18:12 EDT Attorneys general try to rein in lenders' shabby behavior on modificationsFri, 18 Mar 2011 19:22:01 EDT Where We Live: Cross CreekFri, 18 Mar 2011 19:43:02 EDT
Andrew Leighton is not a golfer, but the prospect of living on a golf course was intriguing when he and his family discovered the Cross Creek neighborhood. Now, Leighton, his wife, Jackie and their two children enjoy the view from their home adjacent to the course, located along the border betwee...
The family focus endures in Montgomery's Sherwood ForestFri, 11 Mar 2011 16:10:01 EST
The Victorian house in the center of Montgomery County's Sherwood Forest neighborhood has overlooked the surrounding land for more than 200 years. Back in those early days, it lay just off the Glenmont-Colesville Road in the midst of Westover Farm, where crops such as corn and oats grew on nearly...
Military buyers: Home-shoppers on a missionFri, 11 Mar 2011 12:19:00 EST
To those who haven't worn the uniform, their ways can be a mystery. But anyone trying to sell a home in the Washington metro area would be wise to learn more about the needs and habits of military officers, enlisted people and their families. It's the season for them to begin some serious house-h...
Major changes ahead for mortgage system as U.S. seeks to scale back role in housingFri, 11 Mar 2011 12:13:01 EST Do-it-yourself: How to remove soap scumFri, 18 Mar 2011 19:50:17 EDT A few chores to get a jump-start on gardening seasonFri, 18 Mar 2011 19:46:01 EDT Housing paperwork can pile up at tax time - here's what to keep, and for how longFri, 18 Mar 2011 19:40:01 EDT
Many taxpayers are preparing for their annual battle with IRS form 1040 by gathering up all their documents, statements, checks and other assorted papers. At the end of this process, taxpayers are often left with piles of neatly sorted, tabulated and cross-indexed piles. From a homeowner's perspe...
Mortgage rates down as investors react to Japan crisisFri, 18 Mar 2011 19:27:02 EDT With short-sale offer refused, foreclosure may end up the best optionFri, 18 Mar 2011 19:23:01 EDT Make room for Daddy - or Granny, or Junior, or . . .Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:08:01 EDT
Over the last 39 years, Michael Litchfield has built one new house, acting as both designer and contractor, and extensively remodeled five others. He has written nine books on the design, construction and renovation of houses, including one on remodeling that runs to more than 600 pages, and he w...
Ruined drywall?Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:06:01 EDT Ask the builder: Fixing water-damaged drywallFri, 18 Mar 2011 19:02:01 EDT
Q. A water line burst in our home and created a significant leak. We were home and able to contain most of the water, but quite a bit got through the floor, ruining the drywall ceiling in the basement. Is there an easy way to deal with water-damaged drywall? Can we just wait for it to dry and the...
U.S. Housing Starts Drop to Lowest Level Since April 2009Wed, 16 Mar 2011 10:01:00 EDT 'Net zero' house to be built in Maryland should produce as much energy as it usesMon, 14 Mar 2011 07:09:00 EDT Do-it-yourselfer Q&AFri, 11 Mar 2011 17:49:01 EST Mortgage applications rise as loan costs hold steadyFri, 11 Mar 2011 16:06:01 EST Borrower has second thoughts about that second chanceFri, 11 Mar 2011 16:04:01 EST Tips for painting kitchen cabinetsFri, 11 Mar 2011 15:58:01 EST
Painting kitchen cabinets is much easier if you remove the hardware. This takes time up front, but you'll get fantastic results at the end of the day. Be sure to put the hardware for each cabinet in a separate, marked plastic sandwich bag so that you can reassemble the cabinets and everything wor...
Six steps to upgrading a kitchen without boosting the costFri, 11 Mar 2011 15:55:01 EST
Q. I'd love to move to a new home, but the economy is preventing that. So I've decided to do some kitchen remodeling, as it seems to be the center of activity of our current home. Based on the bids I'm getting, remodeling costs seem high. What can be done to keep the total cost as low as possible...
Smart growth bill capitalizes on Maryland transitFri, 11 Mar 2011 15:40:01 EST Take precautions before signing a remodeling contractFri, 11 Mar 2011 14:53:01 EST March's gardening and nature programs around D.C.Fri, 11 Mar 2011 14:52:00 EST Many still owe taxes on forgiven home-equity debtFri, 11 Mar 2011 14:51:02 EST Tips for military families moving to D.C.Fri, 11 Mar 2011 12:24:00 EST Federal Housing Administration leader David Stevens will leave postThu, 10 Mar 2011 22:56:01 EST Color of Money LiveThu, 10 Mar 2011 12:00:00 EST Details on the Greenbriar neighborhoodFri, 04 Mar 2011 11:56:01 EST Greenbriar: Chantilly's Levitt townFri, 04 Mar 2011 11:40:01 EST For the best refinancing deal, do your homeworkFri, 04 Mar 2011 11:36:01 EST Concern grows over use of flame retardant HBCDFri, 04 Mar 2011 11:35:01 EST How to install piping for a central vac systemFri, 04 Mar 2011 11:34:00 EST
Installing the piping for a central vac system in an average-size new house usually takes part of a day. The pipe glues together with regular PVC cement. You can cut the thin piping with a simple hacksaw, making sure you remove any burrs from the cut ends of the pipe. Burrs can grab onto hair and...
Central vacuum system installation tipsFri, 04 Mar 2011 11:33:01 EST Mortgage rates continue to fallFri, 04 Mar 2011 11:32:01 EST Green Scene: Good books for the gardenerFri, 04 Mar 2011 11:31:00 EST
Since spring is right around the corner, I felt it appropriate to share some titles that will fit well into your gardening library. Books are still one of the best ways to keep up with the latest in landscape design and the needs of plants. These new favorites of mine cover a wide range of garden...
A common-sense way to mend the draconian appraisal processFri, 04 Mar 2011 11:30:01 EST Picky first-time buyers losing out on great housing dealsFri, 04 Mar 2011 11:25:01 EST
Picky, picky, picky! Are today's first-time home buyers passing up great deals because they insist on flawless "move-in ready" houses requiring little or no changes - even at the starter-home price levels at which shoppers traditionally have been willing to factor fix-ups and renovations into the...
D.C. newcomers searching for their dream home might get a few wake-up callsFri, 04 Mar 2011 11:04:01 EST
Anyone who has searched for a home in the District, for convenient parking - or even for a bar stool during happy hour - may have sensed what census statistics confirm: There are a lot of newcomers around town. And these newcomers - and their housing wish lists - are helping reshape the city's ne...
Thorny foreclosure questionsThu, 03 Mar 2011 21:46:01 EST House may kill Obama's foreclosure-prevention programsWed, 02 Mar 2011 21:52:00 EST Federal support for home loans essential, Geithner warnsTue, 01 Mar 2011 22:39:00 EST In the housing crisis, we all live under one roofSat, 26 Feb 2011 17:14:01 EST Green Scene: Some ideas for an environmentally friendly landscapeFri, 25 Feb 2011 18:56:01 EST Do-it-yourselfer Q&AFri, 25 Feb 2011 14:37:02 EST 30-year mortgage rates again below 5 percentFri, 25 Feb 2011 10:36:00 EST It could be the time to buy that bigger houseFri, 25 Feb 2011 10:34:00 EST For professional results, use the right toolsFri, 25 Feb 2011 10:33:01 EST
To get professional results, you have to have great drywall taping tools. I love using my stainless-steel mud pan. I use a flexible taping knife that's just under six inches wide. Before I used it the first time, I used a metal file to slightly round the corners of the tool. Straight from the fac...
Taping drywall is not as easy as it looks on do-it-yourself showsFri, 25 Feb 2011 10:29:00 EST
Q. Is taping drywall that hard to do? I watched it done on a television show, and it seems like it's not too tough. What tools should I be looking for? What are some secrets of finishing drywall, and what are the biggest mistakes rookies make when mudding and taping drywall? I want my job to look...
Some in military, Foreign Service can still claim homebuyer creditFri, 25 Feb 2011 10:25:01 EST
If you have been on active military duty outside of the United States for at least 90 days between Jan. 1, 2009, and April 30, 2010, or if you were on qualified official extended duty or a member of the Foreign Service during that time span, you may still be eligible to claim the first time homeb...
How to make rentals more attractive as the American dream evolves, adaptsFri, 25 Feb 2011 10:25:00 EST
Years ago at the University of Maryland, I taught "Economic Determinants in Architecture," an elective course introducing architecture students to the real world of capitalism and showing how that world influences design and development. Students learned that market and financial conditions, alon...
Details on the Potomac Crest neighborhoodFri, 25 Feb 2011 10:21:00 EST Potomac Crest: Montgomery's garden spotFri, 25 Feb 2011 10:20:02 EST
One of the first things you notice about Potomac Crest, a community of 131 townhouses and duplexes and 31 detached homes near Seven Locks Road and Tuckerman Lane, is the landscaping. "The overall community is beautifully landscaped and maintained by the owners and a very active homeowners associa...
As deficit looms larger, senators' eye cuts in mortgage interest deductionsFri, 25 Feb 2011 10:18:00 EST Cash deals raise January sales of existing homes, report saysWed, 23 Feb 2011 22:59:01 EST Economic events for the week beginning Feb. 21Sun, 20 Feb 2011 17:52:01 EST 'Architectural editor' brings constructive ideas together in one placeFri, 18 Feb 2011 15:50:01 EST Fewer and fewer plants are truly deer-resistentFri, 18 Feb 2011 15:49:00 EST Ask the Builder: Hardwood floors best left to the professionalsFri, 18 Feb 2011 15:44:00 EST
I'm going to install hardwood flooring. I'm talking about traditional tongue-and-groove hardwood that's 3/4-inch thick, not engineered hardwood flooring. My plan is to try it myself and only call in installers if I mess up. What do you think of this idea? It can't be that difficult - you just nai...
Why solid hardwood is the best choiceFri, 18 Feb 2011 15:44:00 EST Why shouldn't your low-interest loan move with you?Fri, 18 Feb 2011 15:35:01 EST
There used to be a big push by lenders to secure "customers for life." Not only did banks promote attractive mortgage programs, but they also targeted the same customers for checking and savings accounts, individual retirement accounts, credit cards, auto loans, wealth management advice and insur...
Getting rid of a timeshare, even paid in full, is no easy taskFri, 18 Feb 2011 15:12:01 EST
Q. My 86-year-old mother cannot get rid of her paid-in-full timeshare. The maintenance fees are hurting her financially. She has tried to sell and/or donate it to a charity without any luck. How can she dispose of it? Do we, her beneficiaries, have to take it over? Can she just stop paying the ma...
Can you ride a rising tide of deductions?Fri, 18 Feb 2011 14:58:01 EST Rates for 30-year mortgages drop for first time in five weeksFri, 18 Feb 2011 14:47:00 EST Phasing out Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae could boost what other borrowers must payFri, 18 Feb 2011 13:56:01 EST Details on the Adams Morgan neighborhoodFri, 18 Feb 2011 13:54:00 EST Adams Morgan: Looking beyond nightlifeFri, 18 Feb 2011 13:53:01 EST
Back when heading east of 16th Street after dark felt risky, Adams Morgan was ground zero for Washington's nightlife scene. One of the city's most ethnically and racially diverse neighborhoods, the community had a quirky vibe and a reputation for tolerance, and the area's spine, 18th Street NW, w...
Part modern, part farmhouse, Alexandria home is testament to architect GoodmanFri, 18 Feb 2011 13:29:03 EST Mortgage delinquency rates dropThu, 17 Feb 2011 20:44:01 EST The plan to restructureSat, 12 Feb 2011 15:00:00 EST
The Obama administration outlined its plan to phase out government support of the U.S. housing finance system - and wind down Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.ö The plan - a sharp change of course after a decades-long campaign to extend homeownership to more Americans - would shift more of the burden to...
Administration proposals to overhaul federal housing role draw fire from leftSat, 12 Feb 2011 01:25:00 EST Obama administration proposals to reduce federal role in housing marketFri, 11 Feb 2011 23:46:02 EST
The Obama administration is pressing to scale back the federal government's role in the mortgage market. On Friday, it presented Congress with several proposals that would raise the costs of federally backed loans, a move designed to help the private sector better compete with Fannie Mae, Freddie...
Obama report on Fannie, Freddie plan may boost mortgage ratesFri, 11 Feb 2011 14:23:00 EST
The Obama administration wants to raise fees for borrowers and require larger down payments for home loans as part of a long-term effort to restructure the nation's housing market. But it warned that these measures could boost mortgage rates and make it harder for home buyers to secure the 30-yea...
Peak buying time ahead, mortgage rates riseFri, 11 Feb 2011 13:19:00 EST Computers are great tools for architects, but don't let CAD go wildFri, 11 Feb 2011 13:18:01 EST
Architects can now design buildings without lifting a pencil, thanks to computer technology. In fact, digitally conceived architecture can be too complex to draw by hand or to develop using conventional drawings, even those printed by machine. Yet there may be risks in abandoning the pencil and r...
Details on the Tenleytown neighborhoodFri, 11 Feb 2011 13:15:00 EST Where We Live: Tenleytown, where old meets newFri, 11 Feb 2011 13:14:01 EST What to do if you have running water coming through the holesFri, 11 Feb 2011 13:13:00 EST How to fix holes in your home's concrete foundationFri, 11 Feb 2011 13:12:01 EST
Q. I have to make an unexpected repair to my poured concrete foundation. A water leak led me to remove drywall in my basement, and to my surprise, I discovered rows of holes 5/8-inch diameter in my concrete walls. Some of the holes have water dripping through them. These perfectly drilled holes a...
Do-it-yourself Q&AFri, 11 Feb 2011 13:11:01 EST Exchange technique allows real estate investors to put off the tax billFri, 11 Feb 2011 13:09:00 EST Say it with your own arrangement - or cutting garden - of flowersFri, 11 Feb 2011 13:08:00 EST
It's in our nature to celebrate with flowers since they convey feelings of love on many occasions - not just Valentine's Day. Flora has been used to show love for at least the past couple hundred-thousand years. They even appear to have been part of ceremonies since prehistoric times, when Neande...
HOAs can breathe easy as federal agency revises proposed rule on transfer feesFri, 11 Feb 2011 13:07:01 EST
Thousands of homeowner associations and condominiums across the country just sidestepped a potentially costly problem. Earlier this month, a federal agency backed off a controversial plan to make obtaining mortgages in their communities much more difficult and to dry up a key source of revenue th...
Mortgage finance overhaul begins to take shapeThu, 10 Feb 2011 20:13:01 EST Bipartisan support for scrapping Fannie, Freddie draws criticismWed, 09 Feb 2011 22:55:01 EST |
