MCM in Clifton

[Anonymous]

Saw this beauty today and want it. There were about a million people at the open house.

What do y'all think. What would be your biggest concerns with this one? It backs up to the VRE, but that doesn't bother me. It has a conservation easement on it, which means we couldn't build anything or take down trees, but we wouldn't want to.

https://www.redfin.com/VA/Clifton/6809-Glencove-Dr-20124/home/9726303

[Anonymous]

It is being sold again 6 months later? For 200k more? And it’s in fine condition but isn’t newly updated at all. I’m gonna need to hear a good reason why.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is being sold again 6 months later? For 200k more? And it’s in fine condition but isn’t newly updated at all. I’m gonna need to hear a good reason why.

There's a story there, and I got it:

From what I understand, the owner died and the neighbor bought it because they were concerned that someone would buy it and start tearing down trees (has happened quite a bit up the block) and ruin their view. So they bought it and put a conservation easement on it to keep that from happening, intending to resell. They put a bunch of money in updating it. So they probably bought it below market in some kind of over-the-fence handshake deal with the prior owner's heirs intending to protect the property from any development, and put money in and are now selling it for not much more than what they paid + what they put in. The only part I'm not sure about is that last part -- I'm not sure they put that much in. Although who knows what kind of shape it was in before, so it's very possible.

[Anonymous]

Amazing house, terrible kitchen layout.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is being sold again 6 months later? For 200k more? And it’s in fine condition but isn’t newly updated at all. I’m gonna need to hear a good reason why.

There's a story there, and I got it:

From what I understand, the owner died and the neighbor bought it because they were concerned that someone would buy it and start tearing down trees (has happened quite a bit up the block) and ruin their view. So they bought it and put a conservation easement on it to keep that from happening, intending to resell. They put a bunch of money in updating it. So they probably bought it below market in some kind of over-the-fence handshake deal with the prior owner's heirs intending to protect the property from any development, and put money in and are now selling it for not much more than what they paid + what they put in. The only part I'm not sure about is that last part -- I'm not sure they put that much in. Although who knows what kind of shape it was in before, so it's very possible.

Did they put a protective covenant with the neighbors property to limit both properties to one single family house? They might as well do this too to save neighbors from Arlington style MM density later if zoning changes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is being sold again 6 months later? For 200k more? And it’s in fine condition but isn’t newly updated at all. I’m gonna need to hear a good reason why.

There's a story there, and I got it:

From what I understand, the owner died and the neighbor bought it because they were concerned that someone would buy it and start tearing down trees (has happened quite a bit up the block) and ruin their view. So they bought it and put a conservation easement on it to keep that from happening, intending to resell. They put a bunch of money in updating it. So they probably bought it below market in some kind of over-the-fence handshake deal with the prior owner's heirs intending to protect the property from any development, and put money in and are now selling it for not much more than what they paid + what they put in. The only part I'm not sure about is that last part -- I'm not sure they put that much in. Although who knows what kind of shape it was in before, so it's very possible.

Did they put a protective covenant with the neighbors property to limit both properties to one single family house? They might as well do this too to save neighbors from Arlington style MM density later if zoning changes.

Not necessary, zoning is RC, there is about a million to one chance of that changing to higher density. Plus it’s on well and septic, as is the entire neighborhood. Bringing in public utilities for higher density would be prohibitively expensive and probably not even possible since there are no sewer or water lines to hook into anywhere nearby.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Amazing house, terrible kitchen layout.

And why would someone install colonial 6 panel doors in a MCM?

[Anonymous]

I love clifton so much! beautiful area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Amazing house, terrible kitchen layout.

And why would someone install colonial 6 panel doors in a MCM?

I think this is what gets me about the "upgrades" - the house is cool but that is so stylistically off and for 200K more I'd definitely expect some door replacements, even crappy doors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Amazing house, terrible kitchen layout.

And why would someone install colonial 6 panel doors in a MCM?

Unfortunately this.

Other than the front room, this house completely lacks any MCM attributes. The kitchen is ugly raised panel (should be slab). The doors are colonial (should be slab). And potentially more concerning: all the windows on the back of the house are builder grade colonial, right up to the colonial trim around them all. Even the size and spacing of all the windows on the back of the house makes no sense for MCM. But for the front room, there’s no MCM charm about the house at all. Not only are they not MCM updates, they are old and ready for update. I think you’d want to spend $300-500k to make this house MCM charming. Otherwise, you’re buying a dumpy 60s house in need of whole house updates with one really cool room.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Amazing house, terrible kitchen layout.

And why would someone install colonial 6 panel doors in a MCM?

Unfortunately this.

Other than the front room, this house completely lacks any MCM attributes. The kitchen is ugly raised panel (should be slab). The doors are colonial (should be slab). And potentially more concerning: all the windows on the back of the house are builder grade colonial, right up to the colonial trim around them all. Even the size and spacing of all the windows on the back of the house makes no sense for MCM. But for the front room, there’s no MCM charm about the house at all. Not only are they not MCM updates, they are old and ready for update. I think you’d want to spend $300-500k to make this house MCM charming. Otherwise, you’re buying a dumpy 60s house in need of whole house updates with one really cool room.

Although, to add, the lot does look lovely. But wondering if that is par for the course in Clifton? I don’t know the area.

[Anonymous]

1) It will be insanely expensive to heat, maybe cool.
2) You can build a barn or auxiliary buildings (permitted, HOA rules)
3) This particular home is permanently zoned one house per 5 acres, like much of Clifton and Fairfax Station, except for the areas that use the zip code but are really Centreville, Lorton, respectively.
4) IMO "upgrades" are badly done. That Master bath is horrendous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is being sold again 6 months later? For 200k more? And it’s in fine condition but isn’t newly updated at all. I’m gonna need to hear a good reason why.

There's a story there, and I got it:

From what I understand, the owner died and the neighbor bought it because they were concerned that someone would buy it and start tearing down trees (has happened quite a bit up the block) and ruin their view. So they bought it and put a conservation easement on it to keep that from happening, intending to resell. They put a bunch of money in updating it. So they probably bought it below market in some kind of over-the-fence handshake deal with the prior owner's heirs intending to protect the property from any development, and put money in and are now selling it for not much more than what they paid + what they put in. The only part I'm not sure about is that last part -- I'm not sure they put that much in. Although who knows what kind of shape it was in before, so it's very possible.

Did they put a protective covenant with the neighbors property to limit both properties to one single family house? They might as well do this too to save neighbors from Arlington style MM density later if zoning changes.

Not necessary, zoning is RC, there is about a million to one chance of that changing to higher density. Plus it’s on well and septic, as is the entire neighborhood. Bringing in public utilities for higher density would be prohibitively expensive and probably not even possible since there are no sewer or water lines to hook into anywhere nearby.

They could still build a multifamily plex unit if the zoning changes. Would be smart to do keep it single family anyway.

[Anonymous]

It looks like a 60s ranch house that they tried to give a facelift to.

I do like all the built in storage in the basement area, that would be convenient for a playroom.

[Anonymous]

I love this house. I currently live in an MCM home, but it's not as nice as that one. And 5 acres? I don't get the low price. But the neighbor was smart - every time someone moves into our neighborhood, they very first thing they do is tear down trees. We've lost almost all of them on all three sides over the past 20 years. And no one ever actually plants one.