Are these H St. NE / Capitol Hill houses priced appropriately?

[Anonymous]

Here's an itty bitty new one, inbound for Maury and listed at $550.

https://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/1514-Constitution-Ave-NE-20002/home/9918366

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP to this thread, here's a new one listed today near Stadium Armory, if that still applies as "greater Capitol Hill":

https://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/1815-Bay-St-SE-20003/home/9922198

Nice house on a nice street!

Wow, what a great reno! I love the layout of the main floor (open but broken up with this built ins and the way the dining nook is kind tucked in the corner. Such a refreshing change from the usual flip where they just turn the whole floor into one giant room.

Also, other thoughtful details: the side-by-side washer/dryer near the bedrooms is so much nicer than putting it in the basement or having a tiny stacked unit. And the basement built ins are great, resolving the perpetual rowhouse question of where you put the TV.

This is a goodie.

Totally agree

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's an itty bitty new one, inbound for Maury and listed at $550.

https://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/1514-Constitution-Ave-NE-20002/home/9918366

$805/sq. ft. is insane. No curb appeal, completely paved over with mossy, cracking concrete. Even liar lens can't hide that the second bedroom barely holds a twin bed. 680 sq ft is smaller than a lot of one-bedroom apartments. I suppose painting everything gray (and highlighting new paint as a key feature of the home) solves everything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's an itty bitty new one, inbound for Maury and listed at $550.

https://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/1514-Constitution-Ave-NE-20002/home/9918366

I love that one!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP to this thread, here's a new one listed today near Stadium Armory, if that still applies as "greater Capitol Hill":

https://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/1815-Bay-St-SE-20003/home/9922198

Nice house on a nice street!

Wow, what a great reno! I love the layout of the main floor (open but broken up with this built ins and the way the dining nook is kind tucked in the corner. Such a refreshing change from the usual flip where they just turn the whole floor into one giant room.

Also, other thoughtful details: the side-by-side washer/dryer near the bedrooms is so much nicer than putting it in the basement or having a tiny stacked unit. And the basement built ins are great, resolving the perpetual rowhouse question of where you put the TV.

This is a goodie.

Totally agree

I love the attention to detail - pretty and stylish but not trendy or excessive. I even like the monkey powder room. wardmans are great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's an itty bitty new one, inbound for Maury and listed at $550.

https://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/1514-Constitution-Ave-NE-20002/home/9918366

$805/sq. ft. is insane. No curb appeal, completely paved over with mossy, cracking concrete. Even liar lens can't hide that the second bedroom barely holds a twin bed. 680 sq ft is smaller than a lot of one-bedroom apartments. I suppose painting everything gray (and highlighting new paint as a key feature of the home) solves everything.

yeah but it’s a 2-bedroom house zoned for Maury with no condo fees. If you can put down 10-20% it’s equivalent to rent. Much better deal than a condo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's an itty bitty new one, inbound for Maury and listed at $550.

https://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/1514-Constitution-Ave-NE-20002/home/9918366

$805/sq. ft. is insane. No curb appeal, completely paved over with mossy, cracking concrete. Even liar lens can't hide that the second bedroom barely holds a twin bed. 680 sq ft is smaller than a lot of one-bedroom apartments. I suppose painting everything gray (and highlighting new paint as a key feature of the home) solves everything.

yeah but it’s a 2-bedroom house zoned for Maury with no condo fees. If you can put down 10-20% it’s equivalent to rent. Much better deal than a condo.

Does zoned for Maury matter if a family won't fit inside?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's an itty bitty new one, inbound for Maury and listed at $550.

https://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/1514-Constitution-Ave-NE-20002/home/9918366

$805/sq. ft. is insane. No curb appeal, completely paved over with mossy, cracking concrete. Even liar lens can't hide that the second bedroom barely holds a twin bed. 680 sq ft is smaller than a lot of one-bedroom apartments. I suppose painting everything gray (and highlighting new paint as a key feature of the home) solves everything.

yeah but it’s a 2-bedroom house zoned for Maury with no condo fees. If you can put down 10-20% it’s equivalent to rent. Much better deal than a condo.

Does zoned for Maury matter if a family won't fit inside?

Of course a small family can fit inside, if you want. People have different priorities in life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's an itty bitty new one, inbound for Maury and listed at $550.

https://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/1514-Constitution-Ave-NE-20002/home/9918366

$805/sq. ft. is insane. No curb appeal, completely paved over with mossy, cracking concrete. Even liar lens can't hide that the second bedroom barely holds a twin bed. 680 sq ft is smaller than a lot of one-bedroom apartments. I suppose painting everything gray (and highlighting new paint as a key feature of the home) solves everything.

yeah but it’s a 2-bedroom house zoned for Maury with no condo fees. If you can put down 10-20% it’s equivalent to rent. Much better deal than a condo.

Does zoned for Maury matter if a family won't fit inside?

Of course a small family can fit inside, if you want. People have different priorities in life.

The problem is not that it’s small. It’s that it’s small, not particularly nice or well-laid-out or kid-friendly, plus it’s very expensive price per sq foot. For the same amount, you could get a 2-bedroom condo in the same neighborhood with better upgrades, nicer layout, and more space. Hard pass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's an itty bitty new one, inbound for Maury and listed at $550.

https://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/1514-Constitution-Ave-NE-20002/home/9918366

$805/sq. ft. is insane. No curb appeal, completely paved over with mossy, cracking concrete. Even liar lens can't hide that the second bedroom barely holds a twin bed. 680 sq ft is smaller than a lot of one-bedroom apartments. I suppose painting everything gray (and highlighting new paint as a key feature of the home) solves everything.

yeah but it’s a 2-bedroom house zoned for Maury with no condo fees. If you can put down 10-20% it’s equivalent to rent. Much better deal than a condo.

Does zoned for Maury matter if a family won't fit inside?

Of course a small family can fit inside, if you want. People have different priorities in life.

The problem is not that it’s small. It’s that it’s small, not particularly nice or well-laid-out or kid-friendly, plus it’s very expensive price per sq foot. For the same amount, you could get a 2-bedroom condo in the same neighborhood with better upgrades, nicer layout, and more space. Hard pass.

PP that posted the link here. Despite all that I think it will go pretty fast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's an itty bitty new one, inbound for Maury and listed at $550.

https://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/1514-Constitution-Ave-NE-20002/home/9918366

$805/sq. ft. is insane. No curb appeal, completely paved over with mossy, cracking concrete. Even liar lens can't hide that the second bedroom barely holds a twin bed. 680 sq ft is smaller than a lot of one-bedroom apartments. I suppose painting everything gray (and highlighting new paint as a key feature of the home) solves everything.

yeah but it’s a 2-bedroom house zoned for Maury with no condo fees. If you can put down 10-20% it’s equivalent to rent. Much better deal than a condo.

Does zoned for Maury matter if a family won't fit inside?

Of course a small family can fit inside, if you want. People have different priorities in life.

The problem is not that it’s small. It’s that it’s small, not particularly nice or well-laid-out or kid-friendly, plus it’s very expensive price per sq foot. For the same amount, you could get a 2-bedroom condo in the same neighborhood with better upgrades, nicer layout, and more space. Hard pass.

PP that posted the link here. Despite all that I think it will go pretty fast.

Oh, agreed. There's no inventory on the Hill and a SFH for less than $600k is a unicorn. That said, I'd pass in favor of the condo personally, even though the condos resale price would likely be lower. I can't imagine living in a house that tiny long term. But hey, a lid for every pot!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's an itty bitty new one, inbound for Maury and listed at $550.

https://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/1514-Constitution-Ave-NE-20002/home/9918366

Ok, curious what folks think about the difference between the house above and this one, which has been sitting on the market since July (originally listed at 750k, dropped to 697k in late August):

https://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/706-4th-St-SE-20003/home/9896256

4th street is bigger at 900 sq feet, versus under 700 sq feet on Constitution Avenue. But they are both so small (and have fairly similar layouts in terms of livability) that I don't feel that can account for the price difference. Is it just that 4th Street is so much closer in? I know Brent is considered a very in demand public school, but as others have noted, these are pretty small houses for families. And it sounds like a lot of people like Maury as well, so could that be a wash?

Also, I should note this block of 4th Street is right next to the freeway. So while this part of Capital Hill is "nicer" (read: richer) in general, the exact location of this house has a major drawback.

Thoughts? We are looking at starter homes and really struggling with what sometimes seems to be arbitrary pricing. We know we're going to be compromising but kind of confused about what that actually means in this market right now. I am nervous about putting down so much money on a house like 4th Street even though it is within our budget, when I see a place like Constitution Avenue come on the market for almost 200k less.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's an itty bitty new one, inbound for Maury and listed at $550.

https://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/1514-Constitution-Ave-NE-20002/home/9918366

Ok, curious what folks think about the difference between the house above and this one, which has been sitting on the market since July (originally listed at 750k, dropped to 697k in late August):

https://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/706-4th-St-SE-20003/home/9896256

4th street is bigger at 900 sq feet, versus under 700 sq feet on Constitution Avenue. But they are both so small (and have fairly similar layouts in terms of livability) that I don't feel that can account for the price difference. Is it just that 4th Street is so much closer in? I know Brent is considered a very in demand public school, but as others have noted, these are pretty small houses for families. And it sounds like a lot of people like Maury as well, so could that be a wash?

Also, I should note this block of 4th Street is right next to the freeway. So while this part of Capital Hill is "nicer" (read: richer) in general, the exact location of this house has a major drawback.

Thoughts? We are looking at starter homes and really struggling with what sometimes seems to be arbitrary pricing. We know we're going to be compromising but kind of confused about what that actually means in this market right now. I am nervous about putting down so much money on a house like 4th Street even though it is within our budget, when I see a place like Constitution Avenue come on the market for almost 200k less.

I don't think either of those houses is particularly nice, but at least you'll get to customize yourself instead of paying for a flipper's questionable choices. As you pointed out, the 4th St house is much more conveniently located. A hop, skip, and jump from the Capitol, Navy Yard, Eastern Market, Garfield Park, the Riverfront, multiple metro lines, etc. It also has a garden and an elevated ground floor, which is better for security and any risk of flooding. Most of all, though, the 4th St house is considerably larger than the one on Constitution. At that size, 230 sq. ft. is a SIGNIFICANT difference in terms of perceived and actual spaciousness. I think the dealbreaker for the 4th St house is that it only has a single bathroom. Most people want at least an additional powder room if not a full second bath.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's an itty bitty new one, inbound for Maury and listed at $550.

https://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/1514-Constitution-Ave-NE-20002/home/9918366

Ok, curious what folks think about the difference between the house above and this one, which has been sitting on the market since July (originally listed at 750k, dropped to 697k in late August):

https://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/706-4th-St-SE-20003/home/9896256

4th street is bigger at 900 sq feet, versus under 700 sq feet on Constitution Avenue. But they are both so small (and have fairly similar layouts in terms of livability) that I don't feel that can account for the price difference. Is it just that 4th Street is so much closer in? I know Brent is considered a very in demand public school, but as others have noted, these are pretty small houses for families. And it sounds like a lot of people like Maury as well, so could that be a wash?

Also, I should note this block of 4th Street is right next to the freeway. So while this part of Capital Hill is "nicer" (read: richer) in general, the exact location of this house has a major drawback.

Thoughts? We are looking at starter homes and really struggling with what sometimes seems to be arbitrary pricing. We know we're going to be compromising but kind of confused about what that actually means in this market right now. I am nervous about putting down so much money on a house like 4th Street even though it is within our budget, when I see a place like Constitution Avenue come on the market for almost 200k less.

I don't think either of those houses is particularly nice, but at least you'll get to customize yourself instead of paying for a flipper's questionable choices. As you pointed out, the 4th St house is much more conveniently located. A hop, skip, and jump from the Capitol, Navy Yard, Eastern Market, Garfield Park, the Riverfront, multiple metro lines, etc. It also has a garden and an elevated ground floor, which is better for security and any risk of flooding. Most of all, though, the 4th St house is considerably larger than the one on Constitution. At that size, 230 sq. ft. is a SIGNIFICANT difference in terms of perceived and actual spaciousness. I think the dealbreaker for the 4th St house is that it only has a single bathroom. Most people want at least an additional powder room if not a full second bath.

Ok, that's helpful. I'm not sure the proximity thing is a huge thing for us -- I might rather be a little deeper in the neighborhood anyway. I also really don't like the proximity of the highway. I think it counteracts the sound advantages you mention.

I should note that we have actually been inside that 4th Street house and I'm not convinced it's actually over 900 square feet. It feels really small. Definitely a lot small than our apartment which is only 1000 square feet. but feels like a palace comparatively. I don't know if it's just the layout or if they are fudging a bit, but I was kind of shocked by how tight it felt. I'm curious to see if the Constitution Avenue house feels noticeably smaller.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's an itty bitty new one, inbound for Maury and listed at $550.

https://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/1514-Constitution-Ave-NE-20002/home/9918366

$805/sq. ft. is insane. No curb appeal, completely paved over with mossy, cracking concrete. Even liar lens can't hide that the second bedroom barely holds a twin bed. 680 sq ft is smaller than a lot of one-bedroom apartments. I suppose painting everything gray (and highlighting new paint as a key feature of the home) solves everything.

yeah but it’s a 2-bedroom house zoned for Maury with no condo fees. If you can put down 10-20% it’s equivalent to rent. Much better deal than a condo.

Does zoned for Maury matter if a family won't fit inside?

Of course a small family can fit inside, if you want. People have different priorities in life.

The problem is not that it’s small. It’s that it’s small, not particularly nice or well-laid-out or kid-friendly, plus it’s very expensive price per sq foot. For the same amount, you could get a 2-bedroom condo in the same neighborhood with better upgrades, nicer layout, and more space. Hard pass.

A house is always a better value than a condo. And show me the 2-bedroom condo zoned for Maury at the same price point? Again it's fine if you don't like it, but don't pretend that it's not a good deal for the right buyer.