Alexandria city home prices

[Anonymous]

I recently sold in 22301 for about $75k more than I paid in 2007. Close to metro.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Asking prices by me are definitely higher than they were when we bought in 2005. But where we are (North old Town, near metro) they never really crashed either, just kind of stagnated, then started gradually climbing in maybe 2011. Now they seem very high to me again.

For example, the house on the next block sold for $725K in late 2004 and they're now asking $895K. Very similar houses on the same block sold for $790-$840K in 2012. These are all townhouses, same square footage. They may have slightly different layouts and/or upgrades so I can't say they're identical. But gives some sense of trends.

Townhouse across the street sold for $550K in late 2004 and is now asking $725K. Last summer, the one next door to it (very similar, but no garage) sold for $655K. In 2012, another one of that block of houses sold for $650K.

I don't know whether to feel proud or sad that I know the exact homes you are talking about based on the prices you list. I watch the local market like a hawk and have memorized the prices. I am even closer to the metro than you are and it's pretty amazing how high the prices have gone around here. People are snapping up the near million-dollar townhomes in Old Town Commons like they were going out of style. Who would've thought. And there's no stopping them with all of the future redevelopment coming on line. Andrew Adkins going away. That one alone is just going to totally transform the neighborhood. Then we have Bastille and Lost Dog on the way. Really exciting time to be living in this part of Old Town.

Isn't that the area zoned for Jefferson Houston though? Makes it a non-starter for anyone with kids or who might have kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Asking prices by me are definitely higher than they were when we bought in 2005. But where we are (North old Town, near metro) they never really crashed either, just kind of stagnated, then started gradually climbing in maybe 2011. Now they seem very high to me again.

For example, the house on the next block sold for $725K in late 2004 and they're now asking $895K. Very similar houses on the same block sold for $790-$840K in 2012. These are all townhouses, same square footage. They may have slightly different layouts and/or upgrades so I can't say they're identical. But gives some sense of trends.

Townhouse across the street sold for $550K in late 2004 and is now asking $725K. Last summer, the one next door to it (very similar, but no garage) sold for $655K. In 2012, another one of that block of houses sold for $650K.

I don't know whether to feel proud or sad that I know the exact homes you are talking about based on the prices you list. I watch the local market like a hawk and have memorized the prices. I am even closer to the metro than you are and it's pretty amazing how high the prices have gone around here. People are snapping up the near million-dollar townhomes in Old Town Commons like they were going out of style. Who would've thought. And there's no stopping them with all of the future redevelopment coming on line. Andrew Adkins going away. That one alone is just going to totally transform the neighborhood. Then we have Bastille and Lost Dog on the way. Really exciting time to be living in this part of Old Town.

Isn't that the area zoned for Jefferson Houston though? Makes it a non-starter for anyone with kids or who might have kids.

Watch it, there's some vigilant on the forum wanting us to talk real estate not schools. As if.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Asking prices by me are definitely higher than they were when we bought in 2005. But where we are (North old Town, near metro) they never really crashed either, just kind of stagnated, then started gradually climbing in maybe 2011. Now they seem very high to me again.

For example, the house on the next block sold for $725K in late 2004 and they're now asking $895K. Very similar houses on the same block sold for $790-$840K in 2012. These are all townhouses, same square footage. They may have slightly different layouts and/or upgrades so I can't say they're identical. But gives some sense of trends.

Townhouse across the street sold for $550K in late 2004 and is now asking $725K. Last summer, the one next door to it (very similar, but no garage) sold for $655K. In 2012, another one of that block of houses sold for $650K.

I don't know whether to feel proud or sad that I know the exact homes you are talking about based on the prices you list. I watch the local market like a hawk and have memorized the prices. I am even closer to the metro than you are and it's pretty amazing how high the prices have gone around here. People are snapping up the near million-dollar townhomes in Old Town Commons like they were going out of style. Who would've thought. And there's no stopping them with all of the future redevelopment coming on line. Andrew Adkins going away. That one alone is just going to totally transform the neighborhood. Then we have Bastille and Lost Dog on the way. Really exciting time to be living in this part of Old Town.

The City must put back all the public housing it is tearing down.

The City is relying on developers to redevelop the public housing blocks + purchase additional parcels of land and buildings to make a true mixed income area.

I am willing to bet those paying close to a million never look past their real estate agents promise not to worry all the public housing is going away.

They have to put in the same number of low income units, but rather than 3-4 bedroom townhouses, they are doing small apartments in many cases. A lot of those townhouses had unapproved people crashing with the families that were supposed to live there. I can tell you that the vibe in the blocks where they knocked down Bland and mixed low income/public housing into market rate houses is totally different. I actually support maintaining public housing near public transit-but shifting away from concentrated public housing is the right thing to do as it just perpetuates and concentrates poverty.

Are you certain about that? I tried to read the RFP but it is no longer posted. It might be that the City required them to replace those town homes with similar town homes.

FWIW I think that law needs to be abolished about replacing the housing one to one.

And I am all for "affordable housing" but not public housing. Affordable housing needs to be made available to those in higher income thresholds up to $110K for example.