Archive for the 'Bethesda Real Estate News' Category
July 9th, 2011 by Kevin Koitz
Last week, Bethesda residents had a chance to talk to solar experts and discover methods that would help reduce energy consumptions in their own homes. Now they have the unique chance to visit a home for sale that employs all those functions, and then some, right in their neighborhood. And the first open house is tomorrow…
This true “Bethesda Green” is not the seductive home that turns green upside down…this passive home, located 4717 North Chelsea Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814, in the Glenbrook Village neighborhood is the first in the area and one of roughly 20 in the country. I’ve included the property listing information below – or learn more about the passive homes.
We're sorry, but we couldn't find MLS # MC7643369 in our database. This property may be a new listing or possibly taken off the market. Please check back again.
The Passive Home Defined
“The Bethesda Passive” & What is Passive?”It’s described as an extremely insulated, “virtually air-tight” building that uses solar
methods to generate and contain heat. Rarely will the resident need to use an air
conditioning or heating system, but if at all, the machinery would need to be no
larger than a small heat pump. The system also increases the quality of the indoor
air.
The 5bd/4 and a half bath works solely on natural resources. Its 4,300 square
feet transcends over three floors and a basement, built in a simple, traditional
American “foursquare” manner. The design cost eight percent more for Peabody
Architects, the team behind this home, to build in comparison to a regular home. But
the price, due to the home’s credibility, is significantly lower over the lifetime of the
home than its average counterpart.
I found it interesting that the hard costs for the build was only 8% higher than a comparable “traditional build”. If this number is truly “close”, it’d still take years (sorry, don’t want to do the math right now), but it would “pay out”…and with rising energy prices, there’s already “future value built” for resale.
Architect David Peabody, AIA, LEED says the homeowner of this passive house will save from the moment the first payment is made. As energy costs rise, homeowners will continue to pool their money into financing their home, rather than operating it.
Oh, and I forgot to mention :-), the projected average monthly energy bill?…$70. Find more information about the passive home at passivehouse.greenhaus.org.
March 28th, 2011 by Kevin Koitz
Downtown Bethesda’s Next Boutique Development?
Some potentially exciting news for those of you looking for the rare Downtown Bethesda townhome. With only 58 total in the downtown Bethesda core (between the Villages of Bethesda and The City Homes of Edgemoor), it would be refreshing to see a few new, “lower density” products out there.
Proposed site of 4 new Downtown Bethesda Townhomes - Next to Edgemoor Condos
And what if one of the area’s premier builders in the area had their hand in/on the project? It appears (“appears” being the operative word!) that indeed, Sandy Spring Builders builders got their hands on some coveted Montgomery Lane land and are planning on building. I should have more info in the next few weeks, but I’m pretty clear on the fact that they’ve purchased one parcel (it would be great if they could get their hands on more!) and propose to build in the next few years.
The City Homes of Edgemoor Phase II Downtown Bethesda townhomes built in 2000
What seems clear:
Sandy Spring is going to build townhomes on the Montgomery Lane Corridor of Downtown Bethsda
What I think I know
Sandy Spring acquired a corner lot at West and Montgomery. The parcel will evidently hold 4 townhomes.
Sandy Spring’s History With Downtown Bethesda Townhome Development
- Sandy Spring built the second phase of the “City Homes of Edgemoor” (the last two rows) in 2000. So they know the lay of the land well. They also have a dominant share in the single family custom market in the downtown Bethesda area.
- In the Mid 2000s, they were oh so close to putting an assemblage together that would’ve allowed them to build (7 units?) on Arlington Lane. All were slated to be +/-3000 square feet with elevators and rooftop decks.
I didn’t think prices in Downtown Bethesda would ever allow a developer/builder the opportunity to build a townhouse again. That is, condo development would be the only property type that would allow the kind of density needed to justify the cost of aforementioned land!
At the same time…
Sandy Spring has been ahead of the curve for some time now. From their new Classic modular luxury home line to an organized, smart, and attentive staff, I see why this would be right up their alley.
Not to mention downtown Bethesda condo developers are clearly reticent to step into the ring again (or already lost their shirts).
I’ll leave this for another day, but any Downtown Bethesda condo developers who are just sitting on their land right now are showing, again, just how lost they are. When I get lost, I at least ask for directions. Looks like Sandy Spring already has them…that is those plans I saw 6 years ago, they’ll prove again that if you build what they want, they will come.
December 27th, 2010 by Kevin Koitz
Back by popular demand, top Greater Bethesda property lists. This week, just a quick glance at the top 3 most expensive homes for sale in Bethesda. Please note, that GreaterBethesdaOnline has no integrated property search…yet :-) What this means? Basically, the list below will link to our “big brother” full featured website, KoitzGroup.com. So for those of you who read this post later down the line before it archives, just a kind reminder in advance that these are the 3 most expensive Bethesda homes on the market as of date of this post. And again, this post will take you to another website. Rest assured it’s ours and has a lot fun bells and whistles.
5104 Hampden Lane didn't make the list but it's a great picture!
The Bethesda Top 3 Luxury’ist Homes For Sale
- Subdivision: Burning Tree
- Zip Code: 20817 Parking:
- Claim to fame: “Country club like grounds, pool, fountain & cabana” in one of the most coveted neighborhoods in Bethesda.
Listing Provided By Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
- Subdivision: Glen Echo Heights
- Zip Code: 20816
- An Extraordinary David Gurney modern with Potomac River views..
Listing Provided By TTR Sotheby’s International Realty
- Subdivision: Bradley Hills Grove
- Zip Code: 20817
- Claim to fame: Confession and some “prideful” promotion :-) — this one is actually the 5th most expensive but it was too note-worthy to take off such a special list. And it also shows the kind of end product that could be built on a luxury lot we have listed right down the street!
Listing Provided By Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
Hope that was relatively enjoyable…now a little bit of language to make sure I’ve covered all bases…have great weeks!
The listing content relating to real estate for sale on this web site is courtesy of MRIS. Listing information comes from various brokers who participate in the MRIS IDX. Properties listed with brokerage firms other than Long & Foster Real Estate Inc. are marked with the MRIS Logo and detailed information about them includes the name of the listing brokers. The properties displayed may not be all the properties available. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. All listing information copyright MRIS 2010. Last updated: 2010-12-26 01:57:36
December 22nd, 2010 by Kevin Koitz
Bethesda Lot for Sale – Just A Listing Alert:-)
We just listed an absolutely spectacular lot in the Bradley Hills Grove section of Bethesda. And we wanted you to know! At 1.33 acres, the parcel currently includes a bi-level house that was built in 1953 and contains more than 43,000 bricks from a pre-Civil War mill in West Virginia.
8716 Fernwood Road, Bethesda 20817
But the value is clearly in the land. This is an unusually large lot for a property this close in and the area has seen many recent multi-million dollar builds and renovations. The gradual slope up from street level will assure that the new home has both a presence and privacy.
Prospective buyers and agents are welcome to walk the lot at 8716 Fernwood Road and a plat is available here.
The property is listed at $1,599,000.
8716 Fernwood Road – Bethesda Maryland, 20817
Primary Listing agent: Gretchen from The Koitz Group @ Coldwell Banker, The Chevy Chase Office.
December 12th, 2010 by Kevin Koitz
A couple days ago I wrote in our sister Bethesda & Luxury DC Blog about The Lionsgate Condo in Bethesda. This luxury developement in Downtown Bethesda is own to just a handful of remain units. But the real news/excitement comes in the opportunity to adjoin two units on the fifth floor to create over 3500 square feet of one story luxury living.
Lionsgate Large: For a Larger View Just Click The Image
Those who know downtown Bethesda or those looking to downsize understand how hard it is to find one-story living in and DC area “urban village” (Friendship Heights, Chevy Chase, Georgetown, Dupont Circle etc…), much less Bethesda’s urban core!
Because of “technical difficulties” on our aforementioned sister blog :-), I couldn’t upload a “larger picture” or pdf. of the projected floorplan. But I can upload it here! So for those of you coming from KoitzGroup, thank you for yout patience.
For those of you who found us here: If you’re looking for more information of this unit, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Have great weeks and come on back soon!
December 12th, 2010 by Kevin Koitz
Testing…photos are back…working on rotator gallery
December 2nd, 2010 by Kevin Koitz
GreaterBethesdaOnline is Back! Many thanks to some awful “do sophisticated computer stuff myself decisions”, I “crashed” “GreaterBethesda”. Lifeless words about “Bethesda-centrism”, “real estate”, and “friends” lay strewn around the Internet. When I realized the severity of this “misstep”, I called an “authority”.
A “WebmasterCutionist”, a “Samauri” of search engine marketing, problem solving…and the one who was able to salvag GBO. If it wasn’t for some truly extraordinary restorative work by Knox – “the” Denver SEO “GreaterBethesdaOnline”…wouldn’t have been online or offline.
All that would’ve been left? Just faint memories of stories and images — of the media taking it easy on Sasha Obama’s first day of school; of the mistakes that led to Lionsgate Condos slow sales; to announcements of the most extraordinary homes to hit the market in Downtown Bethesda
Many thanks Knox, and gratitude to all three of those of you loyal readers who hung with me through the dark days.
So what does the future hold for “GBO”? Do I upload all the old pictures again? What do I do with this website’s sole multimedia survivor? — a 10 second video of Bethesda lane before the blizzard of 2010? In my opinion, it doesn’t really matter?
Did GBO ever really have a sole? A real focus? All 3 of you can be honest :-) GreaterBethesdaOnline began as an exercise in learning how not to break blogs (ermmm). It was to be Bethesda-centric (got that one); it was supposed to touch on news and notes from the surrounding Chevy Chase, Potomac and Northwest Washington DC areas; and it was to provide those inside and outside the Greater Bethesda area some ways to become more intimate with the area. It’s about time we cover all bases, right? I think so too…
9 days and counting until GBO opens it’s new doors? Barring any other attempt of “unintentional self-sabotage”, everything that was missing in the past will come together in a an interactive mls search, Greater Bethesda-centric Bonanza of engagement, from neighborhood knowledge, to area stats, to interactive map you probably have never seen before? More specifics, you’ll have to wait. But these are fireworks worthy of another glimpse. Stand by…and see you soon :-)
June 1st, 2010 by Kevin Koitz
I just received this e-mail from a local lender (and no, I’ve never worked with this person just to be exceedingly clear). I’m hoping it’s a joke…
Just a quick note to let you know that Fannie Mae’s Refi Plus program allows for a total loan-to-value of up to 125% of the appraised value.
With minimal adjustments this is a great option if you have little or no equity and your current rate is around 6%, or if you have an adjustable rate wanting to convert it to a 30-year fixed.
3/1 ARM —————3.375% (3.35% APR)
5/1 ARM ————– 3.375% (3.48% APR)
7/1 ARM ————–3.50% (3.65% APR)
30-Year Fixed ——- 4.625% (4.89% APR)
15-Year Fixed ——— 4.125% (4.32% APR)
*Some restrictions apply. Call me for details
Thoughts?
I’m speechless for once…
April 30th, 2010 by Kevin Koitz
Good morning Bethesda and beyond! Yes I did say Puurple is the new luxury. I thought it sounded funny and it eludes to something “real”. The design and brain-child of Austin luxury homes specialist, Eric Bramlett, Puurple.com a new national luxury real estate online Magazine, had a very “soft launch” several hours ago. And it was a priviledge to get an invite to write the first piece. It’s a fun little post about premier luxury hotel residences.
Puurple.com is the new name in luxury real estate
So take a peak if you have a moment…and great days to all!
April 9th, 2010 by Kevin Koitz
Extraordinary homes of the week will normally include my choice or a any readers suggestion for greater Bethesda’s “best” along with one or two other state’s finest properties. The greater Bethesda area is transient, after all. I also find (as I hope you do too), that a quick comparison of different area’s finest is fun. Please note the links I’m providing to the individual properties may not be available by the time you get around to reading this post. But no worries, I’ll be doing these quite often…
As for Bethesda MLS luxury selections, my choice is the rare Bethesda modern home contemporary found at 5124 Wissioming Road, Bethesda 20816. Take a peak at the first property listed on the Bethesda MLS link!
Denver MLS Time!
And why not with a home like that (below)! A quick Denver MLS search from will currently provide you information on this propery . Simply click on the aforementioned “Denver MLS” link and type in the “Timbers” under the ”street name” option…you’ll find more extraordinary goodness there.
That’s all for now…more robust luxury lists to come in the near future. I just wanted to get the ball rolling. I hope you enjoy…
