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.

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.

5104 Hampden Lane didn't make the list but it's a great picture!

The Bethesda Top 3 Luxury’ist Homes For Sale

7109 Armat Drive, Bethesda 20817

• 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.

24 Wissioming Court, Bethesda

• Subdivision: Glen Echo Heights
• Zip Code: 20816
• An Extraordinary David Gurney modern with Potomac River views..

Listing Provided By TTR Sotheby’s International Realty

8910 Fernwood Road, Bethesda

• 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

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.

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!

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 :-)

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…

]]> http://greaterbethesdaonline.com/total-loans-of-125-of-appraised-value-hope-not/feed/ 1 http://greaterbethesdaonline.com/puurple-is-the-new-luxury/ http://greaterbethesdaonline.com/puurple-is-the-new-luxury/#comments Fri, 30 Apr 2010 11:01:48 +0000 Kevin Koitz http://greaterbethesdaonline.com/?p=918 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

• Pictures of  The Four Seasons Hualalai in Kona, HI – Check!
• The Residences at The Ritz, Georgetown – Of course!
• The W Hotel Residences in Bethesda – No, but we’ll get ours soon enough!

So take a peak if you have a moment…and great days to all!

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…

- Courtesy of our DC & Bethesda Real Estate Blog at KoitzGroup.com

A Bethesda MD Home in the Battery Park neighborhood after almost 2 feet of snow.

Bethesda Lane video coming soon!  Stay safe out there, Bethesda!

The Edgemoor Condominium, known for both its elegance and its tremendous convenience, is home to a very special unit that we just put the market. This 2BR + den, 2BA apartment sits on the terrace level and is close to 1400 square feet and is offered for $749,900. Featuring hardwood floors, walk-in closets, a gas fireplace, gourmet kitchen and elegant baths, the owner of this unit also has one parking space in the underground garage.

The Edgemoor is truly a part of downtown Bethesda. The metro station is in the next block and Bethesda’s urban core sits two blocks in the opposite direction. Residents of The Edgemoor have the ability to walk to 200 local restaurants, shop at scores of retail stores, browse a myriad of galleries and enjoy both film and live theatre – all without getting into a car. It is truly a lifestyle of both luxury and tremendous convenience.

The Edgmoor Condos #104 – Just A Few Pictures

For More Information and Interactive Virtual Tour, please Visit Featured Properties of our Bethesda Real Estate Guide

Massachusetts Avenue Heights

The small neighborhood of Massachusetts Avenue Heights is home to the Washington National Cathedral as wall as a small, triangular residential section located between Garfield Street and Massachusetts Avenue. Its prime location (picture Hollywood Hills of DC) and its exclusive number of available homes are just two of the reasons why Massachusetts Heights is such a desirable neighborhood.

Cleveland Park, Washington DC

Cleveland Park, DC real estate features some of the finest homes and townhomes in the DC Metro area, but its personal properties aren’t the only reason so many people are attracted to this neighborhood. Rather, the extensive amount of green space that surrounds the neighborhood and its rich history are certainly major draws as well. In fact, the neighborhood was listed as a Historic District in 1987. A variety of exquisite architectural styles reflecting this history can be found within the neighborhood, including Queen Anne, Victoria, Mission and Classical Revival homes.

Congrats Washington DC. And congrats to Dr. Jack Miller who is responsible for a relatively thorough study. I normally argue that the metrics used to measure “city rankings”, are rushed and rife with confounding factors. And this list isn’t a total exception. But Dr. Miller, President Central Connecticut State University, uses “intelligent” parameters to reach his consensus.

Greater Bethesda Maryland Was Left…So Was Madison WI

Well…to be fair, Bethesda is officially “town”…and Bethesda’s population disqualified them anyway (city had to had a population of at least 250,000. But I would’ve loved to have seen us in the mix. Another notable left out of the study was Madison Wisconsin — precluded because of a population just $25,000 short of the minimum $250,000 threshold.

“How” Washington, DC Delivered

Literacy rankings were based of of 6 principal metrics:

• Bookstores (per 10,000 population)
• Education Level
• Internet Resources
• Library Support, Holdings, and Utilization
• Newspaper Circulation?Periodical Publishers

>> variables explained in depth

More critque to come — but until then, any thoughts on rankings below?

The 20 “Most Literate” Cities Per Study

1. Seattle, WA
2. Washington, DC
3. Minneapolis, MN
4. Pittsburgh, PA
5. Atlanta, GA
6. Portland, OR
7. St. Paul, MN
8. Boston, MA
9. Cincinnati, OH
10. Denver, CO

Luxury Home in Bethesda

Pictures and virtual tours by clicking on the links… 1.  The Bethesda Modern >> 5124 Wissioming Road, Bethesda 20816 2.  And it’s equally impressive little brother >> 10 Wissioming Court, Bethesda 20816 3. The Avenel (yes, there’s a Bethesda Section of Avenel) – “Modern Mansion” – not modern architecturally rather the year it was built. And with nearly 37,000 sq. ft. of interior living space, Mansion may be an understatement >> 7013 Natelli Woods Lane, Bethesda 20817 4. The Arts and Crafts Bethesda “Resort Spa” – How many ways can one enjoy their house? Almost 3 Acres, Pool ,Spa with waterfall, Pool house, Home Theatre, Wine cellar, ,HOME gym, Sauna…I could go on too! >> 8800 Saunders Lane, Bethesda 20817 5. “Estate of Convenience” – You can have your cake and eat it too in Edgemoor…walking distance to downtown Bethesda and the urban core, this 18,000 sq. ft. is the epitome of luxury urban village living. >>7530 Hampden Lane, Bethesda 20814

Some Tied True and Trusted Atlanta, Austin, and South Beach  W Residence Real estate Recources:

Some of the best recources for these three cities in particular…

• Miami luxury condos guide – Kevin Tomlinsin’s Miami Luxury Condo Gallery is reflective of his knowledge base…
• Austin real estate news – find the latest updates on W sales and inventory on Eric Bramlett’s  real estate news network.  Or contact him directly…he’s a downtown authority.
• Atlanta real estate guide – visit Ryan ward’s  Condos and Townhomes page to finest extraordinary Atlanta luxury condos

Don’t Give Up on a Bethesda W Condo / Hotel

That’s enough W Residence talk for today…but more resources soon and yes, I’ll keep pushing for the Bethesda location.