As D.C.’s tourism market continues to increase, a number of hotels are on the way.  The city is growing, and to satisfy that growth, hotels and other residences are being introduced at relatively rapid rate.

Additionally, some hotels are changing hands as the prices of real estate continue an upward trend.  With that in mind, it’s always interesting to see how much hotels are actually valued to be in D.C..

“Modus Hotels and Alex. Brown Realty have acquired the 75-room Normandy Hotel in Washington, D.C., for $16 million,” The Baltimore Business Journal reports.  “The joint venture purchased the property, on Wyoming Avenue between the Dupont and Adams Morgan neighborhoods, for $213,000 per room. Alex. Brown Realty’s investment in the property was made through the Baltimore-based company’s ABR Chesapeake Fund IV.”

You can read the full story on Baltimore Business Journal online. 

16 Million dollars total and $213,000 per room?   That’s some serious cash and shows the value of property.

Log onto Brandon Green online to learn more about real estate prices throughout the D.C. area.

We’ve seen a number of signs recently that back up the theory that D.C.’s real estate market is on the rise.

And now we’ve got another sign affirming this idea.

“The median price of a home in the District reached its highest point in history last month, according to the latest data from RealEstate Business Intelligence, a subsidiary of MRIS,” Kathy Orton of the Washington Post wrote earlier this week.  “D.C.’s median sale price soared to $460,000 from $405,000 in March 2012, an increase of 13.6 percent year over year. For the entire metro area, the growth was more modest. The median sale price for the region rose 8 percent, to $372,500 last month from $345,000 in March 2012.”

“Condos were the strongest sellers in March, accounting for 1,011 sales,” The article continues.  ”That was the highest total for that month in six years for this area. In contrast, sales of single-family detached homes diminished slightly, down 0.7 percent from March 2012.”

The article has tons of interesting nuggets and is definitely worth a read so check it out here.

D.C.’s housing market is HOT!  Join the action NOW!

When it’s the right time, it all comes together and Jami joining the team is a true testament to that statement.  Jami was on the other end of a transaction with me several years ago and did a fantastic job of representing her client and so I remembered her when I met her again years later.  Jami is completely aligned with our mission to provide extraordinary experiences for our clients and has an innate ability to know what the client is trying to do, sometimes before the client!  It’s that keen sense about people, combined with the ability to negotiate important details that makes Jami a top agent.  Ask her about her daughter Bailey and you’ll win her over quickly.

Learn more about Jami here…

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, one of D.C.’s most historic homes has been sold for $8.6 Million.

The home, an 11,000-square-foot Georgetown mansion, was sold by Donald Roth, a former Vice President at the World Bank.

“The Queen Anne-style brick home spans four levels, with nine bedrooms and seven bathrooms. Built in 1870, it features older architectural elements such as 12 fireplaces and high ceilings,” The WSJ report reads.  ”The property also has a garden, a swimming pool and a three-car garage.”

12 fireplaces?  That’s serious business.

“The home, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, once belonged to Jacqueline Kennedy’s mother, Janet Lee Auchincloss Morris. Mrs. Morris, the former Janet Lee Bouvier, purchased the property with her husband during John F. Kennedy’s presidency,” The article continued.  ”Several of Washington’s most prominent families have occupied the home since it was built 143 years ago, including Martha Custis Kennon, the great-great-granddaughter of former first lady Martha Washington, and Laughlin Phillips, who worked at the CIA and was a founder of Washingtonian magazine.”

Read the full story on WSJ. 

Even though this magnificent home is now off the market, there are still a number of beautiful Georgetown homes and homes in the greater D.C. area available for sale.

Check out some of those homes on our Brandon Green listings page now! 

There’s a really interesting column in today’s Washington Post today about real estate as an investment.

We at BGC often talk about how putting your money into a home can pay off big time in the long run, and the column, written by Justin Pierce, examines that theory.

“I am struck by how people struggle to find ways to put their money to work. Most people think their only option is to put money into stocks or mutual funds. People are intimidated by real estate and other direct investing strategies. They think they’re too risky,” The article reads.  ”Yet they’ll run off and sink their entire life’s savings into a blue chip company not knowing a single thing about the organization because large American companies can’t fail, right? There are good solid real estate investments all around you, and there are ways you can hedge your bets to protect your investment.”

The article, which you can read here,  goes on to assess several important factors in real estate investment and concludes with this thoughtful statement:

“Remember, there is no such thing as risk free investing or easy money. Anyone who says otherwise is probably a conman. Seek professionals with a track record of performance and get an attorney involved early.”

Pierce hits the nail on the head with this one.

When considering real estate investment you need to get the best available advice, so contact our experienced BGC professionals at any time if you are thinking about investing!

It’s always interesting to see where politicians who move to D.C. decide to live.

Each neighborhood in the District has its own character, traits, and aura, so choosing a neighborhood that matches you as a person is key.

Elizabeth Warren, the newly appointed Senator from Massachusetts has elected to set up camp in Penn Quarter right in the heart of Downtown, according to the Washington Post.

“The new senator from Massachusetts has put down roots in downtown Washington — and her posh Penn Quarter condo is within walking distance of hot restaurants, popular museums and even her new office,” The article reads.  “Two bedrooms, two baths and just over 1,400 square feet. ”

Read the full story on Washington Post online. 

Moving to Penn Quarter gives Warren the ultimate urban experience, as the community is surrounded by the sights and sounds of the city.

The question is this: Which D.C. neighborhood fits YOU the best?

Find out by contacting one of agents who have experience working all over the D.C. Metro.

As the appeal of moving to D.C. continues to grow, the prices for D.C. real estate will undoubtedly rise as well.

In the recent past prices around town seem to be creeping up, with certain locations leading the way.

“Within the city limits of the District, the average price per residential square foot according to Trulia is $425, an increase of 14.9 percent over last year,” Ted Smith of the Washington Blade wrote earlier this month.

Smith then lists the ten most expensive neighborhoods in D.C. (measured by price per residential square foot) in December 2012.

Georgetown, not surprisingly, was ranked the priciest in the city followed by Kalorama and West End respectively.

See the full top 10 priciest neighborhoods list and Smith’s entire article here.

We at Brandon Green Companies can help you find all types of homes at whatever price point fits your needs.

Click this link to learn more and to see homes for sale in Georgetown, Dupont Circle, and all over D.C..

We at Brandon Green Companies not only love and appreciate our greater Washington, D.C. community, but we also are dedicated to giving back to our city and making it a better place.

With that in mind we are so excited to announce the launch of our Spread The Love campaign partnership with the Washington Animal Rescue League (WARL).

Our campaign with WARL will be a two-part initiative. For the next week, we will donate one dollar to WARL for each new Facebook LIKE on our Brandon Green Companies Facebook page!

That’s right: All you have to do to help WARL and their wonderful pets in need is click LIKE on our Brandon Green Facebook page.

It’s that simple to help Spread the Love. We will be hosting a WARL adoption event later in February so watch for details on our Facebook page.

Hopefully we can see some of you out there and we can find these animals a loving home.

So, what are you waiting for? Click LIKE on Facebook to donate, come on out to the event later in February to see the incredible cause, and help Spread The Love.

Already “like” us? Tell a friend!

Take a look at this fantastic client testimonial posted on our Brandon Green Yelp page:

For your information, we’re pretty sure Troy has an “S” on his chest too! :p

So happy “Bonita” had a positive experience with us.

Find out more about our terrific team on Brandon Green website. 

 (Photo from Huffington Post)

Taxation without representation is D.C.’s motto and now it might have a new backer: Donald Trump, also known as The Donald.

Well, maybe not.  Trump, though, will have to pay taxes on the Old Post Office, according to an article written in the Huffington Post Monday.

“Trump will be paying taxes after all on a historic property he complains he paid ‘too much’ for,” The article reads.  ”D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray (D) and members of the D.C. Council decided Monday that the Trump Organization — led by business mogul, television personality and multi-billionaire Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka Trump — is required to pay property taxes at the historic Old Post Office Pavilion, a site the Trump Organization plans on redeveloping into a luxury hotel.”

See the full story here. 

So…the Donald will have to pay taxes on his new D.C. property.  Thumbs up or thumbs down?

Check out some properties around Trump’s  Old Post Office location on BGC now.