While the change in administrations probably will lead to a spike in Washington, DC,-area real estate transactions, I bet it’s going to cause a lull this weekend.

With DC expecting as many as 4 million people and many roads closed, I doubt there’ll be many open houses or agents and buyers driving around, checking out properties.

Are you a DC Realtor or someone buying or selling in the area? I’d love to hear how you’re approaching Inauguration weekend in the comments!

Sure, with the holidays and inauguration coming up, most DC residents probably aren’t thinking about what they’re doing in February. But tickets for the Washington DC International Wine and Food Festival have gone on sale.

Tickets are $85 per day before Feb. 9, or $140 for a two-day pass. After Feb. 10, the prices increase.

This year the festival is going to focus on food and wines from the  Chesapeake, a great theme with America’s new interest in sustainability.

(Via D.C. Foodies, which has an additional discount on tickets—check out that website for details)

Katie Wethman, who writes the Thoughts on the Washington, DC, and Northern Virginia Real Estate Market blog wrote a great post on how much a buyer should put down:

How much do I need for a downpayment?

While her second sentence sums it up well (”It depends.”) she does a great job explaining the variables that buyers need to consider.

Are you thinking about renting your home for President-elect Barack Obama’s inauguration?  Ready to cash in on the big money coming to Washington, DC, the third week in January?

Here are several things to consider, however, if you want to rent your home for this special event.

• Are you going to charge a security deposit? If so, how much? Local jurisdictions limit the amount you can ask for, so know the law. Most limit you to one month’s rent.
• What about an upfront deposit to hold the reservation?  Most hotels are charging 50 percent now, 25 percent close to the event, and the remaining 25 percent at the conclusion of the guest’s stay.
• Do you wish to provide auxiliary services (such as cleaning, meals, and travel) and will those services be included in the price or separate?
• Have you spoken to your insurance agent?  You may need to buy a short-term policy to cover the event.
• Do you have a short-term lease document to execute?  An attorney can draw up a document for you, or we at Brandon Green Companies can provide you with some of the necessary forms.
• Be aware of landlord/tenant laws where you live and consult with an attorney if you’re unsure.
• Understand the tax implications of the income and any loss sustained in the event of damage.

Brandon Green Companies can provide you with referrals to attorneys and certified public accountants should you have further questions. E-mail us at info@brandongreen.com or call us at 202-318-1623.

I just signed up for an account on Twitter:

http://twitter.com/green_brandon

If you’re a Twitter user, feel free to follow me, and we can tweet about Washington, DC, real estate!

(And if you’re not a Twitter user but are intrigued, check out the Twitter home page for more info on it.)

CNNMoney is predicting real estate prices in the Washington, DC, area will fall by 17.1 percent next year:

Forecast 2009: Your home

As we’ve stressed numerous times on this site though:

• your housing needs, rather than the value of your house, are what’s most important
• many neighborhoods buck the trend of the overall area
• declining prices can lead to some great investment opportunities

And, of course, not all predictions become fact!

Dwell magazine, which we’ve blogged about a few times, has a cool article on Washington, DC, architecture  in its December/January 2009 issue.

While many of the pictures focus on public spaces in DC, there is a great shot of one of my favorite houses in the District: a house built by Richard Neutra near Rock Creek Park:

Last month I reviewed a house in Washington, DC, before and after it was staged for an episode of Get It Sold on HGTV.

It was a great experience and one that I’ll be lucky enough to repeat–next month I’m taping another episode!

We’ll post more information on the shows when they air this spring.

While we hate to see our friends and clients leave the area, Brandon Green Companies can help you find that great piece of real estate away from Washington, DC.

We have an extensive database of real estate contacts in many cities throughout the United States. And if we don’t know of anyone in the city where you’re looking to move, we’ll be happy to vet them on your behalf–at no charge to you!

E-mail info@brandongreen.com for more information.

Planned renovations to Washington, DC’s libraries have been getting attention on both local and national blogs of late:

DC Metrocentric: Georgetown Library Renovations

Dwell Blog: Adjaye Tapped for Two DC Branch Libraries

A redesigned Georgetown Public Library (which was damaged by a three-alarm fire in April 2007), Washington Highlands branch in in Southwest, and Francis A. Gregory library in Southeast should be good for property values in all three neighborhoods (more so with the last two).

But, as the post on Dwell and comments on DC Metrocentric point out, planned improvements are not the same as actual improvements.