Wash Post Real Estate
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Brick facades are sturdy, but keeping them that way requires care
As old as dirt, the sturdy brick is. Long before fairy tales with pigs and wolves came along, ancient peoples knew the strength, fire resistance and durability of the humble clay brick. Modern people know that it adds value and the aura of prestige to a home.
Lender could end up paying if all fees were not revealed at buyer's closing
Q: My wife and I purchased a house in Florida last April. This past weekend we received a letter and an invoice from the law office that acted as the parties' closing agent, informing us that we owed fees for "additional endorsements requested by the lender after the closing."
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Where We Live: Ashburn Manor in Virginia's Loudoun County
Ashburn Manor is a neighborhood best defined by what it is not.
In down economy, owning a vacation home may be more business than pleasure
Tina Lambert and her husband wanted an investment that would help them pay for their kids' college tuition someday. When he insisted on paying $49,000 for a condominium in Ocean City in 1997, she worried. But by the middle of this decade, when housing markets were in full boom, the condo's value ...
The living is easy in Northeast Washington's Brookland neighborhood
Just a few miles northeast of the bustling center of downtown, the District has a neighborhood where the buzz of lawnmowers is more common than siren wails, Victorian homes perch on sprawling lawns, and children sell lemonade and oatmeal cookies.
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Fannie Mae's national lending program HomePath is worth a look
If you fit the profile -- typically buyers with little cash on hand or small-scale investors looking for a deal on a foreclosed house -- a little-publicized national lending program could be just what you need this fall.
Brickmaking employs methods old and new
There are three ways to make bricks, explains Gary Clark, a sales manager for brickmaker Glen-Gery Corp., headquartered in Wyomissing, Pa.
A thick lawn can be yours with just a few steps
It is said, "To everything there is a season," and we just reached one of those times of the year. If you want the greenest, healthiest lawn possible, fall is the season to obtain your best results by stimulating strong networks of roots and growth on turf. Your grass doesn't have to be the non-w...
With family's cooperation, inheritance of home can happen without will
My widowed grandmother passed away recently without leaving a will. She owned her home free and clear of any mortgages. My grandmother left five surviving children: my mother, two aunts and two uncles. I am the only grandchild. My grandmother always wanted me to have her house when she passed awa...
Leave that brush alone! Experts say masonry facades are 'happier unpainted.'
Masons aren't big fans of painting brick, for aesthetic reasons as well as maintenance and structural integrity issues.
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If you need to redirect hot air, ordinary fans will work just fine
Q: My house doesn't have an attic, so a whole-house fan isn't practical, but I am looking for a way to use a fan to help cool my upstairs. I know there are fans that fit in windows to exhaust hot air and pull in cool night air, but I can't find anything to fit my sliding windows. Any ideas? -- A....
Details on Ashburn Manor in Virginia's Loudoun County
BOUNDARIES: Route 677 (Partlow Road) to the north, Ashburn Road to the east, Beaver Creek to the south and Cedar Lane Elementary School to the west.
Housewatch: Doctors prescribe a daily dose of nature
When cognitive psychologist Paul Atchley wants to take a break during his workday, he steps outside to roam a few of his 26 acres near Lawrence, Kan., and contemplate the vast expanse of the Great Plains. Although many have derisively characterized his landscape as being "flat as a pancake" and b...
Moving your TV can require some complicated maneuvers so the signal isn't lost
DEAR TIM: I want to rearrange the furniture in our family room. This requires us to move the television set, which gets its signal from our cable TV provider. My husband says it will be very difficult to extend a new cable line behind the walls. The cable company just wants to staple a new line t...
Think ahead when doing work on a home about wiring rooms for TV cables
If you're doing remodeling work or building a new home, it takes very little extra work to extend traditional cables to the various walls in a home that might eventually have a TV on or near them. Be sure to include in your budget money needed to extend these cables. If you can't do that, at leas...
Rebuild the path to the American homeownership
Here's how lawmakers can help the mortgage industry evolve.
Color of Money Live
Whether the struggle is saving for retirement, organizing your bank files, or talking about money responsibility with your spouse or loved one, Post personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary offers her advice and answers your questions.
New rules for your money
In this era of high unemployment, flat home prices and do-it-yourself retirement savings, some traditional rules of saving and investing are due for an overhaul.
Lenders won't have to run a second full credit check before closing on mortgage
Despite earlier reports to the contrary, it turns out that your mortgage lender will not have to pull a second full credit report on you hours before closing on your home purchase or refinancing.
Parents gifted them a house. Can they save on taxes by giving it back?
Q: My parents "gifted" their house to us more than five years ago to avoid having the home sold to pay for Medicaid expenses. Now they are 87 and need to move. They may buy a smaller house. My four siblings and I own the home, but the home is occupied and used by my parents. Since we inherited th...
Organize association owners to hold board accountable
Q: Is there a time by which a condominium board of directors must reply and set a date for a special meeting? A number of us unit owners are concerned about the lack of disclosure of serious financial conditions and possible bylaw infractions by the board. Our bylaws require that the board call a...
Ask the Builder: Packing for a move is an art unto itself
DEAR TIM: I'm moving from one house to another and am overwhelmed. There seems to be so much to pack and I'm not sure how to proceed. I've received several bids from moving companies, and the cost for them to pack my possessions took my breath away. I've studied the "u-pack" moving options, but I...
Rules of thumb to help calculate an investment home's potential cash flow
Let's assume home values are down in the area where you like to vacation. Truth be told, you wouldn't mind retiring there one day.
To attract birds, let nature take its course
Anyone who reads Green Scene regularly probably knows my opinion about using bird feeders to attract feathered friends to our gardens. Once birds discover that the feeders are filled with their favorite foods, feeders are very effective for attracting flocks. The issue is that feeders don't attra...
Facts on Brookland
BOUNDARIES: Northeast's Brookland is bordered by Michigan Avenue to the north, Rhode Island Avenue to the south, Ninth Street to the west and South Dakota Avenue to the east.
Living green isn't out of renters' reach
LOS ANGELES -- So you're a renter and you want to green your space, but your landlord won't splurge on solar panels.
Mortgage rates continue to fall amid unemployment and economic woes
Mortgage rates fell to the lowest level in decades for the ninth time in 10 weeks as concerns grow that the economy is weakening.
Depending on attic access, cellulose and fiberglass insulate well
I want to insulate my attic, which now has almost no insulation. The choice appears to be between blown-in cellulose and fiberglass blankets. Which is best? -- Fran
Mortgage modifications offer a bit of good news in the dour foreclosure market
Homeowners who had mortgages modified recently are faring better than those who did so earlier in the housing crisis, according to a report released Tuesday, possibly debunking predictions of a huge wave of defaults to come.
Family-size apartments in urban areas could help smart-growth communities
If you are a middle-class family with school-age children interested in urban rather than suburban living, and if you prefer an apartment rather than a house, then your chances of finding a dwelling that meets your needs are practically zero.
How a homeownership fetish hurt the American dream
The American dream has become a foolish fetish -- and yet to end it, we need to make haste slowly.
Mortgage rates again fall to record lows
Mortgage rates fell this week to the latest in a series of record lows amid concerns about the state of the U.S. economy, according to a survey released Thursday by Freddie Mac.
Where We Live: Savage, in Maryland's Howard County
Shoppers browse in Savage's antique shops. Neighbors gather by the community hall for summer-evening concerts. Children play in local recreation leagues. It all seems so peaceful.
Frank Lloyd Wright house in Bethesda now belongs to architect's grandson
It was just the kind of building site that Frank Lloyd Wright loved to tackle: The steep piece of land in a heavily treed corner of Bethesda was generally thought to be unbuildable. The driveway, a nearly straight drop from the wooded road above, was daunting. In addition, the only flat area was ...
U.S. examines private sector's role in ensuring affordable housing
The Obama administration is grappling over how much to force private lenders to pay for apartments and homes for the poor as it presses ahead with a major overhaul of the government's housing policy, officials said.
Homebuilder mergers loom as 'elephant in room'
Homebuilder takeovers may increase as tumbling demand for new houses and a faltering U.S. economic recovery spur companies to consolidate to gain market share, according to Citigroup.
Details on Savage, in Maryland's Howard County
BOUNDARIES: To the north, Madison Street (and a small jag of Woodward Street). To the east, Route 32. To the south, the Little Patuxent River. To the west, Savage Park.
The House Lawyer: Consider buying a home rather than paying dorm rent
With the cost of an undergraduate education at some private institutions exceeding $200,000, parents should be looking for any way possible to take the sting out of sending a child to college. In addition to tuition, one significant component of total college cost is the room portion of room and ...
FHFA's proposed ban on private transfer fees could cost homeowners
A federal agency is moving to prohibit controversial "private transfer fees" on all mortgages funded by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. But its proposed ban might extend to transfer fees routinely collected by community associations across the country -- potentially forcing some of them to raise asse...
Washington real estate digest
Issues concerning transportation, education, the environment and land development affect decisions about where we live. Here's how some of these topics were reported this week in the Metro section or at PostLocal.com.
Ask the Builder: Hard water and lime buildup create dingy ordeal in toilet bowls
DEAR TIM: I'm at my wits' end with toilet bowl cleaners. My toilet has light and dark stains in the bottom of the bowl, as well as up under the rim. I've tried the usual brands of toilet bowl cleaner, but none does anything to cut the stains. What's causing the stains? And what, if anything, can ...
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Gardeners cultivate questions about effects of severe heat on plants
This summer has been a challenging one for keeping plants growing. Record-breaking temperatures in July and August have created heat stress for plants. According to the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration, the May-to-July period was the warmest on record for the Northeast and Southeas...
Thinking green? It's not just black and white.
Can a big house be green? Yes, but a smaller house will always be greener because fewer resources were used in its construction and less energy is needed to heat and cool it. This critical distinction is little understood by the general public, but in the world of green building, prudent use of r...
Homeowner wants a backup sump pump for basement flooding emergencies
Q: My sump pump is six years old, and I worry about it failing in an emergency. I was thinking of buying a backup pump and keeping it on a shelf in case the basement floods and the existing pump fails. What is your opinion? -- D. Andrews
Check loan costs while refinancing
Q: I'm starting to hear about lenders that are offering 3.85 percent and even 3.75 percent on a 15-year mortgage, which makes me think it might be time to refinance. How do I find a good and trustworthy lender?
Manufacturing, housing sectors exhibit diverging fortunes
A new round of economic data Tuesday confirms an emerging pattern: The nation's manufacturing sector is looking reasonably solid, while housing is dipping into a new downturn.
U.S. role at heart of housing debate
Top Obama administration officials opened a conference on the future of housing by making clear Tuesday they are considering a limited range of options that would reduce but not eliminate the government's role as a provider of funding for home loans.
Where We Live: Fairlington, in Northern Virginia
It's a bit of a real estate cliche, but one that in this case is undeniably apt: Except for the vintage of the cars parked all over Fairlington, the neighborhood could easily be set in the 1950s. And that's not just because of the condominium complex's Colonial Revival architecture or the sense o...
Record-low mortgage rates make refinancing (or re-refinancing) look tempting
With mortgage interest rates setting record lows almost every week for more than two months, two questions naturally come to mind: How low can they go? And should I refinance -- again?
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Stairs can pose a problem as you get older, so take steps now to ease the climb
Eventually, the 17 steps became too much for Karl Schwengel.
Home shoppers beware of click-fix digital makeovers
Try to picture this real estate scenario -- virtually. Like most shoppers searching for a home, you start on the Web, checking out listings and locations. You find a house that appears to be what you're after, and you tap into the photos section of the listing to see the interior shots.
New D.C. teachers arrive for orientation
Issues concerning transportation, education, the environment and land development affect decisions about where we live. Here's how some of these topics were reported this week in the Metro section or at http://PostLocal.com .
Green Scene: A Japanese garden's natural serenity
The objective of a Japanese garden is to establish a space that creates a mood of serenity and symbolism inspired by nature, designed in a very controlled fashion. Typically this includes the use of rocks, gravel, water, statuary, bridges, wood and some plants that appear to be hundreds of years ...
Details on Fairlington in Arlington and Alexandria, Va.
BOUNDARIES: North Fairlington is bordered by King Street to the southwest, Walter Reed Drive to the northwest, an invisible line running parallel to (and northeast of) King Street that bisects 28th Road South and 31st Street South to the northeast, and Interstate 395 to the southeast. South Fairl...
Fair Housing Act helps protect disabled occupants from discrimination
Say you have a disability and want your condominium association to allow you to park closer to your unit. Or your psychiatrist has advised you to get a dog as a companion, but your association's rules do not permit pets. Maybe you discover that your unit has bedbugs, but your health condition can...
Shaping the City: Overcoming the obstacles to regional cooperation
Most Frederick County residents are unlikely to care much about how Prince William County meets its affordable-housing targets, improves its schools or alleviates its traffic congestion. Likewise, few residents of the District, Alexandria or Manassas worry about affordable housing, schools or tra...
Regulator for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac targets some developer fees
The Federal Housing Finance Agency on Thursday proposed that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac should not be allowed to invest in mortgages that allow developers to collect fees years after homes are built. The FHFA, which regulates the two government-controlled companies, said it plans to restrict them...
Obama's housing reform panel angers affordable-housing advocates
Affordable-housing advocates raised concerns Thursday that the Obama administration is excluding consumer and community groups from playing prominent roles in a government-sponsored conference next week that will kick off efforts to overhaul national housing policy.
Government providing $3 billion to unemployed homeowners
Freddie Mac narrows loss, but firm needs more government aid
Mortgage finance giant Freddie Mac said Monday that its loss in the second quarter narrowed but that taxpayers would still be on the hook for the foreseeable future.
The hottest housing market: Information
In the real estate world, there was one word that used to be the cardinal rule: location, location, location.
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Woodside Park, a leafy enclave of unique homes in Silver Spring
Montgomery County historians have heralded Woodside Park, located just north of downtown Silver Spring, as "the most intact subdivision" of the 1920s and 1930s, and "the purest manifestation of the suburban ideal" in the area.
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Homeowners frustrated by delays, poor communication in federal loan program
After her husband lost his tech job in 2008, Lisa Eidner of Mahwah, N.J., asked the couple's mortgage servicer to lower their monthly payments. The company agreed to a temporary cut but sent the Eidners on a frustrating, 15-month journey -- and then turned them down for permanent help.
Shared housing: How to live close to, and remain close with, the neighbors
Melissa Danielson doesn't mind hearing the occasional dog barking on the other side of the wall. She enjoys the chance to bump into neighbors as they come and go. And she laughs when little ones toddle up to the wrong house because they all look alike.
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac losing political support as U.S. reshapes housing finance system
For several decades, whenever a question of housing policy came up in Washington, two companies dominated. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac marshaled armies of lobbyists, deep political connections and millions of dollars in contributions to get their way.
Woodside Park, Md., location and real estate market
BOUNDARIES: Woodside Park is bounded by Georgia Avenue to the west, Colesville Road to the east, Sligo Creek Park or Dale Drive to the north and Spring Street to the south.
Staying put?
Aging-in-place features -- Wider doors, hallways and toilet areas
Be prepared to move on from a short-sale home
Q: In January, we bid on a short sale that was three lenders deep. Every time we get an update from the banks (via the listing agent), the property is "in review" with the lender. We knew it was going to be a long process with three lenders; however, it seems that it is going nowhere. We'd really...
Mortgage rates continue their historic drop
Mortgage rates dropped to the lowest level in decades for the sixth time in seven weeks, offering the most attractive opportunity for those who qualify to refinance or purchase a home.
Diverse coalition targets home transfer fees
Can you name a housing controversy that pulls Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, consumer advocates, labor unions representing transport workers and government employees, the title insurance industry, the National Council of La Raza, libertarian and property rights groups, and the National Associatio...
House lawyer: For thousands of responsible tenants, consult local agencies
Residential landlords, do you have vacant apartments or nonpaying tenants? Are late rent payments and tenant turnover cutting into your profit? You might be surprised to learn where you can find tens of thousands of qualified, prescreened local tenants whose rent is guaranteed to arrive on time e...
Tiny 'green' house offers plenty of food for thought
BAYFIELD, WIS. -- There is something bewitching about a tiny house.
Scavenger hunt
If you frequent construction sites, you may be able to build your cheap wooden shelves for next to nothing. Instead of using one large sheet of plywood for each shelf, you could try to find scraps of plywood discarded by the carpenters. With a little bit of time, you can cut these to fit onto you...
More seniors are getting face-lifts  for their homes
The new catchphrase among homeowners is "aging in place." Instead of selling their homes and moving into retirement villages or assisted-living quarters, a growing number of older Americans are modifying their homes to make them more user-friendly as they age.
FTC bans 8 mortgage-relief marketers, orders them to repay $17.7 million
Federal regulators have banned eight individuals and companies from selling mortgage-relief services, settling charges that they used false advertising to deceive homeowners facing foreclosure.
Rise in Âstrategic defaults' in mortgages may be exaggerated
Strategic defaults on mortgages are throwing more properties on an already glutted market. But such walkaways are less prevalent than commonly thought and are probably trending downward.
Do-it-yourself shelving advice
DEAR TIM: I just moved and need to build some cheap shelving. Money is tight, and the move drained most of my cash. Some of the things I need to store are heavy, so the shelves need to be strong. What's the best way to make use of the limited space I have in my new home? -- Maureen S., Salem, Mass.
Color of Money Live
Post personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary will be online to offer her advice and answer your questions.
The real lessons of declining homeownership
FOR YEARS, government policy has aimed at driving up the owner-occupied share of residential housing, on the theory that everyone should have a shot at putting down roots and building up wealth. But judging by the latest numbers, that dream is fading. The national homeownership rate fell from 67.2...
Loudoun County home sales appear to be rebounding, report shows
After being hit early and hard by the downturn in the housing market, Loudoun County appears to be bouncing back.
FHA tells Congress: Mortgage insurance claims are down; home prices a concern
Mortgages backed by the Federal Housing Administration have performed better than expected so far this fiscal year, though the improvements could be overturned if home prices sink, according to a report the agency submitted to Congress this week.
Where We Live: Lansdowne on the Potomac, in Virginia's Loudoun County
The first thing house hunters typically notice about Lansdowne on the Potomac is the neighborhood's aesthetic: the manicured lawns, the landscaped common areas, the decorative street signs and the manmade waterfall near the entrance.
Effects of financial reform law might not be felt for a while
The financial reform bill signed into law by President Obama might look like a cornucopia of helpful changes for homebuyers and loan applicants -- not the least of which will be the creation of a powerful Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to ride herd on the mortgage lending industry. But how ...
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Lansdowne on the Potomac
BOUNDARIES: Lansdowne is bordered approximately by Lansdowne Boulevard to the east, the Potomac River to the north and Route 7 to the south and extends a mile past Goose Creek to the west.
Taking steps toward refinancing a rental property
I have a rental property that I bought five years ago for $170,000 but now is valued at $120,000. I have a mortgage at 6.75 percent with about $45,000 in equity on the property. I am not in financial difficulty, but I would like to take advantage of low interest rates. Is it possible to refinance...
Alarm not included
Don't assume that a door opener will make your garage immune from unwanted entry in your absence. Just about every garage-door opener is equipped with a safety release handle where the door connects to the track. When your door is in the closed position, this handle dangles from the track just be...
Sibling rivalry over family home: No one wins
Q: Mom died a year ago, leaving the family home to my brother and me. I live in the house and would like to stay there, but my brother, who lives in California, wants to sell it and take his half of the proceeds.
Mortgage rates again at new low; average for 30-year fixed loan at 4.54 percent
Mortgage rates dropped to the lowest level on record for the fifth time in six weeks, making home-buying and refinancing -- for those who can get loans -- the most attractive it has been in decades.
Shaping the City: Let there be light (carefully) in Metro stations
Lately Metro has taken a lot of heat because of persistent subway system deficiencies: lack of air conditioning in rail cars; escalator and elevator outages; and operator or equipment failures resulting in derailments and collisions -- along with injuries and fatalities.
Amid the heat wave, gardeners still have questions
Even though the heat has been record-breaking, you are still working in your gardens and have lots of questions. It's time to address some of them.
Ask the builder: Are garage-door openers worth it?
DEAR TIM: The house I moved into doesn't have a garage-door opener. I'm wondering whether these devices are really necessary. Also, the price differences between models have me seriously considering a discount opener. What should I take into account when purchasing one? -- Samantha R., Providence...
Citigroup agrees to $75 million SEC settlement on subprime mortgage investments
Citigroup, one of the nation's largest banks, agreed Thursday to pay $75 million to settle a Securities and Exchange Commission complaint that it misled investors about $40 billion of its holdings in subprime mortgage investments.
Housing policy must be set on sustainable basis
It's time to scale back the housing subsidy and reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
