Hill Slowinski • Real Estate: Blog: Maryland: Bethesda

A Private Estate Home in Bethesda, MD

"The Waterford"

 7220 Armat Drive, Bethesda, Maryland 20817

Offered for $1,855,000

This luxury estate residence blends classic materials in a traditionally elegant yet very practical and comfortable home.  Key features include paneled library/study, elevator, in-ground heated pool with sub-meter, and five fireplaces. 

Multiple French doors lead to sunlit patios and mature gardens, which enjoy a warm Southern exposure for outdoor living and social events.  The highlights of the finished ground level are a wine cellar and reception hall, bar and family room, and a large area suitable for home theater or casual entertaining. 

The property is accented by details such as lush landscaping, ornamental iron, handmade brick, a marble foyer, crystal chandeliers and sconces, solid wood windows and doors.  There are six spacious bedrooms, six full baths, and two half baths, and many characteristics that make this a special place for family and guests alike.

For the Virtual Tour, please click HERE.  Photos, floor plans, brochures, and more detailed information is available at HillSlowinski.com.

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"Happy Valentine's Day!"

Clients are asking, "Should I put my house on the market now, or should I wait?" and "Should I buy now, or should I wait?"  What about Thanksgiving, the Holiday season, or New Year's?  What about buyer interest and showings and open houses? Why not wait?

It's November.  Prices have stabilized.  Inventories have come down in many areas.  Interest rates are at historic lows.  Financing has become more readily available.  Sellers planning to also buy can get more house for their money now than before.  Sellers who price not only competitively but also compellingly are successfully setting the stage for buyers to make very respectable offers.  Buyers who hesitate guessing prices will continue to fluctuate or fall may forego any perceived savings through potential increases in mortgage rates. Sellers are seeing more buyers preparing to act and ready to go. 

Even during the holidays, business does not stop and buyers continue to look.  If the house is not on the market, it is invisible to buyers.  The question should be "Why wait?"  Why delay plans and dreams when the environment is so good?  Focus on what is important to them to achieve or why they are trying to accomplish it.  If a strategy is to buy at the bottom of the market, there is no way to ‘know' the bottom - except to have passed it and to see the upswing.

How do Realtors help clients decide?  What should clients think about?  What is their motivation to act now and not wait until Spring?  Answer: "Happy Valentine's Day!"

To be able to say, "Happy Valentine's Day!" in their new house or at settlement, they have to move ahead now.  That becomes their motivation.  THAT can be their goal.

Know that many factors are working in their favor.   As we learn more about our clients and their expectations, dreams, and desires, we as their Realtors will be better prepared to help them.  If they act now to buy or to sell, come February 14, they may also be able to say, "Happy Valentine's Day!"*

-- Hill Slowinski

*Thanks to John Dodd!

In Brookmont, at the C&O Canal

111 Valley Road, Bethesda, MD  20816  MLS # MC9375221

Offered for $675,000   Virtual Tour

Open House:  Sunday, July 25, 1-4 PM

In nature's setting with all the upgrades! Along the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historic Park (near Lock 6), close to High Island in the Potomac River near Little Falls, the old tow path, hiking and biking trails, and the Old Conduit Road. Former home to two Olympic Kayakers. Reno-vated kitchen and bathrooms, refinished floors. Rock patios, pathways, stairs, and terraces surround this diamond in Brookmont - ½ mile to shopping, and 1 mile to the DC line.

 Located in the Brookmont community known for its affinity to nature, hiking, kayaking, and outdoor appreciation, this home is within throwing distance to the access to the National Park along the Potomac River. The home was built in 1928 in a natural hillside setting.

This two bedroom, two full bath Colonial includes the open living room with large windows, brick wood-burning stove/fireplace with flagstone hearth. The breakfast area and kitchen look out to tree-height views of the park. The new kitchen is highlighted by granite counter-space, new cabinetry, new appliances, and a country pantry.

The second level back door opens outside to a gracious stone patio, stone retaining walls, terracing and natural gardens, and sweeping stairways to lower level terraces and garden areas.

Renovations and updating were made during 2006-2008. The hardwood flooring throughout the house has been refinished to its natural tones, and the windows have been replaced and updated.

For more information, see: www.HillSlowinski.com.

You've heard it before, the three most important attributes of real estate -- 1) Location, 2) location, and 3) location.  Real estate is local.  In these economic times, some experts will tell you that in your neighborhood or general location now is not the time to sell your home.  

But selling might be the only option if you have to move for work, are selling an unused family or vacation home, or are committed to another new home elsewhere. 

Fortunately, most clients I serve in Northwest DC, Montgomery County, and Northern Virginia are seeing stabilization in prices.  But no matter where you are, it is wise to consider the following tips to help you get the most in your transaction:

• Call me first rather than simply posting "For Sale by Owner" signs in your front yard. The commission I earn is worth its weight in the assistance and advice you'll receive in return.  I have experience selling in these markets and I offer a free Homesellers Handbook to get you started.

• You'll also want to make sure your house is priced correctly, that is, priced for the current market regardless of what you think its true value is. Although it can be tough to take a loss, your house may never sell if it's priced incorrectly. To offset this, I can help your house sell faster by being more proactive about marketing.  I use Voice Pad technology and additional Internet resources such as Craig's List and YouTube, my real estate blogs and websites, and many secondary internet sites to reach a much wider audience.

• For further assistance, you may want to think about enlisting a staging company or an interior designer. This can seem counterintuitive when money is a concern. But studies show that staged houses typically sell in less than half the amount of time as their unstaged competitors - and for more money. In other words, your small up-front investment in new paint, accessories, and landscaping can end up saving you money in the long term. I have a special list of proven contractors and vendors I and my W.C. & A. N. Miller Realtor colleagues have used for recommendations to you.  You can do a simple search for a provider in your area on our website.

• Even with the help of a staging company, however, you will still need to make any necessary improvements and repairs to your house to keep it competitive with other houses on the market. Again, I can recommend many proven, established contractors and vendors W.C. & A. N. Miller Realtor colleagues and I have used. Be sure these changes have a good return and will not cost you more than they're worth. If they do, you may want to consider offering the buyer a cash allowance toward the repair instead.

You may believe now may not be the best time to sell. But that doesn't mean good home sales aren't made every day. Contact me to help ensure your home is ready for a good offer by making smart choices.

Hill Slowinski, licensed in DC, MD, and VA

W.C. & A.N. Miller Realtors, A Long & Foster Company

4701 Sangamore Road,  Bethesda, Maryland  20816

Cell: 301-452-1409  Direct: 301-320-8430  Ofc: 301-229-4000

         Email: hslowinski@longandfoster.com or Hill@HillSlowinski.com

Early 2009 Market Results: Increased Activity for Buyers and Sellers

We are two-thirds of the way through of the 2009 Spring Market, and we have had a roller-coaster of regional activity - some areas have popped up in sales, others suddenly are flat - on both sellers' and buyers' sides.  The news on the economy swings daily from good to bad to good.  Nevertheless, I have more successful sales transactions!

The popular price ranges of interest have dropped some 20%, and sometimes more, depending on the location.  Real estate is local.  

For my clients, the real bottom line has been price, and price alone.  This month, for example, my newest listing received multiple offers and was under contract in just 7 days!  And, one of my older listings had a significant price improvement, received an offer within 3 weeks, and settled two weeks later! 

Buyers will buy homes that are priced correctly.  They have researched the market and know what is available.  Owners of homes not yet sold and whose price has remained unchanged 30+ days must make the next price change significant and noticeable to a new set of buyers as all potential buyers at the current price have passed them by and bought lower priced homes.  At the least, they have rejected the current price, and there is more inventory from which buyers can chose their next home.  Buyers can lose interest in a particular home quickly in this market.

For sellers, it is no longer a matter of ‘leaving money on the table' or ‘giving the house away'.  There is nothing on the table or being given away when there are no offers to begin with.  The market will establish the price for the home, not the seller, and not the seller's agent. 

The difficult challenge is finding the right price at which it will sell.  So I deeply research the market and listen to all comments on my listings,  and I present successful selling strategies fresh from today's market reality and experiences.   And I get results for my clients.      

 Hill Slowinski, licensed in DC, MD, and VA

W.C. & A.N. Miller Realtors, A Long & Foster Company

4701 Sangamore Road,  Bethesda, Maryland  20816

Cell: 301-452-1409  Direct: 301-320-8430  Ofc: 301-229-4000

         Email: hslowinski@longandfoster.com or Hill@HillSlowinski.com

Yes, we are handling more of these transactions in our office now than ever before.  I am finding myself more frequently in conversations with clients regarding the matter of foreclosures in our area.  They believe that the correction in the economy will necessarily generate more of these in the closer-in Washington Metropolitan region.  

I have access to a database that provides reliable information on foreclosure properties. This information is from a separate information source and not derived from the MLS listings.

What does this mean to you?  

• If you are planning to sell, I will check if any homes in your neighborhood are in process and whether that may affect our strategy for selling your home. 
• If you are buying, I will determine if any targets are in pre-foreclosure or scheduled for auction. 
• If you are interested in buying challenged properties, I will search for bank-owned properties that may be new opportunities. 
• I can help find pre-foreclosure and auction opportunities for you and investors working with you.

I can research for you properties in all stages of the foreclosure process.  The foreclosure process is complex and my research results will include foreclosure-effected properties in one of three stages: Pre-foreclosure, Auction and Bank Owned/Real Estate Owned (REO):

• Pre-foreclosure - identifies "short sales", homes on which lenders or other parties have begun the default against delinquent property owners. This can help you locate short sale opportunities.
• Auction - identifies "foreclosures", homes that have an auction date to sell the property as a result of a default and foreclosure related proceedings. This can help you locate investment opportunities.
• Bank Owned/Real Estate Owned (REO) - identifies properties currently owned by a bank, lender, or other financial institution due to a foreclosure-related proceeding. This can help you locate listing opportunities.

In addition, I will produce and email reports that include approximately 20 data fields that provide a comprehensive record of the foreclosure process.  Contact me for more information at: Hill@HillSlowinski.com or HSlowinski@LNF.com

 Hill Slowinski

W.C. & A.N. Miller Realtors, A Long&Foster Company

4701 Sangamore Road,  Bethesda, Maryland  20816

Cell: 301-452-1409  Direct: 301-320-8430  Ofc: 301-229-4000

Email: hslowinski@longandfoster.com or Hill@HillSlowinski.com

Two recent Forbes pieces you may find interesting:

 According to Forbes magazine, in a recent article, "America's Most Livable Cities", which asks, "Looking for a better way of life? Start your search with these places", Bethesda, MD is the #2 "most livable" city in the US (See April 1,2009 story). 

 For enterprise, Bethesda is #48 of 200 "places out there that remain attractive to businesses", say Forbes in its special report,  "Best Places For Business And Careers" (See March 25, 2009 story).  

 --Hill

Hill Slowinski 

W.C.&A.N. Miller Realtors, A Long&Foster Company

4701 Sangamore Road,  Bethesda, Maryland  20816

Cell: 301-452-1409  Direct: 301-320-8430  Ofc: 301-229-4000

Email: hslowinski@longandfoster.com or Hill@HillSlowinski.com