All blog entries by Abbott Klar Real Estate RSS Icon
Found 402 entries published by Abbott Klar Real Estate.

That time of year is upon us again. Restaurant Week. The week where budget concious gluttons can experience the joy of eating like the 1%. And what timing! Two weeks after the New Year, when everyone starts to give up on their resolutions to eat better, Restaurant Week comes swooping in to console the masses after their failed attempts. Well played Restaurant Week, well played. All snarky criticism aside, Restaurant Week, this year January 13th-19th, can be a great time to broaden your palate and try new things or it can be a wolf in sheep's clothing. All depends on how you look at it; regardless, read on for our guide to DC's Restaurant Week 2014.

The official Metropolitian Restaurant Week website boasts 3-course meals for 7 days at over 200 local

1384 Views, 0 Comments
Read Full Post

311 Aspen St NW Washington DC.
We are excited to announce that we represented the buyer of another great Takoma Park, DC, house.  This brick bungalow is on a large lot, with garage and just a short walk to the Takoma Park redline Metro stop and all the great shops of downtown Takoma Park.
Congratulations to our buyer on this great purchase.
311 Aspen, Takoma Park DC Exterior

311 Aspen, Takoma Park DC back yard

311 Aspen, Takoma Park DC Living room

311 Aspen, Takoma Park DC Dining room

311 Aspen, Takoma Park DC Kitchen

311 Aspen, Takoma Park DC bedroom

311 Aspen, Takoma Park DC bathroom

Thanks for reading our blog.  We are the local DC real estate experts. We live, love & Sell DC.  We can help you find a great home in DC.



2275 Views, 0 Comments
Read Full Post

So... as part of being a 'gear head' and a passionate admirer of anything with wheels, I collect old license plates.   DC has issued some fairly interesting license plates over the years.

Here are some of the most interesting old ones from my collection. (If you see any cool ones, please send me a picture for inclusion here, and if you have any extra ones lying around the garage... I'll gladly take them off your hand and make a donation in your name to your favorite local charity.)

Oldest one I have so far is a matched set of plates from 1921 that one of our clients found in a house on Eastern Ave.
1921 DC license plates
License plate from 1957 "Nations Capitol"
Washington DC license plate from 1957
License plate from 1968: Switched to "Washington D.C"
Washington DC license plate from 1968
License plate from 2001 "Celebrate & Discover"
Washington DC license plate from 2001
First year of

3332 Views, 0 Comments
Read Full Post

Washington DC Real Estate Market in 2014

Here are some predictions for the Washington DC Real Estate Market for 2014.
The DC area remains among the wealthiest http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2013/12/12/the-d-c-suburbs-dominate-the-list-of-wealthiest-u-s-counties/
Loans are going to be harder to get.  New guidelines under The consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Qualified Mortgage will now require a maximum debt to equity ratio of 43% even with large downpayments.  Self employed persons will also continue to have a harder time getting a loan.  One way to avoid this is to work with a local bank or credit union that lends out portfolio money- meaning they keep the mortgage on their books and can therefor set their own rules.  Some of the

1426 Views, 0 Comments
Read Full Post

New Year's Eve brings thoughts of Times Square and revelry; of Dick Clark and music; of silly hats and glasses, of resolutions and Miley Cyrus (hopefully less of this next year). In realty, who would want to be stuck in Times Square, crowded with a million other strangers, when it's freezing cold outside, to stand there and watch a horribly gaudy giant electric disco ball drop from the top of a building, when they could spend the night in DC instead? There are no shortage of great New Year's Eve options and New Year's Day (if you find yourself able to function) in DC, so read on to find out how to ring in the new year with style in the District.

Nothing says swag, sexy, and style quite like 007. For spies and civilians alike, the Washington Plaza Hotel

1296 Views, 0 Comments
Read Full Post

2013 was a record breaking year for Brookland. 

It all began in January with the roundest house ever sold in DC, 1001 Irving Street, listed by Abbott Klar Real Estate Group, selling for $760,000, which almost broke the record for the highest priced houses in Brookland.  Not to worry, we quickly followed that by selling 1335 Lawrence for $790,000 which broke the record for the highest priced Brookland house to ever sale!  But, alas, this record did not last for long and just a few months later we sold 3714 13th St NE for $957,983- which remains the record holder as the most expensive house ever sold in Brookland.  We are proud members of the Brookland community.  We live here and are constantly working to improve the neighborhood and shine the spotlight

1287 Views, 0 Comments
Read Full Post

Dec 2013 Brookland Real Estate Market update.

Rbi just released their data set for Real Estate Market activity in Brookland for November 2013.  Here is the data for zipcode 20017 for single family detached houses:

That's right!  In zipcode 20018, there was a 60% increase in listings, and an amazing 77.8% in new pendings of single family detached houses in November 2013 compared with November 2012!   This means that nearly all single family houses that come on the market in November in Brookland went under contract.  Simply amazing.  Of course this level of demand for Brookland houses resulted in an increase of 7.8% in the median sold price.

For zipcode 20017, the numbers are similar.


In zipcode 20017 in Brookland, there was a 20% increase in listings,

1275 Views, 0 Comments
Read Full Post

Chart from Rbi on government shutdown effect on DC real estate market
Novemeber 2013 RBI data for Washington DC
As real estate agents we already knew this, but now Rbi has done the math and proved it!  The shutdown of the Federal government had a serious impact on the Washington DC real estate Market.  In a report just released, Rbi calculates that year over year sales in November were down 14%.  So call your congressman (not you DC residents... you don't have the right to representation in the Congress- just taxation) and voice your frustration.

END Taxation without Representation in DC!

We heard directly from many sellers who decided to wait to sell their property until the dust settles, perhaps in the Spring they said.  We heard from many buyers -some who are Federal workers, and others who support Federal operations in one way or another- that they are

1967 Views, 0 Comments
Read Full Post

Abbott Klar Real Estate Group is excited to announce that we recently represented the buyer of a large 2 bedroom condo at 1360 kenyon Street NW DC.  This 2 bedroom and t full batthroom condo in a small boutique building is perfectly located just a few blocks  from the METRO.  A really great condo with hardwood floors, modern kitchen, washer/dryer, and parking! 

1360 Kenyon St NW DC exterior
1360 Kenyon St NW DC living room
1360 Kenyon St NW DC kitchen
1360 Kenyon St NW DC bedroom 1
1360 Kenyon St NW DC bedroom 2

Looking for a great condo in DC?  Contact us!  We are the local experts

1920 Views, 0 Comments
Read Full Post

We are #2!

Prudential just announced the Sales professional Awards for the 3rd quarter 2013 and we are #2 in production and units.

Of course we already knew that.  We love being #2  as our clients are #1!

  Sales Professional Awards - 2nd Place in Award - 'Top 3 Agents/Teams in District of Columbia
  Sales Professional Awards - 2nd Place in Award - 'Top 3 Agents/Teams in District of Columbia for Residential Units


Thank you to all our current and past clients for your continued support and referrals. 

We love our job!

Thank you.

1964 Views, 0 Comments
Read Full Post