By Franklin Schneider
If this place is still on the market by the time this post goes live, then the economy must be even worse than the politicians are pretending it is. A stone's throw from U Street, this carriage house is definitely one of the most unique places I've seen in the District, and at just 419K, buyers should be lining up like it's free cupcake day in Georgetown.
Completely renovated and with a private entry, this place is basically like a luxurious urban cabin. You walk in off Caroline Street into a wide living room with a beautiful peaked skylight and fireplace. Directly adjacent to that is the dining area and, down a short flight of stairs, a surprisingly large (though not “large”) kitchen with exposed brick and breakfast bar. The two bedrooms are full of light and the master bath features a dual sink vanity and a walk-in shower big enough for eight people (or one incredibly obese one.)
I mean, the place isn't huge, but it's not tiny, either. I would describe it as “just right.” I think houses are much like cars in that size is overrated – if you've ever had to parallel park or fill up the gas tank of an SUV, you know what I mean. It's the law of diminishing returns; there's nothing sadder than visiting your friends in their new huge house and seeing that a full third of it is basically empty. (“And this is the room where we keep our empty cardboard boxes.”) Really, the only reason you need a big house with tons of space is if you live with people that you can't stand. And shouldn't we, as adults, be past that sort of thing? (And will someone please tell that to my parents?)
1919 16th St NW #1
2 Bedrooms, 1 Bath
$419,000
Washington D.C. real estate news
7 comments:
Smoke and mirrors, Mr. Schneider. Take a closer look.
Urban Turf featured the same property recently. It generated a lot of interesting comments! http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/deal_of_the_week_the_dupont_circle_foreclosure_transformation/3985
oh, my, god... PLEASE someone tell me this is a late April Fool's joke. PLEASE, take your $400 k and move anywhere in the country -- you can buy a mansion in the Midwest, or a place with an ocean breeze in California. WHY, WHY would anyone spend their money for a hovel on U street? I seriously want to cry.
The $374.00 condo fee kills this deal... :(
I wouldn't say its bedrooms are *full* of light, but it looks like a really comfortable, unique space. It's worth the price, but it's not a deal.
When the author of this piece spends a third of his copy explaining why the space is "not that tiny," you can bet that it really is "that tiny."
That aside, while it looks like the developer did a decent job with the space, such that it is, I don't consider this alley appendage in a parking lot a bargain at this price.
I would prefer to see more objective reporting on featured properties and less overt salesmanship. Most readers of this blog are sophisticated enough to know the difference... it's a shame that the authors aren't.
From the editor: For the record, neither the writer nor this blog are affiliated with this property in any way. We are not selling it, we are only writing about it to provide entertainment and information. Do you really want us to analyze the property for you? If you need that service, please consult one of our real estate agents.
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