12279 Greenleaf Avenue - Watkins Glen - $459,000

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Watkins Glen is one of the few communities remaining in Potomac to buy a home for under $500K.

Watkins Glen is tucked in between Montrose Road Cabin John Regional Park and I-270. A community of attached townhomes, this community is tucked away in the woods. Winding around the border of the Cabin John Park, many of the homes have pretty views of heavy woods and a meandering stream.

This home is towards the very back of the community. With 4 bedrooms and 3.5 baths, this home is deceptively large. With an updated kitchen and partially updated baths, this home has good potential.

Although much of the community is well maintained, the last grouping of townhomes is a bit unkempt. I am not sure if a raccoon got to a neighbors trash can, or maybe this group of residents are sloppy. Something should be done to clean the place up a bit to make it look presentable.

The inside of the unit has Pergo style laminate floors throughout the first floor. The kitchen is in decent shape, obviously redone within the last 10 years or so. The powder room on the first level is small but clean.

The stairs going to the third level are hardwood with an open bannister. The walls are a bit beat up from the owner or tenant moving their stuff out. Other then the wall marks from moving, the home was recently painted. The painter was not a pro, and the base mouldings are a mess. The home should be repainted as soon as the new owners move their stuff in. The baths upstairs are partially redone. New tile in the shower areas but original tubs. New exhaust fans are a must here, as you can see damage from the moisture on the ceilings.

The basement is finished with decent light colored panelling. The carpet should be cleaned, but is presentable. There is a full bath, and a large stone fireplace. There is also a small room that I cannot imagine was a bedroom, but it may have been.

The basement has a sliding glass door that gives you access to a slate patio. Stairs from this patio go up a level to allow access to the kitchen slider and additional patio space. Currently the upper patio has a grill and great views of the park.

Although the inside of the home has been cleaned and put in order, it would be smart to clean the exterior windows on this unit. There are leaves and dirt and spider webs galore. Cleaning the outside will make this home show much better. The listing expressly states this home is "as is". Any potential buyer should have an inspector come in and check the floors on the first lever before putting in a contract. Although they look pretty good with the laminate flooring, something is not right. There seems to be some spots that are not level. An inspector can quickly tell you if there is a larger problem.

The Price? Well, it is currently the lowest in Potomac. This is priced reasonably and should sell close to the list price.