9033 Rouen Lane - Lake Normandy Estates - $899,999

Listed by Long and Foster

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What is not to like about Lake Normandy Estates? Great single family homes, great location and fantastic schools. Formula for success? You betcha!

This is a beautiful single family colonial on a well groomed, 1/3 acre lot. The home on the outside is in fabulous condition - the owners are meticulous. This brick home has a circular driveway and 2 car garage. I couldn't wait to get inside to see what the rest of the home was like.

The foyer is formal, typical of a center foyer colonial. The decor and painting was beautiful. This home showed like a model home. The lovely dining room on the left, and the large living room on the right were bright and inviting. The kitchen has been completely redone with Silestone and lovely bright cabinets. A slider to the deck looks out over the back and side yard which is lush and green. (I wish I could get my lawn to look like this!).

The upstairs is also completely redone. Three good size bedrooms and a lovely master is ready for a new owner. You would not need to do a thing.

The basement is almost completely finished. With a slider leading to a lower deck, there is plenty of light down here. There is a half bath - which seems to be the only bath that has not been completely updated. Who cares? It is the basement!

Initially, when I saw the price on this home I thought it may be priced high. After seeing the property - I think they are asking a fair price. The original owners have cared for this property and have updated it completely. A family could move right in and not have to spend a dime to make it theirs. I say that this is worth a premium.

Although this is on the high side for the neighborhood - I think it shows well enough for someone to fall in love with it. Look for it to sell between 4879K and full list before the new year!

7851 Coddle Harbor Lane #19 - Inverness Knolls - $294,900

Posted Remotely from Sunny Dallas, Texas

Listed by Long and Foster

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Who knew there were 2 bedroom condos in Inverness Knolls? It was tough to find this unit, as it is behind and underneath town homes from the street. There is a whole line of these rear units that are set up as 2BR condos.

The walk around back to find this unit is interesting. There seems to be a lot of personality on the outside of the other units along the walk. Some over the top gardening and decor had me thinking if there was really a condo association that kept a reign on what the place looks like.

The condo has a small fenced front entry with a slate patio in front. The unit is not unattractive with a lovely brick veneer. The front door is freshly painted, foreshadowing a complete rehab inside.

This small 744 square foot unit was completely gutted. A combo Kitchen, family room and breakfast area takes up the front of the condo. New wood floors and an attractive stainless and granite kitchen look great. There is decent light, even with the dense woods in front and the unit has been professionally staged.

The 2 bedrooms are very small. I wondered if it would be better to consolidate the two rooms into one. The bathroom is small, but completely redone as well. Looks nice!

This is a nice, albeit small, two bedroom condo. I am not a fan of the physical location of the unit, but the community location is great. At $300,000 they are asking top dollar. I am wondering if it would appraise at that price. The assessment of this property is only $200,000 for 2010.

I think it makes sense for the seller to shoot high and see if he can find a buyer. If this place has not sold at this price yet, it is priced too high. I see this one selling for between $260k and $270K when the papers are signed.

7865 Heatherton Lane - Inverness Knolls - $539,000

Posted Remotely From Chilly, Windy - DALLAS, TEXAS

Listed by United Realty

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Inverness Knolls is a community of town homes located adjacent to the Cabin John Shopping Center just off Seven Locks Road. A great entry point to the Potomac market, these homes if priced right move quickly even in a tough market.

This is a nice frame townhome near the entrance to Inverness Knolls. With a bay window in front, this home has an inviting feel and good curb appeal.

The Home has nice tile in the foyer and a louver door going into the kitchen to your right. The kitchen is original with cream colored appliances and white 12x12 tile. It is functional, but could use an update in the near future. The bay window in the breakfast area allows lots of light in the kitchen. This is an attractive place to have your coffee and look out at your neighbors going to work.

The back of the home has new wood floors in the living room and dining room area. A slider opens to a deck looking out to a fenced back yard.

The upstairs has 3 bedrooms and 2 full baths. The master bedroom is large and bright. The bath is original with white tile. The hall bath is large and also original. These could use some TLC in the near term.

The basement is finished with a prefab fireplace. A slider will take you out back where there is significant traffic noise from Seven Locks road. The noise does not really affect you inside the home, but those sensitive to noise will not spend a lot of time in the yard or on the deck. There is also a original half bath on this level.

This price range has been moving well in Potomac. The schools and location have kept prices more stable here then many other areas of Potomac. This town house is nice, but a bit aggressively priced. I see this one selling in the $500K-$510K range when all is said and done.

11035 Candlelight Lane - Old Coach Square - $369,900

Listed by Coakley Realty

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Candlelight Lane connects Tuckerman Lane and Gainsborough Road in Potomac. This is a good central location with schools in the prestigious Churchill cluster. The Olde Coach Square is a group of condominiums backing to the Mclean School just off Candlelight Lane.

Whenever I see a property for sale in Potomac below $400K I get excited to see it. With 2 bedrooms and 2 full baths, it seemed like a lovely starter home for a family that wants Potomac schools.

This condo is located in a small 12 unit complex set back in a single family neighborhood. The building was sturdy brick, and the unit for sale was accessed from the side of the building. This is a ground level condo with an entry that is a bit overgrown with shrubbery. This is unusual in condominiums which usually provide exterior maintenance of a building. There are two full size windows facing the front that are completely obscured by the landscape. If removed or replaced, it may bring a lot more light into the unit.

The tile foyer is covered by indoor outdoor carpet runners. I am not sure why, as the tile is already old and dirty, but it looks horrible. There is a step down living room on the left with a sliding glass door to the back yard and small brick patio. A breakfast area - dining room is on the right. Large enough for a small table.

The kitchen is old and very dirty. I wonder why this place was not professionally cleaned before it was put on the market. It would look so much nicer if you were not afraid to touch things.

The bedrooms are average size and the baths, consistent with the rest of the unit are dirty and dated. The carpet is stained and will need to be replaced throughout the unit.

There is a decent size utility/laundry room that has a washer dryer and furnace and a/c unit. This also needs some cleaning.

This is a unit that will need lots of vision to fall in love with. If you did a complete rehab and added extra ceiling lights it could be an attractive place in a good location. With that said, the price of $369,900 is no bargain. There are not any comps for this property or complex to come up with a reference price. I say this will sell at much less. Look for this one to linger on the market for some time.

1112 Halesworth Drive - Orchard Ridge - $650,000

Listed by Long and Foster

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Orchard Ridge is a lovely single family community tucked in on the southwest side of Wootton Parkway and Seven Locks Road. Part of the Richard Montgomery school cluster, this is an attractive move up community close to all Potomac amenities.

This is a nice home on the Halesworth Loop. With white siding and a front sited garage, this home has nice curb appeal. The foyer is open and looks straight into the kitchen at the back of the home. Double doors allow you to cut off the kitchen from view, but with doors open the space looks much larger and less formal. The hardwood extends into the living room and dining room and is good condition. The kitchen is spacious with a large table area to eat. Although dated, this kitchen would be smashing if re-done.

The Family room has cathedral ceilings and a fireplace centered on the long wall. Skylights and windows make this space bright although there is staining around one of the skylights that hints of a leak. A laundry room doubles as a mud room with a door going into the front offset 2 car garage. Nice touch!

Upstairs has 3 decent size bedrooms and a very nice master with volume ceilings. The baths are original but with a little paint will look nice. Nice floor plan!

The basement is unfinished, but looks to have a full rough-in bath. This has huge potential for a family room or home theatre.

The downside to this home is the back yard. It is sloped up to Seven Locks Road with a view of the County Detention Center. A large deck and some creative landscaping can alleviate some of this issue, but you cannot change the location. It is priced well at $650,000 which does take some of these issues into consideration.

This one has been on the market too long. Although it is now priced well, it is stale. This one will end up selling at between $605K and $620k when all is said and done.