9737 Pleasant Gate Lane - Avenel - $429,000

Listed by ReMax 2000

Avanel is an upscale planned community between Falls Road and Persimmon Tree Road in Potomac. Developed by Natelli Communities, it was built out by five or six builders through the 1990’s. It is a lovely, well maintained community, with all the amenities one would expect in a high end neighborhood.

There is a mix of housing here. Town homes, patio homes, single family homes and mansions are all part of the mix. The grounds and laws are all professionally maintained by an outside company – so the community always looks manicured. A strict association assures that homes are properly maintained which adds to the value of the community.

Montgomery County – when approving these large communities – forced builders to set aside a portion of the community for “affordable housing”. They called these units MPDU’s (Moderately Priced Dwelling Units). These homes were generally smaller then the surrounding homes with far fewer amenities than most homes in the community. This home is a former MPDU.

Pleasant Gate is located just off Oaklyn Drive in the middle of the Avenel community. The restriction on selling these former MPDU units long ago expired, so these homes can be sold without restriction – at whatever the market will dictate. These brick homes are similar to Cape Cod style homes without the dormers. There are generally one bedroom and a full bath on the main level with 2 additional bedrooms and a full bath upstairs. There are basements – and many have been finished over the past 20 years by homeowners.

The front door has a storm door which needs repair. The interior of the home has PERGO style laminate floors throughout the first floor. The bathrooms are original – but are in decent shape. The kitchen is original with laminate counter tops and builder grade appliances. There is a door in the kitchen to the exterior – a nice alternate egress to the yard or grill outside.

The laminate flooring in some rooms has been replaced with similar grade laminate – but not matching laminate. The walls could use a coat of paint and the home needs to be aired out. The AIRWICK solid air fresheners in various locations throughout the home are not quite the same as getting a little fresh air.

The basement is unfinished and looks as though there may have been some flooding in the past. The carpet on the stairs has been removed, and there is a noticeable scent of mildew or mold. A humidifier has been placed in the basement running full time to try and dry it out. There seems to be a rough-in for a full bath here. This is a big plus for someone looking for a bit more living space in these homes.

Overall - this home has great potential for someone wanting to get into Potomac schools at a Gaithersburg price. There is outdoor parking for 2 cars, and the community fee is a reasonable $273 per month. This property is bank owned - and in a great location. I think this is a great opportunity for an investor as there is a real shortage of rental properties in Potomac. This would rent for $2600 a month. If you could get this for $400K - that would be close to a 6-7% return on investment. Look for this one to settle between $400 and $410K.

9712 Beman Woods Way - Avenel - $1,299,000

Listed by Long and Foster

Google Map Here

Avenel was one of the few communities in this area that was approved for building homes in close clusters. Not quite a zero lot line, but similar. This type of development is tough to do well. Avenel is one of the few developments that does.

This is a great looking all brick home in a blue chip community.Although a detached colonial, this home shows like a large town home. With an open entry foyer, this home still has a colonial feel. Dining room right, living room left a center hall brings you past the main stairway and into the family room and kitchen in the back of the home. All of the rooms are well appointed with moulding and hardwood. Although not large in comparison to many Avenel homes, this home has good scale.

The kitchen has ceramic floors and upscale - though original - appliances. The Corian counters are now out of favor and can be easily replaced by granite. Although it needs some updating, the kitchen is well designed and comfortable. A breakfast area looks out to the yard and french doors bring you out to a lovely slate porch.

Upstairs the master bedroom has a fireplace and two "Juliette" balconies. The master has both shower and Jacuzzi tub done in all white tile typical of the era. A sitting room is attached and is nice space to read as not to disturb a sleepy partner. The other 3 bedrooms are decent size with en-suite baths.

The basement is finished with a wood burning fireplace and carpeted floors. A full bath and bedroom could be a great guest suite or spot for a Nanny. There are rough-ins for a wet bar and wine cellar.

This is a nice home that needs a bit of updating. The price is fair and reflects the update costs. For someone looking in Avenel, this is one to see. This should settle in the $1.2 to $1.225 range when all is said and done.

4 Beman Woods Court - Avenel - $1,795,000

Listed by Long and Foster

Google Map Here

Avenel is a lovely planned community tucked in between Falls Road an Persimmon Tree Road. Upscale, it is the home of the TPC Potomac Golf Course that has just been selected to host the US Senior Golf Open. With a mix of detached, attached and zero lot line homes, this is a beautiful and well maintained place to live.

This Natelli built home is located on the golf course with views of the 17th and 18th fairways. A traditional brick colonial, this home shares a cobble driveway with a neighbor. The home is well maintained with groomed lawn and lovely landscape.

This home is a showplace. The foyer is open and warm with lovely hardwood and a 2 story foyer. Lots of windows let in plenty of light - you feel as though you are in a model home.

The large dining room is to your immediate right, with nice moulding and tasteful decor. You are drawn into the kitchen which is top end with granite and top of the line appliances. The kitchen has a nice breakfast area and is wide open to the family room. A slate patio looks upon the golf course and seems to be a great spot for a glass of wine, or front row seating for any golf event. A lovely dual fireplace peeks through to the living room on the other side. A large piano makes this room formal - once again open to the foyer.

Upstairs has 4 bedrooms, all en-suite. A large master bedroom has a smaller master bathroom attached. A full wall of windows keeps the room bright and a wall of built in cabinets hides the tv and stereo. There is a hall bath at the head of the stairs that seems out of place. Aren't all the bedrooms en-suite?

The basement has an open stair that leads to the main finished area. A large pool table, TV and seating makes for a great game room. A wine cellar will hold at least 500 bottles - even a tasting table to decant your favorite wine. Another large room serves as a library with floor to ceiling bookcases and comfortable seating areas. A full bedroom and bath for guests, or a very lucky Nanny in addition to plenty of storage space.

This home is priced right based upon the latest comps. This home is a perfect turnkey home for Tiger Woods, a CEO or high level executive. Great schools for the kids, chic golf and fabulous pedigreed neighborhood. If you are looking in this price range let me represent you. I want to negotiate for a case of the Opus One in the cellar with a ratified contract!

5 Meyer Point Drive - Avenel - 1,519,000

Listed By Long and Foster

Google Map Here

Avenel is an upscale planned community developed by Natelli in the early 1990's. Lots were sold to various developers, this one was built and sold by Mitchell and Best.

This is an attractive brick colonial located on a small cul-de-sac in Avenel. It backs to the TPC Avenel golf course and the grounds are well maintained by the Avenel Community Association. The homeowner fee that includes this maintenance is around $275 per month which needs to be considered when calculating your cost of ownership.

The home has nice curb appeal. There are many specimen trees on the lot which while certainly valuable, should be pruned back by the new homeowners. The front door is sheltered by a porch which will keep your house guests out of the weather. The foyer is open and beautifully designed. The marble tile is timeless and makes this space impressive. An office to the right has lots of built in cabinets that probably cost a bundle when new. Although the design is a bit dated, the room will be a windfall to those that want a home office. The family room is nice size with a fireplace and more built in cabinets for a home theatre. It looks like the wiring remains for you to hook up your system without fussing with running wire through walls. These laminate cabinets are very dated and will probably be removed by the new owners. It looks like the past owners left in a hurry as all the cabinets in the home are filled with stuff from the previous owners.

There is a nice sun room off the family room area that can be used as a 3 season room. There is a heating unit there which will extend your enjoyment of this space to all but the coldest (or hottest) months. The kitchen is nice but needs a thorough cleaning. If you are OK with Corian counters, a range replacement is all that is needed to make the space look good. The breakfast area is a large bump out and is all windows. There is plenty of natural light which will please most that like their coffee in the kitchen every morning.

The dining room and living rooms are impressive with elaborate mouldings and hardwood floors. There will be no complaints about this space from even the most critical of homeowners.

Upstairs has 4 bedrooms and 3 full baths. The master bedroom is good size, but not palatial. The bath is typical for homes built in the early 1990's. Lots of white tile and vanities with gold trim on the shower enclosures, mirror supports and fixtures. Although functional, this is currently out of style. At some point in the future a renovation is in order. The shower has room and shower heads for two. The sunken tub adds to the romantic theme that was big in the early 90's.

The baths upstairs are all original and in good condition. The laundry room is on this level, and has vinyl sheet flooring which is buckled and needs replacement.

The basement is fully finished and large. With a bedroom and full bath for Nanny or teen there is also a large office with built in white cabinets and computer space. There is also a large wall of built in cabinets for a basement theatre and an outside entrance to the back yard and patio. There is LOTS of space in this home.

The home next door sold late last year and settled on December 15th for $1,410,000. These homes are similar in size and finish and this neighborhood sale is a good predictor of what this home may ultimately sell for. This one should go for $1,410,000.

Are you interested in Chevy Chase homes?

Beeman Woods Court - Avenel - $1,849,999

It is hard to believe that I almost sold this home to a friend in 1994.

It is interesting to see a home again after many years. Sometimes a home changes dramatically. Sometimes it does not change a bit. This one is pretty much the same as when it was built in 1994. My buyer dropped this home off his list because he felt the cobblestone driveway would fail. The builder swore it would not, and he was right. It still looks great.

This home is owned by the son of the late Michael Rose. It seems both his home and his Dad's went on the market at the same time. The only thing these two properties have in common is the price. They are both overpriced by about 20%.

This home is a good looking 2,400-square-foot colonial style with an additional 1200 finished feet in the basement. The home has an elevator and a first floor master suite. These are the two main selling features. The home is on the golf course, but the views are not great. The basement is nice, but a bit chopped up. The right side of the basement has a nice finished club style area with wet bar that would be great for watching football.

The owners bought this home in the height of the market for $1.52MM. I think that they will be lucky to get out with their money, and if I was asked to predict whether they would, or wouldn't, I would guess they will not. Stay tuned.

I see this home as a harbinger of the spring market.

If it sells in the first few months at anywhere near the list price, we have hit the bottom of this market and are on the way back up.

Avenel Farm Drive - Avenel - $4,599,999

This home was formerly owned by Michael Rose, a prominent developer and home builder in the D.C. area. He bought the lot in 1988 and build his own home on this lot, sparing no amenities. He passed away in February 2007, and the home has been quietly updated over the past year.

This home is striking.

Michael Rose' trademark was open floor plans and dramatic flair. This home has it all. The foyer has dramatic cathedral ceilings with a very expensive chandelier accenting the space. The open plan is perfect for entertaining. A front bar just off the foyer is a great place to pick up a drink during your housewarming as you greet guests throughout the light filled spacious kitchen and family room.

The home has views of the golf course from all windows. Mr. Rose certainly picked a winner when he bought this lot. Beautifully sited, this home is filled with light. Even on a blustery day the inside was bright and warm.

An avid collector of Southwestern Art, the Rose collection is displayed everywhere you look. This space is a perfect showcase for the big bold oil paintings that strategically grace the walls.

The powder room on the main level, and the home theater in the basement use fiber optics to simulate a star filled sky on the ceilings. The powder room especially is very cool. All black, the room has a space age feel that will elicit oohs and aahs from guests.

The upstairs has three bedrooms, all with full baths en suite. The master bedroom on the main level is palatial. High ceilings, great ceiling fan and plenty of space for closets, storage and stand alone shower.

The basement too is open space with walls of windows. The light pours over a large seating area, a billiard area, a home theatre, and a fully outfitted exercise room. A full bar, wine cellar and fur vault are on the back end of the bottom level next to a full service bar. Entertainment? This is a perfect home for those who love to entertain.

This home shows very well. It is not my style, and won't be the style for many, but someone will fall in love with this space. The home was built when pickled oak was popular. This lends to a slightly dated feel to the decor. I suspect that many of the upgrades done over the past few years attempted to get rid of this feel, but it still lingers.

When you get to this "one of a kind" custom home, it is hard to put a price on what it is worth. Although a premium lot, in my mind it is hard to justify the $4.6MM price tag. Kudos to the folks that prepared this home for sale. It is a beauty. I will be curious to see what the final price will be. Stay tuned, I will revisit this one when it does. I predict $3.6MM. I don't have a logical basis for that number, but I know at that price it compares to similarly priced custom homes in the area.