7400 Brickyard Road - River Falls - $1,149,990

Listed by L&F

Google Map Here

River Falls has always been one of my favorite communities in Potomac. It has a fantastic cohesiveness - and is a neighborhood where many that grew up here - come back to raise their families. I feel there is no better reason than that to put this community on your must see list.

Brickyard Road connects MacArthur Boulevard and Falls Road. The road defines the eastern border of River Falls, and has a series of traffic circles to keep speeds low. This home is hidden from the street by some large pines - and there was no hint of traffic noise from inside.

This is a formal colonial with a typical center foyer. Living room left and office right - the home is nicely decorated. As you work your way back to the kitchen - you notice BOLD decorating choices. Colors are avant garde and some may say cutting edge. Every good Realtor will tell you - Paint is cheap.

The kitchen is lovely. Taking a page from HGTV - they have opted to leave out upper cabinets in the kitchen area which gives the room a much different feel. There is an enormous center island - granite and base cabinets - that will provide a stage for any home cook. A back wall of windows brings plenty of light into this space.

A door to the deck provides access to an incredible outside space. A large spacious deck leads to a screened in gazebo to allow you to enjoy the cool evenings without the bother of ubiquitous mosquitoes. A fenced yard and garden is a lovely backdrop to the deck and will be a joy for those with a green thumb or pets that need a fenced area.

Although this is a nice home - it is a bit over the top from a decorating standpoint. The kitchen has an interesting plan - but maybe not the most practical. There is not a exhaust to the cook top - the kitchen cabinets are IKEA and the "flow" is cumbersome. Not the best choices in a $1mm+ home. With that said - I see this settling at a discount from list price. The cost to tone this home down and "fix" the kitchen will be calculated into any offer. Look for this to settle at around $1,050,000 when the ink is dry.

8305 River Falls Drive - River Falls - $1,285,000

Listed by WFP

Google Map Here

River Falls is one of the most tightly knit communities in Potomac. Neighborly, well maintained and always in demand - River Falls is on my Top 10 list for communities in 20854.

This home has lovely curb appeal. With a great brick front and Georgian design - this is a beautiful home. Built in 1980 - this home has been beautifully updated and is a "turnkey" home for someone that does not want to deal with renovation.

The foyer of this home is formal with a slate floor. The rest of the first floor is lovely hardwood. With chair rail and crown moulding - the public areas on the main level are nicely done. Paint and decor will please even the most critical of home buyers. All you have to do is move your furnishings in. The kitchen has been completely redone with 42" cabinets and granite counter tops. An island gives plenty of space for food prep and a great place for guests to chat during a dinner party. The owners did a nice job in making this space warm and inviting. The kitchen looks out on a great fenced yard - perfect for those with pets and a those gardeners that want to keep out the deer.

A formal stairway brings you up to the carpeted second level. With 5 bedrooms upstairs and 3 full baths - this home is plenty large. A spacious master suite and updated master bath provides plenty of room for the owners. The other bedrooms upstairs are large and two of them share a Jack and Jill bath. The remaining bedroom would be a great guest room and has a bath to itself. The basement is nicely finished and has an additional bedroom and full bath. This would be perfect for a Nanny or a teenager that wants their space.

Overall this is a lovely home. With Whitman schools and updates already done -it is an attractive option for someone looking in the Potomac market. At $1,285,000 it is priced reasonably. With the market heating up, and inventory low it should sell within 5% of the list price.

7001 Masters Drive - River Falls - $1,150,000

Listed By WFP
Google Map Here

This is one of the prettiest homes from the outside I have seen in a long time in Potomac. This is what the term "Curb Appeal" is all about.

This is a very nice home in the River Falls community in Potomac. This is the "Lowell" model with 5 bedrooms and 3 full baths upstairs and a very nice circular flow to the floor plan.

This home has been very well maintained, and it shows. There are beautiful hardwood floors, tile foyer and three season porch that has been added off the kitchen.

This house is livable as it is, but the new owners may want to plan to redo the kitchen. Although it looks like it was partially upgraded, the cabinets seem original and the dark bead-board dated. The basement too will need an update. Although finished, it needs some upgrading. The space was not well planed when the basement was originally finished so it should have the space there repartitioned. PLEASE save some of the red carpet going downstairs. It is classic, and will certainly get the attention of your guests.

This one is fairly priced for this marketplace. The home is vacant, so maybe an offer is in order. At 1.1mm this home is a good deal.

SOLD - Stable Lane - River Falls - $899,900

SETTLED 1/12/09 $865,000

For anyone wanting to live in the River Falls subdivision, this is a great value.

Anyone buying this home is taking on a project. Built in 1968, this home still has the avocado appliances in the original kitchen. This is going to be a complete re-do.

The good news for anyone buying this home is the neighborhood is "Blue Chip". A few hundred thousand invested in updating this home will come back in full. The location, schools and neighborhood will easily support the increase in value.

This home is already assessed at $1.25mm. The lot is a level and usable 1/3 acre. This home screams potential. How often do you get a chance to buy a home in a Potomac neighborhood of this pedigree for less then 1mm? I will answer for you...almost never.

The only issue I had with this home was the master bedroom suite. It will have to be reconfigured to better fit today's style. It is large and takes up at least a third of the upper level. My instincts tell me that a consult with an architect could deliver amazing results with this space.

This home is one of the few I have seen in the past few weeks priced correctly from the start. Although it may not sell at the $899K asking price, it will generate enough attention to get sold. I see this going for $860K. In this tough market, this is the first step in getting a home sold. Kudos to the listing agent. I see this one sold within 30 days.

SOLD - 7905 River Falls Drive - River Falls - $1,075,000

SOLD for $1,035,000 on 12-18-2008

River Falls is one of my favorite communities in Potomac. It is one of the few communities near the village without the "excess" of many Potomac neighborhoods. Great schools, good location, great sense of community keep River Falls in demand.

This is not a large home. A center foyer colonial, it is about 2800 square feet. Nicely decorated and maintained, this home has been updated over the years, and would not need any immediate upgrades. Decor is tasteful, but not up to date. A new buyer could easily change the feel of the home with some painting and inexpensive upgrades.

The home is on the market for $1,075,000. This is in line with other properties in the neighborhood, but will not sell for this price. There are other neighborhoods such as Heritage Farms that have better proximity to the village, similar neighborhood attributes and slightly larger homes. When all is said and done, this one will go for $1,025,000.