9233 Farnsworth Drive - Potomac Outside - $935,000

Listed By Weichert

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Do you LOVE azaleas? Do you Love to garden? Are you looking to downsize from a big Potomac home, but don't want to give up your yard? Have I got a home for you!

This is listed as "Potomac Outside", but is really Potomac close in. Located off Kendale Road (Just off Bradley Blvd.) this is on the corner of Kendale Road and Farnsworth Drive. This 1953 rambler is a gardeners dream. There are hundreds of mature azaleas and specimen trees and shrubs. All of them are tagged and cataloged. FANTASTIC!

This home has been partially renovated and has good bones. The first level has 4 bedrooms and 2 original full baths. Although original, the bath, and entire home are in good condition. This home is livable, and can be a work in progress while renovated into your dream home. The public space has already been updated. The kitchen has been nicely renovated and the rest of the home kept neat as a pin.

The basement is where the potential lies. The basement is huge, with finished rooms galore. The space is dated, and really broken up. A complete re-do could open this space up, and make this space fabulous.

I can go on forever about this home. I am a sucker for beautiful yards and landscape. I will say that this home is priced close to the price of a lot in this neighborhood. It would be a shame to knock this one down, but the reality is this could happen.

For sentimental reasons, I am making this home the value of the week. A smart home buyer can get this one a bit cheaper, but it is well priced at $925K. Don't miss this one!

I'm Back - A Bit Jetlagged - Ready to Review

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It is hard to believe I have been away for only two weeks.

The tour of China was fantastic. Wake up call was at 7am, and we did not get dropped off from tour until close to 9pm. I need a vacation from this vacation!

The children from Potomac Elementary were FABULOUS. Every one of them should be proud of themselves. They represented Potomac, Maryland in a way that should make everyone that lives here proud. Kudos to all of the Chinese Immersion teachers at Potomac Elementary. Special thanks to Dr. Zhian Zhang for all of his hard work and dedication to our children.

China is 12 hours ahead of us - a dozen time zones. The flight back was close to 14 hours. Over the north pole to Chicago and then on to Dulles. All of us in the tour are adjusting back to a normal schedule. Currently I am waking at 4am trying to readjust. It will be a week before I can wake up at a normal time.

Although tired, I am touring new listings and will begin to review again tomorrow. The reviews may be every other day for a bit, but I should be back to daily reviews in the next few weeks.

Stay tuned!

Potomac Elementary Students and Parents touring the Forbidden City.

Students with guard at the Monument to the People's Heros at Tianianmen Square

Potomac Students with their penpals performing at a school in Beijing

10121 Sorrel Avenue - Blenheim - $1,350,000

Listed by Llewellyn

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POTOMAC SECRET AGENT HAS FILED THIS REPORT REMOTELY FROM YANGSHUO, CHINA

Potomac can be a very traditional place to shop for a home. Touring a Contemporary home is always a nice break from the usual Colonials and Split Levels that dominate the market.

This home has good curb appeal with a beautiful landscaped front yard. The azaleas and flowering shrubs will soon create a scene as they burst into bloom. There are lots of beautiful plants and trees on this lot. With .75 acres, it will certainly appeal to those with a green thumb.

There is no doubt this is a 1970’s era contemporary. The wood and glass design cost a pretty penny when it was built in 1974. Crowell and Baker were quality builders of the day. This was a custom project for them and quality work.

You notice the beautiful double door the moment you walk up. Custom made, they both open to allow free access to the interior. It happened to be a beautiful day when I visited and the agent had the doors wide open to the outside. It was lovely.

The idea of this design is to bring the outside in. The double doors in front are only one of the design aspects that reinforce this goal. The natural wood interior, wood floors, large wall of windows to the back-yard are all dramatic elements in this home. Those that love Contemporary design will appreciate the thought that went into these plans.

The cost to implement had to be high, for building a contemporary home is not for the budget conscious or feint of heart. Most folks that love contemporary design have a passion for it. Cost is often secondary to realize their vision.

The kitchen is on the back left side of the home as you walk in. It has cork flooring (Great for cooks as it is easy on the legs), and has recently been renovated. Granite counters and high end appliances will make any chef proud. The great room is 2 stories and has glass doors to the exterior. There is a lot of natural light and a view of the in-ground pool and patio.

The master suite is on the first floor in this home. The bedroom has his and her baths – all with original tile and fixtures. The colors are groovy…..they are so 1974. The sunken tub was a rare luxury in 1974. This one is great fun and very retro. The bedroom is very cool and is ready for someone to update the space.

The upstairs has 4 additional bedrooms. All are decent size, and share 2 full baths. The baths all have original tile. One bath is Orange and the other is Yellow. The tile is very high end, and had to be very expensive. The installation is like a vertical subway design. This is very chic and very bright.

The basement level is fully finished. There is a bedroom and full bath down here. There is lots of space, but there is SO much clutter. There is also a wood shop down here with its own ventilation system. Those that love woodworking will be pleased.

This is a great home. The bones are good, the construction is quality. The design is classic contemporary and is still very much in style. This home needs some TLC and someone with passion to love it once again. I would love to see this home in the hands of an architect or someone with the money and time to rejuvenate it. It will be very worthwhile.

It is going to take the right people to see this home and fall in love with it. It will take one of those “Passionate” lovers of Contemporary design to see the value in this home as it is. It would be a shame for someone to come in and rip out all of the 1970’s tile and bath fixtures. I may sarcastically say they are “Groovy”, but the quality and era is beautiful.

I would not be surprised to see this home sell at list price. I would also not be surprised to see this go at 10% below list price. It will all depend on who falls in love when they see it. This should fetch $1.215, 000 when the time comes.

10033 Weatherwood Court - Glen Oaks - $849,000

Listed by Long and Foster

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POTOMAC SECRET AGENT HAS POSTED THIS REVIEW REMOTELY FROM XIAN, CHINA

This is a beautiful corner lot shaded by large trees in the Glen Oaks community. It is a Dutch colonial with cedar shake roof that has great curb appeal. The azaleas that circle the trees out front are already budded ready to put on a show in a few weeks.

This home was built in 1970 and has been well cared for. The hardwood is throughout the home and is in good condition. The public rooms have nice moldings throughout and the dining room is mirrored to make it look a bit larger. The kitchen has a tile floor and has been recently updated. Granite countertops and nice appliances will thrill homeowners in this price range.

The backyard has a nice slate patio and retaining walls. A great play set in the yard will make smaller kids in the family very happy to move. All in all, a great place to raise a family.

The upstairs has 4 bedrooms. The master is nice size, and the attached bath could use some updating. The other bedrooms are all teen size and share an additional full bath on this level.

The basement is finished and has a rough in for a full bath. There is storage and laundry in addition to a decent size area for playroom or TV.

This home is priced right. I do not see this one lasting 30 days in this market. The home shows well and has been well prepared for market. I would not be surprised to see this one go at full price. In a buyers market, all sellers have to give a little. I say this settles at $835,000.