11809 Devilwood Drive - Regent Park - $625,000

Listed by L&F

Google Map Here

This home is located a block off Seven Locks Road near Montrose Road. This 1963 rambler has been updated and extended with plenty of room for a family.

This home has been well maintained with an inviting brick walk leading to a new slate porch. The door opens to a small hardwood foyer that looks directly into an expanded and almost new kitchen. Beyond the kitchen is a 22x22 foot sun room with windows on all sides.

The living room and dining room are on your left side and are all hardwood. It looks like the carpet has been taken up here and the padding left. There is a musty odor that may go away if the padding is removed - I would advise the owners to take them up.

The bedrooms are on the left side of the home. There are two small kids bedrooms and a smaller master. The hall bath has been nicely redone with blue tile and looks great. The master bath has been updated, but needs some TLC. If there is hardwood underneath (I suspect there is) I would remove the carpet from the house. If the floors need it, they can be refinished. Removing the carpet and refinishing the floors will make it show much better and maybe rid the home of the musty odor.

The kitchen is large and completely redone with maple cabinets and granite. An island and fireplace make the kitchen show very well. The laundry facilities have also been moved to a closet at the far end of the kitchen. This update makes the home worth a second look.

The basement is unfinished and large. Freshly painted floors and zero clutter allow this space to show well. There is a door to a 2 car garage that is below the sun room above. There is a lot of potential to finish this area.

This home is larger then it looks from the outside. Great location for schools, shopping and commute make this an attractive possibility. This one should sell in the $615,000 range when all is said and done.

1390 Canterbury Way - Potomac Woods - $539,900

Listed by Weichert

Google Map Here

Potomac Woods is a mix of small colonials and splits on the north side of Montrose Road. Built in 1964 - this home has been updated but will need some additional TLC.

Potomac woods is a nice neighborhood in a great location. Located in the Richard Montgomery Cluster - the home is less expensive then those of similar size with Churchill or Wootton High Schools. This neighborhood is fabulous for those who want the 20854 zip code without the Potomac price.

This home is brick and frame on a quiet street. The home seems to be well maintained from the exterior and has decent curb appeal.

The foyer is open to the living room and dining room and is hardwood throughout. The bay window and back slider have been updated with double paned glass at some time in the recent past. The far wall in the main rooms is painted paneling. Although the paint on the paneling updates the look - all of the walls in this home are in need of pointing up and paint.

The kitchen has been updated with dark tile on the floor and a recent countertop upgrade. The cabinets are newer with some type of dark reddish cherry stain. All appliances except for the range have been recently replaced. The walls in this room also need pointing up and paint. It could also use a thorough cleaning. They left some decorative beams in the ceiling area. They don't match the cabinetry and should be stained to match or removed.

Downstairs in the family room there is a fireplace with full brick wall. Pergo has been installed as flooring here and in the back utility room. The lowest level of the basement is unfinished and houses the furnace and water heater. There is also plenty of space for storage on this level.

There is brown carpeting on the stairs to the upper level that looks like it is older. There is an odor as you walk up to the stairs that is emanating from the hall bath. I don't know what this is, but it is strong and offensive. Something should be done to get rid of or at least calm this issue. Any potential buyers should investigate the cause to be sure there is no long term issue that will come back to haunt them.

The bedrooms are typical for a 1960 split. They are small but serviceable. The baths are in rough shape and should be on the top of the "to-do" list. Maybe gutting the hall bath will solve the odor problem. The brown carpet should also be taken up, especially if there is hardwood below. I'd rather see hardwood with stains then older brown carpet.

This is a short sale that at one point was under contract. Although priced attractively, this will need some work to make it nice. It would sell faster and at a higher price with a good cleaning and coat of paint. This should go for between $510K and $520K when the ink dries.

11824 Seven Locks Road - Regency Estates - $525,000

Listed by Forum Properties

Google Map Here

This rambler is located on busy Seven Locks Road and part of Regency Estates. Built in 1962 this home is in the coveted Churchill school cluster and very close to shopping, worship and transportation.

This home has an interesting look from the street. The former carport has been closed in and has french doors facing the street for access. The porch is supported by painted iron posts and give the home a "French Quarter" feel. The brick and frame structure seems to be in good shape on the exterior and the landscape has been nicely maintained.

As soon as you walk in the home you notice the fresh paint and hardwood floors. Unfortunately, you also notice an odor that may be from the carpet. Although not overwhelming, the odor certainly lingers, and may be from old pet stains.

The foyer leads into a carpeted living room area that adjoins a decent size dining room. Although I am not normally a fan of mirrored walls, the one in the dining room makes the room look lots bigger. The large individually paned bay window opens to the back yard and brings in good light. Although the old window is probably an energy drain - the light it allows in the house is worth it.

The kitchen has been updated at some point in the past by sanding down the original cabinets and replacing the old formica. The kitchen is good size and could stand to be upgraded again. Someone with vision can make this a lovely space. The side exterior door leads into the carport which has been enclosed and floored with Pergo. There is a washer dryer out here, and I am still scratching my head trying to figure out what this room was used for. It is possible it was used for a home business with an exterior door to allow clients in.

There is a decent deck on the back of the home with access from the back of the old carport and steps from the fenced yard.

The listing calls this a 4 bedroom home, but realistically it is only 3 bedrooms. It looks like one of the original bedrooms was split into two rooms. The original door is blocked off from the hall and the old entry space has become a closet. It would be best to convert this back to the original design. The bedrooms are typical for a home of this era. Small but functional. The original blue and mint green bath fixtures and sinks are glaringly 1960's. The baths are in rough shape and should be top priority for renovation.

The downstairs area has a family room and fireplace replete with burnt orange carpet. An exterior door walks out to a decent fenced yard. There is a half bath and shower down here and it looks like the basement was used as an accessory apartment at some point.

This home needs a lot of TLC. Paint can make a place look a bit better, but won't solve glaring problems. This home would be great for a contractor that is looking for a place to live and can improve this home over time. It will take $50k to make this home attractive again. I see this one settling in the $475,000 range when all is said and done.

2010 - The Year to BUY in Potomac

Happy New Year!

2010 should be a winner ~ and maybe your last opportunity to find a bargain in the Potomac market.

December was my busiest month all year. I found great homes for three buyers in the past month. Finding these gems is hard work. Inventory is low, and if priced reasonably homes less then One Million dollars are selling very quickly. Are you still waiting for the market to "turn around"?

Reviews of homes start again in earnest this week. I will be seeing homes in Regency Estates, Potomac Woods, Lake Potomac and Winterset. Let me know if there are any neighborhoods or homes you would like to see reviewed.

Thank all of you that have supported my site this past year. I am looking forward to remaining the top site on the web for reviews of Potomac homes.