9229 Bentridge Avenue - Fallsreach - $1,149,000

9229 Bentridge Avenue - Potomac
Listed by Long and Foster

Fallsreach is a fabulous neighborhood on the west side of Falls Road.  Built in the late 1970's through early 1980's - this was a "move-up" community for many in the Potomac area in the 60's and 70's.  The homes are solidly constructed and well appointed.  Most have been updated to some extent and as with most neighborhoods in Potomac ~ the schools are fabulous.


This home is tucked in on a pipe stem just off Bentridge Avenue.  The location is off the main street and offers a nice private enclave shared with another home.  There is an enormous amount of open space next to the home that will never be built upon. Although some will be concerned about the high tension wires - others will see it as a guarantee of privacy for the future.

This home was built by Mitchell and Best in 1980.  The owners have recently updated the home with a huge side addition.  You enter into a tile foyer with nicely painted walls and trim.  An extended dining room is to the right and a large family room and fireplace to the left.  Lovely hardwood is laid throughout the first level - including the addition.

The kitchen is HUGE.  Granite and high end appliances with a very large island highlight the kitchen.  Plenty of space for bar stools - and a great spot for a party.  The kitchen extends to a breakfast area that is large enough to fit half of the neighborhood.  Filled with windows - it has great light and pleasant views.

There is a large room behind the garage that is a fabulous office.  This large space would be perfect for a home based business.  It is unexpected space - discretely tucked in behind the garage.  This home is full of surprises.  The addition on the right side of the home is quite large.  Two rooms can be used for purpose you like.  Living room, dining room - larger family room.  Make your choice and furnish appropriately.

Upstairs has 3 large bedrooms and a fabulous extended master suite.  A large master bath with Green marble - extra large shower stall and lots of light will please the most critical of buyers.  Other bedrooms are large enough for teens to stretch out and never complain about space.

The basement is finished - so if you ever need more space - here it is.  The basement has not been updated in a while - but who cares?  More space than you will ever need are on the main levels.

Wow - this home is big!  On a square foot basis it is a steal at the price.  My only concern is will the neighborhood support the value?  It would be the most expensive home sold in Fallsreach ever.  With the power lines and private pipe stem - it may not appeal to all buyers.  I see this one selling for over a million - but where over a million?  Depends upon the market.  Look for this one to settle between $1,025,00 and $1,050,000 when all is said and done.  It may take a while - as many of the million plus buyers are looking for a location closer to Potomac Village.

11514 Gainsborough Road - Regency Estates - $569,000

11514 Gainsborough Road - Potomac
Listed by Long and Foster

Regency Estates is one of the few remaining neighborhoods in Potomac that you can find a single family home for under $600,000. Located between Seven Locks and Falls Road - It is well located for commuters and feeds into the Churchill High cluster - one of the best schools in the Tri-state area.


This community was built in the early 1960's - and most of the homes in the neighborhood have been updated over the years.  This home is a tidy brick rambler that sits on a third of an acre.  It looks like the driveway was just replaced - and the slate walk has recently been re-pointed.  This is always a good sign when walking into a home.

The foyer is shallow - with the door to the kitchen on the immediate right.  The kitchen has been updated with nice tile floor - stainless steel appliances and hardwood cabinets.  There is plenty of room for a kitchen table in front - and the bay window lets in great light.

The foyer continues in to a living room and dining room combo in the back of the home.  Nice hardwood floors - typical of the era - are well maintained and look great.  Neutral paint colors make it easy to picture how your furniture will fit in the open space.

Three large bedrooms and an updated bath round off the upper level.  The master bath has been updated over the years - and look great.  A large stall shower - and newer toilet and sink are contemporary and need not be updated.  Once again - neutral colors - neat and clean make this very attractive.

The lower level is larger than you think.  A large family room leaves plenty of space for TV or toy room.  A bedroom and full bath are perfect for an Au-pair or rebellious teen.  An exit via area way gives easy ingress and egress to this space.  A laundry room and storage finish off the space - and overall - a nice package.

The price? - Anything under $600K for a mostly renovated house is a good price.  This one is priced reasonably and should sell very quickly.  It should probably sell within 5% of list price.  The inventory in this market is low - which bodes well for the seller. 

10313 Logan Drive - Heritage Farm - $995,000

10313 Logan Drive - Heritage Farm
Listed by Long and Foster

There are still people out there that are crying the blues that the real estate market is in bad shape.  The lack of inventory in the Potomac market is providing a strong indicator that the market may be on it's way back to normal.

Heritage Farm is one of my favorite neighborhoods in all of Potomac - without regard to price.  It is located within a short walk of Potomac Village - has GREAT schools - and is an easy commute to the Beltway.  Built in the early 1970's - the neighborhood is a mix of original homes and those that have been updated.

This brick colonial on Logan Drive is lovely.  It has been updated by the current owners - and a significant addition has been added to the rear of the home to enlarge the kitchen and family room.

The home is set up on a knoll - and seems nicely maintained on the exterior.  A slate walk brings you to the main entry and into a hardwood foyer.  To your left is a step down office which is typical for this model.  To your right is a large living room with large windows that allow in plenty of light.  The dining room is adjacent.  It is decent size and has a convenient entry to the kitchen area.

The kitchen has been completely redone.  Stainless and granite - with good quality cabinets and thoughtful lighting.  The extension increases the size of the room dramatically.  A large space for a family size breakfast table opens into a large family room with masonry fireplace.  Wide open - this will appeal to those that entertain and those that have kids.  You would never be more than a few steps away from your guests or little ones.  A laundry room is just off the family room - isolated from the public space - and en-route to the 2 car garage.

The upstairs has also been updated.  The master bedroom is a step down and features 2 full baths.  One is more elaborate than the other - but certainly will work well for those that fight over bathroom space in homes of this size.  Another 3 teen size bedrooms are on the right side of the home and the hall bath serving them has been nicely updated.  Overall - lovely space for sleeping upstairs and lovely space for living downstairs.

The basement is a "Half" basement. - crawl space under part of the home and finished nicely on the other side.  There is plenty of room for storage - a full bath - and place for a kitchenette should you need a live in nanny.  The space feels good - and has been well thought out.

The downsides?  Not much to complain about in this home.  The backyard is fully fenced - but the bump out  of the living area limits the usable space.  A decent size lot - but there is an uphill that takes away from the usable portion of the lot.  This may be a perfect setup for a large ground level deck.  The new owners can get creative once they figure how they will need the space.

I think this is priced well.  It was smart to market at below the $1mm mark.  This is not one of the larger models in the community - but the bump out and upgrades will allow it to stand toe to toe with all comers.  I like this house - and I love the neighborhood.  Look for this to sell in the $940K range when all is said and done.

Speed Cameras... Safety or REVENUE?

KUDOS! to Geoff Tracy.....


It was just over two years ago that a speed camera snapped my photo on Route 28 and Seneca Road in North Potomac.  I was travelling 40 miles an hour - at 1am.


Anyone that travels that road knows that it is a high volume and speed roadway which lends itself to higher speeds.  I have long claimed that for Montgomery County and other jurisdictions, this is less about safety and more about revenue generation.

Geoff Tracy - Celebrity Chef

I was thrilled to see Jeff Tracy on the news last night protesting the speed cameras that have been snapping pics of cars on Foxhall Road near his home at an alarming rate.  


He is set to hire someone to hold a warning sign that will give potential speed camera victims a heads up and a chance to slow down.  I love the fact that he is willing to put his money where his mouth is, and stand up for what he believes is an unfair money maker for the District.


Today I am going to try and save Geoff some money - and provide signs for this camera location to give drivers some warning.  I hope to save at least a few people  a ticket - and stand in solidarity with one of D.C.'s great chefs - and speed camera opponent.


Please share this post if you agree - let's get Geoff and this issue some attention!