Dana's Blog: Bethesda... and Beyond!

I hope you get to enjoy some of these free Holiday Events in and around our Nations Capital in the coming weeks-

Lighting of the National Christmas Tree Ceremony   Tickets required for the lighting ceremony December 1, 2011. Tree and the Pathway of Peace are illuminated until 11 p.m. until Jan. 1. Musical performances held nightly on the Ellipse stage.   

U. S. Botanic Gardenlive musical performances Tuesdays and Thursdays 6 to 8 p.m. in December. The United States Botanic Garden Conservatory is open to the public, free of charge, every day of the year. 100 Maryland Avenue, SW, 202 225 8333 or www.usbg.gov.

Thursday Dec 1  6-8pm -Laissez Foure, swingin' jazz quartet

Tuesday Dec 6 6-8pm -Downtown Quartet, barbershop quartet                    

Thursday Dec 8 6:30-8pm -Convivium, choral group                                      

Holiday concerts at The Willard Hotel Choral & musical  ensembles from the DC area, 5:30-7:30 throughout December, 1401 Pennsylvania Ave NW, washington.intercontinental.com/ FREE

December 1 The Washington Chorus                            

December 2 Open Fifths                                               

December 3 The Encore Singers                                    

December 4 Alexandria Singers                                   

December 5 Musica Oriana                                           

December 6 Potomac Harmony Chorus                         

December 7 Illuminare                                                   

December 8 Washington Women’s Chorus                    

Festival of Lights - The Mormon Temple in Kensington MD is open to all during the Christmas season, and its surrounding grounds shine brightly with more than 450,000 lights. Local musical groups perform live concerts. December 2 to January 1, 6:30pm – 10 pm details at www.dctemplelights.lds.org (301- 587-0144) FREE        

ZoolightsDec 2-4, 9-11, 16-23, 26-30 and Jan. 1 from 5 to 9. A display of animal sculptures made from thousands of environmentally friendly LED lights. Animal housesremain open during the event. Kids’ Farm-themed model train in the Visitor Center auditorium. Gingerbread habitat contest winners revealed Dec 11 at 6. Ice less skating rink at the zoo’s picnic pavilion. National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW (202-633-4888) www.nationalzoo.si.edu  Free Admission - $5 for 30-minute skate session, $2 skate rental

Handel’s Messiah - Calvary Baptist Church Dec 2 at 7:30. Conducted by Cheryl Branham with soprano Natalie Barrens, mezzo-contralto Susan Sevier, tenor Dwayne Pinkney and baritone Rameen Chaharbaghi. Calvary Baptist Church, 755 Eighth St. NW (202-347-8355) FREE

Holiday Boat Parade of Lights Dec. 3 at 4pm. Alexandria’s harbor lights up when more than 50 brightly lit sailing and powered leisure boats cruise the Potomac at the city’s historic waterfront. Santa arrives by fireboat at 4:15. Parade begins at 6. Alexandria (703- 746-3301) www.visitalexandriava.com FREE

Handel’s Messiah - Fairlington United Methodist Church Dec 4 at 4. Louise C Wilson conducts with guest soloist’s soprano Jennifer Holbrook, counter tenor Daniel Moody, tenor Pete Scott Srackley and bass Jeffery Grayson Gates. Fairlington United Methodist Church, 3900 King St., Alexandria (703-671-8557) www.fairlingtonumc.org FREE - Messiah score $8

Gardeners' Holiday Open House Dec. 4 from noon to 4. Botanic decorations, a toy train display, doll and nutcracker collections, a children's puppet show, refreshments and a gift shop. Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Rd., Alexandria area. (703-642-5173) fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/gsgp. FREE

Rockville Town Square Holiday Open House & Tree LightingDecember 7th 6:30-9pm: Santa, Tree Lighting,  Horse & Carriage Rides with donation of a new toy or gift card to the Housing Opportunities Commission, Walter Johnson High School Choir, Dawn Crafton Dance  Studio, Rockville Musical Theater Center in Rockville  FREE

5 Tips for Inspecting and Maintaining Your Garage

By: G. M. Filisko

Published: March 15, 2010

Routine maintenance will help your garage retain its value and keep it trouble-free for decades.

1. Keep your garage door running smoothly

Most newer garage doors come self-lubricated or with plastic parts that need no oil, according to builder Fred Cann, owner of JRS Solutions in Melville, N.Y. You’ll need to annually oil older doors with metal rollers, hinges, and tracks. “Use a leaf blower to blast all the grit, grime, dust, cobwebs, and dead bugs from the door’s parts,” advises Mark Secord, brand manager for PremierGarage in Mobile, Ala.

Occasionally check the rubber seal on the bottom of your garage door. It can harden or chip away from wear and tear, allowing the elements to seep under your door. Replacing the seal costs less than $100. Your door may be hitting the ground too forcefully and jarring all the parts, crushing the rubber seal, or allowing light to peek through at the bottom when the door is at rest. To correct those problems, says Secord, use a screwdriver to alter the travel limit adjustment located on the door opener’s control box.

Regularly test the garage door’s sensors to be sure they still prevent it from closing if something—like your child or pet—is in the way.

2. Clean your garage floor

Hose down your garage floor annually to prevent slip hazards, stains, and pockmarks caused by road salt and auto fluids, recommends Secord. You may notice hairline cracks in your concrete slab, but those are generally no cause for concern, says Paul Fisher, owner of Danley’s Garage World in Chicago.

If there’s a serious trip hazard because of concrete that’s crumbled or separated ¼-inch or more, take action. You can try a do-it-yourself patch with a $5 concrete mix from your local hardware store. But patched concrete often doesn’t adhere to the original slab, says Fisher, especially if a car regularly passes over the patched area. If necessary, ask a licensed concrete contractor for an estimate on replacing your slab, which typically costs about $5 per square foot.

Experts disagree on whether to treat a garage slab with a sealant. “Sealants don’t protect the slab at all; they’re just for aesthetics,” says Cann, who worked as an engineer for the city of New York for 10 years. “We had more problems after we sealed and painted garage slabs. The paint would chip, discolor, or become slippery. I’d leave concrete alone.”

Secord, however, sells garage floor sealants and says they protect the concrete, prevent discoloration, and are easier to clean than bare concrete. Do-it-yourself sealants for an average two-car garage cost about $800 to $1,200 and need reapplication every three to five years. One-time, professional applications cost $1,500 to $2,000, says Secord.

3. Monitor your garage walls and foundation

Inspect interior and exterior walls and the foundation twice a year for moisture and cracks. If you see discoloration or mold, moisture is seeping in from the roof or the walls. Call a building or roofing contractor for an inspection and repair estimates.

Wall and foundation cracks smaller than ¼-inch wide that aren’t causing water damage are typically harmless. “Anything larger than a hairline crack is something to be concerned about,” says Cann. “If one side of your ceiling appears a little lower than the other, the foundation or footing has settled.” That’s sometimes hard to evaluate with a visual inspection; if necessary, get out your level.

Structural concerns require an expert evaluation. Cann suggests hiring a structural engineer, who will charge $200 to $300 per hour but won’t hype potential problems to secure the repair work.

4. Clean interior doors and gutters

Once a year, clean and inspect the interior door. Make sure the door is properly weatherstripped and that the threshold seal fits snugly against the bottom of the door.

Most building codes require the door allowing entry to your home to be fire-rated and self-closing. If the door is damaged or the self-closing mechanism has failed, repair or replace it. You’ll pay $250 to $300 for a new fire-rated door, plus $25 to $75 for installation.

If your garage has gutters, clean them every spring and fall and inspect them for damage. While you’re at it, check your roof for damaged or missing shingles or tiles.

5. Watch for pest invasions

Insects like termites and carpenter ants can furtively damage your garage walls. Inspect dark, cool, and moist spots, especially where garage walls meet the foundation, for borings from carpenter ants or termites. “Termites digest the lumber, but carpenter ants tunnel it,” says Cann. “If you see trails of sawdust, it’s carpenter ants. If you see chewed wood, it’ll likely be termites.” Call in pest-control experts for an inspection and treatment.

G.M. Filisko is an attorney and award-winning writer who oversaw the renovation of her condo association’s five-space garage so a sixth space could be added—for her. A frequent contributor to many national publications including Bankrate.com, REALTOR® Magazine, and the American Bar Association Journal, she specializes in real estate, business, personal finance, and legal topics.

Bethesda Zip code 20814 shows a decrease over September 2010 by 10% in total home sales volume. The average home sale prices were also down 10.53% in this zip code. Let's just hope this is not a trend!

Sold Summary

Bethesda Zip code 20816 shows a decrease over September 2010 by 33.33% in total home sales volume. The more bad news is the average home sale prices were down 11.40% in this zip code. Let's just hope things turn around soon!

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Are you looking for a real estate bargain in Bethesda? The search starts here, and with a phone call to me, so I can get you in to see some of these properties. If its a real bargain, it will go fast. But not all foreclosures are bargains. Some of them were just over-priced listings on a busy road in 2005, and they may have some issue or defect which today's buyers are unwilling to overlook.

There are 2 Bethesda Foreclosures listed for sale today (November 4, 2011). One is a single family home, a 2 bedroom 3 bath house at 9919 MACARTHUR BLVD,  priced at $699,900.

In addition, there are 10 properties in Bethesda listed as "short sales" (when the seller is "under water" and doesn't have the cash to make up the difference to the lender). These include 4 luxury single family homes, including an Colonial home with 5 bedrooms and 3.5 baths listed for $1,075,000, and another 5 bedroom 6.5 bath home listed at $1,780,000. There is also a single family home with 4 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms for $739,000. The Bethesda short sales include 2 condos priced from $195,000 to $229,00.

Also, there are a total of 15 single family homes priced under $600,000 currently on the market. In Bethesda, that could be a bargain!

Are you looking for a real estate bargain in Bethesda? The search starts here, and with a phone call to me, so I can get you in to see some of these properties. If its a real bargain, it will go fast. But not  all foreclosures are bargains. Some of them were just over-priced listings on a busy road in 2005, and they may have some issue or defect which today's buyers are unwilling to overlook.

There is 3 Bethesda Foreclosures listed for sale today (September 27, 2011). It is a single family home, a 2 bedroom 3 bath house at 9919 MACARTHUR BLVD, BETHESDA, MD 20817 priced at $724,900. There is also a 5 bedroom 5 full bath 2 half bath single familyhome, at 5400 MOHICAN RD, BETHESDA, MD 20816 priced for $1,596,900. There is also a 3 bedroom, 5 bath Townhouse located at 7900 QUARRY RIDGE WAY, BETHESDA, MD 20817 listed at $759,900. 

In addition, there are 12 properties in Bethesda listed as "short sales" (when the seller is "under water" and doesn't have the cash to make up the difference to the lender). These include 5 luxury single family homes, including a home with 5 bedrooms and 6.5 baths listed for $2,180,000, and another 5 bedroom 6 bath home listed at $1,150,000. There is a single family home with 4 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms for $779,000. The Bethesda short sales include 5 condos priced from $175,000 to $600,00.

Also, there are a total of 19 single family homes priced under $600,000 currently on the market. In Bethesda, that could be a bargain!

Bethesda Zip code 20816 shows a increase over August 2010 by 25.11% in total home sales volume. The good news is the average home sale prices were up a wonderful 4.26% in this zip code. Let's just hope the a trend!

Sold Summary

Bethesda Zip code 20814 shows a increase over August 2010 by 53.39% in total home sales volume. Average home sale prices were up  2.26% in this zip code. This is great news and is headed in the right direction, let's hope it is a beginning of a trend!

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