QR Codes – the future of Real Estate for Realtors
May 18, 2010 by jessebkaye
So this afternoon my mother and I went to downtown Bethesda for dinner on the way home from work. We were supposed to eat a Sweet Green but in the end decided on Redwood (who offer an incredible hamburger). While thats not important the reason for my post was that something unique caught my eye on the back of an employee’s shirt walking out of SG. Its something my friend @lafauce has been talking about for a while and really motivating me to adopt in our pursuit of technological adoption. QR Codes.
According to SearchEngineLand.com “They come to us from Japan where they are very common. QR is short for Quick Response (they can be read quickly by a cell phone). They are used to take a piece of information from a transitory media and put it in to your cell phone. You may soon see QR Codes in a magazine advert, on a billboard, a web page or even on someone’s t-shirt. Once it is in your cell phone, it may give you details about that business (allowing users to search for nearby locations), or details about the person wearing the t-shirt, show you a URL which you can click to see a trailer for a movie, or it may give you a coupon which you can use in a local outlet.”
What intrigues me most is their application in real estate on listings, real estate signs in the street, open house announcements, photos of the interior of a home, etc. Its really intriguing technology that I hope to adopt as rapidly as possible and recommend other Realtors out there do as well.
For a QR-Code Generator I recommend http://qrcode.kaywa.com/.
EYA’s Luxury Town Home Community To Begin Sales This Week
May 10, 2010 by Zelle
EYA’s new town home community in DC, Chancellor’s Row, will begin sales this week, particularly the first phase of its townhouse development in Brookland.
EYA bought 10 acres of property from St. Paul’s College and developed an environment-friendly and energy-efficient project in accordance with the standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Chancellor’s Row, a 237 single-family units situated near the Trinity and Catholic campuses along 5th and 6th Streets, NE, will feature four-level town homes, which will be about 14 to 18 foot wide and will sell between $450,000 and $550,000.00
The project, a classic DC row house with rich architectural details, will offer several open floor plans designed for modern lifestyles, with kitchens furnished with granite countertops and energy-saving appliances. Rooftop terraces and private garage parking are also part of the project amenities.
EYA is set to purchase the second phase from the Paulists in no more than three years from now, which s based on the assumption of three sales each month. The purchase can take place sooner depending on sales.
Chancellor’s Row is just within walking distance to several shops, restaurants, and other amenities of Trinity University and Catholic University. The property is less than 10-minute walk from the Brookland Metro, part of the agreement between the Office of Planning and the community.
EYA is considered “America’s Best Builder” in 2009 according to BUILDER Magazine. Starting at $469,000, the project is said to be the most affordable in DC.
EastBanc To Turn Former Fillmore School Into Luxury Condos
May 9, 2010 by Zelle
The Corcoran College of Art and Design announced in a press release EastBanc as the winning bidder on the old Fillmore School building.
EastBanc had long had their eyes on the building, which is located on 1801 35th Street, NW, at the Georgetown/Burleith border.
The company had over 60 buildings in the area for the past two decades. It won the bid for the site, outplaying more than eight other firms competing for the project. EastBanc plans to turn the building into luxury condominiums and as well as build new townhouses along 34th Street on the area where the 100-car parking lot is situated.
The Corcoran bought the old building from the district government in 1997 for $1.5 million but because of expansions, the school has to look for a wider space elsewhere in the city.
“Fillmore offers approximately 26,000 square feet, but we are at a point where we need a room to grow – and plant to release an RFP for a 45,000 square foot space to lease,” said Fred Bollerer, Corcoran’s Chief Operating Officer. “A decision will be made soon with more than enough time to facilitate a move.”
The Corcoran’s main campus is at the Corcoran’s downtown location at New York Avenue and Seventeenth Street NW. Its second campus will be relocated by the summer of 2011.
Silver Spring Civic Building Nears Completion
May 4, 2010 by Zelle
At the heart of Downtown Silver Spring, the 42,000-square-foot and $22-million-worth project, Silver Spring Civic Building, will soon open to feature an art gallery, 800-person auditorium with a dance floor, classrooms and meeting rooms available for community use, and offices.
The great hall, located between Ellsworth Drive and Fenton Street, will also host weeding receptions. The art gallery, which is to be operated by the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, is on one side of the main lobby. On the other side is a high-ceilinged atrium with a glass wall.
Work on the ice rink, which will also serve as an ampitheatre for concerts and other performances in the warmer months, is still in progress.
The second floor will house classrooms and government officers. A suite of offices set aside for the Silver Spring Regional Services Center although other county agencies will have their space as well. The entire basement has been turned over to Round House Theatre in exchange of $1 a year in rent, which is part of an agreement made several years ago.
photo by: thecourtyard
Takoma Overlook Still Converting To Condos
April 27, 2010 by Zelle
DC-based Tenacity Group is still converting rental apartments to condos in its massive Takoma Overlook apartment complex, formerly known as Hampshire Towers.
Tenacity Group bought Hampshire Towers in mid-2006 for $15.3 million and, after major renovations, put up units in one tower for sale as condos while units in the other tower remained rental.
Forty-one our of 273 units in the new condo tower were purchased at a discounted price. Fifty percent of the 94 units in the North Wing was already sold. The group is now working on both the South and West Wings to convert more units. The West Wing’s 44 units is underway, with 8 units sold while the South Wing’s 94 units will begin delivering by the end of this year.
Takoma Overlook, an FHA-approved project, is expected to be completed as early as December. One-bedroom units with prices starting from $124,500 will be delivered first due to demand; three-bedrooms will be delivered last. Two-bedroom units are priced from $229,500. Sales has already started in October of 2007.
