Silverspringism

This post was inspired by a another local blogger www.ThayerAvenue.com  who posted about a ginormous McMansion going up in East Silver Spring on Thayer Avenue.                                              

Most of East Silver Spring still has "normal sized" older houses.  The few McMansions or new infill construction that we do have REALLY stand out. 

One example on Easley street is the "McMansion with no windows"  It started out as a small bungalow home built in 1928 between 2 other similar houses.  The home had a larger and deeper than average lot size of 12,180 sq ft. 

It was torn down sometime ago and remained a big watery mud hole with trash and debris in it for a few years.  I once walked by the lot and noticed they were still getting junk and other mail delivered to 701 Easley, it was strewn all over the front of the mud hole. While it was still just a hole, it caused a lot of concern and complaints from the adjoining neighbors and the neighborhood in general. 

I though they'd never build anything there.  Then all of a sudden a huge foundation went up this past year.  The picture does not do it justice - it is ENORMOUS.  Can't wait to see what it will look like when it's finished.  It will certainly stand out amongst the small old bungalows on that street.

Above Post from December 2007 


Fast Forward 2 years from this original post about the house and this house still looked the same - except for the CONDEMENDED notice on the front door from Montgomery County. The notice was posted in June or July of this year,  most likely because of the many complaints from the neighbors.

Photos from August 2009 . . . . .

Photo of the house today

WOW - The house looks a lot better this week - But still has the same condemned sign on the front door from this past summer. 

Finally after almost 5 years it is starting to look like a decent house . . . .

Capitol View Park was Montgomery County's First Historic District.  This Old Historic Neighborhood is down by the Railroad Tracks and just past Forest Glen in the area of Silver Spring that borders Kensington, Maryland. 

In this quiet shaded glen, away from the hustle and bustle of Downtown, you will find an eclectic mix of house styles and ages, every thing from old "Sears" Bungalows, Restored 1880's Victorians, post WWII cape cods, colonials ramblers split levels and new recently built homes.

Capitol View residents can enjoy living in this "woodsy, quiet and almost rural area that is between the hustle, bustle and convenience of Downtown Silver Spring and at one end and the quaint charm of the small town of Kensington at the other end.

The newsest addition to Capitol View Park is the Forest Glen Country Store Restaurant, which sits close to the neighborhood's boundary with Forest Glen.  Robin Smith and Gillian Clark, former owners of Colorado Kitchen in the District, recently opened a restaurant in the 1880s-era general store on Post Office Road next to the Forest Glen "Castle".

More information about Capitol View Park and it's history can be found through the Capitol View Park Citizens Association and the Capitol View Park Historical Society.

Schools
Montgomery County Public Schools have a reputation as being among the best in the nation.
The public schools that serve the Capitol View Park Subdivsion are:
Oakland Terrace Elementary School
Newport Mill Middle School
Albert Einstein High School
*at the high school level the Downcounty consortium is available giving students a choice regarding their academic area of study. The five high schools in the Downcounty cluster include Montgomery Blair, Albert Einstein, Northwood High, John F. Kennedy and Wheaton High School.

There are also several excellent Private Schools convenient to Capitol View Park such as The Academy of the Holy Cross, Holy Cross Elementary, Grace Episcopal School and the Evergreen School to name a just a few. 


Capitol View Park Real Estate

A recent article in the Washington Post describes this area as having bounty of variety in it's architecture. 
I can say that it also have a huge variation is it's Real Estate prices.
There are 395 Single Family Houses in the Legal Subdivsion of Capitol View Park, Silver Spring, Md 20910

Real Estate in 2008
12 Homes Sold in 2008
Average List Price - $430,349
Average Sold Price - $423,000
Lowest Sold Price - $270,000
Highest Sold in 2008 - $807,500
Average Time on Market - 165 Days

YTD Real Estate in 2009
14 Homes Sold YTD 2009
Average List Price - 2009 - $484,771
Average Sold Price - $474,014
Lowest Sold Price - $169,290
Highest Sold - $800,000
Average Time on Market - 66 Days



See the Homes Currently for Sale in Capitol View Park, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910

Want to Buy or Sell a Home in Silver Spring or Takoma Park?  Visit  www.SilverSpringHomeValue.com
For FREE Up to the minute Silver Spring and Takoma Park Maryland real estate market information. 

The Seven Oaks Neighborhood in Silver Spring straddles Sligo Creek Park and 2 zip codes in Silver Spring. The boundries follow along Sligo Creek from Dale Drive and Colesville Road at Mrs. K's Tollhouse to the Silver Spring International Middle / Sligo Creek Elementary Schools on one side where the zip code is 20910.  The other side of Seven Oaks is located in the zip code 20901 and extends from Colesville Road and Sligo Creek Parkway up to and including part of Franklin Avenue.

The houses are an eclectic mix of single family homes that range from older 1920's stone tudors, spanish revival style, brick colonials, cape cods, bungalows to more modern and contemporary split levels and ramblers. 

The old original subdivision of Seven Oaks has a unique collection of Mediterranian Revival or Spanish Eclectic Style Homes on larger than average lot sizes.  The two curved stucco stuctures on Franklin Avenue still mark the Ellsworth Drive entrance to the oldest part of the subdivision. 

There are 291 Homes in the Seven Oaks Subdivision located "inside the beltway" under a canopy of towering mature native trees.  The Seven Oaks neighborhood offers ready access to Beautiful Sligo Creek Park, the Silver Spring METRO station and all the ammenties of Downtown Silver Spring.

Public Schools
The Montgomery County school system is well known as one of the best in the nation. Public schools serving the Seven Oaks Subdivision:

Highland View Elementary (in zip 20901)
Sligo Creek Elementary (in zip 20910)

Silver Spring International Middle School

Northwood High School

At the high school level the Downcounty consortium is available giving students a choice regarding their academic area of study. The five high schools in the Downcounty cluster include Montgomery Blair, Albert Einstein, John F. Kennedy and Wheaton.


Seven Oaks Silver Spring Real Estate

Of the 291 Single Family Houses in the Legal Subdivision of Seven Oaks there were
8 Sales in 2008

Average List Price in 2008 - $528,225
Average Sold Price 2008 - $427,500
Average Subsidy Contribution from Seller -$3,900
Average Days on Market 2008 - 77



Year to Date January 2009 to Present
There have been 5 Closed Sales

Average List Price 2009 - $499,799
Average Sold Price 2009 - $501,050
Average Subsidy Contribution from Seller -$10,159
Average Days on Market 2009 - 57


Search all Homes currently for Sale Now in the Seven Oaks Subdivsion, Silver Spring, Md 20910 & 20901

Want to Buy or Sell a Home in Silver Spring or Takoma Park, Maryland ?

Get a Free "Real Time" Market Snapshot of the Real Estate Market Activity in Silver Spring or Takoma Park:  visit www.SSMarketSnapshot.com  

South Silver Spring is triangular shaped and is bounded by Newell Street and Blair Mill Road on the northwest, the B&O Railroad right-of-way on the east and the District of Columbia line on the southwest. The South Silver Spring area is a part of the Silver Spring Central Business District (CBD). It is a combination of small scale commercial buildings and a scattering of high rise office buildings. After years of decay, South Silver Spring is being transformed into an exciting mixed use neighborhood with high tech businesses, arts oriented enterprises, new restaurants and over 1,000 new housing units. The new housing is the result of several large, adaptive re-use projects and several new residential development.

South Silver Spring is the Ultimate Walkable Neighborhood - You can live practically car-free!

Run errands in no time, including a Giant, CVS, dry cleaners.  Shop Organic at nearby Whole Foods Market and a weekly Farmer's Market (May to October).  Explore more than 100 restaurants, from fine dining to cheap eats - including highly rated favorites Ray's the Classics, Jackie's Restaurant, and Ceviche. Take in a movie at the American Film Institute's Silver Theatre and cultural center.

Bike and hike on the Capital Crescent Trail, the Metropolitan Branch Trail, and the Silver Spring Green Trail.  Work out at Gold's Gym, Washington Sports Club, LA Fitness, or Curves.

Condominums in South Silver Spring are prized for their accessibility to Metro and their lower price tag as compared to DC.

                   Check out these real estate market reports for condominiums in South Silver Spring:

                                                          The Aurora 

                                                                             8045 at Silver Spring Metro

                                                                             The Mica

                                                                             The Silverton

      Keep up to date on the prices, market changes and trends in Silver Spring and Takoma Park, Md with  
              "Real Time" Market Stats, Charts and Statistics for the different areas of Silver Spring

                         Search all Condo's for Sale in the Downtown Silver Spring Area zip code 20910

Tucked away in this wooded sylvan setting off New Hampshire Avenue near White Oak is the Neighborhood of Quaint Acres in Silver Spring, Md.  A Washington Post Article describes the setting in this neighborhood 
to a tee. 

The setting is perfect for the Mid Century Modern houses that were built there in the early to late 1950's. There are 156 Homes, most were built between 1948 and 1974 and each lot is a little over an acre. These great examples of custom built Mid-Century Modern Homes are what makes Quaint Acres a "Mid Century Modern House Lover's Paradise".

The oldest home is the original farmhouse built in 1853 where Quaint Acres Drive and Applegrove Road meet inside the Entrance to the Subdivision. The old farmhouse was the home of Altus Lacy Quaintance, the namesake for the neighborhood. 

Contemporary Mid Century Modern architects and builders such as Charles Goodman and Frank Lloyd Wright  loved to make their homes seem as if they were one with nature.  Mid Century Modern Homes have simple, clean lines without a lot of embellishments. They use natural elements like stone, wood and glass, with a lot of floor to ceiling windows and vaulted ceilings. In a lot of the Modern homes, you get the feeling that you are outdoors when you are inside them. During this time period the homes in Quaint Acres were considered the epitomy of Luxury Living, much like the New Luxury Homes are thought of today.

This is a quiet, lovely neighborhood, where you can still find homes set back from the street on gorgeous, large, wooded lots, and NO McMansions what-so-ever.

The Aurora Condominium project in South Silver Spring is a 145 Unit Condominium Community built by reclaiming and rehabbing 2 1950's era office buildings on Eastern Avenue just over the District of Columbia border line.

Developed by RST Development, Aurora Condominiums combined adjacent 12-story and 8-story office buildings into one integrated 143,000-square-foot residential community. The renovated twin towers are connected by a dramatic lobby and landscaped garden.  The project completely Sold out in 2006. 

Located in the heart of the new Silver Spring "arts and entertainment" district, a few blocks from Metro's Silver Spring station on the Red Line, you're close to everything you need. Units come with everything that today's buyers want: hardwood floors, ceramic tile baths, stainless steel appliances, and floor-to-ceiling windows and airy floor plans that bring in lots of natural light.

Market Activity All Sales in the Aurora 2008

7 Sold Listings

All Listings were 2 Bedroom - 2 Bath Units (Ranging from 1,004 sq ft to 1,148 sq ft)
Average Listing Price - $346,400  Average SOLD Price - $339,429  Average Days on Market - 43
Lowest Sold Price - $320,000   Highest Sold Price - $365,000   Average Seller Subsidy - $3,350

Get a computerized Market Analysis of your Silver Spring Condo or House

            Keep up to date on the prices, market changes and trends in your area of Silver Spring with  
                    "Real Time" Market Stats, Charts and Statistics for the different areas of Silver Spring

Search all Condo's for Sale in the Downtown Silver Spring Area

The Silverton Condos (by JBG Group) on East West Highway was built around the vintage art deco facade of the former Canada Dry bottling plant and has 210 dwelling units. 
The units were finished in 2006 - 2007 

The Silverton has Beautifully Appointed Floor Plans, Glass Doors Leading to Private Balconies,
Chef-Caliber Kitchens with Maple Cabinets and Granite Countertops, Granite Vanities in Bathrooms and Full-Size Washers and Dryers in the units!

There is a High-Tech Resident E-Lounge, Swimming Pool, Expansive Sundeck and a Cutting-Edge Fitness Center.

The Building is within Walking Distance to Metro and has Easy Access to Washington, DC & I-495. Walk to Excellent Shopping, Fine Dining & Entertainment.


                                                            All Sales Activity at the Silverton YTD 2008
   
There were 8 Closed Sales

1)  1 Bedroom 1 Bath - 2rd Floor Unit (718 sq ft)            Asking Price - 250,000 SOLD Price - $250,000 
     Days on Market - 282
2)  1 Bedroom 1 Bath - 1st Floor Unit (831 sq ft)            Asking Price - $269,900 SOLD Price - $269,900
     Days on Market - 35
3)  1 Bedroom 1 Bath - 1st Floor Unit (792 sq ft)            Asking Price - $290,000 SOLD Price -$280,000
     Days on Market - 65
4)  1 Bedroom 1 Bath - 2nd Floor Unit (776 sq ft)           Asking Price - $295,000 SOLD Price - $290,000
     $7,700 Seller Subsidy
     Days on Market - 58
5)  1 Bedroom 2 Bath Special Loft Unit (955 sq ft)          Asking Price - $324,900 SOLD Price - $324,900
     Days on Market - 25
6)  1 Bedroom 2 Bath Special Loft Unit (955 sq ft)          Asking Price  - $324,900 SOLD Price - $324,900
     Days on Market - 25
7)  2 Bedroom 2 Bath 2nd Floor Unit with Loft                Asking Price - $425,000 Sold Price - $392,500
     (1,212 sq ft) Days on Market - 68
8)  2 Bedroom 2 Bath 4th Floor Unit with Loft                 Asking Price - $490,000 SOLD Price - $450,000
     (1,300 sq ft) 15,000 Seller Subsidy
     Days on Market - 34
                         
                        Get a computerized Market Analysis of your Silver Spring Condo or House

            Keep up to date on the prices, market changes and trends in your area of Silver Spring with  
                    "Real Time" Market Stats, Charts and Statistics for the different areas of Silver Spring

                               Search all Condo's for Sale in the Downtown Silver Spring Area

The Forest Estates Neighborhood in Silver Spring, Maryland 20902 is bordered by Georgia Avenue to the west, Dennis Avenue to the north, Sanford Road to the south, and Sligo Creek Park to the east.


Forest Estates is an attractive quiet suburban community of single family homes built between the 1940's through the mid 1960's.  Most homes are solidly built Post War brick cape cods and colonials.  The community is walking distance to the Forest Glen METRO station.  Forest Estates is located just outside the beltway (as in a matter of a few feet outside the Beltway) but close to the hustle, bustle, nightlife, shopping and ammenites of Downtown Silver Spring and Washington, DC. There is an abundance of Parkland in and around the Forest Estates Neighborhood.  General Getty Park is a popular neighborhood park within the Forest Estates Neighborhood and all the ammenities of Wheaton Regional Park are nearby.

The Forest Estates Community Association is an active group that represents residents interests in  county planning and other political issues. The group has family-oriented social events for neighbors to meet and an email group for neighbors to keep up on the latest news, events, and announcements and learn about local services. Some of the events are:  A Community Picnic, National Night Out, Park Clean-Up and a Halloween Parade. Visit the Forest Estates Community Website


The Montgomery County public school system is well known as one of the best in the nation. The public schools serving the Forest Estates neighborhood in Silver Spring are: 

Oakland Terrace Elementary School 
Sligo Middle School 
Einstein High School

Also, at the high school level the Downcounty consortium is available giving students a choice regarding their academic area of study. The five high schools in the Downcounty cluster include Montgomery Blair, Northwood High, John F. Kennedy and Wheaton.


There are also some high quality Private schools convenient to the Forest Estates Neighborhood: 
St. John the Evangelist School
St. Andrew Apostle School
Calvary Lutheran School
Hebrew Day School of Montgomery County

Forest Estates Real Estate Silver Spring
There are 446 Single Family homes in the
Forest Estates subdivision.
Market Activity in Forest Estates 2008:

17 Sold Homes SOLD in 2008 

Average Asking Price - $415,735
Average Sold Price - $402,347

Average Days on the Market - 68

Highest Sold Price - $525,000
Lowest Sold Price - $290,000

10 Homes Have Sold YTD 2009

Average Asking Price - $393,320
Average Sold Price - $397,350

Average Days on Market - 25

Lowest Sale Price - $305,000
Highest Sale Price - $491,000


Homes Currently for Sale in Forest Estates, Silver Spring, Md 20902

Thinking of Buying or Selling Silver Spring Real Estate? or just want to know what's happening in the Market Right Now?  Get a FREE "Real Time" Market Snapshot

Want to live in Forest Estates or one of the surrounding communities?

Search all available Single Family Homes in Forest Estates, Carroll Knolls, Mckenny Hills and surrounding neighborhoods in zip code 20902

                          
    For help in navigating today's tough Real Estate Market.  Give Debbie Cook a Call (301) 587-3528
                                                       www.SilverSpringTeam.com