Selling Georgetown: Residential Matchmakers in D.C.’s Oldest Neighborhood
By • February 11, 2026 0 391
The Heider Company and McFadden Partners Sell Georgetown
Georgetown means different things to different people. This year, during its 275th anniversary, the oldest neighborhood in Washington, D.C., gives us a big history lesson with the $28-million residential real estate transaction of Halcyon House.
The sale also shines a light on Georgetown’s real estate market. For a closer look, The Georgetowner spoke with the Heider Company of TTR Sotheby’s International Realty on P Street and McFadden Partners of Compass on 31st Street — the two firms involved in the Halcyon House purchase by Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris, who will maintain the property as a private residence.
But first, in brief, the backstory of 239-year-old Halcyon House, which occupies 3400-3410 Prospect St. NW.
The 30,000-square-foot Federal-style mansion — with a back garden, a studio and a pool — is one of Washington’s most historic. The builder and original 1787 occupant was Benjamin Stoddert, the first Secretary of the Navy and a friend of George Washington. Halcyon House is integral to the founding of Washington as the young republic’s permanent capital.
Altered at different times over the many decades, Halcyon House was given its most significant renovation toward the end of the 20th century by John Dreyfuss, whose family owned the property from 1966 until March of 2012.
The 2026 seller, Sachiko Kuno, who made the mansion the headquarters of her Halcyon nonprofit, said in a statement: “I’m grateful to have been a steward of such a special property for 15 years, and for it to have done so much good for entrepreneurs.” Dr. Kuno also owns Evermay on 28th Street.
For Daniel Heider, representing the purchaser, it’s all about an integrated team, private listings and a strong social media presence.
“They kicked off their real estate search with me some time ago,” he told us. “When I heard that Halcyon House was being quietly shopped, I picked up the phone and said: ‘You’re not going to believe this, but one of the most historically significant properties in all of Washington is available.
“It’s 30,000 square feet. It faces the Potomac River. It’s got some of the most interesting provenance of anything in its caliber. It’s on a half an acre. It has a pool, a tiered garden. It has a huge ballroom. It’s got the largest amount of off-street parking and garage parking of any house in Georgetown.’”
At 30,000 square feet, that comes to under $1,000 a foot, Heider noted. “So, he [Josh Harris] acted decisively. They came in, they saw the value and they bought it.”
He adds: “I sold the most expensive condo of all time for $18 million in Georgetown recently. That was a private transaction. Then Halcyon House just closed this year. But I have 100-percent participation in the Washington market above $20 million. Every deal that has transacted in Washington, for now going on a third year in a row, I have either represented the buyer or the seller” (or both).
“Georgetown is an aspirational neighborhood and for all the right reasons,” says Heider. “It’s so charming and perfect and quaint … and now there’s so much variety on the food scene.”
The 38-year-old started his career almost 20 years ago. A family member advised him to start at the most elite firm, “if they’ll hire you — even if you have to work for free,” Heider recalled.
“So I began my career at Washington Fine Properties. I was the assistant’s assistant, working in a restaurant at night and trying to learn the real estate practice during the day. I became the youngest agent in the history of their company. I then moved over to TTR Sotheby’s with Jeff Wilson. Shortly thereafter, I decided to start my own practice group, about 10 years ago.”
“I have to say, I don’t know how I got to be so lucky,” he remarked. “I somehow magnetized these people to me.” Sean New is the chief marketing officer, with eleven advisors or agents. The sold and pending figure for 2025 is $621,089,004.
And don’t forget his 3.7 million followers on TikTok.
“I should say we were very fortunate that we were the first folks in Washington to really embrace social media the way that we did,” Heider said. “It’s paid us dividends. To be the most followed residential real estate YouTube page, in addition to being the most followed residential brokers on TikTok and the area’s most followed residential brokers on Instagram.
“I mean, that’s a level of proprietary marketing that nobody in our industry has, let alone anybody in our local area. It’s become a very important part of our business and the exposure that we give the properties that we serve and the clients that we work with.
“I really want to be seen as somebody who deeply understands the new market that we have and the new level of possibility that Washington carries globally. There are a lot of options in the world when it comes to residential real estate. There’s a lot of a lot of real estate agents everywhere. And I want the Heider Company to be associated with the most elite properties and the most elite agents.”
For Mark McFadden, representing the seller, it’s all about relationships.
“I’ve been in the business 35 years, started with Pardoe Real Estate in Old Town,” said the 64-year-old McFadden, who heads the firm, in which his wife Lyn and son Hunter play key roles. “I would say one of my first pivotal individuals that was instrumental in my business quadrupling was Jack Davies, who is a personal friend of mine, but at the time, he was the president of America Online International. Our boys played ice hockey together. That’s how we all got to know each other.”
A candid photo of Hunter McFadden, Daniel Heider and Mark McFadden. Photo by Sueraya Shaheen.
Among McFadden’s biggest sales were Marwood in Potomac, to Ted Leonsis, and Evermay and Halcyon House, to Dr. Kuno.
“It was definitely a highlight of my career, I mean, because as you pointed out, we’ve sold it several times, right? We sold it to Dr. Kuno, Dr. Ueno and then, of course, we’ve sold it again,” said McFadden, adding, “I’ve had the privilege of selling three statement properties and I think it’s important to note, just it’s an interesting fact, that the capital region doesn’t have a large portfolio of historically significant trophy properties.”
As far as working with his 35-year-old son, McFadden said: “It’s absolutely a crowning achievement in my career path. We did not encourage him to get into real estate. That was solely his decision. It’s just been an amazing addition to my business, and he’s just a joy to be with. He’s professional. He’s also a very talented athlete. So, there’s a lot of crossover with the sports community because we’ve sold many of the team owners their homes. We’re working with Michele Kang, who owns the Washington Spirit.”
Hunter McFadden and his infant son. Courtesy Hunter McFadden.
For his part, Hunter McFadden said: “It’s rare to have the opportunity to work with your father so closely and even rarer to enjoy it for as long as we have. We wouldn’t be where we are today without my mother, Lyn, being the glue that holds our team together.”
He continued: “This is one of the few careers that allows you to converse with all walks of life, making every day unique and exciting. Seeing my father’s success, I knew I had big shoes to fill, which has been a driving motivator on so many levels. Really makes me get out of bed in the morning with an extra fire inside me to succeed and provide for my amazing wife and new baby boy.”
“Ninety-five percent of success is building relationships with people,” the elder McFadden commented. “People have many choices for real estate agents, but they’re not going to go and retain somebody’s services if they don’t personally like them. My life advice in general is to do unto others as you’d have them do to you. It’s never about one transaction. So never compromise your ethical standards on anything, because all you have is your reputation.”
