Real Estate

Lauren Hodges • May 3, 2012

Where would our social calendars be without weather dates? A little thing like a history-making-earthquake-and-hurricane combination wasn’t about to shake up D.C. schedules…at least not too much. When the ground shook the district, Virginia and Maryland in August right before Hurricane Irene attacked the East Coast, several things had to be rescheduled, including the dedication of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s memorial on the National Mall. But in true Washingtonian fashion, the city simply shrugged, sent workers to deal with the boo-boos on the Washington Monument and the National Cathedral, and carried on with plans to dedicate the new civil rights site.

The long-awaited event was originally planned for Aug. 28, which was the 48th anniversary of MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech. President Obama was scheduled to speak and the country was eager to see the finished product – a massive undertaking of fundraising and design nearly three decades in the making.

Luckily, as the hurricane flooded the streets and toppled trees on that crucial date, another vital anniversary was waiting around the corner as a backup date for the dedication. Oct. 16 marked the Million Man March, held in 1995 on the National Mall to gather the country’s black men in a show of collective voice. Since the memorial is the first one on the mall representing someone of color, choosing a Civil Rights-specific date was crucial.

Standing proudly at the ceremony on Oct. 16 was landscape architect Sheila Brady. A principal at Oehme van Sweden, Brady was a key element in choosing the oaks, pines, magnolias and cherries that surround the newly-dedicated monument. Though many projects are clamoring for the mark of an Oehme van Sweden architect, Brady says she’s the lucky one.

“It’s been a great honor,” she says. “It’s about five years now that we’ve been working on it. The crowd is so inspired and thrilled.” When ROMA, a design group based out of San Francisco, won the competition for the MLK Memorial site, Oehme van Sweden was asked to implement the ideas for the landscape. Brady came on as a director during the development stage. “So we took ROMA’s ideas and visions, respected and honored them, and designed a plan that was fitting for the memorial,” says Brady.

The 30-foot-tall granite statue of Dr. King is imposing and serious. Arms crossed and holding a purposeful look on his face, MLK appears to be waiting for the next step. Those standing before it instantly have a sense of duty: to continue working toward total equality, justice and peace. Just in case the mission isn’t clear enough, King’s most famous quotes are inscribed around him. “There’s so much emotion and honor there and it’s inspiring,” says Brady. “The rest of the mall structures are presidents and war memorials so this is a whole new message for people who visit D.C.”

Though born in New York, Brady has been a Washingtonian for most of her life, tapped well into the socially-conscious heartbeat of the capitol city. Her family set up house inside the beltway in Bethesda when she was 13. Interested in art and design early on in her life, Brady attended and graduated from George Washington University and the Corcoran School of Art and Design. Having developed an interest in traditional architecture, she started to attend exhibits and showcases. That was how she found the work of Dan Kiley. “I was fascinated with this group of plants that he assembled,” she says. “That was the first time I heard the term ‘landscape architect.’” That was the day the tide turned on Brady’s future. “Right there, I was sold. I went into landscaping and I haven’t looked back since.” With her new thirst for natural design, Brady went on to Harvard for a masters in design and eventually found her way to Oehme van Sweden.

At the time, the well-respected D.C. firm had been around for 15 years, founded by Wolfgang Oehme and James van Sweden. For anyone familiar with the art of landscape design, both men are well-known as pioneers of the “New American Garden” style of landscape architecture. Rather than confining the foliage to structured shapes and precise spots, the “New American Garden” is meant to showcase the natural form of the plant, allowing it to grow slightly wild and choose its own path. But rather than acting as an antithesis to more orderly designs, the look is meant to act as a compliment; soft edges against the hard.

Now, after 25 years with the firm and securing a spot as a design principal, Brady has an impressive portfolio of her own. But despite the pedigree, she’s hard-pressed to come up with any favorites in her distinguished career.

“They’ve all been such great projects, from start to finish,” she says. After a few moments of reflection, she admits that the 40-acre botanical garden in Roth, New York was a priceless lesson in serenity and public service for her. “We had this chance to educate the public on literally thousands of different plants,” she says. “That was really special for me.” She’s also partial to memorials, like the MLK project and the World War II structure, another collaboration with ROMA. “You’re on this sacred ground of the monument’s core,” she says. “It’s a reminder that you’re working in orchestration with memory. It was an experience of a lifetime.”

As for the MLK memorial, she says the selected trees and plants were chosen to create a lasting, year-round impact. For instance: “the American Elm variety we chose is called the Princeton Elm and it’s resistant to Dutch Elm disease,” she says. “So that’s kind of symbolic of the memorial’s message. And the ground plane is this wonderful evergreen. So it’s going to be beautiful and strong in all types of weather and conditions.” Overall, the memorial’s green design was concocted to inspire reactions from generations to come. Brady says the plants, the statue and the general design of the memorial are all a testament to things in life that simply won’t be shaken by adversity. “It’s made to endure millions of visitors. It all works together to become a unified, beautiful site.” [gallery ids="100355,110047" nav="thumbs"]

Lauren Hodges •

The physical structure of the Washington Design Center demands attention and respect in the Capitol Hill landscape the same way a bright red couch would demand it in the middle of a neutral-toned living room. Large and imposing, the massive building hosts 50 showrooms of interior design overload. Make no mistake; this isn’t a visit to IKEA. No particleboard bookshelves loaded with 200 copies of the same cookbook can be found in these walls. The rooms are designed by the best interior decorators in the D.C. area with only the best resources.

Started nearly 30 years ago and formerly a piece of the Kennedy family’s property portfolio, the center is meant to encapsulate everything Washington designers and design-o-philes need for inspiration. Visitors can tour the rooms and choose items smorgasbord-style, or they can pinpoint their ideal aesthetic and corresponding dream designer in the center’s massive rolodex.

In 2002, the center established the designer “Hall of Fame” as part of its 20th anniversary celebration. The center’s committee chooses professionals who have made a significant impact on D.C. design to be immortalized in the growing list of names. Membership in the “Hall” comes with priceless perks such as collaboration with other designers on center projects, participation in outreach programs for the community and the chance to design the center’s ever-changing entrance lobby.

Every nine months or so, the center chooses a name from the “Hall” to bring a fresh face to the building’s entrance. Much like the front window displays at Barney’s New York, the finished product is a signature for the chosen designer, a hallmark of their creative vision, condensed into a single square space. Both an honor and a challenge, the task is not one to be taken lightly.

Currently showing off their signatures to entering visitors are Jose Solis Betancourt and Paul Morgan Sherrill of Solis Betancourt & Sherrill. Betancourt is the founder of Solis Betancourt, Inc. and Sherrill, his partner, joined the company in 1992. With a portfolio boasting such names as Architectural Digest, House & Garden, House Beautiful, Southern Accents, The New York Times Magazine, The Washington Post Magazine and HGTV, the pair has plenty of experience and skill to pull off a perfectly designed room. The challenge was combining both of their visions—modern yet accessible—into a welcoming and current presentation.

“Lobbies can be so cold sometimes,” remarked Betancourt. “We really wanted to make this warm and inviting.”

“The lighting can get harsh in building lobbies,” agreed Sherrill. “With all the people coming through, it was important that we created a relatable environment.”

The two men might share a basic direction in design, but their beginnings are quite different. Betancourt grew up in San Juan, Puerto Rico, immediately latching onto art and spending his childhood days drawing and painting. His professional life pulled him between New York and D.C. several times before finally landing him here for good. Starting at the architecture program at Cornell University, he left New York in 1990 to work at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in D.C., but later returned to New York for a position at The Saladino Group. “I still go back and forth quite a lot,” he says. “There are many more resources, design-wise, in New York. But I’m learning how to find my way around the D.C. design community a lot better, especially in Georgetown.”

Merrill, a product of the South, grew up with artistic grandparents, who he says served as his inspiration to study art. He joined the design program at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and graduated with a degree in art before moving to D.C. in 1992 to work with Betancourt. Also familiar with the resources in other cities like New York, Merrill is able to see the developing trends in Washington when compared to surrounding communities. “It’s becoming a lot more contemporary in D.C. lately,” he says. “And this is just compared to 20 years ago.”

Merrill and Betancourt applied that taste for modern furnishings when beginning their lobby project. The first thing Merrill says he noticed was the shape of the room, which apparently lent itself to a very structured design. “They’ve been doing this Hall of Fame designer showcase in the lobby for a few years now, I guess. And I always noticed that a number of the designers did a rigid design, focused mostly on architecture. I don’t necessarily agree with that.”

They decided to give the room a hint of drama, with loud, dynamic textures, sweeping, swagging draperies and a sensual color palette that felt very “now.”

“When you first enter the space, there is this existing niche in the wall,” says Merrill. “We painted that a rich mahogany color to give it that strong, important axis.”

Next, they focused on the somewhat intimidating height of the room. “It’s two stories high,” he says. “We did some really elegant draping to add drama and placed some lighter elements in front of it so you can see the silhouettes.”

“What we really wanted was a strong focal point,” says Betancourt. “And we created that by being very purposeful with our colors.”

Specifically, they utilized rich, saturated earth tones. The camels mixed with the dark wood shades simultaneously convey strength and elegance, giving the room a double dynamic: passionate yet logical, irresistible and smart, warm and powerful. The chosen chandelier is also a perfect example of this dual accomplishment, being both sculptural and classic.

Also arranged with precision and purpose is the furniture. “We wanted to express symmetry and balance, so we put the sofa at a diagonal angle,” says Betancourt. “It’s almost a circular arrangement so that breaks up the rigid feel of the room.”

“The rugs are important to that feel, too,” says Merrill. “We layered some of them on top of each other and it looks really interesting.”

As they finished up their project, Merrill and Betancourt were able to enjoy a practice reaction from the design center employees before the room was presented to the public. “I think they all really enjoyed it,” says Betancourt. “They all said that they found the drama of the draperies and color palette very pleasing to the eye. But what was most satisfying to hear was that they felt they could relate to the room and the pieces in it.”

“That’s what we were going for,” says Merrill. “Something graphic but sophisticated, something that straddled the line between modern and elegant. That balance is so important to respect, especially when dealing with public spaces.”
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Ari Post • February 8, 2012

Founded in 2010, R2L:Architects is among the area’s newest architectural firms. And while the firm is a surefire up-and-comer, its founders have a wide array of experience in the Washington area. Architects and principals Sacha Rosen, Tom Lenar and Lee Rubenstein sat down with the paper to discuss the nature of architecture in Washington, the challenges of historic preservation, hidden architectural gems of our city, and much more.

What kind of projects are you currently working on?

SR: A variety, with a current focus on apartment buildings. 30 units at 14th and Florida NW, 250 units in Mount Vernon Triangle, 280 units in Penn Quarter. And some smaller projects: a townhouse conversion to six units on North Capitol Street, an adaptive reuse of a historic landmark office building across from the Verizon Center and a 21-unit building on Capitol Hill. A 200-unit project in Ballston is in the works.

TL: We’ve also done some corporate interiors projects that were recently completed—including one for Public Properties, who just moved in to Georgetown. We’ve recently been in discussions with some local restaurants and a new office building downtown may be on the horizon.

When you work with a client, how do you merge with their aesthetic? Do you ever try to shift their taste in your direction?

SR: Yes, when they have bad taste. It’s sort of a civic duty sometimes. But we don’t have a singular vision of the world and we work hard to realize the client’s vision – after all, it’s their money, their home or business, and they usually have to live with the final product. It’s the quality of the overall project that matters most to us, rather than the specific style. If the final product is pleasing to the client, the architect and the public, then it’s probably a success.

LR: Successful designs often result from a collaborative process, rather than a predetermined aesthetic agenda. Most clients do have some sort of general concept in mind at the outset, but they’re also seeking our input, whether it’s on aesthetics and materials, or on more pragmatic issues of space allocation and site use. It’s not always a matter of shifting tastes, but vetting possibilities with the client and then implementing the ones that represent the right fit.

Do you approach the design process differently between large buildings and smaller projects, like a house or interior renovation? Or is the process effectively the same?

LR: The smallest of design efforts, such as a residential interior renovation, may only involve a handful of people: the owner, the contractor and a handful of installers. Larger buildings in urban settings tend to involve an extensive cast of characters- community groups, local review boards, neighboring property owners, specialty consultants and the like. In one case you’re working with a string quartet. In the other, you’re conducting a full orchestra.

SR: Larger projects evolve more over the longer duration of the design process. That gives you the opportunity to try some different ideas and pick the best ones. Smaller projects require you to make the major decisions quickly.

TL: It’s more by the client’s needs and their relationship with the project than by the project’s size. We designed an addition to one single family home for a client who was very objective – they had lived there for over 20 years, were looking to move on and needed to maximize the home’s value. On another residential addition, the client was concerned more about how livable the home was for their family. With some more space, they could see themselves living there forever and every decision was very personal to them because of the permanence of their relationship with their home.

On larger projects, clients differ on an organizational level. We have some great relationships with developers who have relatively small offices. They often come to us with a project site and ask us to envision what it could be. It’s fantastic. We get to be involved in just about every aspect of the project. The client we’re working with on 450 K Street develops, owns and manages a large residential portfolio. They bring a lot of sophistication to the table. They’re very organized, they continuously update their market research and study their competition, and they have a strategy for competing with them. The design process is efficient since most of the development program is already in place, and we can spend that much more time focusing on designing the building.

Do you focus much on sustainable and environmentally friendly design?

LR: A large residential building in an urban setting represents a significant use and concentration of resources. But if done correctly, in concert with sound regional planning, it can also lead to increased efficiencies that benefit the environment in the long run – fewer cars on the roads each day, fewer individual lawns to fertilize and mow, less development of undisturbed greenfield sites. It all adds up… Sustainability is now a focus of the broader design and construction industry, whether driven by the demands of a resource-conscious market, the desires of eco-savvy clients, or the requirements of new green building regulations adopted by local jurisdictions.

SR: Designing sustainably is like designing to accommodate gravity – there’s no alternative, is there? That’s something that makes me proud of our profession… architects and the building industry as a whole have made great strides in the past few years towards a much more environmentally sensitive approach to everything we do. Let’s hope it pays off before the National Mall floods.

TL: Essentially, sustainable design is nothing more than good, responsible design. In the big picture we’re addressing the issues which affect personal health, environmental health and resource efficiency. What’s been great to see is that within just the past five years, everyone has developed a more sophisticated understanding of what makes a building sustainable. It wasn’t long ago that perceptions were that a building had to have solar panels or a green roof to be considered “green.” A lot of our efforts are in optimizing technical things that improve air quality and increase energy efficiency but are otherwise unseen by most people. We still like solar panels and green roofs, too.

You tend to specialize in working in historic contexts. What kinds of projects are you doing?

SR: We’re doing an adaptive reuse of a 1913 landmark office building in Penn Quarter – retail on the ground and basement levels and some unique “micro-loft” apartment units on the upper floors. Our design for a 30-unit apartment house on 14th Street, which is quite contemporary in character, was unanimously approved as appropriate to the Greater U Street Historic District by the Historic Preservation Review Board. We’re working now on a 250-unit apartment house in a different historic district and a major addition to a historic landmark downtown.

Tell me about how you became interested in working with historic sites and preservation.

TL: Working with historic sites and neighborhoods is inevitable if you do any significant amount of work in the District. One of the great things about old buildings—historically significant or not—is that a lot of them were built to be quite durable and often can be adapted to modern uses, giving them new life. For example, our office is in a building that’s more than 200 years old. Our understanding is that the ground floor has always been used as a commercial space in some way and we have the opportunity to continue that tradition.

SR: My first preservation project was the Presidential Palace in the Republic of Malta, built in 1530 by the Knights of St. John – including the design of a free-standing steel-and-glass elevator in a stone courtyard, the installation of internet wiring in the Parliamentary Council Chamber and replacement of petroleum-based roofing materials with an ancient clay system much more suited to the intense sunshine. That was a great education in both the theory and practice of preservation.

How does historical and cultural analysis of historic preservations work?

SR: I studied historiography in grad school – a critical approach to the way we perceive and record the passage of time. In that context, the preservation of historic buildings, districts and artifacts reveals a lot about our society and culture. How do we decide what’s worth saving? How does contemporary design acknowledge our own cultural milieu? And how will our work today be perceived and valued in the future?

In designing a house what do you enjoy the most? What do you have to struggle with other than financial constraints?

TL: Thinking about how people use the buildings we design, the communities that they are a part of and how they fit in to the city. Whether it’s where someone lives, works, or plays, the design process leads us to interact with people who cause us to re-evaluate our understanding of how places are used and evolve our theories on how we can help enhance people’s lives through better design.

LR: Working to understand the client, the site and the design issues at hand so that what we propose is at once effective and interesting. One of the more enjoyable things about residential design is getting to step back and think about how people live their lives- working, relaxing, cooking, exercising, sleeping, commuting, entertaining, etc. Should the house be geared to satisfy conventional expectations, or should it be retooled to offer something unique? The answer can vary from project to project.

SR: Balancing personal expression with resale value. On the one hand, a house can be a physical manifestation of an individual or a family character; on the other hand, it can express the universal principles of human life. There’s joy in reconciling the two in the design of a home … but not when the result is something bland enough to be acceptable to anyone.

What’s the fastest turn around, in designing from scratch with a house, from drawings to the client moving in?

SR: We’ve never been asked that by a client. If you’re in a hurry, there’s probably a house out there that you can modify quickly to suit your needs. Most people who go to the effort of commissioning a home from a good architect are willing to give the process the time it needs. A longer, more careful design phase leads to a more efficient, cost-effective and often faster construction phase, and a more satisfying result.

Name the five best buildings in the DC area you did not design.

LR: How about five of the more interesting buildings that you might not have visited, but warrant a look, regardless of your aesthetic preferences?

1. The atrium between the Smithsonian Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery
2. The Embassy of Finland on Massachusetts Avenue
3. The main reading room at the Library of Congress
4. The NOAA Satellite Facility in Suitland
5. The East Portico Columns at the National Arboretum

Where did you study, and who has influenced you as an architect?

LR: We have varying backgrounds. Tom studied business management at Penn State University before earning his Master’s in architecture from the University of Pennsylvania. Sacha was a graduate fellow in American History at the University of Michigan—and a carpenter—before his M. Arch. from the University of Oklahoma. I also have a Master’s in architecture from University of Pennsylvania. Prior to that, I studied art history at Hamilton College.

SR: Modern masters like Kahn and Wright; the English high-tech school of Grimshaw and Rodgers; contemporary Dutch radicals; and the rich tradition of local Washington architecture.

TL: I find it difficult to credit anyone in particular for influencing my thoughts about architecture. I draw a lot from modernism—we all do, actually. But we’re also very critical and understand that this movement created some problems, notably an aesthetic that is sometimes cold and polarizing and an urban planning approach that, while progressive in its day, is now seen as isolationist. I like to study those kinds of architectural problems, and find creative ways to solve them for how we live today and how we will live in the future. Most of what we know comes through observing how people interact with the built world, and every generation is different in how they do that. Although we have a lot of historic buildings here in Georgetown that date back to the 1700’s—like the one where we have our office—these buildings, which may seem permanent in some ways, are part of a living thing that is always changing and evolving. How we keep these buildings relevant is an important question to ask ourselves.

Georgetowner • December 8, 2011

“One of the most glorious messes in the world,” Andy Rooney once said, “is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day. Don’t clean it up too quickly.”

Andy Rooney, or course, said it better than I can. The pillowy, warm spirit of the holidays stays in our hearts, like that sweet nip of a mimosa, sipped fireside, which tastes like the sun dawning on Christmas morning. We are in the season of crinkly wrapping paper and sugared gingerbread cookies, floating in the transition between fall and winter, where a hush descends upon the skies and our workloads bow with the weight of a thousand last-minute details to tie up before the holidays arrive.

But, above all, we are in the season of giving. And there is no equal to the feeling you get when your loved one lights up at the sight of that perfect something you found just for them.

But finding that perfect something is no small task. With an increasing array of options in our ever-eclectic city, shopping has become a downright treasure hunt that would test even the prowess of Captain Jack Sparrow. But we’ve been decoding the holiday shopping treasure map here at The Downtowner, weeding out the decoys and misleading detours and pinpointing exactly where the “X-mas” marks the spot.

Here are some of the hottest hidden gems in the retail world, from gadgets and unique cooking accoutrements, to a disguise for your MacBook Pro and – believe it – a fire you’ll actually want in your house:

HAUSFIRE
Is it a portal? An R2D2-style android? Does it predict the future? None of the above. But it can simultaneously warm your home and make any space chic at warp speed. This indoor-outdoor Hausfire fireplace by Modfire combines the warmth and coziness of a hearth with the sleek, sophisticated design of modern sculpture. The eco-smart burner is safe for use inside and runs on clean-burning ethanol. Each Hausfire is unique and comes in a variety of colors, but all can efficiently heat and light a room.
Price: $2,250
Modfire.com

APOSTROPHE ORANGE PEELER
Oranges are a great food to eat during the winter – their high Vitamin C content keeps you healthy and their sunny citrus flavor keeps you happy and in a summery state of mind. What’s not so happy is those sticky little orange pieces that are impossible to get out from under your nails. The Apostrophe Orange Peeler from Alessi is a sleek, palm-sized device that can easily fit in your lunch box.
Price: $27
Alessi-Shop.com

BOOKBOOK BY TWELVE SOUTH
The BookBook, which transforms your MacBook Pro into an antique novel, is the perfect gift for literature fanatics who also happen to be technology junkies. The ridged leather case and stiff spine of the BookBook provide shock absorption and the distressing on the cover ensures that no two are exactly the same. Twelve South also makes BookBooks for iPhones, iPads and MacBook Airs.
Price: $79.99 – $99.99
TwelveSouth.com

TEA INFUSER SPOON
There’s no question about it: tea is in vogue. And since tea is in vogue, so is the ancient ritual of brewing, steeping and pouring this delightfully warming and healthy beverage. Bring your tea into the 21st century with this Tea Infuser Spoon, which eliminates those annoying little bags, turning brewing a cup of tea into an elegant, simple process.
Price: $3
Pier 1 in D.C.,

MICROVISION – SHOWWX PICO WVGA LASER PROJECTOR
Is that a projector in your pocket? Why, yes, it is! This Pico Projector (so called because they are the smallest projectors to date, roughly the size of an iPhone) can hook up to any Apple device, including iPhones and iPods, to project an image up to 200 inches wide on any surface. And because it’s a laser projector, that means no wasted time fiddling with the focus. Weighing just 4.3 ounces, it can easily fit in a pocket or purse and is a dream machine for movie buffs and techies on the go.
Price: Currently on sale for $124.99
(from $299.99)
BestBuy.com [gallery ids="100422,113597,113620,113613,113606" nav="thumbs"]

Darrell Parsons •

Dear Darrell:
I was looking for a condo to buy, and since I am a first-time buyer, wanted to buy something before April 30 so I could get the $8000 tax credit. Now that program has expired. Do you know if it will be reinstated any time soon?
— Jay L, Foggy Bottom

Dear Jay:
I’m sorry you didn’t make it under the wire. I haven’t heard any specific rumblings about the $8000 tax credit being offered again. Everything I have read about it seems to indicate that it will not be offered again. However, that program did offer a great opportunity for many, many buyers, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see a strong push to bring it back.

In the meantime, however, buyers in D.C. still have the opportunity to use the $5000 D.C. tax credit. This federal tax credit is available to first-time homebuyers in the District of Columbia. There are more restrictions related to this credit than to the $8000 credit, but it is still a good deal for those just getting started.

Additionally, you should look into the D.C. Homestead Exemption, and the D.C. Tax Abatement Program. These are other programs specific to D.C. which can help you as you purchase your first property. I encourage you to speak with a loan officer who can explain the specifics of how these programs work. You can also go to the District Web site (www.otr.cfo.dc.gov), which has a lot of information. I find this site somewhat difficult to search, so you may want to call the phone number given on the site to get specific direction.

Darrell Parsons is the managing broker of the Georgetown Long and Foster office and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity regulations. Have a real estate question? E-mail him at darrell@lnf.com. He blogs at georgetownrealestatenews.blogspot.com.

Darrell Parsons •

Dear Darrell:
I have been thinking about selling my house, but want to do it at the optimal time. I see one day in the news that the real estate market is getting better, and then the next day see that it isn’t. I can’t wait forever to sell my house, but on the other hand, I don’t want to sell it today and then discover that I could have sold it for a lot more six months from now.

Libbie R.
Georgetown

Dear Libbie:
That is a tough question. There are so many things which go into the decision to sell. It’s sounds like you aren’t under the gun to sell, and so you have some flexibility as to when to put your house on the market. In some ways that makes the decision all the harder, because absent an outside driving force, you are left with trying to “read” the market in order to determine the best time. In that task you are joining a large company of realtors, economists and others who are constantly trying to do that very thing.

The current reality of our market is that it is sporadic. It changes direction from week to week, neighborhood to neighborhood, and price range to price range. The general overall trend, however, is in the direction of a higher number of sales. In the past few months, the number of sales has been increasing, but compared to last year at this time, the average prices are lower. This is in large part because the strongest part of the market has been lower-priced properties being purchased by buyers who were looking for the $8000 tax credit. That makes the numbers spike but lowers the average sale price.

In your case, I suggest you find a realtor who will help you analyze your local market for the number and frequency of sales and the ratio of list price to sale price. If you look at that data closely, you will probably be able to reasonably conclude whether now is a good time to sell. It may come down to deciding if you can live with the price you can likely negotiate for your house at this point.

Darrell Parsons is the managing broker of the Georgetown Long and Foster office and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity regulations. Have a real estate question? E-mail him at darrell@lnf.com. He blogs at georgetownrealestatenews.blogspot.com.