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Fine Metro Homes is a residential and commercial investment company founded by David Maier and Jeff Leighton who specialize in rehabbing DC area properties and acquiring commercial buildings.  Please visit our website at www.finemetrohomes.com and drop us a line.

When you watch this short documentary, you'd think that this looks like in Denmark. The truth is, it's not. It's the city of Portland, Oregon. If they can do it, other cities can do it, too. 

What do you think?

Transportation planners in Portland, Oregon are taking their famous bicycle boulevards to the next level. By adding more routes and stepping up the traffic calming treatments, the city is not only making these streets more attractive and usable for cyclists, but also for pedestrians, runners, children, and anyone else who gets around under their own power.

These next-generation facilities have been christened “Neighborhood Greenways,” and by 2015, over 80 percent of all Portlanders will live within half a mile of one. The city is counting on these re-engineered streets to reach its goal of increasing bicycle mode share from eight percent to 25 percent by 2030.

via Streetfilms

Harry W. Gray was born into slavery in 1852 at Arlington House, an estate overlooking the Potomac River in Alexandria. His house is a designated Arlington County landmark. 

A little bit of history of the house

The Harry W. Gray House, located at 1005 South Quinn Street in Arlington, Virginia was constructed  in 1881  in  the  Italianate style.  The  masonry dwelling,  constructed of  five-course American-bond brick, presents a rectangular  footprint  and freestanding  rowhouse  form typical of  urban  settings.  Standing two stories in  height, the three-bay-wide dwelling, which faces north,  sits on a solid brick foundation.  Capped by  a standing-seam metal shallow-pitched shed  roof, the  dwelling  also  features 212  wood  windows, two interior-end brick chimneys with corbeled caps,  and  a  full-width  one-story porch,  which  stretches across the faqade. A highly decorative Italianate-style entablature caps the facade.  A small wood-frame porch on the southeast comer of  the L-shaped dwelling was enclosed circa 1960. The  dwelling  is  located  in  Gray's  Subdivision  of   the  Arlington View neighborhood, a  middle-class community with  an  historically African-American heritage.  The  Harry  W.  Gray  House  is located  on  a 0129-acre  sloping lot with a grassy yard, brick driveway,  and  landscaping.  A  wooden  fence  partially encloses  the property.  A  small,  non-historic shed is located  on the northwest  comer  of the  sit.  The property is in  excellent condition and has had little exterior alteration since its construction. 

via Arlington County.

by: Guest blogger

Let’s start with some facts: On average, incorporating green building practices into a new building will increase upfront costs by 2%. Green building practices are shown conservatively to yield savings 10x the amount of the initial investment assuming a 20 year building lifecycle. See 134 page report The Cost and Financial Benefits of Green Buildings.

Now for some math: If you build a $300,000 home, you could make it green for an initial investment of $6,000. $6,000 x 10 = $60,000 over 20 years. $60,000/20 = $3,000 in the first year. That’s 1/2 the initial investment.

Some notes about the above numbers: Those figures do not include other proven correlated effects such as comfort, health, and productivity benefits. Some of you financial whizzes out there may also say “What about the discount rate? What is the Net Present Value of that $60,000?” Unlike future cash flows you might see in an annuity, these figures are based on monthly savings on water, energy, waste, etc. I have made the reasonable assumption that theses costs will grow at minimum by our inflation rate though I think it more likely that energy costs will outpace inflation possibly yielding more than a $60,000 saving. The initial study was conducted in California in 2003.

Now for the commentary: Green building practices don’t care where you fall on political spectrum; they are simply more efficient with your resources. Despite the obvious benefits only 17% of new homes built in 2007 were even energy star compliant according to USA Today. So the real question is why aren’t more people building green? Hoffman and Henn proposed that “presumed associations” and the “mythical fixed-pie” are to blame and I would tend to agree with them. Moreover these issues extend beyond homebuyers to all people involved the homebuilding process from real estate agents to contractors.

Presumed associations are a proven tendency among people to recall likely events more than unlikely events. Simply put, people remember the hippie movement in the 1970s with the ugly homes with weird building materials and naturally assume that the green alternative is similar and undesirable.

The mythical fixed-pie is another proven tendency among people to believe that because something is better it automatically must have a disadvantage to accompany it. Essentially, people think that because green is desirable and better for the environment that they will bear the cost of that benefit. As shown above that clearly isn’t the case.

So what do we do? People in general and people involved in the homebuilding process especially have a responsibility to educate themselves on the green (sustainable) building practices. This post isn’t meant to be a manifesto for world change but at the very least it should challenge some of the preconceived notions that we have when it comes to home buying , building, and improving.

//

Michael Little is an MBA, CFA, CDPE and real estate agent in the Minneapolis area and owner of the Michael Little Housing Group a group dedicated to honesty and integrity in real estate. You can visit his website to learn more at Minneapolis homes for sale.

Don't know if you have seen this aerial view of Google campus yet. You see solar panels all over the rooftops. Pretty amazing. 

Sometime last week I was invited to attend the celebration for the completion of the third largest scale of green roof in the district with 27,750 sq. ft - which is the largest "non-government" green roof installation in the city!, according to DDOE official - sitting atop the roof of World Wildlife Foundation headquarters in Northwest DC. The roof holds 11 types of sedum - 53,568 plugs - all sourced locally from Knoll Farms in Street, Maryland. The project took 2 years from consideration to completion. 

The new roof reduces stress in the city sewer infrastructure and reduces combined sewer overflows into the Potomac, Anacostia and Rock Creek. WWF's green roof is partially funded by American Recovery & Reinvestment Act via Anacostia Watershed Restoration Partnership that help funded 20% of the construction. 

EPA have awarded the District Department of Environment (DDOE) and DC Water more than $40 million in Recovery Act fund, for rebuilding portions of the District's drinking water, and wastewater infrastructure and controlling stormwater run-off. The District government is then used $14M of these funds to fund 22 green projects, to improve local and regional water quality. 

image: World Wildlife Foundation

"DDOE appreciates the opportunity that the Recovery Act is providing for us to put people back to work building green roofs, restoring tree canopies, planting more trees and other projects that benefit our economy, our environment and quality of life here in the District," said DDOE Acting Director Christophe Tulou. "Investing in projects such as the roof on this building helps us to protect our water quality and become a greener city." 

The District's target is to have 1.3 million sq. ft. green roofs in the District by 2012. 

DC water is directly related to green roof project. Green roofs hold and delay rainfall, which effectively preventing rainwater from becoming stormwater and reducing combined sewer overflow (CSO's) events. CSO's mean that sewage and stormwater flow untreated into the District's creeks and rivers. In addition, green roofs filter air pollutants from the rainwater and save energy in buildings by reducing heating and cooling costs. 

Additional bonus for green roofs, is this: Besides the aesthetic value, it provides habitat for many species. So, it's good for the biodiversity.

Dear blog readers, 

This blog has been nominated as one of "People's Choice Best Real Estate Blog Award" sponsored by Zillow. Voting ends at noon (PDT) August 25, 2010. 

It would be an honor for me to have your vote. Please vote on #3, which listed as 'metrodchomes.typepad.com'

Thank you.

- Dewita

PS: for some strange reasons, Zillow uses the URLs name instead of the blog's name. 

David Gottfried, the founder of U.S. Green Building Council, that developed LEED or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for green building and green home certifications, shows off his sustainable home. The home is LEED Platinum certified. And it is super-insulated. What's more - the rain barrel capture 50% of rain water that is then used for toilets. There's more to the story. So check it out. 

UPDATE: Think the video link don't work. Here's the link to the video. 

Clarendon is one of Arlington county's urban villages. There are 12 (actually 11 - my bad) neighborhoods in Arlington designated as urban villages. These villages are unique in itself with some located close to metro stations within the orange line system, and a few away from the stops but still offer easy access to transportation.

What's unique about Clarendon the neighborhood have its neighborhood association, Clarendon Alliance. Not an HOA (home owners association) but the kind of organization that pulls together business owners and residents. It is a public-private partnership to market the community. There are two citizen associations in addition to the Alliance: one is Lyon Park Citizen Association and the other is Lyon Village Citizen Association.

Walkable to Metro:

Ballston, Virginia Square, Clarendon, Courthouse, Rosslyn, Crystal City, and Pentagon City,

Away from the metro - but still easy to catch mass transit:

Shirlington, Lee Highway, Columbia Pike, Westover,

We're going to look at the four things that make up a walkable neighborhood: getting in and out of the neighborhood via transit services (rail, bus, car sharing), places, parks and trails, and walkscore.

WALKABILITY

This is probably the best indicator for an urban neighborhood. Although Clarendon is considered Washington DC suburb, when you live around the area, you don't feel like it.

Walkscore: 92. It's a walker's paradise.

You can see this yourself why the neighborhood is a walker's paradise. The neighborhood is very unique, you have mixed use, commercial strip mall - mom and pop stores - mixed in with residential housing. Apartments, condominiums, and single family homes.

Wilson Boulevard corridor was named as one of '10 Great Streets' in the US by American Planning Association.

GETTING AROUND - IN AND OUT OF THE AREA

From transit perspective, this place is heaven. There two metro stations with stops serving the neighborhood: Clarendon and Virginia Square. So, you won't have problems with transportation. The choices include buses, trains and car sharing aka Zip cars. Some people bike to metro station and take the train from there. The metro stations around here do not have park-and-ride places. It's either street parking or underground parking. Paid parking, of course.

Parking, is a big issue in this hood.

Because of its proximity to some of the popular hangout places (bars and stuff) and Wholefoods of the world, multiple big boxes like Pottery Barn, Barnes and Noble, etc. - if you don't live here but want to visit the neighborhood - take the metro, please. Although, you have the option of parking underground. That's not the point of living in a walkable neighborhood, though. As much as possible, car free or carless.

PLACES

What do you feel like eating, doing? Nightlife? They have got it all. From shopping, entertaining, dining, live entertainment, businesses You name it. The choice is yours. The place is truly like a mini United Nations. All kinds of food choices is available. From the usual Chinese to Thai, Afghan, Greek, Italian, Indian, French, Marocco, Irish and more. From franchisees, chain to private ownerships. Mister Days is a popular neighborhood hangout place. So is the new Liberty Tavern, Spider Kelly, Hard Times. Cheesecake Factory. Faccia Luna. Boulevard Wood Grill down to locally-owned restaurants like Whitlows on Wilson. 

The big boxes also is equally represented here at Market Common at Clarendon. Pottery Barn. The Container Store. Barnes and Noble. Apple. Your Starbucks coffee. Too many to list here, so check out the links below.

List of businesses here.

List of restaurants here.

List of live entertainment places here.

You might want to check this site for a variety of things to do, events and such in Clarendon. A couple of big events, Clarendon Day, CSC Invitational - a series of high-speed bike races - to Mardi Gras parade hosted by the Clarendon Alliance and held in February each year. For mobile community, check out also this site, Arlington Unwired.

Farmers market: Open on Wednesdays around 2 to 7 PM at the Metro station. And on Saturdays and Sundays from April to November 8 AM to noon at Courthouse parking lot.

PARKS & TRAILS

There's a small park adjacent to the metro center entrance. It's right there at the heart of Clarendon. If you're looking into bike trails, you will have to check into Arlington systems of bike trails, lanes and routes maps - front and back.

WALK SCORE

At this time of writing there are 162 home listings slated in the zipcode 22201, in which Clarendon is part of it.

3133 9th Road, #3133, Arlington, VA 22201. Listed for $1.089M.

It said that this one is an eco-friendly property. The eco-friendly thing is on the appliances and source of energy. Not sure if this is applied to the whole house. That is the information I gathered from Homes Database. This property has 4 bedrooms and was built in 2010,

Walk Score: 88, very walkable (not paradise).

1020 Highland Street, #421, Arlington, VA 22201. Listed for $379k.

A one bedroom condo located at the Phoenix, a throw's stone from the Metro. Well, a couple of short blocks from there.

Walk Score: 88, very walkable.

This walk score is not correct, because according to the methodology the difference between a walker's paradise and very walkable is - pretty slim.

90 -100 = walker's paradise > daily errands do not require a car.

70- 89 = very walkable > most errands can be accomplished on foot.

Which technically is almost the same, in my opinion.

1504 Hancock St. N, Arlington, VA 22201. Listed for $1.6M.

A 5 bedroom single family home Arts and Crafts. Probably was either rebuilt or completely renovated.

Walk Score: 85, very walkable.

MARKET TRENDS

According to the info on Altos Research, as of July 11, 2010:

- Median price of single family home: $729,773

- Still a buyer's market

- Average days property on the market is 118 days

- Median price per square foot: $292

(Note: The price per square foot for $292 is kind of low. But what am I to say. Just my comment)

There's more info about Clarendon if you are really interested. Go to Arlington County website and Commuter Page site for more information.

Did I miss anything?

There's a lot of things to do in DC, really.. if you just have the time. You can visit the Library and Smithsonian Museums for Free. I'm ashamed to admit that I've been living in the area for 20 years, but only got to see the Library of Congress maybe not more than twice in my living here. Last week's visit was my second. I promise to go back to the Library and just dive in exploring all or most of the exhibitions sometime soon. 

There's so many exhibitions going on at the Library. There's "Hope (Bob Hope) for America, the Red Book of Carl I. Jung, As the Old Sing so is the Young Twitter, etc."  

One of the exhibitions I checked out, was Exploring the Early Americas. This exhibition featuring 3,000 rare maps, documents, paintings, prints and artifacts that make up the Jay I. Kislak's collection. It provides insight into indigenous cultures, the drama of the encounters between Native Americans and European explorers and settlers, and the pivotal changes caused by the meeting of the American and European worlds.

Too bad we can't take pictures inside the room. Jay Kislak, made his money in real estate (hello Realtors!). Via LOC. 

Born in Hoboken, New Jersey, Mr. Kislak graduated from the Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania in 1942 and served as a naval aviator during World War II. After the war, he entered the real estate brokerage and mortgage banking business founded by his father in 1906.

Early in his career, Mr. Kislak moved to Florida and began a half-century exploration of the history of his new home. Attracted to rare maps and books, he began amassing a comprehensive collection on early Florida, the Caribbean, and Mesoamerica. 

You just have to see this exhibition! This one is part of an ongoing exhibition. More info about the exhibition. 

Other things to see is the inside of the Library. Beautiful. It's more than words can say. I could say people say "ooh, aah.." Click here click there, taking pictures around the building.

When you're inside the building, you feel that you're not living in DC. Maybe some place you see on TV - Europe? Nope. This is Washington DC. 

Here are some pictures I took sometime last week. Check out also virtual tour of the Library.