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Hotpads.com, a free online listing service that maps homes that are available for rent or for sale, recently created a tool to help home shoppers compare prices between the two in any chosen neighborhood.
As browsers adjust their requirements — how much they’re willing to pay per month, how many bedrooms they want and other specs — icons for available apartments and houses pop up or disappear from the 3-D map. Clicking on an icon brings up photos and more detailed information about the listing.
“It allows people to really get a feel for where the good deals are,” said Douglas Pope, HotPads’ director of operations. “Right now it’s kind of a turbulent housing market, so this is hopefully a better tool for people to say, ‘OK, sales prices are still high compared to what I can afford to rent, but maybe six months from now it’ll be a better time to buy.’ ”
HotPads has about 5,500 for-sale listings and 1,500 rental listings in the Washington area.
For those who know they want to buy, Alexandria’s DROdio Real Estate recently created TheBestHomeSearchEver.com.
The site lets buyers search for area homes using the Multiple Listing Service — the same listing service Realtors use — and maps whichever homes the reader selects, providing directions to and between them.
“This free service … allows homebuyers to search the MLS on their own and print maps showing the most efficient route between listings so [they] can easily travel between home listings,” company owner Daniel R. Odio said.
MLS lists about 94,000 homes for sale in Virginia, Maryland and the District.
tluntz@dcexaminer.com
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8:50 PM MST on Tue., Nov. 4, 2008 re: "Luxury condo developer reopens D.C. sales office"
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michele said:
hi is anyone know what will cost me to open an sales office for my project in brooklyn new york it is 58 units
5 agree | 9 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I want to know who my neighbors are! Are those principal homeowners drug dealers, child molesters, noisemakers, don't recycle, etc. Hey, what about all those principal homeowners that are renting their homes? Only in the liquor and landlord business is the business owner responsible for others actions. But try to actually evict someone because they are dealing drugs on your property (or any other reason for that matter) - the feds can likely seize your property before the tenant can be evicted. All those lower income renters in Baltimore County that lost their leases because the properties were sold to be upgraded probably wish the free market had been left in place.
10 agree | 13 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
I think condos are a good idea...the sunsets are beautiful, and there are a lot of crappy houses that need to be torn down in the neighborhood...they say "No Condos" I say "No Crappy Shacks"
12 agree | 15 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
absolutely untrue. A typical sunset home currently generate $4000 in rents (2500 +1500 in law). It has some of the best rent to price ratio in the city.
12 agree | 19 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
we need more rental units, not more pied-a-terre's make it mandatory to start new multi-unit buildings with initial rents at 1200 for a 1 bedroom etc. and only allow increases per rent control, even when people move out, max 10% increase per year, so we have a staple of rental units, and not the mortgage crisis we see and as renter's dont want to be a part of....
15 agree | 13 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
The free-market has brought us a failed ENRON, expensive, MANAGED HEALTH CARE, bankrupting ENERGY CRISES, exhorbitant GAS PRICES, thousands of jobs lost in the AIRLINE INDUSTRY, and the list goes on. Enough already about the wonders of a free market.
11 agree | 19 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
it may be a quiet and breezy neighborhood in the sunset, but there are slum lords in the area who collect rent and leave the premises to dump. there are secrets in one of the wealthiest areas of the city.
14 agree | 18 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
We don't need a nanny state or county. Market forces can take care of rental properties.
11 agree | 15 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Seriously...what is with the Examiner refusing to use pictures with its stories? I know where Baltimore is, I don't need a map.
12 agree | 17 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
tell justine that the hard stuff isn't going to come down for a while.....bill murry Caddyshack.
11 agree | 19 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I agree with Mr. McIntire. The whole concept of rental inspections is silly. I have been a landlord for 30 years. I know the industry. I know the costs. This program is just one more unnecessary cost that will of course be paid ultimately by the tenants and will offer very little if any benefit. There are enough laws on the books to cover any building violations. If a perspective tenant does not like something about an offered unit, they simply do not have to rent it. Not only is this an unecessary, stupid program, it's concept could not come at a worse time. If left in place, the only real result of this inspection program will be less rental inventory on the market. As usual with these probably well intentioned programs, the business person and the lower income people who have a tendency to be renters of these units will be hurt.
12 agree | 11 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
rental property needs to be enforced! the county council has made good points. whos your neighbor renting to, drug runner, ,hey look residental homes are to be lived in by there home owners and not rented out to any one who can afford it. a home owner takes care of the home and his neighborhood, will a renter? also the county is right why should't the lanlord get a tax id number , its income isnt't it. no i have no problem with it at all
17 agree | 17 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
the rental regesteration is the best thing the county stumbled on. i want to know ,,whom my neighbor is renting to, a drug dealer, a child molster, get the picture. also why should a lanlord , rent bring in income and not be taxed, by the state or federal goverment this issue is way over due.need to change with the times!!!!!
15 agree | 22 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Maryland will go broke because of Baltimore. Crime is up even in the authorities holding office. Cut police protection so more criminals can "get away with it"...does not take a lot of brain effort to see where this is leading....A MAJOR WASTELAND.
15 agree | 17 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
never thought i see the day when buying and living in a car would be the new american dream. the depreciation gap is closing and maybe the homeless have a leg up on us.they are experienced in the land o plenty. at least the new world order will put us on an equl footing with the rest of the third world countries soon.
42 agree | 43 disagree
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Johnny Apple seed said:
Thw foreclosures and the home value dropped in my neighborhood so that we wil eventially be equals in poverty, so the rental value increases. How about an incentive to put in rentals?
47 agree | 53 disagree
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impartial observer said:
until Realtors start using the Case-Shiller index for their numbers, then their analysis of median and average prices will be fundamentally flawed. the CS index uses similar-unit sales and is considered by The Economist, et al to be the best measure of a specific metro market's performance. this article is based solely on MRIS data.
52 agree | 48 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Real estate values and property worth can be "funny money" as clearly expressed in the current credit crisis. Owners who "feel" or "believe" their property is worth an amount often don't sell til they come to understand the actual market value on any given day.
50 agree | 54 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
buying a condo,is like buying a boil for your butt.
54 agree | 54 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
its about time someone has finally started to take a stand against these monsterous developments. besides, why build NEW condos when it's becoming apparent theat condo's don't go for crap anymore.
52 agree | 52 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Rent control and government intervention always leads to higher rents or bankruptcy. Everyone knows that but the saps who keep believing they can get a free ride somehow.
61 agree | 57 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
oh, now stop your whining. These guys deserve it. Yes governments have lots of corrupt employees, why make everything more corrupt just because of that one fact? Just do some reading on the properties, and you will see how negligent these landlords are.
65 agree | 52 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
This is a good way to make the public forget that it is the DC governmetn itself which is really greedy and full of corrupt employees. Attack the landlords is a good variation of class envy. If the landlords are smart they will all declare bankruptcy and put their properties in receivership and throw everyone out in the street. Let's see how smart the DC government and Mayor Fenty look at that point.
61 agree | 58 disagree
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It's a joke said:
Go check your assessment on their website. My house went down almost 200k. Can you guess how much my land went up? 230k!!!!! How can a house in Fairfax county be valued at 135k and the land at 530k? That same address was about 300k house and 300k land last year. Is my home structure of 4 bedrooms, 3 full baths, carport, deck, etc., really only valued at $135k?
217 agree | 199 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
And to make matters worse, it's difficult to find any neighborhood in Fairfax that doesn't have boarding houses occupied by 10-20 people with un-kept lawns filled with bicycles and junker cars. No prospective home buyer would even consider buying a house in these areas, except of course, more boarding house slum lords.
217 agree | 211 disagree
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Get Real said:
I love the "my house is worth this" and "my house is worth that" crowd. Your house is worth what you can sell it for! Get real - you may have to sell it for far less then you bought it.
174 agree | 187 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
If the Fairfax County Board hadn't spent money like drunken sailors over the last few years as they doubled the collections of Real Estate Tax, then we wouldn't be in this mess.
205 agree | 198 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
just turn all that commercial property into casinos,cell phone stores,tatoo parlors,and adult bookstores. thats all america needs. oh, maybe a coffee shop here and there would be nice too.
211 agree | 207 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
realtors and their hack 'economists' produce opinions like horse-squeeze..
286 agree | 222 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
open up a full casino resort plaza by our sports complex and get rid of property taxes!!!!!
216 agree | 204 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
that's why the drug dealers and gang members are happy there understaff on the police dept.buy hundreds and with a freeze in place and officers leaveing the mayor need's to cut the budget.ok we have a good idea short baltimore police and hire more staff and give them a raise.that is one crack staff.
231 agree | 207 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
The city needs to be rebuilt. We are at a loss for afforable housing and good people, I hate everyone in the city. Thats the truth. Who cares who else post here? Not me. Peanut gallery!!!
215 agree | 209 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
That wouldn't be because of crime, or maybe because they tore down hundreds and hundreds of homes with no plan to rebuild, would it? How can they not budget for police overtime? with crime going berserk (and many not being reported) who would think police don't have to work overtime? The criminals are working overtime, and apparently getting well paid for it.
212 agree | 199 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Ev said:
Hey remember when we had a 50 million dollar surplus and decided to build a hotel with it? Yeah.
225 agree | 212 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Cuts? Baltimore city residents already get shorted big time and do without good streets, snow removal, decent cops, honorable representation in government.
227 agree | 198 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
I knew an Assistant State's Attorney in Circuit Court who took "lunch walks" that were over two hours, who drank on the job, and who dropped over half his cases. I agree, cut the State's Attorney's Office budget.
228 agree | 183 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
How about cutting the State's Attorney's Office? How much do they need to pay a person just to say "Stet" all day?
230 agree | 214 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
How about cutting the mayor's overstuffed staff in an effort to save money. This wanna-be big city is a scary, scary place.
212 agree | 194 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Excuse me while I go hug a wet tree.
Seriously, wouldn't you love to have a little house in the model of the Shire from Lord of the Rings? How energy efficient?!?! Keep the soil on top of the roof and around most of the walls and you keep about a 60-65 degree temperature year-round. Little need for AC; limited need for heat (especially since the insulation is good). Problems: need a dehumidifier. Also would have a concern for mold as well as the need to mow and water the roof on occassions.
295 agree | 286 disagreeVote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
The homes that are selling now in the 450,000 range to 530,000 range in Fairfax County are the same homes that sold for 220,000 in 2001. Is that so bad? I don't think so. I'm sorry if you bought a home in 2005 and paid too much, but for those of us who didn't, our equity is still fantastic! Next time there is a boom, it will go even higher than last time and then when it drops the homes that are selling for 450,000 now will be selling for 550,000 and people will still be complaining. In Northern Virginia the AVERAGE increase in a properties worth is 7% annually. That's not smoke and mirrors, that's a statistical fact. Now really IS a good time to buy and I feel sorry for those that are waiting for it to get even worse. Eventually they will be kicking themselves for having waited too long.
294 agree | 272 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
where did the term "homeowners" come from.as long as you are making payments,paying taxes,maintaining,and depreciating you will never be a "homeowner".the only reason is the mortgage deduction on your monthly payments.and you can bet,that will be the next thing congerss will dump.
260 agree | 230 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Please stop blowing smoke the truth is restaurant business is way off so is retail. This is a pump and dump strategy by banks and Real estate firms who, indicently by the way , are the cause of this economic recession. Hold you money invest smart. The layoffs have yet to begun
277 agree | 266 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Agree
285 agree | 262 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
As someone buying a home this is very good news! I agree
185 agree | 201 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Tell us is the land cheap for some o unknown reason? Is there any crime?
206 agree | 204 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I'm the 1:15 AM poster. I have to say that I posted it when my emotions were high. I was mad that I got pushed out of the market. Now though, I have the last laugh ha ha ha. Yes, patience pays off. Hard work pays off. Making wise choices pays off. Not going with the crowd pays off (when you know they're wrong). I mostly have disdain for the Realtors and lenders who were strictly motivated by greed. Did they think that this could possibly last? We were seeing housing prices double, triple, and quadruple within a few years. I don't know about anyone else, but I do not know anyone that had their income double, triple, or quadruple in 3 years. How was it that all of a sudden, gobs of people could afford a $400K+ home when making under $40K? Is everybody rich but me? It was totally and completely disconnected from market fundamentals. I am thoroughly enjoying this so-called crash (I call it a correction) because I won't have to live in an apartment forever.
204 agree | 182 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I am hoping it drops through the floor as someone who is being made to buy as a result of a political, crooked, decision made during BRAC 05, I am hoping to steal something at unheard of prices only to sell it a few years later at a huge profit. No sympathy for the Maryland market
210 agree | 188 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I agree fully with the 1:15 AM Examiner Reader as I also have no sympathy whatsoever for those who took out those sub-prime interest-only loans; but I also have utter disdain for realtors, bankers, etc., who touted these loans. Frankly, those are people of the same ilk who in the Fifties touted block busting and ruined the cities and their lovely neighborhoods, and we know exactly who and what they are. I wonder what diabolical acts they're planning next.
189 agree | 195 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Quite frankly, I have little sympathy for anyone that took out an ARM and are now in trouble. They can go ahead and lose their home that they had no business getting in the first place. They can rent just like a lot of other people. Fact is is that I was looking to get a home before all of this frenzy started, and I got pushed out of the market where I was seeing prices sky-rocket. Unlike all of these morons, I chose not to do something so moronic and get an interest-only loan or some other type of voodoo loan. The market is simply correcting itself to where prices belong prior to this spike. If someone is so lame-brained, stupid, and moronic to not read the contract for something as big as a house, then they deserve all the pain that they got themselves into. There's no excuse. Are they not fully grown adults here? I'm amazed how stupid people are.
222 agree | 199 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
wow!houses are like cars and jacked up cowboy shortman trucks, depreciating property ! shoulda put your refi money in oil stock instead of that oil guzzeler and the step ladder you need to git in it.happy for a time. but, like my neighbor,contemplating suicide. oh, and the company he worked for moved to vietnam,he didnt
209 agree | 184 disagree
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