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MoCo Areas
- Bethesda
- Clarksburg
- Darnestown
- Gaithersburg
- Germantown
- North Potomac
- Olney
- Poolesville
- Potomac
- Rockville
- Silver Spring
Article Topics
Past Articles
- August 2010 (3)
- July 2010 (8)
- June 2010 (22)
- May 2010 (15)
- April 2010 (4)
- March 2010 (5)
- February 2010 (3)
- January 2010 (8)
- December 2009 (53)
- November 2009 (4)
- October 2009 (5)
- September 2009 (4)
- August 2009 (21)
- July 2009 (6)
- June 2009 (14)
- May 2009 (6)
- April 2009 (5)
- March 2009 (3)
- February 2009 (7)
- January 2009 (8)
- December 2008 (5)
- November 2008 (8)
Potomac
Potomac is included in a single zip code, 20854, and is located between the Potomac River, I270, the Beltway; and North Potomac and Darnestown to the north. Potomac Village is the geographical center of Potomac and is located at the intersection of River Road and Falls Road. Here you’ll find small upscale shops, restaurants and local businesses.
Homes in Potomac are assigned to Winston Churchill H.S., Thomas Wootton H.S., Walt Whitman H.S., Richard Montgomery H.S. and Northwest H.S. school clusters. Always verify a home’s school assignment at MCPS.
Neighborhoods in Potomac
Here’s a few of the most popular neighborhoods in Potomac:
| - Avenel | - Lake Normandy Estates | |
| - Bedfordshire | - McAuley Park | |
| - Bells Mill Estates | - Montgomery Square | |
| - Beverly Farms | - Oldfield | |
| - Bradley Farms | - Orchard Ridge | |
| - Clagett Farm | - Palatine | |
| - Copenhaver | - Park Potomac | |
| - East Gate of Potomac | - Pine Knolls | |
| - Falconhurst | - Piney Glen Village | |
| - Fallsberry | - Potomac Commons | |
| - Fallsmead | - Potomac Crest | |
| - Fallsreach | - Potomac Manor | |
| - Fawcett Farms | - Potomac Ranch | |
| - Fawsett Farms Manor | - Potomac View Estates | |
| - Fox Hills | - Potomac Village | |
| - Glen Mill Knolls | - Potomac Woods | |
| - Glen Oaks | - Regency Estates | |
| - Great Falls Estates | - Regent Park | |
| - Heritage Farm | - River Falls | |
| - Highland Stone | - Roberts Glen | |
| - Horizon Hill | - Saddle Ridge | |
| - Inverness Forest | - Wheel of Fortune | |
| - Inverness Knolls | - Willerburn Acres | |
| - Inverness North | - Windsor Hills | |
| - Kentsdale Estates | - Winterset | |
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| Potomac has many great neighborhoods to call ‘home’. Call anytime at 301-527-9079 or send an email for help buying and selling in this great community. |  |
Potomac Contracts in 2010
June 14th, 2010 Categories: Potomac
The overall contract activity in Potomac is 40% higher than 2009. These statistics suggest that home prices have generally gone up this year with much stronger sales activity for homes priced over $600,000. The market for homes priced $1.5M or higher, however, is still soft. 15% fewer homes in this price bracket have gone under contract so far this year.
Contact us for information about the market in Potomac and see these stats for other areas in Montgomery County.
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Free Real Estate Market Report
January 16th, 2010 Categories: Avenel, Bedfordshire, Bradley Farms, Clagett Farm, ClagettFarm, Copenhaver, East Gate of Potomac, Falconhurst, Fallsmead, Fallsreach, Fawsett Farms Manor, Fox Hills, Glen Oaks, Great Falls Estates, Highland Stone, Horizon Hill, Inverness Forest, Inverness Knolls, Kentsdale Estates, Lake Normandy Estates, McAuley Park, Montgomery Square, Orchard Ridge, Park Potomac, Piney Glen Village, Potomac, Potomac Acreage, Potomac Commons, Potomac Crest, Potomac Village, Potomac Woods, Regency Estates, River Falls, Wheel of Fortune, Willerburn, Willerburn Acres
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Potomac Neighborhood Past Sales
January 2nd, 2010 Categories: Market Updates, Potomac
Not counting the last couple days of 2009, 451 homes sold for nearly $440 million in Potomac, Maryland. 2009 past sales for the most popular neighborhoods in Potomac can be accessed below. Check them out and let us know what you think. Contact us for information on these or other Potomac neighborhoods not listed here.
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Past Sales for Homes in Potomac with Acreage
December 9th, 2009 Categories: Potomac, Potomac Acreage
Past sales in 2009 for homes in Potomac west of Falls Road with at least 2 acres are listed below. Contact us with any questions about the market for homes in this great area of Montgomery County.
| Address | Sold | Price | Lot | Year | |
| 11413 Palatine Dr | 1/5/09 | 2,057,000 | 2.00 | 1997 | |
| 11910 Glen Mill Rd | 2/16/09 | 1,514,053 | 2.49 | 1968 | |
| 12065 Wetherfield Ln | 2/19/09 | 1,080,000 | 2.00 | 1988 | |
| 13412 Bissel Ln | 2/20/09 | 1,360,000 | 2.35 | 1999 | |
| 10507 Tulip Ln | 2/27/09 | 450,000 | 2.14 | 1963 | |
| 2 Tanager Ct | 3/3/09 | 827,000 | 2.00 | 1976 | |
| 13440 Bissel Ln | 3/20/09 | 1,400,000 | 2.06 | 2000 | |
| 10716 Barn Wood Ln | 4/17/09 | 1,610,000 | 2.66 | 1977 | |
| 10406 Tanager Ln | 4/29/09 | 1,060,000 | 2.00 | 1969 | |
| 11713 Centurion Way | 4/30/09 | 1,500,000 | 2.00 | 2002 | |
| 11008 South Glen Rd | 5/20/09 | 1,537,000 | 2.00 | 1986 | |
| 13304 Beall Creek Ct | 5/27/09 | 1,700,000 | 2.37 | 1980 | |
| 11809 Centurion Way | 6/2/09 | 3,550,000 | 2.00 | 2008 | |
| 13300 Beall Creek Ct | 6/30/09 | 1,226,000 | 2.63 | 1980 | |
| 12509 Noble Ct | 6/30/09 | 2,100,000 | 2.00 | 1996 | |
| 10801 Red Barn Ln | 7/1/09 | 939,000 | 2.04 | 1984 | |
| 11752 Glen Mill Rd | 7/9/09 | 1,025,000 | 2.17 | 1977 | |
| 18 Piney Meetinghouse Ct | 7/15/09 | 1,340,000 | 2.00 | 1987 | |
| 6 Travilah Ter | 7/23/09 | 850,000 | 2.03 | 1979 | |
| 13624 Maidstone Ln | 7/23/09 | 1,150,000 | 2.10 | 1985 | |
| 12307 Glen Rd | 7/27/09 | 3,100,000 | 6.21 | 1996 | |
| 11031 Dobbins Dr | 8/6/09 | 937,000 | 2.23 | 1979 | |
| 12301 Piney Glen Ln | 8/7/09 | 1,142,000 | 2.08 | 1970 | |
| 12805 Brushwood Ter | 8/14/09 | 850,000 | 2.85 | 1978 | |
| 10805 Fox Hunt Ln | 8/28/09 | 830,000 | 2.02 | 1959 | |
| 10100 Norton Rd | 8/28/09 | 2,300,000 | 2.00 | 1989 | |
| 10306 Norton Rd | 9/4/09 | 1,450,000 | 2.01 | 1976 | |
| 11100 South Glen Rd | 9/16/09 | 1,500,000 | 2.32 | 2009 | |
| 12206 Piney Glen Ln | 9/25/09 | 1,775,000 | 2.50 | 2008 | |
| 14401 Pettit Way | 10/15/09 | 1,170,000 | 4.89 | 1989 | |
| 10837 South Glen Rd | 10/20/09 | 1,520,000 | 2.00 | 1997 | |
| 12512 Palatine Ct | 10/29/09 | 1,750,000 | 2.00 | 1995 | |
| 11004 Piney Meetinghouse Rd | 11/17/09 | 1,250,000 | 2.00 | 1999 | |
| 14901 River Rd | 11/25/09 | 475,000 | 2.82 | 1962 |
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Potomac Foreclosure Home Tour
November 18th, 2009 Categories: Foreclosures, Potomac
Inventory remains super high for the most expensive homes in Montgomery County, so I expect to see distress sales for some time in this market segment. Here’s a summary of three upper bracket homes in Potomac that I previewed this week:
11752 Lake Potomac Drive, Potomac
This home is an imposing wall of bricks. It’s big with 7,000 sq feet of living on the main two levels and about 4,000 more on the finished lower level. From the street, it’s classic, regal and impressive; but the layout and finishings inside are a bit bewildering. Except for hardwoods in the library, the entire main level has granite tile flooring which most buyers would find cold and impractical. The main level has a traditional room layout, but the upper level is maze-like – I would describe it if I could. The lower level is bright and usable.
For a bank-owned property, it’s in good shape. Still, especially with a home this size, a buyer will likely make significant investments to bring out its true potential. The previous owner paid $1,420,000 in 2004. I understand they did most of the interior work. This home went through foreclosure and is now bank-owned listed for $1,584,000 with Rosselle Realty Services.
11201 Greenbriar Preserve Lane
What’s not to love about this former NV model home? It’s big with over 7,200 square feet of living on the main levels and around 3,000 more in the basement. It’s new built in 2005, and it has all the options: premium flooring, paint, mouldings and lighting. Everything is fabulous – the upgraded kitchen, theater-sized media room, extravagant master suite and more. An outside entertainment area includes a large gazebo, maintenance-free deck and stone firepit.
Typical of a model home, it is the first home in the neighborhood and it sits on 0.77 acres. Even from the back deck, you have good privacy from Piney Meeting House Road. The current owner purchased this from NV Homes for $2,625,000 in April, 2006. It’s currently listed as a short-sale with Long and Foster priced at $1,900,000.
9417 Falls Road
I saved the best for last. This home is walking distance to Potomac Village and feature the very best of custom design and construction. This home is big with over 7,200 square feet of living space on the main two levels and 3,000 in the finished lower level. Testament to its superior design, this home doesn’t overwhelm. It’s classic, gracious and comfortable. Superior construction details like a hand-stacked stone fireplace, weighted doors, hardwood flooring on the main levels, wrought-iron stair case spindles, custom lighting and more come together to create rich, quality living spaces. The bedroom level offers perhaps the biggest surprise. All bedrooms feature huge spaces and soaring cathedral ceilings. Natural light streams through curved and oval windows. Very nice.
This home was built in 2008 and has never been occupied. It is listed with Long and Foster for 1,999,000 as a short sale.
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See all distress sales in Potomac and contact us with any questions about these or any other homes in the area.
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Potomac Pricing Trends
August 11th, 2009 Categories: Potomac
Contracts in Potomac for the last six months are up a tepid 8% compared to the same time period in 2008. This stat doesn’t tell the whole story, however. For homes priced $1.1M and lower, contracts are up a dazzling 35%. For homes priced over $1.1M, contracts are down 36%. Here’s the breakdown by price range:
This graph reiterates that sales of higher-priced homes are currently being punished in Potomac. See the overall Montgomery County market update and Potomac’s inventory by price range from June’s market update.
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| Do you have questions about the Potomac real estate market? Call us at 301-527-9079 or send an email for more info about buying, selling and living in Potomac, Maryland. |  |
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Home Prices in Walt Whitman H.S. Cluster
August 1st, 2009 Categories: Bethesda, Potomac, Schools
The Walt Whitman Cluster follows the Potomac River and includes neighborhoods in Bethesda and Potomac (and a few others) and is the 2nd most popular cluster on this site. Homes are the priciest here due to a close-in location and predominance of single family homes. 87% of the sales over the last six months have been for single family homes, 9% for condos and 4% townhomes.
Here’s a breakdown of contracts and inventory by price range:
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| Looking for homes in a specific school district in Montgomery County? Call us at 301-527-9079 or send an email and we can establish a custom home search. | |
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Home Prices in Winston Churchill H.S.
August 1st, 2009 Categories: Potomac, Schools
At #3 in popularity on this site, the sales statistics for Winston Churchill closely mirror the real estate market in Potomac. 233 homes are currently available and 197 went under contract over the last six months indicating just over 5 months inventory. 19% of the contracts were for townhomes and 80% were single family homes.
Here’s the breakdown of contracts over the last six months and available inventory by brice range:
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| Looking for homes in a specific school district in Montgomery County? Call us at 301-527-9079 or send an email and we can establish a custom home search. | |
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Notes from Tuesday Home Tour
July 28th, 2009 Categories: Darnestown, Foreclosures, Potomac
Tuesdays are traditionally a day for real estate agents in the area to preview homes and hold Broker’s Opens. I took a look at a few homes with acreage in Potomac and Darnestown. Here’s my impression of the most interesting ones I saw today.
Bank Owned in Potomac
I get a lot of questions about foreclosures in Potomac. Normally, there isn’t much to report. Today’s the exception. 19 Pettit Court came on the market on July 26th, is priced at $964,900 and is listed by Long and Foster. This home has 3,900 sq feet of living space on the main two levels, sits on 2 acres and has a nice pool in back. All the kitchen appliances and some light fixtures have been removed, but it’s in good showing condition. The master suite and another bedroom is on the main level, and the upper level has 3 bedrooms. A buyer would likely update bathrooms, replace some carpet and paint. The cedar shake roof looks like it might be original (the home was built in 1978), but it’s hard to tell with cedar shake. No funky smells and no obvious abuse. Overall, I liked it. It’s definitely priced to sell. The previous owners paid $1,404,000 in 2005.
A Trip Back to the 1970s
13500 Deakins Lane in Darnestown sits on a jaw-droppingly beautiful lot of 13.5 acres. One could mistake the manicured back yard for a country club. This home really gives off a strong vibe. I’ve never met the owners, but I would bet this home has seen a lot of good times. There’s definitely a lot of love here — sounds corny, but that’s how it feels. The interior decor is a time capsule of the 1970s — the shag carpet, the bold wall paper, the wood paneling — its all here. I’m guessing that the buyer will fall in love with the lot and won’t mind bringing the home up to date. It’s currently priced at $1,395,000. Andrea Alderdice with W.C. & A.N. Miller/Long & Foster is the listing agent.
One Level Living with Nice Acreage
13520 Deakins Lane in Darnestown is listed for $1,199,000. It sits on over 8 acres and has quite a regal approach. The rooms are big and the hardwood floors are very nice. The kitchen has been upgraded and every view outside is fantastic. Built in 1964, it has some quirks. The super low ceilings in the basement reduce the utility of the lower level. I think the buyer on this home will place a high value on the main level layout and the privacy of the lot. Andrea Alderdice with W.C. & A.N. Miller/Long & Foster also the listing agent on this property.
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| Call us at 301-527-9079 or send an email for more info about these homes or any others in Montgomery County, Maryland. | |
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Potomac Market Update
June 28th, 2009 Categories: Potomac
Looking to buy a home in Potomac priced under $1M? Don’t be surprised to be competing with other buyers. It’s a strong seller’s market for nice, well-priced homes listed in this price range. Competition for homes priced under $700,000 can be fierce. As price escalates, the advantage tilts towards the buyer. Over one half of all available homes are priced $1.3M or higher. In the last six months, 43 homes in this price range have gone under contract indicating about 21 months available inventory.
What’s making it so tough for sellers in this market segment? Available financing is the primary culprit. A buyer can get a great rate, but one needs cash – and a lot of it – to obtain a mortgage for upper bracket homes. And the higher the purchase, the higher percentage down payment required. A 30% downpayment on a $1,500,000 home is $450,000 before taxes and other closing costs. Some mortgage providers require more. By contrast, a 20% downpayment on a $1.2M home is a mere $240,000. Do you have a lot of cash? Then you have a big selection.
These stats show inventory in late June 2009 and the number of contracts for the previous six months.
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| Do you have questions about the Potomac real estate market? Call us at 301-527-9079 or send an email for more info about buying, selling and living in Potomac, Maryland. | |
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The lure of bargains in the upper brackets
April 1st, 2009 Categories: Bethesda, Buying, Potomac
Sometimes a bargain is just too seductive too ignore. Reduced prices for upper bracket homes in Montgomery County can be a strong lure inviting buyer interest based on price alone. Still, are these bargains really a great deal? As with most things in life, the answer is “it depends”.
Overall for Montgomery County, there are 357 homes priced over $1.3M available, and 51 in this price range have gone under contract from January 1st through March 31st. So for the county, we currently have about 22 months’ inventory. 90% of all home sale activity in this price range takes place in the Bethesda and Potomac areas:
| Area | Available |
Contracts |
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| Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Kensington Clarksburg, Damascus Darnestown Gaithersburg, Derwood, Mont. Village Germantown, Boyds North Potomac Olney, Ashton, Brinklow, Sandy Spring Poolesville, Dickerson, Barnesville Potomac Rockville, North Bethesda Silver Spring, Burtsonsville, Takoma Park |
185 1 12 7 0 3 6 6 131 11 5 |
29 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 17 2 1 |
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So is that home really a great deal for you? Bargains are definitely out there, but with so many homes available, make sure you have an in-depth understanding of the market for your areas of interest. And, above all, make sure that a getting a “deal” doesn’t distract you from finding the right home for your needs.
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| Do you have questions about upper bracket homes in Montgomery County? Call us at 301-527-9079 or send an email for more info about buying, selling and living in Montgomery County, Maryland. | |
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Snapshot of million dollar homes in Montgomery County
January 21st, 2009 Categories: Bethesda, North Potomac, Potomac
Amidst declining home values in Montgomery County, we still have a healthy market for homes in the upper brackets. In 2008, 770 homes priced $950,000 or more sold for a total of $1.1 billion (with a ‘B’). For all price ranges, about 8,500 homes sold for a total of $4.27 billion. So even though 770 homes represents only about 9% of the number of homes sold, this was over 25% of the total sales volume for the year.
Over 80% of all homes in this price range sold in Bethesda, Potomac and Chevy Chase. Of these areas, Chevy Chase has the lowest inventory with about 6.8 months available. Bethesda has 7.8 months and Potomac has 9.7 months worth of inventory. It’s a bit trite but true: in real estate, it’s all about ‘location, location, location’. In our market, the closer to metropolitan D.C., the more expensive the home.
Looking across the County, the area with the lowest inventory in this price range is (surprisingly) North Potomac. Granted, the market in North Potomac is very different that that of ‘the big three’. In 2008 the average sales price for Bethesda, Potomac and Chevy Chase in this price range was $1.4M, $1.6M and $1.5M respectively over a much larger number of sales. The average sales price in North Potomac was about $1,140,000 over just 29 sales.
The table below summarizes the units sold, active listings and available inventory for each area. Contact us for more information about a particular neighborhood or for more details on this analysis. What are your thoughts on this segment of the real estate market? Add a comment below and let us know.
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20854 – one zip code, two worlds
December 8th, 2008 Categories: Potomac
Most people think of Potomac as an area of grand estates on large, leafy lots. One can easily find breath-taking estate homes in Potomac, but this isn’t the only type of home here. This is a big area with about 17,000 homes. This zip code usually takes the top spot in Montgomery County for sales volume, and is normally in the top 10 for units sold. As you get to know the area, Potomac has two distinct flavors.
Age and Types of Homes in Potomac
Before revealing the two ‘flavors’, the first thing to understand about Potomac real estate is that this is an area made up primarily of single family homes – 86% of the total. Townhomes makeup 13% and about 1% are condos. In 2008, the median age of a home here was 33 years – half of all homes were built between 1965 and 1979.
Lot Sizes in Potomac
After age, the next differentiator is a homes’ lot size. Looking at only single family homes, 2/3 of all homes are on less than 0.5 acres. This is evident when driving through most neighborhoods in Potomac. Most homes are on compact lots with neighborhoods of winding streets. Especially as you travel west, homes and lot sizes get larger. West of Piney Meeting House Road, larger homes are set on spacious lots. Here you’ll discover a wide variety of custom homes and small developed neighborhoods.
Putting it All Together
So looking at a home’s age and lot size helps distinguish the two primary flavors of Potomac: Suburban Potomac and Estate Potomac. A typical home in Suburban Potomac is detached, was built before 1980 and is on a lot of less than a half an acre. Looking at detached home sales in 2008, 50% of all sales met this criteria. The average sales price was $776,000. Homes in Estate Potomac are newer and/or on larger lots. 20% of all sales in Potomac were on lots 2 acres or more and had an average sales price of $1,930,000. Sales prices of newer homes on all lot sizes average over $1M.
Contact us anytime if you are thinking about making a purchase here or interested in more information.
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