30% Off Complete Restaurant Bill in Bethesda Area

Not just YOUR dinner - but your whole group's! Includes drinks!

GROUPON - Living Social - 2for's - WTSO....... The offers seem to roll in every day. Always a can't miss deal and a moments notice opportunity.

When I was "invited" to Village Vines - I was sceptical that this was just another program that would clog my inbox with daily offers that are 95% useless. Sure - they may be a good deal on dinner - but you can generally use only one coupon per table - or the coupon did not include drinks.

It is not my idea of "LivingSocial" if to use the coupon - I have to sit at the bar by myself.

This concept is different. It gives you 30% off your entire bill for your entire party. No fuss, no muss - just a hefty discount. I went to Indique Heights in Bethesda on Saturday and ran up a bill of $200 with my wife and group of friends before a late movie. The bill was promptly discounted to $120 - after the discount was applied.

I don't know about how others live - but eating and drinking for me is social. A 30% discount on the entire table is pretty sweet.

What is the catch? Well - you have to sign up - which takes about 5 minutes. You have to look at the current DEALS and see which restaurants are participating for the day you want to eat. Make a reservation through their system (Think Open Table) - and pay a $10 charge.

Did I say CHARGE? Yes I did. For me - paying $10 for the reservation was well worth the $60 discount.

You can also get credits for convincing others to join. They will credit your account $10 for each person or group that signs up on your recommendation. Certainly worth a try.

Go to Village Vines Website by clicking HERE!

Bethesda Restaurant Week EXTENDED!

Bethesda-Chevy Chase Restaurant Week Has Been Extended!

January 31 - February 6

Many area restaurants are extending their restaurant week promotions with two and three-course lunch for $12 or $15 and dinner for $25 - $30.
Please see restaurant Web sites for complete menus and reservations.

Alfio's La Trattoria 4515 Willard Ave, Chevy Chase (301) 657-9133
American Tap Room 7278 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda (301) 656-1366
Bistro Lazeez 8009 Norfolk Ave., Bethesda (301) 652-8222
Brasserie Monte Carlo 7929 Norfolk Ave., Bethesda (301) 656-9225
Cesco Trattoria 4871 Cordell Ave., Bethesda (301) 654-8333
Divino Lounge 7345-B Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda (240) 497-0300
Food, Wine & Co. 7272 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda (301) 652-8008
Geppetto 10257 Old Georgetown Rd., Bethesda (301) 493-9230
Grapeseed 4865 Cordell Ave., Bethesda (301) 986-9592
Guardado's Restaurant 4918 Del Ray Ave., Bethesda (301) 986-4920
La Ferme 7101 Brookville Rd., Chevy Chase (301) 986-5255
Lebanese Taverna 7141 Arlington Rd., Bethesda (301) 951-8681
Le Vieux Logis 7925 Old Georgetown Rd., Bethesda (301) 652-6816
Louisiana Kitchen 4907 Cordell Ave., Bethesda (301) 652-6945
Oakville Grill 10257 Old Georgetown Rd., Bethesda (301) 897-9100
Old Angler's Inn 10801 MacArthur Blvd., Potomac (301) 365-2425
Passage to India 4931Cordell Ave., Bethesda (301) 656-3373
Persimmon Restaurant 7003 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda (301) 654-9860
Redwood Restaurant 7121 Bethesda Ln., Bethesda (301) 656-5515
Tragara Ristorante 4935 Cordell Ave., Bethesda (301) 951-4935

Under Contract - Crescent Plaza - #712

Under Contract!

The market is still strong for units at Crescent Plaza. We still have one of the more attractive "Downtown" properties, especially at the sub-$400K price point.

The buildings patience with my constant open houses on the weekends is paying dividends. I have been keeping a list of folks with interest in the building and have been successful in soliciting these buyers to return.

The larger one bedroom units tend to sell quickly as do those with a balcony. We have been able to get premium prices for these units as well. The smaller one bedroom units are still finding buyers - but the time on the market tends to be up to 90 days.

Call me today if you are planning to sell this Spring. I am happy to speak with you confidentially as to what your unit may be worth!

SOLD - FULL PRICE - $384,900 #916

SOLD!

It is nice to report that I sold unit #916 for full price in less than a week!

I thank the owners of Crescent Plaza for their continued faith in my ability to turn prices around in the building. I am happy to report I think we have hit bottom in the downtown market. Look for a slow increase in sales prices from this point forward.

I have been keeping a list of visitors to Crescent Plaza open houses for the past year. Every time a new unit comes available - I make sure an invite is extended to those that have been searching. It has been a very productive strategy.

Keep your eyes and ears open - as I will have a large 1BR unit with balcony coming available soon. Anyone in the building that wants to preview before it comes on the market - let me know. I will also reduce my commission on the sale - so the buyer and seller get a better deal.

Call me today for details!

Bethesda Arts Festival - THIS WEEKEND!

This Saturday and Sunday!

The outdoor event is held rain or shine on Bethesda Row located on Woodmont and Bethesda Avenues, Elm Street and Bethesda Lane, east of Arlington Road. The festival is in easy walking distance from the Bethesda Metro station and 15 minutes from downtown Metrorail stops. Numerous free parking garages (49 and 57) are conveniently located around the site. Click here for directions or more information, or you can join our mailing list to receive event updates.

About Each October, the streets of Bethesda Row are transformed into an outdoor art gallery of spectacular fine arts and crafts. More than 200,000 people have enjoyed the Bethesda Row Arts Festival in the heart of Bethesda’s designated Arts & Entertainment District since it began in 1997. This year many of the world's finest arts and crafts will be presented.

The Festival, underwritten by Federal Realty Investment Trust, features the work of 180 leading artists and crafters from the Mid-Atlantic and around the country. On display will be the finest in: ceramics, drawings, fabrics, glass, graphics, jewelry, metalwork, paintings, pastels, photography, printmaking, sculpture, wood and mixed media.

The Festival has been recognized as one of the top 200 fine art shows in the United States by Sunshine Artist magazine, and the event will benefit the NIH Children's Charities.

Crescent Plaza BRUNCH! Sunday 10 to 3pm

Crescent Plaza Brunch!

Stop in to say hello on Sunday 9/26.

I am holding open Unit #712

I will be serving Coffee and Bagels Too!

I will be open from 10am to 3pm

Coffee and Bagels are First Come First Serve!

Hope to see everyone on Sunday!

Construction Update - Lot 31 - Upscale Condos

For the past few years we have all been wondering what would be built on the county parking lot - known as lot 31 - adjacent to Bethesda Row. The Washington Post gave us an answer to this question in an article yesterday.

Monty Hoffman, owner of PN Hoffman and Doug Firstenberg owner of StonebridgeCarras spoke with Johnathan O'Connell of the Post to give them an overview of what is to come.

Latest word is that there will be 60 luxury condominiums above retail at street level. Prices of the condo units will range from $750,000 to $3,000,000. They are hoping that construction can begin next spring or summer. Much depends upon their ability to convince financial backers that the project is viable.

In addition - there would be over 40,000 square feet of ground level retail space and close to 1,300 underground parking spots. This will considerably increase the amount of parking that is there currently - and hopefully be enough to support the additional commercial and residential development.

The names of the projects will be "The Loft's" for StonebridgeCarras and "The Darcy" for PN Hoffman. "The Darcy" is named in honor of 19th century Bethesda store owner William E. Darcy.

Any concern about construction of this new project wreaking havoc in the resale market should now be allayed. The high end construction would be more likely to raise prices in our marketplace then depress them. For all condo owners in the area - congratulations! Your values will be going up.

I will continue to report on status of this project. Feel free to e-mail me at any time with questions. Click here for The Washington Post Article regarding construction!

Taste of Bethesda - October 2nd!

It is hard to believe a full year has gone by since the last Taste of Bethesda. What started as a smaller street festival has morphed into one of the best food festivals in the MD/VA/DC area.

Bring your appetite, your camera and your family to join the fun. One of the best places in Bethesda to people watch, you can eat drink and be merry at this years festivities.

Here is a list of the Taste of Bethesdsa Restaurants: SEE YOU THERE!

Angeethi
Bangkok Garden Restaurant
Bangkok One Thai Restaurant
Ben & Jerry's
BGR The Burger Joint
Bistro Provence
Blackfinn
Brasserie Monte Carlo
Bundles of Cookies
California Tortilla
Caribou
Chef Tony's
Cookies by Design
Daily Grill
Dehli Dhaba
Divino Lounge
Flanagan's Harp & Fiddle
Flaxella Café
Fresh Grill
Georgetown Cupcake
Giffords Ice Cream and Candy Co.
Haagen Dazs
Haandi Indian Cuisine
Hanaro Sushi
Hard Times Cafe
Honest Tea
Jaleo
Just Cakes
Lebanese Taverna
Louisiana Kitchen & Bayou Bar
M & N's Pizza
Mamma Lucia of Bethesda
Matuba Japanese Restaurant
Mia's Pizza
Morton's
Nest Café
Olazzo
Original Pancake House
OZ Restaurant & Wine Bar
Passage to India
Penang Malaysian Cuisine
Quartermaine
Ri Ra Irish Pub
Rock Bottom Brewery
Ruth's Chris Steak House
Saveur India
Shangrila
Smoothie King
Spring Mill Bread Company
The Barking Dog
Tommy Joe's Restaurant
Uncle Julio's Rio Grande Cafe
Union Jack's Bethesda
Yamas Mediterranean Grill
Zen Tara Tea

New Listings Coming Soon!

The fall selling season is here - and the Bethesda/Chevy Chase market is vibrant. While last year at this time there were close to 10 units on the market for sale. Currently - there are only two units on the market and both are being shown quite a bit.

What does this mean?

The glut of inventory in the condo market in Bethesda/Chevy Chase is gone. New construction units at The Adagio and The Chase are almost sold out, and this has allowed the inventory to sell in our building. This bodes well for all units for sale at Crescent Plaza - and I'd love to have a few more to show.

Within the next two weeks I will be putting 2 separate one bedroom units on the market. Both units are on upper floors - and have parking included with the sale. Both of the units have upgraded kitchens and one of them has extensively upgraded the trim package with Crown Moulding and overhead spot lighting in the family room.

Call me if you would like to see either of these units before they formally are released to the public. If you have a friend or family member that loves the building - why not give them a call? I promise I will take very good care of them.

With the market heating up - I really need 2 additional listings to allow me to market the building efficiently. Why not call me today? I have all the latest data on sales in the building and local market. The time is now!

Ready to Sell ? Call Today!

Summer is almost over, and inventory of units to sell in Crescent Plaza is low. I have completed my last active transaction and am looking for the next unit here to market and sell.

Have you been considering selling your unit here? Do you have questions about what your unit may be worth? Do you need assistance in finding good and trustworthy contractors to make improvements in your unit?

I have the answers to all of your questions regarding Crescent Plaza. With 5 transactions this past year, I am the number one agent in the building. Who do competitors call when making pricing decisions? Me!

Most of all - I can supply references from your former neighbors and unit owners here. Call me today for a list of satisfied customers.

Today! Sunday 11/8 - Come for BRUNCH!

FREE COFFEE AND BAGELS!

I am holding an open house in unit 618 on Sunday from 11am to 2pm. Don't forget to stop by and say hello. I will have bagels from BETHESDA BAGEL and freshly brewed, strong coffee to start your day.

I am looking forward to meeting all the residents of Crescent Plaza - whether owners or renters. I will have a list of units in the building that have sold with final sales prices, and a list of those currently on the market. This is a great opportunity to get an update on the state of the current market

If you want an idea of what your unit could sell for in this market, please let me know. I can take a look and give you a detailed analysis of what to expect. If you are currently renting in Crescent Plaza, ask me how easy it is to buy!

I hope to see you in Unit 618 this Sunday!

Bethesda Ranked Second Healthiest City in America for Women

SELF Magazine has ranked Bethesda as the Second Healthiest City in America for Women. Topped only by Burlington, Vermont - Bethesda was given this honor based largely because it is a SAFE city for women to live.

The story specifies that the area has a much lower percentage of violent crime, rape and traffic accidents that are fatal. Kudos to the Montgomery County Police who are largely responsible for keeping crime low and public safety a top priority.

For further reading, feel free to follow this link to the story on line.

Bethesda Ranked # 1 by FORBES as Most Educated Town

Is there no end to the accolades for the people of Bethesda? Shortly after being ranked tops in the nation for Hot Guys, Forbes has reported some more serious statistics.

Bethesda has been named the most educated small town in America!

With over 50% of residents over the age of 25 holding advanced college degrees, it handily beats most other small towns in the US. With NIH, The Smithsonian and the military - this suburb of the Nations Capital is a SMART choice as a place to live.

Other small towns that made the list are Wellesley, Mass., Palo Alto California and local neighbor, McLean Virginia.

For a direct link to this story in FORBES, you can click on this link.

BE ALERT - Bethesda Burglaries Focus on Condos

There has been a rash of burglaries in Bethesda area condos since the middle of August of this year. The latest report was as recent as October 6th. The Montgomery County Police have issued a warning to all of the condominiums in Bethesda. There have been reports of a man entering buildings during the day through unlocked entry doors and looking for unlocked units to steal from.

In two of the reported incidents, the burglar entered the condo while the unit owners were home. He fled once seen, and has been captured on surveillance video in an elevator. He is known to carry a black backpack and once in the building travels from floor to floor.

The suspect is a Black male, 25-50 years of age, 5'9 to 6.0' and approximately 170 to 190 pounds. He is bald and wears glasses.

PLEASE be sure to lock any exterior doors you exit. Do not PROP open doors - please use your keys. Be VIGILANT. Report unusual activity, and question those that are not residents if walking through the building.

You can find the ALERT issued by the Montgomery County Police by clicking on this hyperlink.

For Immediate Release: 10/23/2009

Parking Lot in Bethesda to Temporarily Close in November

Beginning on or about November 1, Bethesda Parking Lot 31A, which is located south of Bethesda Avenue and east of Woodmont Avenue, will be temporarily closed for about 60 days to relocate utilities. The lot will reopen in January 2010. Lot 31A is the smaller lot across the street from the much larger Parking Lot 31, which will remain open. In the spring of 2011, Lots 31 and 31A will close for the construction of a new underground parking garage. For additional information, including a map of the location of both lots and other parking options in Bethesda, visit the Division of Parking Management’s website at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/parking. # # #

Release ID: 09-423 Media Contact: Esther Bowring 240-777-6507

FOR SALE - Unit 216 - 1BR - 1BA $379,000

Unit #216 was put on the market for sale this morning according to MRIS (The local Multiple Listing Service). This one bedroom and one full bath unit is 705 square feet according to tax records.

This unit is easy to show.

If you would like to see this, or any other unit in Crescent Plaza, or Bethesda - call me at any time. I can always be reached by cell phone 301-651-8600. Stop and say hello at my open house this weekend in unit #618.

REMEMBER, CURRENT INVENTORY FOR SALE AND UNITS SOLD FOR THE PREVIOUS 12 MONTHS CAN ALWAYS BE FOUND IN THE RIGHT COLUMN.

Sunday 10-11 Come for BRUNCH!

FREE COFFEE AND BAGELS!

I am holding an open house in unit 618 on Sunday from 11am to 4pm. Don't forget to stop by and say hello. I will have bagels from BETHESDA BAGEL and freshly brewed, strong coffee to start your day.

I am looking forward to meeting all the residents of Crescent Plaza - whether owners or renters. I will have a list of units in the building that have sold with final sales prices, and a list of those currently on the market. This is a great opportunity to get an update on the state of the current market

If you want an idea of what your unit could sell for in this market, please let me know. I can take a look and give you a detailed analysis of what to expect. If you are currently renting in Crescent Plaza, ask me how easy it is to buy!

I hope to see you in Unit 618 this Sunday!

Bethesda Rated # 1 HOTTEST GUY City

OK, so who says we can't have a little bit of fun on a Friday. I found this in my never ending search for all things BETHESDA, and thought I would share. Think of this as my "fluff" piece for the week.

The website: www.TotalBeauty.com
ranked their top ten cities where you can find the "Hottest" guys. Bethesda ranked number one. Here is an excerpt of what they had to say about us Bethesda guys:

No. 1: Bethesda, Maryland

Book smarts? Check.

Healthy bank accounts? Check.

Good physiques? Check.

Few bad habits? Check.

The mix of military and government serves the men of Bethesda well. The city is the second smartest, according to Forbes, and a higher than average number make more than $100,000 a year. Bethesda also has one of the lowest percentages of drinkers and smokers in the country, and is in the top percentile of healthy, active and fit people.

To see the full story on Bethesda Hottie's and a list of other cities on the list click HERE.

TOP 10 Cities for UGLY Guys.

For those ladies that may be moving in the near future, beware of the 8 cities with the Ugliest Guys. Check on this link to see what cities were voted the UGLIEST. I must say, it is like a train wreck. You want to turn away, but you just can't help yourself.

Find the 8 ugliest guy cities here.

UNDER CONTRACT! Unit #804

This past week unit #804 went under contract in Crescent Plaza. This 732 square foot unit faces Woodmont Avenue and was listed at $385,000.

This unit is one of the Pie shaped units with a more contemporary design. With a dual entry full bath, this floorplan has always been a popular design with buyers.

The contract on this unit is contingent upon review of condo docs until 10/8. I'll share the final sales price once this unit goes to settlement. The last unit of this style to sell was Unit #904. This unit settled for $385,000.

Bethesda Ranked # 11 in the Nation In Earnings

For any of us that live and work in Bethesda, this headline comes as no surprise. Bethesda has always been the place to live for the rich and famous in the DC area. To be ranked 11h Nationally is a surprise, and goes to show how the D.C. Metropolitan area has grown over the past few decades.

Bethesda is not the only tony suburb in our area. McLean(Va) was listed as #8, Potomac(Md) was listed as # 7 and Dranesville(Va), between Great Falls, Tysons Corner and Reston ranked #22 Nationally.

You can link to the CNN MONEY article here.