Kevin Wood sponsors Petworth News

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I’m happy to introduce another new sponsor for Petworth News, Kevin Wood.

Kevin approached me about sponsoring the blog a couple of months ago out of an interest in supporting local initiatives like Petworth News, much as he was one of the first sponsors for Popville.com when Dan Silverman first started out years ago. 

As an experienced real estate agent, Kevin has been working in Petworth for many years. Originally from Maryland’s Eastern Shore and received a Bachelor’s Degree from Hampden-Sydney College (in Virginia) in French/Political Science and a Master’s Degree in French Literature from the Catholic University of America. He bought his first condo in Columbia Heights in 1999, and a row house there in 2001 (but I won’t hold that against him). He can be seen walking his two dogs, Walter the dachshund and Seamus the hound, around the area.

Kevin is experienced working with all types of buyers in all price ranges and areas, and has been told that his patience, enthusiasm and ability to clearly explain the details of buying a property have been particularly welcomed by first-time buyers. “My goal is to make the buying and selling of a home a happy experience for all involved,” Kevin said.

Kevin is a member of the Greater Capitol Area Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors. Known for his extensive local real estate knowledge, Kevin has been quoted in the Washingtonian magazine, Urban Turf and The Washington Post.  Kevin also produces the monthly real estate sales numbers for Popville.

Plus, Kevin speaks fluent French and German, and is proficient in Spanish and Irish (gaeilge), so he's got you covered if English isn't your primary language.

You can find him online at kevinjosephwood.com.

Why are so many realtors sponsoring Petworth News? Because people know that Petworth is an awesome neighborhood to live, whether you’re renting or buying. 

What's your advice: owning a bad flip

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OK, Petworth News readers, this one is for you. What advice do you have to share on owning a bad flip?

I got an email from a reader who lives in Petworth. About a year ago, she and her husband bought a newly flipped / renovated house and now... problems, lots and lots of problems.  Unfortunately, this isn't a unique story, but maybe one of you smart peeps have good advice (and the name of an attorney) that you can share to help this couple find a way to resolve the issues.

The reader's email:

Thank you for all your Petworth news - my husband and I follow your news religiously! I have a question, we are new to Petworth, one year, and think we may have been scammed.

We feel like schmucks and bought a flipped house and we are having many many problems with our home. We still have holes in our ceiling, the skylights and basement leak, there has been water leaking into our electrical panel and the sub-flooring in our kitchen is unfinished...anyways, we are looking for some recourse against the seller.

Do you know any real estate attorneys that have been a part of litigation against these LLCs that flip houses? We are desperate for consult and help. 

Please comment below or send me an email and I'll pass along your response to the reader. You can also comment on Facebook.

Lighthouse Yoga sponsors Petworth News

I’m pleased to say that Lighthouse Yoga is now sponsoring Petworth News. 

I’ve known studio owner Julie Eisenberg for quite some time, and have always appreciated her involvement in the Petworth community, supporting and being personally involved in local events. I also appreciate that she took a terrible-looking building on 9th and turned it into a nice location for a now popular yoga studio.

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Julie has been practicing yoga for nearly 20 years. She and her partner Glen Sperling (of Harmony Remodeling, who has renovated many homes in the area) live in the home she purchased near Sherman Circle in 2006 with their two dogs and one cat. She loves being in easy walking distance to the studio.

Lighthouse Yoga Center, located at 4203 9th Street NW, is a community yoga studio that strives to meet the needs of our diverse Petworth neighborhood. They specialize in alignment-oriented Hatha Yoga, where they teach people from the ground up how to practice yoga safely and effectively. They offer all levels of classes, from their very popular Fundamentals series to several weekly classes for yoga teachers who want to continue to develop their skills. 

“Lighthouse Yoga is also DC’s only Kundalini Yoga studio,” said Julie. “Our Kundalini classes draw students from all over the region.” (Kundalini is a form of yoga that emphasizes dynamic movements, breathing, and meditation). 

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“Some of our other popular classes are prenatal, kids yoga and Yoga for Larger Bodies,” she said. “Many of our teachers live here in Petworth, and we run some of the most highly-acclaimed teacher training programs in the DC-area for students who want to learn to teach yoga.”

“Our goal at Lighthouse is to provide a space here in Petworth where neighbors can come together to have fun, learn and evolve,” Julie said. 

There are a ton of new classes and workshops happening this week at the studio that you should check out. 

Get a Petworth News Discount! 
Julie is offering a discount to Petworth News readers: Use coupon code “PNews5” to save 5% on purchases of $75 or more. (Definitely use the coupon to give me street cred.)  ;)

Thanks for supporting Petworth and the blog!

Egregious pop-ups on Kennedy Street

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A terribly designed pop-up conversion on Sherman Avenue. The house looks perpetually surprised to me. 

Look, I'm not against pop-ups if they're done well. Being able to add more livable space to a house built 90-100 years ago in a city that doesn't have much in the way of expandable space is a great idea. 

My neighbors "popped up" their attic into a full, usable floor that you don't notice from the street and can only see from the rear, and even then it looks great and fits into the design. 

Even the conversions where a developer (or owner) converts a house into a two or three unit condo can be acceptable (within reason, and that can be argued). If done well, as in this example in my opinion, I think the building can fit in with the existing visual design of the street (not talking about parking or other issues here):

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New Hampshire & Randolph pop-up condo conversions. For me, these look acceptable.

But THESE pop-ups on Kennedy Street... damn. This is why we can't have nice things.

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Hope your sparklers are water-proof!

Happy July 4th! 

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I need this outfit. Thanks for posing for the pic!

This awesome guy knows how to enjoy Independence Day!

Hope everyone has a safe (and dry) evening.
 

4th of July events

Pic courtesy of Flickr user Danny Huizinga 

Tomorrow is Shoot Off Fireworks At All Hours Like a Maniac Day -- I mean, Independence Day. 

If you're looking for things to do, here's two!

Starting at 12 noon, there's a Ward 4 Block Party at 800 Ingraham St NW at the Truesdell Education Campus. The Mayor's Office is holding a series of block parties around the city(#FRESH Fourth of July Block Party). There will be music, activities, food and "good times with leaders from the Executive Office of the Mayor and the Metropolitan Police Department."   

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Later in the day, you can head over to the Armed Forces Retirement Home and enjoy a day of events sponsored by the Friends' of the Soldiers Home. Staring at 4pm and ending at 9:30pm when the fireworks end, you can enjoy a community softball game at 4:30, kids events like face painting, carnival games and trout fishing, food trucks (hella yes to DC Ballers, Captain Cookie and Lemongrass, my local favs - I'm already hungry), an Anheuser Busch Beer truck (say what?) and lots of music. Parking is $5. At the end of the evening you can watch the national fireworks from downtown with a clear view from the field.

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Or you can stay home cause it might rain. But what kind of patriot would you be then?

There is such a thing as a free lunch

There are many ways to help your neighbor, especially if getting a balanced meal for a child is a problem. To help, the DC government has a program called DC Free Summer Meals Program (FSMP) that offers free breakfast and lunch to all persons under age 18 who stop by the Petworth Rec Center (8th & Taylor NW). They serve meals Monday through Friday.

The program runs June through August with most sites opening June 22 and closing August 22. Meal times and dates vary by location. 

Hunger doesn’t take a summer break.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), known in Washington, DC as the DC Free Summer Meals Program (FSMP), provides reimbursement for free nutritious meals and snacks served to children 18 and younger. These meals help children in low-income areas get the nutrition they need to learn, play, and grow throughout the summer months when they are out of school.

When school is out, the meals served as a part of the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program are not available, and due to families' limited budgets, or other circumstances, children will often miss wholesome meals. The FSMP fills this gap and parents benefit from some help in stretching their food dollars and by knowing that their children are receiving healthy meals in a supportive environment.

The Free Summer Meals Program has served over 1 million meals to children and youth in the District of Columbia in the past three summers.