ANNOUNCER: Support for "If You Lived Here" comes from... MAN: The Yuen Foundation, committed to bridging cultural differences within the greater Washington, D.C. community.
♪ ♪ JOHN: Hi, I'm John Begeny.
CHRISTINE: I'm Christine Louise.
We're producers at WETA and the best of friends.
JOHN: We love living in the DC area.
And finding a place to live here can be both fun and challenging.
CHRISTINE: Join us as we tour three homes at three price points.
JOHN: And try to guess the listing price without going over.
And find out what it would be like.
BOTH: "If You Lived Here."
JEN: Hey.
JOHN: Hey.
CHRISTINE: There we go.
JOHN: Here she is, Jen Walker.
CHRISTINE: It says it on her vehicle.
JEN: How are y'all doing?
CHRISTINE: Hey, nice set of wheels.
JEN: Nice to see you.
JOHN: Nice to meet you, Jen.
JEN: What's happening?
JOHN: Well, I hear you're the unofficial mayor of Del Ray.
JEN: I think that might be true.
JOHN: So, you've lived in the area for quite some time.
JEN: Since '97, which is probably really not a long amount of time.
CHRISTINE: But still long enough to see a lot of changes in this area.
JEN: Absolutely.
Lots and lots of changes.
A lot of places were boarded up here.
There was a biker bar down the street and things like that.
But now, it's like, more mom and pop places.
JOHN: Yeah.
CHRISTINE: It's really, like, an idyllic little town.
JEN: Absolutely.
Well, when I first moved here, I didn't think they were going to let me in, because I didn't have a dog or a baby.
I was still able to move here so, it was pretty amazing.
JOHN: They let you in.
JEN: Yeah.
CHRISTINE: But its origins was much more of a blue collar area.
JEN: Yeah.
Potomac Yard, a lot of the conductors and people who worked at the rail yard, they lived in this neighborhood.
JOHN: You know, I read something that said this was one of the first commuter suburbs of Washington, D.C. JEN: I would think that would be correct.
JOHN: Yeah.
CHRISTINE: Tell us a little bit about the housing in this area.
JEN: Well, I think we're really famous for bungalows.
JOHN: Yep.
JEN: Because everybody loves a bungalow.
You've got Cape Cods that were built later, the farmhouses, the four squares.
In the '40s, they started building duplexes.
And again, this was a lot for the workforce that was going into to DC and things like that.
JOHN: So, what's the general price range of homes in the area?
JEN: So, you can get a one bedroom, 600 square foot condo for about 225.
For townhouses, you're probably in the $600,000 to $700,000 range.
JOHN: Yeah.
JEN: And then you go to single family homes after that.
There are some that are 850, but they go up now to over $2 million.
JOHN: And that's a huge difference from '97 to now.
CHRISTINE: Oh, yeah.
JEN: Oh, yeah.
JEN: So, let's get busy.
We have lots to see today.
JOHN: Okay.
CHRISTINE: All right.
JOHN: We'll meet you there.
JEN: See you at Kennedy.
JOHN: All right.
CHRISTINE: Okay.
Sounds good.
(doorbell) So, this is cute.
JOHN: Yeah.
JEN: Welcome to house number one.
This house was built in 1956.
CHRISTINE: Okay.
JEN: They were originally built as rentals.
I think you'll enjoy the house very much.
It's got a great backyard and some really interesting features.
And don't miss the bathroom in the basement.
JOHN: Sounds like a plan.
CHRISTINE: Sounds good.
JEN: Okay.
Enjoy.
CHRISTINE: Thank you.
Oh, after me?
JOHN: All right.
Kitchen to the left.
Living room to the right.
CHRISTINE: Kitchen.
JOHN: Kitchen.
CHRISTINE: I notice this great banquette.
JOHN: Wow.
Look at that.
CHRISTINE: I don't think we've seen a lot of banquettes.
JOHN: No.
It works in this space.
CHRISTINE: It really works well in this space.
And, you know what I love?
Sitting here, with the way they've opened this up, I can see a great view right to the backyard.
JOHN: Yeah, you know, this is not a pass through, right?
CHRISTINE: Right.
JOHN: Which is kind of traditional.
CHRISTINE: It's given me some ideas.
And the tile... JOHN: Arabesque.
My parents had that in the '70s.
CHRISTINE: Really?
JOHN: Yeah.
Everything new is old again.
CHRISTINE: Speaking of old, this isn't old, but the old farmhouse style sinks are really popular.
JOHN: Yes.
CHRISTINE: And, you know, I actually really like the design look.
And you always have to have a nice window above the sink for that nice distraction when you have to do the dishes.
JOHN: Absolutely.
While we're here, let's go to the basement.
CHRISTINE: Let's check it out.
CHRISTINE: You know, I wasn't quite sure if there was going to be a basement.
JOHN: And they have really maximized this space.
CHRISTINE: I was going to say.
JOHN: Here's the TV area.
Here's the gym.
There's an office.
CHRISTINE: All right.
So, this must be... JOHN: The bathroom we heard about.
CHRISTINE: Oh, this is the bathroom.
JOHN: Wow.
Look at this.
CHRISTINE: When you say a shower stall, this really is a shower stall.
Get it?
JOHN: It is.
No curtain needed.
This is the world's smallest sink, I think.
CHRISTINE: But you know what?
Look.
It works.
What more do you want?
JOHN: It's good for little hands.
CHRISTINE: So, we have the utility room.
JOHN: Washer, dryer, storage.
CHRISTINE: Look it.
It goes all the way back.
JOHN: And storage.
These people are the most organized people I've ever seen.
CHRISTINE: But they have the space to do it.
JOHN: Yeah.
CHRISTINE: What do you say we head upstairs?
JOHN: Upstairs.
Hey.
All right.
Living room.
CHRISTINE: So normally, I think the table would be next to the kitchen.
JOHN: Definitely.
CHRISTINE: And then the couch would probably be facing the window.
JOHN: Yep.
CHRISTINE: But this layout, you can enjoy the whole view.
Really nice use of the space.
JOHN: I think it's the best use of the space.
CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.
Let's check out the upstairs.
Do you think two or three bedrooms?
JOHN: I'm going to say three.
CHRISTINE: Okay.
So, this would be, oh.
JOHN: Ah-ha.
CHRISTINE: Interesting.
JOHN: So, it is a three bedroom.
CHRISTINE: Right, but this is really interesting how they've done this space.
JOHN: Well, you know, they made a little closet out of it for shoes and jewelry.
CHRISTINE: Right.
JOHN: It's like a dream come true for you.
CHRISTINE: But what I think is smart is that they put in pocket doors.
JOHN: I think, technically, if you shut these pocket doors, right, it would be a bedroom.
But what's great is this room isn't that big and that bed is huge.
So, by opening up the wall.
CHRISTINE: Right.
JOHN: They've made the room palatable.
CHRISTINE: Yeah.
JOHN: It's very nice.
CHRISTINE: Okay, so this would be either the second or third bedroom, however you want to use the space.
JOHN: Yep.
CHRISTINE: But this is a corner unit, so with that, you've got two windows letting in all this light.
JOHN: Okay.
Well, I know this bathroom.
I have lived in places with this exact tile on the floor and the walls.
CHRISTINE: Isn't it funny how this would've been original tile but it's all come back into style.
JOHN: Yeah and I wouldn't touch it, I would leave it.
CHRISTINE: Yeah.
JOHN: I love this.
CHRISTINE: No comments on the sink or anything?
JOHN: No.
CHRISTINE: No?
JOHN: I mean, it's bigger than the other one.
It's a nice sink, I guess.
CHRISTINE: Okay.
All right.
JEN: Hey.
CHRISTINE: Hey, Jen.
JEN: How was it?
CHRISTINE: Great.
JOHN: That's a great first choice.
CHRISTINE: This back patio is even more spectacular out here.
JEN: Exactly, like, you know, outdoor living.
I mean, everybody wants that these days.
CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.
JOHN: Yeah.
CHRISTINE: I also love the banquette because we don't see a lot of those and I'm trying to figure out how I could fit one into my condo.
JEN: Right.
CHRISTINE: Because I love the seating, but it's also that little extra storage that you get.
JEN: Right.
Absolutely.
So, what about you, John?
What'd you think?
JOHN: Well, this couple, they really maximized space in every nook and cranny.
That basement it really showed how you could optimize the space.
CHRISTINE: This is listed as a three bedroom?
JEN: It is listed as a three bedroom.
CHRISTINE: Okay.
JEN: You can take those pocket doors and close those.
It's still considered to be a bedroom.
You could also put the wall back in if you wanted to.
CHRISTINE: Right.
JOHN: It's a convertible room.
JEN: This is three bedrooms, two baths, 1,515 on the square footage, and built in 1956.
CHRISTINE: I'm going to say $810,000.
JEN: Okay.
And John?
JOHN: I am going to give you a price of 720.
CHRISTINE: Ooh.
What a difference.
JEN: Okay.
That's a big difference, right?
That's a big difference.
CHRISTINE: That's a big difference.
JEN: Yeah, so, I hate to tell you, but you're both incorrect.
JOHN: Oh, come on.
CHRISTINE: Oh, we both went over.
JEN: You know, John, you were so close.
JOHN: Oh?
JEN: And yet, so far.
JOHN: Oh.
JEN: 719,900.
JOHN: 100?
Come on.
That's not fair.
JEN: Oh, I know.
CHRISTINE: Still over.
Rules are rules.
JEN: I don't make the rules.
JOHN: That's absurd.
JEN: Yeah, I know it is absurd.
CHRISTINE: Yeah.
Wow.
JOHN: You should just give it to me, Jen.
JEN: You know, here's what I think.
You're going to do better at the next house.
JOHN: Sounds good.
Can we hitch a ride on the Jenmobile?
JEN: Listen, that's saved for winners.
JOHN: Oh.
CHRISTINE: Looks like we're walking.
JOHN: Okay.
CHRISTINE: Yeah.
PAT: We are in the fantastic neighborhood of Del Ray.
We're our own little community.
We do our own thing.
And all of our homes back up to this one strip, which we call Main Street.
I was told to come down here one day.
And everybody goes, "We're naming this Pat Miller Neighborhood Square."
And I kind of went, "Wow, that's cool."
ALLISON: It really is about community, Art On The Avenue, the Del Ray Halloween parade, all the activities here.
And Pat Miller has been right in the thick of it.
PAT: I've been involved in the community for a long time.
And I think that's why they called this Pat Miller Square.
But it's really served as a central location for us, for all of our events and the farmer's market's here.
And this has become the square.
PATRICK: Del Ray is pretty much about dogs and children.
And so, this is the dog mural.
PAT: I don't think there's a restaurant or a retail store here that doesn't allow dogs.
And it's really part of our community.
PATRICK: I'm painting portraits of dogs of Del Ray.
I've worked on Christmas windows with the Del Ray Business Association, so they asked me if I could maybe do this.
So, I wanted to.
It was a pretty good idea.
PAT: We started out, I was afraid we couldn't get 100.
PATRICK: There's 172 dogs on this wall right here.
It's a lot.
It doesn't look like 172, but it's packed.
PAT: The one thing we asked everybody was to give some kind of a financial donation to the Alexandria Animal Welfare League and we've raised over $1,000 for that and we gave one free spot to the League for them to auction off.
And that raised over $3,000.
PATRICK: So, there's a very big connection between the people here and the dogs and the mural.
Rather fulfilling.
People, you know, enjoy it.
CHRISTINE: Today, the little neighborhood that could, as some are fond of calling it, is home to the mayor and the sheriff of Alexandria.
JOHN: But Del Ray has a secret history.
It was once the capital of gambling in Northern Virginia.
PAT: Many years ago, before we were annexed to the city, there was a racetrack that went right through here and it was a horse track and we used to have people from all over the area come do their betting and stuff like that and then they would get back on the train and leave.
JOHN: In the 1890s, gambling had overtaken Northern Virginia, making it a haven for drinkers, gamblers and criminals.
St. Asaph's was one of the most successful racetracks, bringing in thousands of dollars on race days.
CHRISTINE: By 1905, progressive leaders had closed St. Asaph's.
And soon after, the Town of Potomac was formed.
JOHN: Well, unfortunately for the Town of Potomac, it happened to be right next to some of the most valuable property in the region, Potomac Yard.
CHRISTINE: The town was annexed by Alexandria in 1930, and eventually swallowed up into what is now Del Ray.
But glimpses of the town's influence are still visible.
A fire station in Del Ray still bears the name Potomac Fire Department.
(doorbell) JEN: Isn't this nice?
JOHN: It is.
CHRISTINE: It is.
JEN: Just all the different style of homes.
JOHN: This is what I think about when I think about Del Ray, this neighborhood.
CHRISTINE: Definitely.
JEN: It's like the back in the olden days.
People watched other people's kids and they know their neighbors and... JOHN: You're not just buying a house.
JEN: Right.
JOHN: You are buying a community.
JEN: Exactly.
It feels like a really small town in a big city.
JOHN: It does.
JEN: Because we're so close to everything.
This is a classic Del Ray home.
It was renovated in 2018.
What I'd like for you to do is just take a walk in.
And we'll meet you out back.
CHRISTINE: Okay.
JEN: Enjoy.
JOHN: Welcome.
CHRISTINE: I feel like I walked into to a magazine.
JOHN: It's traditional, but it's on trend.
Okay.
Oh, look at this, first bathroom, half bath.
CHRISTINE: Oh, you know what?
I spent the weekend sanding a piece of wood because this is exactly what I'm doing to a bathroom.
And I'm so glad I see it because I love it.
JOHN: That is the best vanity ever.
Look at the nice grand staircase.
Tina, look at that.
CHRISTINE: And it's shiplap.
JOHN: Shiplap, which is a little overused, as of recent times, right, in homes.
But I'm not mad at this at all.
CHRISTINE: All right.
Again, I feel like I have walked into a magazine.
JOHN: Yeah, this is like "Better Homes and Gardens'" Del Ray issue.
CHRISTINE: I agree with you.
JOHN: This is on trend, this whole living space, right, with a mammoth gourmet kitchen.
CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm, now, you know, farmhouse style.
Obviously, you've got to have this farmhouse sink and you know what?
I think it's even bigger than the first one we saw.
JOHN: I think it is.
This is quartz.
CHRISTINE: Oh, quartz.
Quartz.
JOHN: Not marble.
CHRISTINE: Not marble.
JOHN: You know, so many people get that Carrara marble, and it's really pretty.
One glass of red wine, kiss it goodbye.
Stain city.
Looking at the backyard, I think what I love most is that you have beautiful homes all around you.
And it really looks like a painting.
It's like, this is what Del Ray is all about.
Gardens, beautiful restored homes.
CHRISTINE: Right, you know what I noticed first was just the size of that backyard.
JOHN: Yeah.
CHRISTINE: And, you know, looking at this room, I bet this was the new addition.
JOHN: Definitely.
This is all new, right?
CHRISTINE: But, you know, it was so well designed, because the same features carry throughout.
You've got the same molding, the same palette.
JOHN: Yeah.
Let's explore.
CHRISTINE: Okay.
Okay.
Oh, we have a, oh John, this is, I bet where.
JOHN: Where... CHRISTINE: Yes... JOHN: This is where the house ended.
CHRISTINE: Yes, it is.
JOHN: That's the clue.
CHRISTINE: And you know what?
That looks like the original floor.
JOHN: Those are the original floors.
CHRISTINE: Okay.
JOHN: All right.
Main bedroom.
CHRISTINE: And once again, great use of shiplap.
JOHN: Yeah.
CHRISTINE: It's not overdone.
It's just done enough to make this room pop.
JOHN: Okay.
CHRISTINE: All right.
Okay.
JOHN: I think we have a winner.
CHRISTINE: Look at the shower.
JOHN: Whoa.
CHRISTINE: Look it.
This is a shower that we'll be talking about.
JOHN: Spa living, kid.
Bedroom number two.
Light, bright, airy.
CHRISTINE: So, here's bedroom number three.
JOHN: Bedroom number three.
CHRISTINE: All right.
Look at the window frame.
So that is probably the style of the original home.
JOHN: Definitely.
CHRISTINE: It is definitely that style.
Ooh, look at the tile.
JOHN: We like that tile.
CHRISTINE: I know and this is the second full bath and I love how they carried the tile over into the shower caddy.
JOHN: What's this big closet?
CHRISTINE: Oh, it's got to be washer, dryer.
JOHN: With a skylight over it?
Deluxe.
CHRISTINE: Look it.
Oh, a skylight.
JOHN: And a window?
Wow.
CHRISTINE: We're just noticing all the light.
JOHN: That's the best room in the house.
CHRISTINE: Nice.
All right.
And another bathroom.
You know, I bet this was the original bathroom in the house.
JOHN: Yeah.
CHRISTINE: So that's three full baths.
JOHN: Three full baths and bedroom number four.
CHRISTINE: This is the corner bedroom, so you've got the three windows.
JOHN: All right.
Two floors down, one to go.
CHRISTINE: Yes.
Good size space.
JOHN: Wet bar.
CHRISTINE: They put in a wet bar.
JOHN: Yep.
CHRISTINE: We have one bedroom down here.
JOHN: Yeah.
CHRISTINE: They did a great job with the window wells.
JOHN: They did.
CHRISTINE: It does not feel like a basement.
JOHN: No.
Bathroom.
CHRISTINE: Another full bath.
JOHN: Yeah.
That brings us up to four and a half.
CHRISTINE: Four and half?
Four and a half.
JOHN: And then, what's up these stairs?
I'll let you take this one.
CHRISTINE: Yeah, I've got to check this out.
JOHN: That's a low ceiling.
CHRISTINE: Yeah, but it's not bad.
But this is a perfect kid's space.
JOHN: Hey, do that again.
What were you just doing?
CHRISTINE: I was just raising the roof.
JOHN: Raising the roof?
CHRISTINE: I am.
I'm raising the roof.
JOHN: Somebody needs to raise that roof, because it's too low.
Okay.
CHRISTINE: Looks like they're using as a kid's room.
It's perfect.
JOHN: Yeah.
All right.
Jen.
JEN: Did y'all get lost?
JOHN: Well, we did.
CHRISTINE: You gave us a big house.
I'm guessing they took this house down to the studs when they renovated.
JEN: They did.
And then they added an addition on as well.
JOHN: Yep.
CHRISTINE: But what I love is they carried the features throughout the entire house, you know, the moldings, but then you still see hints of the original home and that kitchen.
JOHN: I don't think there's anything in there that is not on my wish list.
JEN: Right.
CHRISTINE: It was hitting on every trend right now.
JEN: Right.
JOHN: I think it was a picture-perfect house.
JEN: Okay.
JOHN: Yeah.
JEN: Good.
So, this house has five bedrooms, four and a half baths, 3,550 on the square footage, built in 1935, completely renovated in 2019.
JOHN: Okay.
I am going to make a guess of 1,725,000.
JEN: Okay.
CHRISTINE: Wow.
1.7?
JEN: 2-5, I think.
JOHN: 2-5.
1-7-2-5.
JEN: He didn't have any nines in there.
So, you might want to get some nines in there.
CHRISTINE: I'm going to come in a little lower.
I'm going to come in at 1.3.
JEN: Okay.
That's a big difference.
Yeah.
JOHN: That's a big margin.
CHRISTINE: Yeah.
JOHN: Yeah.
JEN: But that makes you the winner.
JOHN: That makes her the winner?
JEN: So, we're going to list this at 1-6-5-0.
JOHN: Okay.
CHRISTINE: Wow.
JEN: $1,650,000.
JOHN: I went little, I went over.
CHRISTINE: But you were really close.
JEN: Other thing is, too, is that, you know, I mean, is that house prices, especially in this market, are going up so quickly it is really hard to keep up with it.
Are you ready to go see the third house?
CHRISTINE: Yes, because I'm amazed that this is the second house.
JOHN: I know.
JEN: Right?
CHRISTINE: So, I don't know what this third house is going to look like.
We'll follow you.
JEN: Let's go see it.
JOHN: Let's go get wowed.
PAUL: Del Ray has changed dramatically in 24 years.
The housing has skyrocketed in not only value, but in the quality.
DERICK: Five years after I moved in, my neighbor's home sold for nearly three times what I purchased mine for.
It's just a very desirable location.
GRACE: Pretty much with Del Ray, it's kind of what you see is what you get.
At the core of it, it's just a bunch of small business owners.
It's just really like one big family.
SHEILA: Well, you're in Tops of Old Town in the heart of Del Ray.
It's been in this location for 32 years, but in business 34.
This is my mother's dream.
And when she opened it, she was still working with the Arlington Police Department.
She said, "Well, you can run it.
You're not doing anything."
So, 34 years later, I'm still here.
I've lived in Del Ray a majority of my life, for 50 years.
It's changed.
Back in the day, we had all types of businesses, but a majority of them were Black businesses.
Like right across the street, we used to have a TV shop.
Now across the street, we have a meat market.
It's a majority of mixture.
It's, you know, it's beautiful.
We started off in the early '80s with mostly Black clientele, you know, wearing them in church and different functions.
We picked up a large white clientele when the horse races got really popular and right now, it's a mixed customer base.
We try to teach people to wear hats, so it's like a class.
There's a trick to wearing a hat.
So, if you just wear your hat on your eyebrows, you're really not wearing it right.
So, first thing they'll do, they'll grab the hat, put it at the back of their head.
And I always tell customers, "You're not in a baseball cap."
You're supposed to go towards the slope, but if you don't, this is what it looks like.
Does that look right?
Okay.
Now, the correct way to wear it, right here on the one eyebrow.
So, this hat and this eyebrow, they're having a conversation.
This eyebrow is left in the dark.
It does not know what the hat and the eyebrow are talking about.
If you do that, you know you have your hat on.
You don't have to look in the mirror.
You know you have your hat on right.
Yes, that's how you wear a hat.
(doorbell) CHRISTINE: All right, Jen.
JEN: We made it.
CHRISTINE: Final house of the day.
JEN: Exactly.
This is like bungalow row here.
JOHN: Well, we were wondering if we were going to see a bungalow.
JEN: Right.
CHRISTINE: If you're in Del Ray, you've got to see a bungalow.
JEN: You got to see a bungalow and this is an expanded bungalow.
CHRISTINE: So, what does that mean, an expanded bungalow?
JEN: So, it was the original bungalow, and then they put an addition on the back of it.
CHRISTINE: Okay.
JEN: They went out, back and up.
Also, they dug out the basement a little bit too.
JOHN: Okay.
CHRISTINE: Oh, okay.
JEN: Don't miss, if you're standing at the kitchen sink, to the left, there's something you should knock on twice.
CHRISTINE: Ooh.
JOHN: Hmmm.
JEN: Yeah, I'll meet you on the back porch.
CHRISTINE: Sounds good.
JOHN: All right.
CHRISTINE: Okay.
JOHN: Holy bungalow!
CHRISTINE: I'd say that.
JOHN: Starting with the front door.
CHRISTINE: With the door.
JOHN: All right.
But this is a bungalow reimagined and refreshed.
CHRISTINE: But you can still see some of the original architectural elements of an arts and crafts home.
JOHN: Oh yeah.
CHRISTINE: You've got the deep windows sills, and bungalows always have a fireplace and I bet this is the original brick.
It's been painted, but I bet it's the original.
JOHN: Probably.
CHRISTINE: But look at this beautiful walnut mantle.
JOHN: Yeah.
It's gorgeous.
So another feature that you would find in a classic bungalow, each room on the first floor would be of equal size.
This room is exactly the size of this room, which is being used as an office.
CHRISTINE: Right.
And, you know, it's a great entryway.
And let's continue.
JOHN: Okay.
Oh, the dining room.
Talk about a showstopper.
CHRISTINE: You have this wild wallpaper that, if I were to walk into a store and see it, I would be like, "No way.
I'm never putting this on my of walls."
But now, if I see something like this, I'm going to reconsider, because it looks great.
JOHN: Into the mud room.
CHRISTINE: Nice sized mud room right off the back.
JOHN: We've seen mud rooms where they've had a bathroom attached, and we're like, "Now that's living large."
CHRISTINE: Right.
JOHN: And this has an enormous bathroom.
CHRISTINE: It does.
One of our favorites, the honeycomb tile.
JOHN: Yep.
CHRISTINE: And these finishes, these gold finishes are really growing on me.
Oh my gosh, John.
JOHN: What?
CHRISTINE: When I say the shower is for the dogs, literally, I mean it's for the dogs.
There's dog shampoo in here.
You know what that means?
JOHN: What?
CHRISTINE: The dogs have a nicer shower than I do.
JOHN: It's true.
CHRISTINE: It is.
JOHN: Okay, so you know, what we're entering now...
Original part of the bungalow... CHRISTINE: Right.
JOHN: Into the bumped out, bumped up edition.
Yeah.
CHRISTINE: I feel like I almost need a moment to take this all in.
JOHN: Okay.
So, the last home had a dream kitchen.
This would be more of a... CHRISTINE: Fantasy kitchen, definitely, definitely.
JOHN: It is a fantasy kitchen.
Boy, Tina, talk about the space in this one.
CHRISTINE: I can't believe you didn't just pass out looking at the stove.
JOHN: Well, I've been doing deep breaths.
CHRISTINE: I know.
Deep breaths.
Yes, yes.
JOHN: And how about this oak up here, huh?
CHRISTINE: Well, you know, I noticed this, actually, when we came in.
JOHN: Yeah.
CHRISTINE: Because it's simple, but yet it made this kitchen pop in this area.
And this is quarter sawn oak.
JOHN: Quarter sawn.
CHRISTINE: Yes.
JOHN: Without this, it could be kind of cold.
It warms it up.
CHRISTINE: It does.
JOHN: Brings a little bit of the natural element into it.
CHRISTINE: You know the one appliance I have to have in a kitchen.
JOHN: Dishwasher.
CHRISTINE: It's my dishwasher.
And let's see.
JOHN: Okay, well, she said try to find it.
Double tap.
CHRISTINE: All right.
All right.
All right.
Don't help me.
JOHN: I don't know, it's a big kitchen.
This could take a while.
CHRISTINE: All right.
No.
JOHN: I think you're hot.
CHRISTINE: Thank you.
JOHN: You're in the zone.
Oh!
CHRISTINE: I might do more dishes more often just so I can knock on it.
I don't know how you close it.
Let's just leave it.
You can't enter this hallway without recognizing this blue shelf.
JOHN: Yeah.
This house has a lot of tones of blue, right?
CHRISTINE: It does.
JOHN: Nice.
CHRISTINE: Okay.
I think it's safe to say this is the owner's suite.
JOHN: I think you're right.
CHRISTINE: But, you know, my eye is immediately drawn.
Look at the architectural detail from the roof line.
JOHN: Yeah.
Oh, and to the left, walk-in closet.
CHRISTINE: Walk-in closet.
Okay.
All right.
We talk about floor to ceiling tile.
This literally is floor to all over the ceiling tile.
But can we just focus our attention for a moment on this soaking tub?
JOHN: That's the biggest tub I've ever seen.
CHRISTINE: It is, but I find this shape really unique.
What a bathroom.
JOHN: Mind blown.
CHRISTINE: So, this is bedroom two.
JOHN: Two.
Yep.
CHRISTINE: Okay.
JOHN: Kids' room, cute.
CHRISTINE: Very cute.
Oh, we know what this.
JOHN: We know.
This is that transition between old and new.
CHRISTINE: So, we're going back to the old.
JOHN: Going back.
Okay.
Let's start on the right.
Bedroom number three.
CHRISTINE: All right.
And we have another full bath, so... JOHN: Full en suite.
Nice closets.
CHRISTINE: Alright, bedroom number.
JOHN: Four.
CHRISTINE: This is a nice sized bedroom.
JOHN: Had we not seen the bedroom in the back, I would've said, "Oh, this is the main bedroom in the house."
CHRISTINE: Right.
I love this open space right here.
JOHN: And this has en suites.
CHRISTINE: Oh, it does have an en suite.
JOHN: Pocket door.
Don't look your right.
CHRISTINE: Okay.
JOHN: Yep.
Just focus on this area.
CHRISTINE: Just focus on the double vanities?
All right, okay.
JOHN: Yep, double vanities, mirrors, everything's great.
CHRISTINE: It's great.
JOHN: Take a look.
What on Earth is this?
CHRISTINE: Oh, wow.
JOHN: This is one dramatic room.
CHRISTINE: It is, especially with the roof line, and the way they've taken the tiles around it.
JOHN: I love the color.
CHRISTINE: Can we just say drama?
JOHN: That's drama, kid.
CHRISTINE: That is drama.
JOHN: All right.
CHRISTINE: All right.
JOHN: From the top to the bottom.
CHRISTINE: To the bottom.
JOHN: It's clear they really dug down to get the height in this room... CHRISTINE: They did.
JOHN: Of these ceilings.
They did it right.
CHRISTINE: Stay here.
I'm going to check out what's over here.
Oh, okay.
Oh, this is perfect.
Kid's room.
JOHN: Take a look at this.
Wet bar.
To the left, we have a bathroom, number four, full size.
And a really good sized home office.
CHRISTINE: So, we've hit every space except this door.
Ah, but it's leading up to the old part again.
JOHN: Sure enough.
CHRISTINE: Okay.
Exercise room.
JOHN: Exercise room.
CHRISTINE: I don't mean just an exercise room.
It's like a whole gym in here.
Wow.
JOHN: Well, we've seen it top to bottom.
CHRISTINE: I'm exhausted.
JOHN: Are you?
CHRISTINE: All right.
Let's go upstairs.
JOHN: Well, get your energy up, because it's guessing time.
CHRISTINE: Hey, Jen.
JEN: Hey, I thought y'all left.
CHRISTINE: I feel like, with all these houses, I've just lost five pounds today.
JEN: You just now made it out here.
You've got a wood burning fireplace.
We have built in heaters, a beautiful yard.
This is over an 8,000 square foot lot, which is unusual for Del Ray.
JOHN: Yeah.
JEN: As well as a 400 square foot garage with a front porch.
CHRISTINE: There are some simple details that made some of the rooms pop, just like the simple oak trim.
I was going to paint some oak this weekend, and I don't think I'm going to do that, because I really like it natural.
JEN: They used that same tree to make an eat-in kitchen table.
That was really kind of cool that they used that throughout the house.
JOHN: The staircase is really dramatic and so stately.
JEN: You know, sometimes staircases have a tendency to shut the house off, but this really opens it up.
JOHN: Absolutely.
JEN: So, we have six bedrooms, five baths, 5,000 square feet.
Original house was built in 1928, and it was totally redone in 2020.
CHRISTINE: Okay.
So, I am ready.
JOHN: Okay.
CHRISTINE: All right.
I'm going to go first.
JOHN: Okay.
CHRISTINE: But this is for the ride with Jen.
JOHN: All right.
Well, I'm ready to guess.
CHRISTINE: So, if I were to list this house, I would list it at 2.5 million.
JOHN: That's what I was going to choose.
CHRISTINE: I knew it.
I knew it.
I knew it.
I knew you'd go for that number.
JEN: And guess what?
JOHN: What?
JEN: You're both right!
JOHN: We're both right.
JEN: Look at that!
JOHN: We're learning.
We say we're learning.
JEN: You're learning.
Right.
JOHN: We're not always right.
JEN: Right.
JOHN: But, high five on that, winner.
JEN: Yeah, you know, this has been an amazing day.
CHRISTINE: It has been.
JEN: If you're not tired of hanging out with me, then why don't we go to the Evening Star and, you know, grab a bite?
CHRISTINE: How could we ever tire of you?
JOHN: I don't think that's possible, Jen.
We love you.
JEN: You want to ride in that car, don't you?
CHRISTINE: I do.
I do.
JEN: All right.
Let's go.
Y'all can fight over it.
DERICK: If you lived here, you would know our famous coffee shop, St. Elmo's.
Everyone knows St. Elmo's.
PAUL: If you lived here, you would know to go to Los Tios, because you can bring as many kids as you want.
You won't be able to hear yourself think, but you'll have a great meal and lots of fun.
JOHN: All right, you guys.
I'll meet you there.
See you in a bit.
JEN: All right.
JOHN: I don't mind walking.
JEN: Okay.
CHRISTINE: Okay, you walk, bye.
JOHN: She gets a little car sick, so don't go too fast.
JEN: All right.
CHRISTINE: Bye.
JOHN: No problem, walking.
JEN: There we go.
ANNOUNCER: To find out more about living in the Washington Metro area, visit weta.org/IfYouLivedHere.
(ribbit) Support for "If You Lived Here" comes from... MAN: The Yuen Foundation, committed to bridging cultural differences within the greater Washington, D.C. community.