Tag Archives: Woodside Forest

Go Brent Agent Spotlight: Natalie Thomas

As a native Washingtonian, Natalie Thomas has grown up in Silver Spring’s Woodside Park and had even purchased her first home in Woodside Forest. She definitely knows her way around from boutiques to bakeries and everything in between.

Get to know Natalie in this latest agent spotlight as she takes you through her favorite spots in and around the DC-Metro area.

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Growing up here and having been fortunate enough to travel to various cities, I have really come to appreciate the beauty and diversity of our metropolitan area and just how much it has to offer. There is a little something for everyone here – whether urban, suburban, waterfront, or mountains – our metropolitan area has it all.

While we live in a very transient area, I have come to love this about our area because it brings people from all over the world together! I can’t imagine living anywhere else.

TEMPT YOUR TASTEBUDS: FOOD SPOTS!

More of a foodie? Well, the food scene just keeps getting better. With so many different cultural influences in this city, no cuisine is left unturned.

  • PassionFish – Bethesda
  • Barcelona – Cathedral Heights
  • Buena Vida – Silver Spring

Where do your tastebuds take you for a nice dinner out with family or friends?

  • Barcelona – 14th St or Cathedral Commons (DC)
  • Mi Rancho, Olazzo (Silver Spring)
  • Blacks Market (Kensington) 
  • Le Diplomate (14th St) 

What are of your favorite places to order in from?

  • Amina Thai (Silver Spring) – Grubhub delivers.
  • Jewel of India (Silver Spring) – Postmates delivers.
  • Spring Garden (Silver Spring) – Free delivery.

Favorite Happy Hour spots?

  • Urban Butcher (Silver Spring)
  • Mrs. Ks (Silver Spring)
  • Olazzo (Silver Spring)
  • Ruths Chris (Bethesda)
  • Blacks (Bethesda)
  • Gringos & Mariachis (Bethesda) 
  • Jaleos (Bethesda/DC)
  • PassionFish (Bethesda)

Favorite Mexican Restaurants?

  • Lauriol Plaza (Adams Morgan)
  • Gringos & Mariachis (Bethesda)
  • Mi Rancho (Silver Spring)
  • Uncle Julios (Bethesda) 

What’s the best breakfast or brunch spot in the area?

  • Buena Vida – Great brunch spot – unlimited small plates (Silver Spring)
  • La Pain Quotidien (Bethesda) 

LET’S TALK SHOPPING!

  • Wildwood Center
  • Friendship Heights
  • Reddz Trading

Where’s the best shopping in the town? Are there any good boutiques?

  • Friendship Heights (DC) – Great combination of high-end retail mixed with off-price apparel chains like Marshalls and TJ Maxx. My favorite part of shopping in Friendship Heights is having access to all different types of retail while being able to pop in and out of shops and enjoy the outdoors.
  • Reddz Trading (Bethesda) – Second hand designer clothing store. Unique designer finds at unbeatable prices.
  • Wildwood Center (Bethesda) – Mix of boutiques and designer stores.

GET ACTIVE!

Love the great outdoors and mountains? Within an hour you can be hiking at the Shenandoah National Park or sipping wine at a vineyard with mountain views. Our nation’s Capital is full of history from the Capitol, to the White House, to the monuments or museums.

  • Gravelly Point Park
  • OrangeTheory – Silver Spring
  • Billy Goat Trail

Are there any good hikes or bike trails?

  • C&O Canal (DC) – Hiking and biking 
  • Great Falls (MD) – Billy Goat Trail
  • Rock Creek Pkwy (MD) – Hiking and biking 
  • Harpers Ferry (VA)
  • Gravelly Point Park (DC) – Great walking/biking trails 
  • Patapsco Valley State Park (MD) – Great hikes
  • Sugar Loaf Mountain (MD) – Hiking
  • Theodore Roosevelt Island (DC) – Walking

Are there any recommendations for workout classes in the area?

  • Yoga: Blue Heron Wellness (Silver Spring)
  • Pure Barre (Silver Spring)
  • Orange Theory (Silver Spring)

LOCAL BREWS & SIPS

  • Denizens Brewing Company
  • 3 Stars Brewing Company
  • Kaldi’s Social House

So many to choose from. What are some of your favorite local breweries?

  • Denizens (MD) – I love that you can bring your dog and sit outside.
  • 3 Stars Brewing Company (DC) – love that you can bring in your own food and get a cold beer.

Best coffee spots in the area?

  • Kaldis (Silver Spring)
  • Blue Bottle Coffee (DC – Wharf) – AMAZING DRIP COFFEE

HAVE A SWEET TOOTH?

  • Pie Sisters
  • JennyCakes Bakery
  • Dolcezza

What’s the best bakery in town?

  • Nothing Bundt Cakes (Silver Spring)
  • Jenny Cakes Bakery (Kensington)
  • Baked & Wired (Georgetown)
  • Pie Sisters (Georgetown)
  • Tout de Sweet Shop (Bethesda)
  • Velatis (Silver Spring)
  • Dolcezza (DC)
  • District Donut (DC)

FUN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD!

The best part about our city is that most of these activities are free and can be enjoyed through so many means of transportation – kayaking, paddle boarding, biking, scootering, or even a Segway tour!

  • Great Falls
  • Eastern Market
  • Union Market

What are fun weekend activities to do in the neighborhood?

  • Farmer’s Market
  • Kayak/Paddle Board (DC)
  • Yoga Class/Barre Class 
  • Union Market (DC)
  • Museums (DC) 
  • Vineyards/Breweries
  • Hikes/Biking  

Favorite Farmers Markets?

  • Silver Spring
  • Capitol Hill – Eastern Market 

Are there any cool historical spots worth visiting?

Pretty much anything downtown! White House / Capitol / Museums / Monuments, etc. 

What’s your favorite park to take the kids and / or pet to or just take a scroll in?

Great Falls – It’s by far my favorite walk in the area…gorgeous/scenic views.

Interested in keeping up with Natalie? Follow her on instagram!

Montgomery Co Tax Bills Are Coming – Are You Receiving the Homestead Tax Credit?

Tax Bills are Here – Ensure You’re Receiving Tax Credits!
Homestead Property Tax Credits and New Mo Co Tax Credits for Elderly & Military Retirees

It’s July, for Montgomery County homeowners this means that tax bills will be arriving in your mailboxes shortly – the County estimates mailing bills in mid-July (bills will also be available via the County website).

Homestead Property Tax Credits

Tax Bill Example
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When you receive your bill you should look to see if you are receiving the Homestead Property Tax Credit (you’ll see “County Property Tax Credit”). This tax credit was established to help homeowners deal with large assessment increases on their principal residence. The Homestead Credit limits the increase in taxable assessments each year to a fixed percentage.

To prevent improper granting of this credit, a law was enacted in 2007 that requires all homeowners to submit a one-time application to establish eligibility for the credit. There are several criteria to be met, but the main conditions are that the property is your principal residence and you must have lived in it for at least six months of the year, including July 1 of the year for which the credit is applicable.

If you are not seeing a homestead property tax credit on your tax bill, you should determine the status of your Homestead eligibility by looking up your property on the Real Property Database.

Homestead Exemption Example
Click to Enlarge

Look at the bottom of the page, where it says Homestead Application Status. If it says “No Application,” then you should reapply to capture this credit on future tax bills.

For more info, check out frequently asked questions about Homestead Property Tax Credit, or contact the Homestead unit directly at 1-866-650-8783 or visit their website.

Tax Credits for Elderly & Military Retirees

Earlier this year the Montgomery County Council also enacted new legislation granting property tax credits for elderly individuals and for military retirees. Owners who are 65 or over and who has owned and lived in the dwelling for at least 40 consecutive years or those who are 65 or over and a military retiree may qualify depending on the assessed value of the home.

For 2017 taxes only, applications will be accepted until September 1, 2017. If you wish to receive a credit for your 2017 taxes, you must apply by September 1, 2017. For all other tax years, you must apply by April 1. This tax credit will not be issued on the July property tax bill; instead it will be calculated and issued on a subsequent revision of your tax bill, with the tax credit appearing as a line item deduction on the bill.

You can read more about the new tax credit and how to apply here.

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Selling the Unsold

Four of our recent clients were in a situation where they originally listed their homes with another brokerage, but after spending time on the market, their properties did not sell. When properties accumulate days on market, many buyers consider that property to be “stale”. After ending their agreement with their first brokerage, these sellers turned to Go Brent Team to market and sell their homes. Our approach is always to discuss both price and product with sellers. We work with them to make their property most appealing to the widest pool of buyers. While pricing is one factor for discussion, the property must also be reevaluated to ensure its return to the market is noticed by buyers. We recently took over the following listings with great results.

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1502 Red Oak Drive (20910 – Woodside Forest)

Sold in 8 days after 48 days on the market with another broker. We consulted with the client and decided the kitchen needed a cosmetic facelift. We also chose a clean neutral paint color to replace a dark blue accent wall in the family room; the neutral paint color made the room brighter and accented the cathedral ceiling and skylights. Staging furniture was added, along with décor and rugs to the family room, living room, and bedrooms, to give the home a more polished feel, both in the photos and in person.

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9606 Bruce Drive (20901 – North Hills)

Sold in 6 days after 5 months on market with another broker. Our strategy for selling this home involved ensuring that the home was well presented in on-line photographs and the virtual tour.  We assisted the seller to select new interior paint colors, staged several rooms with furniture and décor, and rearranged the seller’s existing furniture so buyers could visualize living in the home.

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10108 Grant Avenue  (20910 – Capitol View Park)

Sold in 15 days after 2 months on market with another broker.  We worked with the seller to modify the front exterior – a new blue front door, landscaping, and exterior lighting improved the front walkway. We rearranged the seller’s furniture in the bedrooms and living area and also added artwork and rugs throughout the home. The result was a more welcoming feel in person and more appealing on-line photographs.

9412 Woodland Drive (20910 – Woodside Forest)

Sold in 7 days after 3 months on market with another broker. A new green front door color was chosen to replace the previous red door. We also worked with the photographer to ensure the front exterior photos were taken from different angles to emphasize the home’s curb appeal, which included a beautiful tree, sea grass, and landscaping.

Selling the Unsold | Testimonial

[wolf_testimonials_start]

[wolf_testimonial_slide cite=”Philip & Jill Downs”]We were discouraged when our house wasn’t selling in an otherwise hot market. We called Liz Brent. Liz helped us understand why selling our home had been more challenging than expected. She renewed our appreciation for the many desirable features of our property, and worked with us to tweak staging and develop a results-oriented strategy forward. She produced thoughtful, descriptive language and beautiful photos, which highlighted the many charming aspects of the home. Most importantly, armed with in depth knowledge of real estate in our neighborhood, Liz suggested the correct price to sell. We received two offers, above asking, within the first week back on the market. Settlement was a breeze. We will be forever grateful to Liz and the Go Brent team for delivering us the sellers’ experience we deserved. [/wolf_testimonial_slide][wolf_testimonials_end]

Ready to put your property on the market? Contact Go Brent Team today!