Nobody has their finger on the pulse of DC Luxury Condo Sales like Life At The Top
December, 2019 DC Penthouse and Luxury Condo Marketing Activity Report
For the latest in the DC Luxury Condo Market, stay informed with our blog every month.
Most Units Sold
There are three buildings in the Washington area that had three sales each in December. Somerset House in Friendship Heights is known for its high-end, spacious residences. Unit #1002 at the luxurious gated community is the second-highest sale of the month at $3,005,000. The 3-bedroom, 3.5-bath apartment with marble foyer, country-style chef’s kitchen and wraparound balcony has a 3,399 square foot floor plan, which also makes it the fifth-highest price per sq. ft. sale. Another noteworthy sale at Somerset House is Unit #1201 with 2-bedrooms, 2-baths and 1,593 square feet of living space. The luxurious flat closed at full price for $1,100,000.
The trendy 2020 Lofts atop the U Street Corridor also accounted for three closings. Completed in 2005, the nine-story building overlooks a historic neighborhood that is bustling with renewed urban energy, revitalized landmark theaters and music venues. Among the transactions is the month’s highest list-to-sales closing; Unit #713. The 2-bedroom, 2-bath flat with 1,081 square feet of space, massive floor-to-ceiling windows, hardwood floors throughout and exposed overhead ductwork listed for $799,900 and sold for $835,000. The Residences at Gallery Place at 777 7th Place in Chinatown also had three sales in December. The 11-story luxury condominium literally sits atop the Gallery Place Metro Station—commuting could never be more convenient. Those living at Gallery Place enjoy a vibrant and bustling urban Downtown location, with scads of bars, restaurants, museums, shops and entertainment venues that are literally just steps away.
There were no fewer than five buildings with two sales each! These are: 2501 M in the West End, 1745 N in Dupont Circle, Lionsgate in Bethesda, Madrigal Lofts in Mount Vernon Triangle, and the grand old Dresden with its curvilinear design, located in tony Kalorama. Worth noting from this batch is Unit #508 at 2501 M; a 2-bedroom, 2.5-bath modern flat that is the highest price per sq. ft. ($1,159.07) and fifth-highest overall sales price in December at $2,135,000. There are also five buildings with one sale each: 22 West in the West End, Atrium in Arlington, Chase Point in Friendship Heights, City Center in the Mount Vernon Triangle, and Clara Barton in Penn Quarter. Among the highlights is Unit #9F at 22 West; a 2-bedroom, 2-bath modern living space that has fifth-highest price per square foot at $1,037.94 and the sixth-highest sales price at $1,915,000.
Highest Sales Prices
Kicking off the priciest condo sales in Washington Metro during the month of December is Unit #405 at the Hampden in Bethesda. The 3-bedroom, 3.5-bath penthouse residence at this Toll Brothers development offers 2,780 square feet of living space, wide-plank hardwood floors, a sublime open kitchen, designer baths and a large, private rooftop level terrace. The apartment listed for $3,650,000 and closed at $3,175,000. Coming in a close second is Unit #1002 at Somerset House in the exclusive Parc Somerset gated community in Friendship Heights. The 3-bedroom, 3.5-bath residence has a 3,399 square foot layout, featuring a marble foyer, hardwood floors, a library, formal dining room, tray ceilings, a huge country-style chef’s kitchen, luxurious en-suite baths, a laundry room, wraparound balcony and more. Priced at $3,395,000, the spacious apartment sold for $3,050,000. Third place goes to Unit #406 at VIO—a centerpiece of an ambitious redevelopment known as The Wharf in the Southwest Waterfront. This particular 2-bedroom, 2-bath flat offers the height of modernity, with 1,670 square feet of living space, blonde hardwood floors, giant floor-to-ceiling windows, a bonus office, glossy white open kitchen and a private terrace. It listed at $1,469,000 and closed at full price.
Next up is a 2-bedroom, 2.5-bath residence at 1745 N, aka The Historic Row in Dupont Circle—an adaptive reuse project melding antique row houses and new construction. Unit #509 offers wide-plank premium hardwood flooring, bright and sunny exposure from oversized windows and a modern gourmet kitchen. It listed at $2.4 million and sold at full price. In fifth place is Unit #508 at 2501 M in the West End. The 2-bedroom, 2.5-bath flat listed for $2,200,000 and closed for $2,135,000. With 1,842 square feet of living space, the highly modern condo boasts clean, minimalist design with white oak floors, giant window walls, a den, a balcony and a very cool open kitchen with white quartz counters and panelized Bosch appliances.
In sixth place is Unit #9F at 22 West in the West End. The 2-bedroom, 2-bath condo with 1,845 square feet of space listed for $1,975,000 and sold for $1,915,000. Features include uninterrupted floor-to-ceiling windows running the length of the living area, a glossy white-on-white open kitchen with recessed appliances, hardwood floors throughout and a private balcony. Also notable in December is Unit #PH2 at Memorial Overlook in Arlington’s Rosslyn neighborhood. The 2,068 square foot penthouse is the first sale at the popular address since October 2017. With 2-bedrooms, 2.5-baths, hardwood floors throughout, a gourmet kitchen, ornate ceilings, a den and multiple private outdoor spaces, the lavish apartment closed at $1,599,900.
Highest Sales Price to List Ratio
The highest sales-to-list ratio in December is Unit #713 at the 2020 Lofts in the trendy U Street Corridor. The 2-bedroom, 2-bath flat with 1,081 square feet of space has a sunny open layout with massive floor-to-ceiling factory style windows, exposed overhead ductwork, gleaming hardwood floors throughout, a superb modern kitchen and a private terrace with stunning city views of Washington landmarks. Offered at $799,900, the white-on-white apartment closed at $835,000, or 104.39% of the asking price. In second place is Unit #212 at 1745 N in Dupont Circle. The historic address melds renovated row houses with new construction apartments. This particular condo is a 1-bedroom, 1-bath flat with an 815 square foot floorplan. Offering light grey wide-plank floors and pristine modern design concepts throughout, the condo listed for $649,900 and sold for $669,000, or 102.94%.
In third place is Unit #309 at the grand old Northumberland building in Dupont Circle. The cute studio measures just 500 square feet but is loaded with charm and updates, including parquet wood floors, a nifty kitchen with stainless steel appliances and a wonderful bathroom with subway tile, granite vanity and a claw foot tub. Listed at just $228,000, the historic apartment sold for $233,000, or 102.19% of its original price. Coming in fourth is Unit #403 at Mather Studios, a super hip building in Chinatown that offers both living residences and artist’s studios. This industrial chic unit has 1-bedroom, 1-bath, polished concrete floors, raw cement ceilings, brick walls and exposed overhead ductwork. After listing for $479,500, the 750 square foot flat sold for $480,000, or 100.05% of asking.
In fifth place is Unit #1-1201 at the luxury Somerset House in Friendship Heights. This 2-bedroom, 2-bath apartment in the prestigious Parc Somerset gated community has a spacious 1,593 square foot layout, including a formal dining room, a large balcony and updated gourmet kitchen with quartz counters, new cabinets and stainless steel appliances. The apartment listed at $1,100,000 and closed at full price (100%). The final entry in the sales-to-list category belongs to Unit #63 at Dumbarton Place in Dupont Circle. The 2-bedroom, 2.5-bath residence offers 1,960 square feet of living space, with hardwood floors, a study, a sun room, wet bar, fireplace, crown molding and three parking spaces! The $1,599,900 closing represented 100% of the asking price.
Highest Prices Per Square Foot
The highest price per square foot honors in December is also the fifth-highest sales price. Unit #508 at 2501 M in the West End has 2-bedrooms, 2.5 baths and 1,842 square feet of living space. The closing price of $2,135,000 translates to $1,159.07 per square foot for the modern flat with its white oak imported floors, sleek kitchen with panelized appliances, den, balcony and giant window walls. In second place is Unit #406 at VIO in the Southwest Waterfront neighborhood. The 2-bedroom, 2-bath flat is also the third-highest sales price at $1,469,000. The stylish 1,670 square foot layout translates to $1,146.79 per square foot for the super contemporary flat perched by the Washington Channel.
Third place goes to Unit #509 at 1745 N in Dupont Circle. The 2-bedroom, 2.5-bath residence is also the fourth-highest sale overall for December, and is located at a historic redevelopment of row houses combined with new construction. The full-priced closing of $2.4 million represents $1,048.49 per square foot for the 2,289 sq. ft. apartment. The fourth-highest price per square foot was also the sixth-highest sale. Unit #9F at 22 West in the West End neighborhood is a 2-bedroom, 2-bath apartment with floor-to-ceiling windows spanning the open living area, a glossy white-on-white kitchen with panelized appliances, hardwood floors and a private balcony. The sales price of $1,915,000 equals $1,037.94 per square foot for the 1,845 sq. ft. floorplan.
The fifth-highest per sq. ft. was also the sixth-highest overall sales price. Unit #1002 at Somerset House in Friendship Heights has a 3,399 square foot floorplan with 3-bedrooms, 3.5-baths, a library, formal dining room, marble foyer and tray ceilings. The $3,050,000 closing price equals $897.32 per square foot, as well as the second-highest overall sale in December. Our final entry is Unit #1112 at the Residences at Market Square in the Penn Quarter. The 1-bedroom, 1-bath apartment at the Neo-Classical complex has just 554 square feet of space but sold for a very solid $482,000, translating to $870.04 per square foot. The bright and sunny flat has an open space concept with light blonde floors and a space saving upscale kitchen. Bonus points go to the very spacious private terrace running the length of the unit.
December, 2019 Highest Price New Listings
Washington Metro’s highest priced new condominium listing in December 2019 is Unit #703 at the Lauren in Bethesda. The 2-bedroom, 2.5-bath residence with den and family room is listed at $3,349,900. The spacious 3,167 square foot floorplan includes direct access elevator, dark grey oak hardwood floors, soaring ceilings, private terrace, two en-suite marble baths and a stunning open kitchen with marble counters, island and backsplash. Coming in a close second is Unit #704, also at the Lauren. Initially listed for $3,499,900, the 2-bedroom, 2.5-baths plus den apartment quickly dropped in price to $3,299,900—a $200,000 cut! Offering 2,676 square feet of space, this stylish residence features light grey wide-plank floors, stunning tray ceilings, a modern marble open kitchen, oversized owner’s suite with lavish spa bath and the largest private terrace in the building with 1,300 square feet, built-in summer kitchen and outdoor TV.
In third place is Unit #905 at the Ventana in DC’s Penn Quarter. This 4-level modern architectural marvel with 5-bedrooms and 4.5-baths originally listed for $3,250,000 and has since dropped to $3,200,000. With 3,932 square feet of living space, the unique penthouse features giant window walls, an in-home elevator and designer features throughout, including floating stairs, a private theater, rooftop deck and an incredible contemporary open kitchen. Fourth place finds a return to the Lauren in Bethesda, with Unit #602. Listed at $3,099,900, this brand-new 3-bedroom, 3.5-bath apartment has 3,200 square feet of space, grey oak floors, soaring tray ceilings, multiple balconies, a sunny breakfast room, vented gas fireplace, walk-in closets, en-suite marble baths, and of course, the Lauren’s white glove amenities.
In fifth place is Penthouse #212 at Washington Harbour in Georgetown. Priced at $2,975,000, this newly renovated lap of luxury residence features 2-bedrooms, 2.5-baths, giant window walls, a new modern open kitchen, a round foyer, a study, multiple fireplaces, master bedroom with huge dressing room, custom wall treatments and a 2,000 square foot private terrace with picture perfect up close views of the Potomac River. In sixth place is Unit #901 at Stonehall Bethesda. The new construction penthouse offers 2-bedrooms, 2.5-baths, a large private terrace and additional balcony. Listed at $2,195,000, the 2,221 square foot flat is the height of modern sophistication with white-on-white themes throughout, light grey floors, designer baths and a sublime open kitchen with panelized appliances. Our final entry is Unit #707 at Somerset House in Friendship Heights. Listed at $1,999,000, the 2-bedroom, 2.5-bath corner apartment has 2,856 square feet of living space, with the master and secondary bedroom suites at opposite ends for optimal privacy. A library, formal dining room, large laundry room, two balconies and two parking spaces add to the appeal.
.jpg)
