 |
 K & W at KW FAMILY REUNION
|
|
|
Keller Williams Realty International hosts an annual convention called "Family Reunion" for four days in February each year. This year's convention took place in New Orleans a few days after Mardi Gras with over 10,000 KW agents in attendance from across the globe. Kara and Wayne were excited to be part of the convention again this year and to meet other agents from the #1 real estate franchise in the world. In this photo we are standing in front of our favorite letters at the New Orleans Convention Center. We particularly enjoyed experiencing the keynote sessions by Gary Keller, the founder of KW and author of many acclaimed books for real estate agents and entrepreneurs.
Avoiding anonymous hotels as we have done on several of our recent trips, we rented a beautiful apartment through VRBO on Baronne Street between the French Quarter and the downtown business district. This allowed us to host our own get-togethers in the evening for our colleagues and enjoy the private roof terrace amid the bustling city life. We also took the opportunity to dine at a variety of fine restaurants in different sections of the city, take an evening dinner cruise on the Mississippi River, explore the city on foot when not in classes, and all but take a Street Car named Desire. Next year's KW Family Reunion will be in Las Vegas. Stay tuned!
|
DESTINATION CHARM: Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, SC, has long been one of our favorite cities. Charleston is the oldest and second-largest city in South Carolina and lies just south of the geographical midpoint of South Carolina's coastline. Located on Charleston Harbor, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean formed by the confluence of the Ashley and Cooper Rivers, downtown Charleston is actually a peninsula just several blocks wide. It's one of the most walkable cities we know. Founded in 1670 and know for its cobblestone streets, horse-drawn carriages, church steeples, and pastel pre-Civil War era houses, the city is steeped in a rich history and has a well-preserved architecture. Charleston plays host to a Festival of Houses tour each spring, which is how we first discovered the city. It's also home to an annual Spoleto music festival -- this year May 27-June 12.
Also known for its distinguished restaurants and mannerly people, Charleston is a refined Southern city and very welcoming of tourists and visitors. While attending a conference there a number of years ago, we came to further know the city, discovered College of Charleston in the center of the historic district, and fell in love with its beauty and ambience. Later when Kara was looking at colleges, CofC, as it is know, was on her short list and the rest was history.
If charm, history, architecture, fine dining, and shopping - or even beaches for that matter - are among your favorite interests when traveling, Charleston will not disappoint. A stroll down East Bay, along the Battery promenade and Waterfront Park, through the French Quarter, and along the famed shopping district of King Street is sure to make you fall in love with this gem of a small city. Charleston Place is one of our favorite hotels there but the last few times we were there, we stayed in beautiful private homes through VRBO (Vacation Rentals by Owner). The icing on the cake of our last trip there was paying only $57 round trip for our tickets on JetBlue. Make Charleston your next getaway destination. You'll be glad you did.
|
CLIENT SPOTLIGHT: Our Recent Rave Reviews
"I'm writing this while sitting in the kitchen of a condo I never would have bought without Kara Johnson's help. I knew I was in good hands from our first meeting. Buying a place is a crazy experience, and Kara was amazing throughout the entire process. I didn't have many parameters when I started looking, but Kara really listened and found some great options. The more places we saw together, the more she was able to help me find one that I love and that is truly my home. I can't say enough good things about my experience with Kara. I would work with her again in a heartbeat and certainly will in the future!"
~Lilly, Adams Morgan
|
|
|
"We want to say THANK YOU to Wayne Johnson for all he did for us during the purchase of our beautiful home in Cleveland Park. I want you to know that we had a wonderful experience with the purchase of our home. From the moment we started looking at the possibility of buying a property, the excitement of finding the right place for our family, to the closing of our home, Wayne shared his extensive knowledge about the DC market and, above all, his impeccable service and professionalism! We have bought other homes in the past but have never experienced this with any other agent before. Wayne diligently answered all our questions and concerns. Throughout the buying process, his guidance was invaluable, and his follow-up was superb. Wayne went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable and confident in every step of the way. This photo was taken on the day we moved in. Thank you again for all you have done for us, and we will recommend Wayne to all our friends and family without any hesitation!"
~Gabriela and Jose Carlos, Cleveland Park
|
JUST SOLD: 1640 4th St NW
Sold in 2 days! Kara's new home!
During the Blizzard of 2016 while no one else was out looking at properties, Kara was the first and only agent to view a little house in Shaw that had just been listed. Quietly and quickly she submitted an offer which became ratified while everyone else was home shoveling snow and before anyone else knew about it. To say that this house is small is an understatement. Just 13' wide on the inside this house is perfectly livable for most people but Kara has a vision and an already well-organized plan. As soon as she went to closing and the previous owner moved out, Kara had a construction crew go in and do some demolition work.
Built in 1880 and located on a quiet and charming block, this 2-bedroom, 1.5 bath home has a gated front yard (well, the gate is missing actually) and a deep fenced-in back yard. The kitchen is tiny but that will soon all be gone and a new addition built onto the back. On the first day she took possession, Kara had the place professionally photographed as "before" pictures. The next day, however, an old plaster wall in the living room was chipped away and the original brick exposed. All the trim around the windows and doors from a prior but rather poor attempt at a renovation 15 years ago is now gone. Old carpet has been torn up and new white oak flooring will soon be installed. An architect was hired, white lacquered kitchen cabinets have been selected, and now the somewhat long process of waiting for the city to issue construction permits begins. We hope to share photos of this adventure in our future newsletters so be sure to keep a lookout. Hard hat tours graciously offered.
*Kara represented herself as the buyer.
|
JUST SOLD: 7 Coming St, Charleston, SC
The Johnsons' home in Charleston!
When our favorite restaurant in Charleston closed, we decided to sell our house there! Well, that wasn't really the reason but we were disappointed when Ill Cote closed after it had been our regular haunt for over 15 years. In any case, we just sold our historic, circa 1839 home there which we purchased several years ago when Kara was a student at College of Charleston. The house is a block from campus and two blocks from famed King Street shopping and restaurants! Known as the
James Drayton Johnson House, it's a typical Charleston "single" house painted bright yellow with custom blue shutters (raised panels on the lower level and louvered on the upper level, per the city's historic requirements). The house was freshly painted inside and out and has the original hardwood floors, high ceilings, and big windows for lots of natural light throughout! A little bit of history...Johnson, a free African American tailor, whose son married the daughter of William Ellison, a wealthy African American plantation owner, built two vernacular single houses with gable roofs in the mid 1800s. The property comes with off-street parking, as well as a private walled courtyard. We will greatly miss this wonderful house in what is one of the most beautiful cities in the country. Read more about Charleston in our travel section.
Brian Kline of Carolina One was the listing agent.
|
JUST SOLD: 1001 26th Street NW #306
Sold in 1 week!
Spacious 1-bedroom and den, 1-bath condo at Potowmac Overlook in West End adjacent to Rock Creek Park and Georgetown. This unit features an open and updated huge kitchen, hardwood floors throughout, tons of closet space, and step-out Juliette balconies with beautiful views. The large den can be used as an office or second bedroom. The walls of windows and western exposure provide lots of natural light. Enjoy the convenience of an in-unit washer and dryer and separately-deeded garage parking space. The common roof deck has expansive views of the city. Ideally located walking distance to Metro, dining and nightlife, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, GWU, State Department, World Bank, IMF, Kennedy Center, Rock Creek Park, Georgetown and more. Neighborhood: West End. Sold Price: $475,000.
|
UNDER CONTRACT: 1629 L St NE #203
Under Contract in 6 days!
Spacious and sunny 2BR 2BA condo just blocks to vibrant H Street! This home features 861 square feet of living space, hardwood floors, expansive master bedroom with walk-in closet and en-suite bath. Granite and stainless steel kitchen with gas cooking, and in-unit laundry. Private balcony and secure parking complete the package. Close to supermarkets, restaurants, nightlife, and Streetcar. Neighborhood: Trinidad/H Street. Contact
Kara
for more information.
|
|
Kara Johnson
Keller Williams Capital Properties
1918 18th St NW
Washington,DC
20009
202.243.7700 office
202.378.4240 cell
|
Keller Williams Capital Properties
1918 18th St NW
Washington, DC 20009
202.243.7700 office
202.494.0714 cell
202.315.3889 efax
|
Did you know that we have a network of top KW agents all over North America and many cities worldwide?
Do you have family or friends who are thinking of buying or selling? If they are in the DC area, we would love to be the ones you call to refer them to us. However, if they live somewhere else or are moving out of the area, we can make referrals to top KW agents almost anywhere.
We are grateful for your business and for all your referrals - near and far!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
