iClub Capitol Hill Renovation Underway

BEFORE:

Renovations for this two-floor location started in the Fall of 2012.  It started with three carpeted bedrooms, a carpeted living room space with a brick fireplace, and a kitchen with tile flooring and damaged oak cabinets.  There was only one hall bath upstairs and a half bath & laundry room separating the kitchen & dining room.

THE PLAN:

With the help of architectural firm, New Dimension Design, CityDwellers designed the new layout of this home to make it functional for the modern family.  The powder room & laundry room were moved to the rear porch addition to open up the main house.  New heating & plumbing had to be supplied to the rear porch area.  Upstairs, the rear porch area will be converted to a master bath & a walk-in closet, must-have features in today's modern homes.  The brick wall along the right of the home will be exposed, wood floors will be installed throughout, the gourmet kitchen will have 2 sinks, and the fireplace will be modernized.

                   EXISTING HOME DESIGN                                  FUTURE HOME DESIGN

Construction done by www.VinosHomeImp.com


BEFORE PHOTOS:

Latest Investment Makes a Perfect Vacation Rental

BEFORE:




AFTER:


Our most recent investment by the iClub is a huge success! Our newly renovated Takoma Park home just welcomed it's first vacation guest from Seattle, Washington. Take a look at the video tour:



FOR A PHOTO VIRTUAL TOUR, CLICK HERE: http://slideshow.mris.com/slideshow.cfm?ListingKey=96358344759


We now have 4 vacation rentals in DC. Take a look at our online booking site (just click the SEARCH button to explore the listings): http://www.vacationrentaldesk.com/onlinebooking/MultiSearch.aspx?multiguid=cc77d758-a603-4b65-93c4-1d770f601846


If you have any visitors coming to the city, or if you know of anyone interested in seeing if their property qualifies to be a vacation rental, let us know! Email dcrental@citydwellers.us for more details.

The Kitchen is Beautiful!

The kitchen cabinets were installed today. They are gorgeous! We were able to raise the ceiling one foot which allowed for 42" cabinets. We were able to expand the counter space by moving the sink to the corner. We're on the home stretch...

One Month In...

This project is more extensive than our last, but it's coming along quite nicely.

Here, the kitchen floors are installed. The floors are 18x18 imported Italian porcelain. Notice the door in the upper right of the photo. It has now been closed off to expand the kitchen space.


Where the fridge sits now is where the old single door was...and a window has been replaced by a french door leading out onto the new deck.




The whirlpool jet tub was salvaged, and glass tile is installed...


And now with imported Italian porcelain:


The basement has been tiled:


And the basement bath has been accented with glass tile:

iClub Starts It's 2nd Investment Project!

Okay, we really had to have some vision here...but we plan on turning this old city rowhouse into a modern condo-alternative. This is in the Northwest DC neighborhood of Takoma Park. The home is less than a 1/2 mile from the Takoma Park metro station, beautiful parks, a new recreation center with an indoor pool, and a "Main Street" with independent shops and stores. Stay tuned for pictures and video of the construction!

SOLD! iClub First Investment Property ($155,000 Equity)

CityDwellers' iClub is happy to announce that its first investment property has been SOLD! It took exactly 4 months from start to finish. We turned an ugly duck into a beautiful swan. By decorating with the right colors, removing walls to add functionality, and updating fixtures and appliances, we created $155,000 in equity. See the before and after pictures below.
For a full VIRTUAL TOUR of the entire house, CLICK HERE.

Our Beautiful Baths

This beautiful wainscotting technique is what we used to cover the old yellow & black tile on the walls in the master bath.



The powder room features an ultra-modern sliding mirror shelf:



The upper level hall bath has classic fixtures to match the classic subway tile look.

On the Home Stretch!

Door fixed! But oops...we have 2 more little problems. The electrician installed the light when we weren't there...we kinda wanted it to look like the picture on the box.

BEFORE



AFTER




Then we didn't plan on the stove looking so bad exposed on the side...We're going to build a wall asap!

Je t'adore...No you shut the door...

Do you remember the commercial where the guy tries to be romantic and says "Je t'adore" (I love you in French) to his wife? And she says "No, you shut the door!"

Great communication & interpretation is key in a renovation project. I don't know what happened, but somehow, "paint the door red" resulted in what you see below...a catastrophe.



The trim, which was supposed to stay white, was painted INSTEAD OF the door. Unbelievable! It's okay though. It's a CORRECTABLE problem. At least a wall wasn't knocked down or something...

Take a look at the home with the new windows, new shutters, (and hideous red trimmed door)...in the eve of the beginnings of this huge snow storm. P.S. One day, this awning will be removed!!!

Bathroom & Dining Room Updates

Look at this gorgeous renovation of the master bathroom. Do you remember the old yellow & black tile? Well now it's been covered in this beautiful wainscoting with trim.




In the dining room, notice the new light fixture, new window, and of course the new paint colors. The contrast between the walls and the trim help to display the home's classic craftsmanship. The colors make the room warm and inviting. We love how it turned out!



We installed this wood bar with a detailed trim as a pass-thru from the kitchen to the dining room.

The Kitchen Cabinets Came Today

They look fabulous! The appliances will come tomorrow. The paint looks great too (we have 6" crown molding and this chair molding in the dining room).



We are on the home stretch. The bathrooms are next...

In this hall bathroom, we are painting it a gorgeous slate gray and we are installing a beautiful classic white vanity with a large modern sink. We will have classic fixtures and a large white framed mirror. The colors and the style will complement the original subway/art deco style white tile.



In this bathroom, we knocked out the entire shower wall to open it up. The doorway was so small that it was hard to get in the shower, and once you were in it felt so claustrophobic...Now it is convenient and practical. We are going with a mild yellow paint on the walls, a modern white frosted glass vessel sink and we have a surprise to update the tile on the walls...just wait and see!

BEFORE


AFTER

Getting The Kitchen Together

The electrical wires dangling from the ceiling have been handled and the pipes in the newly opened doorway will be moved today.






New Half-Wall Dividing Dining Room & Kitchen:

Let the Renovation Begin!

The first couple of days have been great. No big surprises, and we are ahead of schedule. Everything looks great.

iClub Renovation Soon Underway

The CityDwellers IPMs are ready to get the iClub renovation underway this Saturday. Follow us on twitter: http://twitter.com/ilovemyipm and of course on this blog for all of the latest updates, videos and pictures. We have created a rendering of the exterior renovation which will include the removal of the metal awning, and the addition of ocean blue shutters and a cranberry front door.



Also, SAVE THE DATE! View the renovation on December 27, January 3 or January 10 at our Holiday "Milk & Cookies" Open House. We will feature investment seminars and home buyer seminars. Learn about the new $6,500 tax credit for those who buy a new home that have owned their current home for 5 or more years and the $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers (those who have not owned a home for more than 3 years). Each Sunday, we will have a drawing to give away a 3 day / 2 night resort getaway. And of course, everyone can enjoy the fresh-baked cookies served right from the oven. Click the image below to enlarge the schedule:

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

iClub Secures A Property

The iClub has secured a property! It is a single family home in Upper Northwest, DC. As you can see, there is a very nice yard, as the property is set back from the road. We are using a former CityDwellers property as our inspiration for the After. For the exterior, we plan to get rid of the front awning, add shutters, add plants and shrubbery, repair the concrete in the rear, add flagstone for a patio and flagstone for the walkway to the main entrance, complete the siding on the rear, and change the front door.


INSPIRATION FOR THE AFTER ($700,000+ Home in 16th St/Shepherd Park):


REAR:


Take a look at the video tours below. For the upper levels, we plan to remove the carpeting and refinish the wood floors, opening up the living room and the kitchen, replacing the kitchen cabinets and appliances, adding a powder room on the main level, adding new tile & fixtures to the two baths upstairs, increasing the closet size in the master bedroom, and of course, paint.








In the basement, we will open up the rec room, buy a washer & dryer, and we may re-tile the floors and redo the bathroom tile if the budget will allow. Stay tuned to follow our progress!

The Deal of a Lifetime...

The two properties featured in the videos below will likely go to other buyers bidding more. We have one outstanding bid on a great property, and we have 3 more bids on the way next week. It's a numbers game. So far, we have put in 6 bids since July...with 3 more on the way, that's 9.

Robert Kiyosaki's book, Real Estate Riches, teaches the 100:10:3:1 Rule. "If you look at 100 properties, put offers in on 10, and try to arrange financing for 3, you may end up buying 1. We have definitely looked at 100 deals or more, and by next week, we'll have put offers in on 9 properties. Let's see what happens!

Another great real estate investor says, "The Deal of A Lifetime Comes Once a Week." :) We believe that's true, so we'll see what deal the new week will bring. Keep you posted!