Prince Of Petworth » Good Deal or Not? Rental Edition

Good Deal or Not? Rental Edition

This spot was found by a reader on Craig’s List. The reader writes:

“I’m not sure whether you only like to post houses/rentals that you see on your walks, but if you’re interested in taking Craigslist submissions, I recently came across what is probably the most incredible (as in wtf) apartment for rent in Columbia Heights:

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/apa/806458278.html

I’m not sure if it’d make a good Good Deal or Not? post because I think the answer is obvious (no), but maybe commenters would have some insight into how the asking price could possibly be so high?”

The spot is located at 1390 Kenyon Street.

The ad says:

“This professionally-designed apartment features dark-stained hardwood floors, grasscloth accent wallcoverings, darkwood cabinets in kitchen and bathrooms, and complimenting granite countertops. Floating wall-mounted cabinetry and an integrated audio-visual system with two flatpanel TVs in living room and master bedroom. Two walk-in closets– one of which has been adapted to a small office ideal for casual work-at-home sessions– can easily be converted back to a closet. ”

So for $5500 – good deal or not?

Category: Columbia Heights, Real Estate

By: Prince Of Petworth | 29 August 2008 2:00 PM | 10 Comments

loganmo

How big is the place? the CL ad is expired

I have a hard time believing any rental at that price range is worth it in columbia heights..but that’s just me

August 29, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Anonymous

I’m the reader who sent this in and yeah, unfortunately the link is expired but it’s the penthouse apartment at the Kenyon Square, and according to the Kenyon Square website the largest 2br/2ba with den is 1,243 square feet, but maybe the penthouse is bigger. The other thing this ad said was that you could rent it unfurnished for $4,500.

August 29, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Chris of Colorado Corner

that price is laughable

August 29, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Neener

Friends are renting a 3-level brownstone in Manhattan for $8000 per month. In MANHATTAN.

This is what’s called over-decorating. A friend bought a house in charles county where the original owners built in carved wood, crown moulding everywhere, hot tub, granite countertops, clearly $75,000 worth of work, but all the neighborhood houses were going for $175k and so my friend could buy it for $182k. Sometimes people forget that no one wants to see their decorating.

August 29, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Jamie

Jesus for $5500 a month I’d rather stay at the Four Seasons and have my bed turned down for me every day.

August 29, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Brian

Good point, Jamie.

August 29, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Parkwood Person

I wouldn’t pay it, and I think they’d have a hard time finding someone that would, BUT- I’m guessing their strategy is to appeal to out of towners who don’t realize that Georgetown and Columbia Heights are not on the same rental playing field. There are some penthouses in the DC are that are priced in that range, and from the inside, they look comparable. Its a technique that I wouldn’t exactly call “ethical” but a technique none the less.

August 29, 2008 at 4:43 pm
animal mother

I bet that place has a sweet view of the roof of the Target

August 29, 2008 at 5:44 pm
Anonymous

That’s a good point Parkwood Person, but I would think that even if I was apartment hunting from, say, Bulgaria, I wouldn’t be so naive to not notice that there were 2BR units in the *same building* going for about 1/2 as much, right?

August 30, 2008 at 12:01 am
poo poo

eh, it’s not that outrageous. i’ve spent about the same for far less, granted it was in sao paulo. even then. when you work hard, it’s places like these that you want to come home to. not some high maintenance thing.

August 30, 2008 at 9:30 pm