Curbed DC is not exactly the commenting center of the Internet or for that matter the commenting center of the Curbediverse. Which is to say, usually when you all have something to say, it's either because you've been asked outright to participate or because you have some piece of constructive information to add. How many websites can actually say that? Gold stars and milkshakes to all of you! So, in honor of the topics that got people excited, riled up or otherwise engaged, here are five posts in 2013 that garnered the most comments.
[Photo by Michael Van Vleet]
5) The Nine Best Views in Washington D.C.
Apparently, there are about as many views that we should check out as views that we already have. Thanks for the recommendations!
Sample Comment: You're missing the roofdeck of the Cairo Apartments in Dupont -the tallest building in DC- which was the cause and start of the whole height limitation in the first place!
4) Poll: Is the Current McMillan Park Redesign Worth The Anger?
The most recent development plan that Vision McMillan Partners proposed for the McMillan Sand Filtration site got a lot of support from the Historic Preservation Review Board and neighboring Bloomingdale residents, but the earlier iteration was far more divisive, as this poll clearly demonstrated.
Sample Comment: "Current design is crap. Prefab condos and steel glass office buildings all glued together with poured concrete. Give it 10 years and you'll have the set of Blade Runner. Place will not age well. It will be a baneful "green space" Similar to IM Pei's Boston City Hall...noone will want to be there because it's soulless."
3) Craigslist Says This Large Room Is Available For $1000/Month!
A few people didn't seem to get the joke, so the poster of this Craigslist ad actually checked in clear everything up.
Sample Comment: I actually posted the ad. There was only one response before someone flagged it. It was later taken down. The response basically wanted to know why I said no Republicans and whether that was some kind of snide political remark.
Apparently they missed that the entire thing was exactly that.
2) The 2013 Curbed Cup is Here! Name D.C.'s Best Neighborhood!
We asked and you delivered your nominations for Neighborhood of the Year. Semifinals start at 2:00 p.m.!
Sample Comment: Anacostia is going to bring it home again! Repeat baby!
1) Got A Real Estate Question? Ask it Now in our Open Thread
Wherein agent Scott Sighirian answered all the (actual) real estate questions in an open thread.
Sample Comment: Re: Seller subsidy.
Depending on the scenario it very likely you could arrange for a seller subsidy to offset repair costs you may incur as the new buyer. This may not be the case if the property is already priced very low to account for those needed repairs. Another avenue I would suggest you look into are the FHA203K loans. This is a HUD program that allows buyers to get loans on property based on an after repaired value in order to finance repairs or upgrades to the home.
http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/housing/sfh/203k/203kabou
--Scott