Helpful Websites for Real Estate Investing
Are you considering investing property in the DC area? Perhaps you’re eager to become a landlord and rent out a home or condo to tenants. Perhaps you want to try your hand and flipping distressed properties for resale. Or maybe you want to think big and purchase property for retail use. Whatever your situation, prudent research is in order.
There are many helpful websites out there to give you the latest news, tips, and tools for your investment. Below you’ll find some of my favorites and little bit about what they offer.
POPVILLE
PoPville, created by DC local Dan Silverman (a.k.a. The “Prince of Petworth,” forming the “PoP” in “PoPville”), chronicles the happenings in DC’s neighborhoods on a smaller business level. Articles examine the quality of life, real estate, restaurants, bars, retail, architecture, gardening, pets, transit, crime and other general observations about daily life in D.C. As one contributor described the website, “PoPville is like an ultra local digital NPR meets New Yorker meets open town hall on steroids. I have to have it to know what the hell is actually going on in this city.”
URBAN TURF
Urban Turf’s Pipeline is a searchable database of new condo and apartment projects in the DC area. As of 25 February 2018, the Pipeline database currently has 602 projects. You can filter your search by project name, type, status, size, city, and zip, and even choose your preferred viewing order. Their quick search features are broken out by DC, VA, and MD, as well as by rentals vs. condos. A concise and accessible tool if you know what you’re looking for.
WASHINGTON BUSINESS JOURNAL
The Washington Business Journal provides both Residential and Commercial Real Estate news. The Residential section covers topics such as homebuilders, the housing market, residential real estate agencies, and senior living. The Commercial section reports on CRE brokerages and developers, construction, LEED, and retail development. This publication is for the more sober-minded, unlike the peppy feel of Bisnow (see below).
BISNOW
Self-styled as “SOCIALLY-ORIENTED, HYPER-LOCAL, MORE FUN THAN A WHOOPIE CUSHION,” Bisnow tracks the “hottest trends, transactions, personalities, and real estate happenings” in major cities across the US. They also produce hundreds of commercial real estate conferences and offer a daily email blast of all the latest news. It’s a great place to track new developments, commercial investments, and local business news and trends across the DMV.
CURBED
Curbed offers a more comprehensive and personalized view of real estate in DC. While highlighting noteworthy homes and properties going on the market and new developments coming to the area, Curbed also has a finger on the pulse of District life. From awaiting the Cherry Blossom Festival, looking out for public art installments, to analyzing the best neighborhoods for renting, Curbed has a little bit of everything.
These websites are just a jumping off point for you to educate yourself and refine your goals for investing. I’m always happy to sit down and discuss what options and possibilities are right for you. Washington, DC is a beautiful and diverse place to live, and we need more thoughtful, intentional landlords like you to make it thrive!