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Spring D.C., Rehoboth real estate markets ‘booming’

Experts say COVID fueling unprecedented demand

Published

5 years ago

on

D.C. real estate, gay news, Washington Blade

Experts are seeing 10 offers for every listing in D.C. as the spring real estate market is described as ‘on steroids.’

Michael Moore is a senior vice president for Compass Real Estate in D.C. and has worked as a D.C.-based Realtor for 30 years. Lee Ann Wilkinson is CEO for the Lee Ann Wilkinson Group associated with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services-Gallo Realty in the Rehoboth Beach, Del. shores area for 38 years selling real estate.

Both have told the Washington Blade that beginning in the late spring of 2020 and continuing now in the spring of 2021, they have never seen such a booming real estate market, with the demand for houses and condominiums wildly exceeding the supply.

“Well, it’s been a spring market on steroids,” Moore said. “I’ve never seen a spring market like this. Everybody is fighting for properties,” he said. And it’s not just Chevy Chase, Bethesda, and Alexandria. It seems to hit everywhere.”

Wilkinson, who has real estate offices in Rehoboth and nearby Lewes, Del., agreed with Moore and other Realtors that the far greater demand for properties than the available supply in their respective areas has created a seller’s market, requiring buyers to pay far higher prices than they originally expected.

“I’ll characterize it this way,” Wilkinson said when asked how she views the spring real estate market in her area.

“It’s next to impossible. It is so, so lopsided. Inventory is so low that there are 10 buyers for every one property that come on the market,” she said. “So, yeah, it’s the lowest inventory we’ve ever seen. And the buyers are off the chart. So, it’s very difficult.”

The difficulty, both Wilkinson and Moore said, is helping their clients who want to buy a house, or a condo navigate an almost never-before-seen frenzy of competition for the relatively few properties that come on the market.

“Areas that never saw multiple offers are now seeing multiple offers,” said Moore. “I’m seeing escalations in excess of 30 percent” in the selling price over and above the original asking price, he said. “Some properties are going 130 percent over their listing price.”

Moore, Wilkinson and two other Realtors with whom the Blade spoke about the current market all agree that the record low interest rates on home mortgages during the past year or two has played a major role in the growing number of home buyers.

But they and other observers of the real estate market have said the COVID pandemic appears to also have triggered a greater demand for home buying in what some are calling an unexpected development.

Moore and Wilkinson said the near total business shutdowns in the first few months of the pandemic last year did cause a small slowdown in the real estate market in both the D.C. area and the Delaware beach areas. But the two and others have said the market quickly picked up in late spring and early summer and through the remainder of 2020, with home sales and the demand for homes surpassing that of the previous year before the pandemic surfaced.

The upsurge in the market has continued into the spring of 2021, according to Moore, Wilkinson and others.

Some observers have said the fact that the pandemic forced a larger than ever number of people to work at home appears to have prompted many homeowners to consider continuing to work at home after the pandemic. In thinking of doing that, many have decided they need a larger home or a home in a different location. That apparently has sparked a new demand for home buying in addition to the low interest rates.

Wilkinson said that while the large demand has clearly put sellers at an advantage over home buyers, some potential sellers are discovering that while they stand to reap a handsome profit for the sale of their home, they cannot find another home to move into within a price range they can afford.

“We have sellers who were with their home and say, oh my goodness, we’re going to get all this money,” Wilkinson said. “And they get a contract and all of a sudden, they can’t find a house for themselves and then they want to back out of the sale because they don’t have anywhere to go,” she said. “It’s so unreal.”

Dual homeowners who decide to sell a second home at the beach or elsewhere and who choose to live full-time in their primary home are now in the best position to make a windfall profit on the sale of their second home, Realtors are saying.

Moore said the decision by the Internet sales giant Amazon to open its second national headquarters in the Crystal City and Pentagon City sections of Arlington, Va. appears to have had an immediate impact on the real estate market in that area two years ago when the announcement was made. He said the market could receive a boost in a few years, when the Amazon buildings now under construction are finished and hundreds more employees move to the area.

But according to Moore and other Realtors, the announcement two years ago that Amazon would move to the area prompted investors to “scoop up” large numbers of condo units and some smaller houses in that area as investment properties that they could sell for a profit in the next few years.

The Realtors with whom the Blade spoke said the prices now for a typical three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom house in a desirable neighborhood convenient to nearby amenities or a Metro station in the recent past were available from $900,000 to $1.1 million. But now almost no similar houses can be found for under $1 million and most are in the range of $1.2 million to $1.4 million or higher.

Two-bedroom condos in most D.C. areas are now selling for about $700,000, with one-bedroom condos going for between $500,000 and $600,000. Realtors say condos and houses can be found in some areas considered “emerging neighborhoods” at lower prices.

Robert Sanders, senior vice president of TTR-Sotheby’s International Realty in D.C., and Chuck Burger, a longtime Realtor with D.C.’s Coldwell Banker Realty office on Capitol Hill, each said it has become much harder for first-time buyers to find a house or condo that’s within a price range they can afford.

“I’m watching some of my buyers backing off now because the sellers have been commanding so much money and getting it that the buyers are afraid,” Sanders told the Blade. “You know, how are they going to get that out in the next couple of years? Are they going to be under water because they paid so much for it?” he said.

“So, I’m starting to see buyer fatigue, which sort of makes me a little nervous about that,” Sanders said. “But you know, even a market correction is good for everybody.”

By market correction, Sanders was referring to the term used by Realtors and economists for when an overheated market “corrects” itself when prices come down due to various reasons, including a rise in home mortgage interest rates. Going “under water” refers to when the value of someone’s house falls below the balance of the mortgage on the house.

Moore points out, however, that the D.C. area within the Beltway has historically been immune from severe market corrections. He notes that at the time of the steep real estate market decline in 2008 and 2009, where the home and condo market in places like Florida and other states dropped sharply, the D.C. area saw a slowing of the market increase but no decline in home values occurred.

“It was like we were we were totally unaffected by the real estate debacle that happened in 2008 and 2009,” Moore said. “So, what I think is going to happen here is that it will probably plateau a little bit. But I think we will always have property appreciation,” he said. “We’ve never had a correction which meant negative numbers.”

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Rainbows in Revolt on a mission to make LGBTQ artists’ voices heard

Rainbows in Revolt on a mission to make LGBTQ artists’ voices heard

Published

1 week ago

on

July 29, 2026

By

Lily Erin, one of Rainbows in Revolt’s signature artists, performed at Capital Pride in June. (Photo courtesy of Rainbows in Revolt)

Last month’s Pride celebration in D.C. was so fun. Walking around my first Capital Pride with a $15 lemonade I was loving the madness and the color. Artists and small businesses battling banks you’ve never heard of collecting your personal information so you can spin a wheel to snag free merch. Great music blaring, people actually smiling and enjoying themselves, the “Great” American State Fair could never!

The Monument Stage was on Pennsylvania Avenue, directly in front of the National Gallery of Art and I can’t think of a better venue to see live music. How does someone get on the lineup for Pride? How do we accelerate the visibility of the most talented voices in our community to perform in places like this?

There is certainly not a talent gap, but there is a visibility gap. Chappell Roan went from playing for two people in a parking lot to owning the main stage at Coachella in one year. Whether it is shadowbanning or bias in AI, algorithms have been shown to suppress queer artists. In a digital age, how can queer people break through and show the world how talented they are?

Allison and Matt of Rainbows in Revolt are on a mission to make openly LGBTQ+ artists’ voices heard. Their goal is to find “musicians whose queerness is central to their identity as an artist,” and accelerate them to a place where they can actually reach fans.

The only time queer events seem to be in the spotlight is June, but this should be year round, according to Allison and Matt. Rainbows in Revolt wants to act as a “nucleus” for different sub-communities, finding common ground in the universal language of music.

Matt and Allison founded Rainbows as a way to make cheaper, higher quality merchandise for queer artists. While Rainbows has already pledged 20% of their profits to the LGBTQ+ community, with 10% to Whitman-Walker Health and 10% to LGBTQ+ organizations in need, this is just the beginning of the work that they do.

Rainbows “does the dirty work” that artists normally struggle to do on their own with limited resources. Interviews, artist profiles, social promotion, playlist discovery, radio outreach, and merch-funded support. This work is normally expensive, time consuming, and requires lots of different skills. Musicians don’t want to be editing clips to post online. Standup comedians don’t want to make graphics for their tour dates. They want to write more. They want to focus on their craft.

In addition to helping artists find their audience, Rainbows has built other digital tools to help queer people connect, including an interactive Safe Space Map for most major cities. It is hard to know which places are truly safe and supportive just from a simple Google search. Attitudes and actions change, and there should be a simple way for queer people to find other places that align with them. The Safe Spaces Maps are all up to date, and are tagged and filterable. Instead of relying on forums and word of mouth, Rainbows has created a centralized way to find authentic community quickly.

I had a chance to talk with Allison and Matt at Pride where Lily Erin, one of their signature artists, was performing on the Monument stage. Lily Erin is a folk singer who is familiar and forging her own path. Her bittersweet sound echoes through Acadia, and her garb mirrors the New England athletes I grew up with. Gorp Core meets streetwear. A graphic tee, hiking shorts, and creamsicle Jordans.

Her debut single, “Bus Stop,” tells a sad story about unconditional love, and the conditions that still seem to come with it. Graduating into lockdown, Erin needed a new way to connect with herself and others. Lily made “Bus Stop” without an intention to share it, but doing so was a liberation. People have been responding to her honesty around queer-ness, family, and the “ghosts which haunt us” even in the daytime.

Rainbows in Revolt has helped Lily Erin go from bars and backyards to The Monument Stage at Pride. This is a meteoric rise, and a testament to both Erin’s talent and the work of Rainbows to promote her. “A little encouragement goes a long way with early artists,” and by “planting a seed” Rainbows is already seeing their artist garden grow. Community is power, and Erin is a perfect example of how effective simple modern techniques of promotion can be.

A next step for Rainbows is putting on shows themselves. On Oct. 3, Rainbows in Revolt will host an Evening with Ray Boltz at the National City Christian Church. Boltz grew up in the Catholic Church and for many years was the soundtrack to many services, youth camps, and church groups. He was celebrated by millions until he came out in 2008. Allison remembers her community “never playing his music again.” 

Rainbows in Revolt is helping him to return to the church, and proving that identity does not need to be exclusive. We live in a complicated world with complicated lines being drawn. Boltz proves that these lines don’t exist, and will be breaking down barriers to bring together communities. To Allison, “a trans woman standing next to a straight white man in church is a powerful teacher.”

The Safe Space maps bridge all types of spaces, and one of the unlikely ones is, perhaps, churches. Matt said that “BYU has only nine safe spaces around their campus and seven of them are churches.” Not all churches are anti-gay, and many times they are the only place for people to find community.

Rainbows in Revolt is just getting started bridging gaps and building community.

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Summer in the City: Free exhibits, movies, more fill D.C.’s calendar

America 250 celebrations continue

Published

2 weeks ago

on

July 26, 2026

By

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande star in ‘Wicked,’ screening Sept. 12 at Union Market. (Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures)

From late-night museum visits and outdoor jazz concerts to free movie screenings and America250 exhibitions, Washington’s summer calendar is packed with events that don’t charge admission. Here’s a look at some of the free activities happening across the District through September and beyond.

Museum exhibitions

The Renwick Gallery is presenting State Fairs: Growing American Craft, an exhibition that looks at unique and unconventional crafts from the 19th century to the present. It will run until Sept. 7, and admission is free. 

The Arts and Industries Building, located next to the Smithsonian Castle, is presenting the exhibition Voices and Votes: Exploring Democracy Across America. The exhibition features the development of American independence and what that has meant over time, beginning with the Revolutionary War. Admission to the museum is free, and the exhibition runs until Sept. 7.

The National Gallery of Art presents Dear America, an exhibit featuring more than 100 pieces of work, including letters, photographs, and drawings that depict American landscapes and depictions of freedom. The exhibition will run until Sept. 20.

The National Museum of Women in the Arts is exhibiting Burnished: Pueblo Pottery until Sept. 27. The exhibit features pottery from the Southwest, and while most of the pottery belongs to women artists, a few also reflect those who have advocated for women.

Extending past this summer, the exhibition ¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa will be at the National Museum of the American Latino until July 2028. The exhibition shows how Afro-Cuban music has become a staple in the U.S. Admission is free.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library will feature the exhibition District Vibes / American Pride: How DC Changed American Culture, which will highlight all of the ways D.C. has impacted American life. The exhibit will run until Sept. 27.

At the Folger Shakespeare Library, the exhibit Imagining Shakespeare: Mythmaking and Storytelling in the Regency Era will be on view through Aug. 2. All the portraits on display come from the Boydell Shakespeare Gallery in London.

The United States Botanic Garden will be open until 8 p.m. on Aug. 20 and Sept. 17, as part of America’s State Flowers: An America250 Celebration. The evenings will include live music, mocktails, ice cream, and snacks.

The National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden will have extended hours, staying open until 8 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday until Sept. 3. 

Live performances

On Aug. 7, the postgame Nationals concert series will continue with Jordan Davis performing. To see the concert, guests just need to buy tickets to the Nationals game. 

Jazz in the Garden will run each Friday until Aug. 14. The event has free admission, but those interested have to enter a lottery due to the high demand for the event.

From May to October, Capital Harvest Market occurs every Wednesday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. The market features fresh foods, crafts, and recipes for unique dishes. A full list of vendors is available on Capital Harvest’s website.

Live! Concert Series on the Plaza will feature live performances at Woodrow Wilson Plaza until Sept. 25. The performances run Monday to Friday from 12-1 p.m. Admission is free to the performances. 

DowntownDC Live! at Anthem Row is running until July 30, with free performances every Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The final performance will feature HUE and a vintage flea market hosted by Get Flee Marketplace. 

Located in Adams Morgan, AdMo Vibe will present live performances every Thursday at 6 p.m. in Kalorama Park. Guests are encouraged to check out Adams Morgan before and after shows, and it is an event for all ages.

Other events

Union Market is hosting drive-in movies on Aug. 8, featuring “Monsters, Inc.”, and Sept. 12, featuring “Wicked.” On Aug. 8, the parking lot will open at 7:30 p.m., with the movie starting at 8:25 p.m. On Sept. 12, the parking lot will open at 6:35 p.m., and the movie will start at 7:30 p.m.

Sunset Cinema at the Wharf will also be available one day a month. On Aug. 12, “10 Things I Hate About You” will premiere, and on Aug. 26, “Project Hail Mary.” No tickets are necessary. 

The Library of Congress will also show movies. On Aug. 6, guests are invited to watch “Apollo 13.” The movie will be shown at 8 p.m., with additional live performances beginning at 7 p.m.

For fans of Asian media, the Okaton convention will be at Walter E. Washington Convention Center from July 31-Aug. 2. Festivities will include cosplay contests, skits, live music, and panel discussions.

Washington Spirit’s season also begins in August. The Spirit is Washington’s National Women’s League, with matchups occurring between the San Diego Wave, the North Carolina Courage, the Orlando Pride, and the Bay FC.

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Summer in D.C. brings sports, Restaurant Week, festivals, and more

Published

2 weeks ago

on

July 23, 2026

By

Washington Spirit CEO Kim Stone hosts Pride Night OUT on Sunday, Aug. 23. (Photo courtesy of Washington Spirit)

Summer in D.C. just hits different. Congress is out, school is out, the sun is out, thighs are out. With the skies clearing from Canadian smoke, here are a few ways to stay entertained.

Dining

Summer restaurant week: The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) is once again hosting Summer Restaurant Week, Aug. 18-24. This weeklong dining experience showcases the dynamic dining scene of the DMV, including 2026 RAMMY Award-winning favorites (the annual D.C. food awards show that took place June 29). Participating restaurants will offer three-course brunch and lunch selections for $25 or $35 per person, and three-course dinners for $40, $55 and $65 per person.

New Restaurants: A handful of new spots have opened, so the summer is a great time to check them out:

  • Oribu: A new Mediterranean-Japanese restaurant in the Grand Hyatt hotel, which just underwent a remodeling effort. The sleek restaurant brings upscale charm, with dishes like Wagyu beef tartare with potato pavé and caviar.
  • The Oak Room: A snazzy old-school American grill has just opened in Georgetown, alongside its sister upstairs supper club (Bernadette’s) restaurant, in the old El Centro space.
  • Uchi: This showy Japanese sushi-forward chain has landed in Dupont with a chef’s tasting menu of favorites like fatty tuna.
  • Kathmandu: Recalling the capital of Nepal, this warm, buzzy subterranean restaurant right in the heart of U Street brings spice, flair, and rare ingredients to its dishes (see: buffalo burgers) and drinks.

Sports

  • Washington Spirit Pride Night OUT: On Sunday, Aug. 23, head to Audi Field for a massive, high-energy game following the exciting month of World Cup. The designated Pride Night OUT game promises boisterous crowds plus pre- and post-game community engagements. 
  • Washington Tennis Open – Now called the Mubadala DC Open, this annual tournament is only combined mens’ and womens’ 500-level tennis tournament in the world. The open is one of D.C.’s longest-standing sports traditions, and will take place at the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center July 25-Aug. 2. Naomi Osaka, Venus Williams, Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, and others are expected to play.

Festivals

  • Afro Plus Fest: This huge, three-day Afro-Caribbean Hip-Hop Festival brings together headliners Davido, Alkaline, and Wizkid, plus Tems and Ayra Starr. The event moves from RFK to the Northwest Stadium Complex for three days, Sept. 4-6.
  • Capital Fringe Festival: Running from July 11-21, this massive celebration features dozens of live theater, comedy, dance, and boundary-pushing nighttime performances across multiple DC neighborhoods. 
  • The National Book Festival returns, with headliners like Cynthia Erivo, and Martin Scorsese. The one-day festival, Saturday, Aug. 22, brings together bookworms and word nerds under the theme “America 250: It’s Your Story.” There are talks, workshops, musical sessions and more.
  • All Things Go: A three-day festival Sept. 25-27 at Merriweather Post Pavilion featuring Mitski, Hayley Williams, Brandi Carlile, MUNA, Zara Larsson, Ethel Cain, and many, many more artists. There are single-day and three-day tickets. Featuring and highlighting female artists, the festival has turned into a must-see for many LGBTQ audience members.
  • Fuchsia Fest: The inaugural Fuchsia Fest is a new multi-day celebration created to celebrate LGBTQ community and expression, bringing together a mix of community gatherings, entertainment, and nightlife. The event takes place Sept. 18-20 and is hosted by Capital Pride.

Art and Music

  • United We Dance: A high-energy rave with house, techno, bass, and festival music, on Aug. 1 at the 9:30 Club. 
  • The Fray. On Aug. 14, this American rock band famous for How To Save A Life is at Merriweather Post Pavilion.
  • Kesha: Kesha’s high-energy The Freedom Tour comes to the D.C. area on Aug. 14 at Jiffy Lube Live.
  • ALOK: On Sept. 3 at Lincoln Theater, ALOK (they/them) performs. The poet, comedian, and actor is putting on a new comedy show.
  • 2charm, the emerging Australian electronic club-pop duo popular with the queer community, which blends hyperpop and dance music, comes to the Atlantis.
  • Sapphic Dance Party: a vibrant, inclusive nightlife and social event designed specifically for queer women, lesbians, bisexuals, trans individuals, and nonbinary folks, at Atlantis on Aug. 21.
  • Jazz in the Garden: The most quintessential of D.C. activities returns Friday evenings through Aug. 14. This season’s theme, “American Sounds,” is a nod to the nation’s 250th anniversary. Tunes themes range from Appalachian and Americana to Creole jazz, Hill Country blues, contemporary jazz, and more. Tickets are available through a lottery system a week before each event.
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