WOMAN: Support for If You Lived Here comes from... MAN: The Yuen Foundation.

Committed to bridging cultural differences within the Greater Washington D.C. community.

WOMAN: And now, If You Lived Here, a WETA original series.

JOHN: Hello, I'm John.

CHRISTINE: And I'm Christine.

We're producers at WETA and fair-weather friends.

JOHN: Fair weather... You bring sunshine into my life every day.

We love living in the DMV, but finding a place to live here can be challenging and exciting.

CHRISTINE: So join us as we tour three homes at three price points.

JOHN: And try to guess the listing price of each house without going over.

CHRISTINE: And find out what it would be like...

BOTH: If You Lived Here.

(doorbell rings) CHRISTINE: Good morning.

JOHN: Good Morning, Rowena.

ROWENA: Good morning.

Nice to meet you both.

JOHN: Nice to meet you on this rainy day.

ROWENA: I'm sorry you're in Rockville on a rainy day.

CHRISTINE: That's okay.

I am so thrilled to be here because I drive 270 a lot, and I always see the exit for Rockville.

So I've really never come into it, and from what I've seen, this looks like a great place to live.

ROWENA: I was born in the Philippines, came here when I was four-years-old, to Maryland, and I've been here since.

You have all these beautiful restaurants.

JOHN: Mm-hmm.

ROWENA: We also have the library right here in the town center, and of course, we have the bike paths, and the walking trails.

Everything.

I raised my three boys here, and I absolutely love it.

JOHN: Well, Rockville was my original home, until I was seven, so I remember Rockville Town Center way back then and... Wow, has it changed.

ROWENA: It really has changed.

When it's not raining, there's parks.

So much to do.

It's just so wonderful.

JOHN: That's fun.

CHRISTINE: Tell us a little bit about what the housing inventory is like here.

ROWENA: We have the full gamut.

Condos, townhomes, single family homes, all the way up over $1 million.

CHRISTINE: Wow.

ROWENA: So we have it all.

JOHN: Something for everybody.

CHRISTINE: Well, I hear there's gonna be a break in the weather, so shall we go check out the first home?

ROWENA: Let's go.

CHRISTINE: Okay.

I do think it's gonna clear up.

(doorbell rings) ROWENA: Well, welcome to property number one.

I love this area.

We're in the southern part of Rockville, Maryland, and this is Grosvenor Place.

This building is one of the icons of Rockville, Maryland.

JOHN: Oh, it sure is.

I remember this from when I was a kid, 'cause you can't miss it.

CHRISTINE: Well, it's the blue that stands out for me.

JOHN: And what's around the neighborhood?

ROWENA: It's a great location, 355 is right there, you don't even know that you are, because there's so much greenery around.

Even a lake.

And you don't have to cross 355.

There is a tunnel that takes you right to Grosvenor Metro.

CHRISTINE: Nice.

JOHN: What?

CHRISTINE: Wow, that's a convenience.

JOHN: That's great.

ROWENA: Yes.

CHRISTINE: Well, I cannot wait to check out this first unit.

ROWENA: All right, well, have fun.

JOHN: Okay, we'll see you after for the game.

ROWENA: See ya.

CHRISTINE: Ooh.

This is a much bigger space than I envisioned.

JOHN: Classic '60s condo.

But before we start looking at the condo, can we talk about this closet?

CHRISTINE: A walk-in closet.

JOHN: That is like a den.

It is so big.

Well, and it's got built-in shelves.

Okay, into the living room.

CHRISTINE: And you know what I'm noticing?

JOHN: Parquet floors.

CHRISTINE: Exactly.

JOHN: Parquet is coming back in vogue, and they are in fantastic shape.

I love them.

I wouldn't change them.

CHRISTINE: Well, I see the trees.

JOHN: Yeah.

CHRISTINE: Let's go see if we can see the pond.

JOHN: Let's hit the balcony.

CHRISTINE: Okay.

Oh, that's a heavy door.

JOHN: Solid.

Whoa, feel that breeze.

CHRISTINE: Oh, man.

JOHN: And what a view.

CHRISTINE: Okay, there's our pond.

JOHN: There's the pond.

CHRISTINE: Look at the green space and the trails.

JOHN: Yeah, I love that residents have access to these trails.

CHRISTINE: All right, I could just stay out here.

JOHN: I know.

CHRISTINE: Okay, go back in.

JOHN: Tour continues.

CHRISTINE: All right.

JOHN: Let's do it.

After you.

All right.

CHRISTINE: Check out, this dining room space.

JOHN: Well, this is a proper dining room.

CHRISTINE: I could see a large dining table, and you even have room for a buffet.

JOHN: Or, if you don't need really a dining table, this could be an extension of the living room.

CHRISTINE: Oh, it could be.

And I would put as many chairs in here as possible... Because it's such a great view out that window.

JOHN: That's right, and how about this accordion door?

CHRISTINE: Oh, yes.

JOHN: With that '60s, '70s vibe.

CHRISTINE: Definitely of that era.

JOHN: What could be back there?

Let's peel that back.

CHRISTINE: Oh.

JOHN: Alrighty.

We found the kitchen.

CHRISTINE: But not a '60s, '70s kitchen.

This has been updated.

JOHN: Totally updated.

So, new cabinets.

CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.

JOHN: New counters.

CHRISTINE: I do like these countertops because it's got a really unique design in it.

JOHN: I don't think I've ever seen one like it.

CHRISTINE: I don't think I have either.

JOHN: It's groovy.

And nice appliances.

They even have my dishwasher.

That's a good dishwasher.

That's a plus there.

CHRISTINE: So I am gonna give a shout-out to the floors.

JOHN: Yes.

CHRISTINE: Because I think these are original.

JOHN: I would say pretty close, yeah.

These are, like, a linoleum, and it's a little textured.

CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.

JOHN: And it definitely is the one thing that hasn't been refreshed.

One of these things is not like the other.

But I like it.

CHRISTINE: I knew you would.

JOHN: All right.

Let's go.

CHRISTINE: All right, first bathroom.

JOHN: All right.

Well, it's a mish-mosh.

CHRISTINE: Yeah, I see some updates, but I do see some original items as well.

JOHN: Sure, and that tub... CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.

JOHN: Is definitely original.

CHRISTINE: And I think the tile.

JOHN: Yeah.

And take a look on this side.

CHRISTINE: I am amazed by another walk-in closet.

JOHN: Another big walk-in closet.

CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.

JOHN: I mean, you don't see this in new places often.

CHRISTINE: No.

JOHN: Let's go check out the next room.

After you.

CHRISTINE: Oh, your eyes are automatically drawn to these built-in bookshelves.

JOHN: They're really nice.

CHRISTINE: But it does give you that den feeling.

JOHN: It definitely does.

CHRISTINE: So I think for me, if I were to use this as a bedroom, I would probably paint those white.

JOHN: Sure.

You have your bed, obviously, on this side.

CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.

JOHN: What a great focal point to this room, these shelves.

CHRISTINE: Oh, yeah.

And closet.

JOHN: Okay.

This is a great, big bedroom, nice shelves.

All right.

CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.

Okay.

All right, primary bedroom.

JOHN: Hey, this is even bigger than the last bedroom.

Two windows, lots of light.

CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.

And plenty of room for dressers, queen-size bed, and a chair.

JOHN: A sitting area.

CHRISTINE: All right.

JOHN: Okay.

CHRISTINE: Oh.

JOHN: The bathroom.

Oh, I love this tile.

CHRISTINE: I would not change this ever, ever, ever.

JOHN: Ever, ever, ever.

CHRISTINE: Okay.

JOHN: And it's got one of those great retro hampers built into the wall.

CHRISTINE: Some updates here and there.

JOHN: Mm-hmm.

CHRISTINE: But they kept the best part.

JOHN: They did keep the best part.

CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.

JOHN: We love it.

Okay.

And to no surprise, this place has the best closets, and so many nice details.

CHRISTINE: All right, well, you know what time it is.

JOHN: It's time to guess.

CHRISTINE: Right, and you go first.

JOHN: I go first.

Let's go find Rowena.

CHRISTINE: All Right, sounds good.

Hello.

ROWENA: Hi, so tell me, what did you think?

CHRISTINE: We saw some of the original items.

JOHN: Yeah.

CHRISTINE: But then, there was a lot of upgrades too.

You had the nice kitchen with plenty of cabinet space, nice counter space.

JOHN: And walk-in closets, amazing.

I loved the size of the bedrooms, and the blue tile in that primary bath.

CHRISTINE: Oh!

(kisses).

ROWENA: What about the parquet floors?

Did you get to look at that?

CHRISTINE: Oh, we marveled at what nice shape they're in.

JOHN: Yeah, and then as lovely as the place was inside, the outside is equally great.

ROWENA: That's right.

I love this balcony.

Isn't it beautiful?

CHRISTINE: Oh, yeah.

JOHN: Does it come with this breeze for free?

ROWENA: All the time, 100%.

CHRISTINE: Oh, nice.

It's just the right temperature, everything.

JOHN: Yeah.

CHRISTINE: Well, we also have some questions for you.

ROWENA: Okay, sure.

CHRISTINE: So, what is the condo fee?

ROWENA: Okay, well, it's a little over $1,100 a month, but this building reminds me of hotel living.

Because you have the swimming pool.

You have rooftop terrace, the view.

You feel like you're on vacation.

And this one does come with the garage space, and those are very sought after.

JOHN: Oh, yeah.

ROWENA: We have two bedrooms, two baths, over 1,200 square feet, and this was built in the 1960s.

JOHN: Nice condo.

Great features, love the location.

ROWENA: Okay.

JOHN: Um, I'm gonna give you a guess, Rowena, of 350.

ROWENA: Okay.

CHRISTINE: Hmm, okay.

I think your guess is good.

I hate to admit that.

But I am gonna come in a little higher at 365.

ROWENA: All right.

John has 350.

Christine, you're at 365.

The actual listing price is 315 for a starter home.

JOHN: 315, wow.

CHRISTINE: Wow.

ROWENA: All this for 315.

CHRISTINE: Wow.

JOHN: Wow.

Okay.

CHRISTINE: Okay.

That is good.

JOHN: Well, that is a good starter in Rockville.

ROWENA: That's right.

CHRISTINE: Yeah, that's great.

Okay, well, we both lost.

JOHN: We both lost.

CHRISTINE: But... JOHN: But we have two more chances.

CHRISTINE: We do.

ROWENA: That's right.

Good guesses, though.

JOHN: Shall we go to the next house?

ROWENA: All right.

CHRISTINE: Ah, not so good on this one.

JOHN: Double bummer.

NANCY: Rockville Pike kind of runs throughout the history of Rockville.

Records seem to indicate that it was used by Native Americans as basic transportation route.

So it was a higher point, and it would have been drier and protected.

Rockville Pike was later used by the European settlers as a rolling road to roll tobacco and to move crops and livestock along to the ports, mostly in Georgetown.

The Washington Turnpike Company received Montgomery County's first charter for a road in 1805, and this really made this vast transportation coordinator into a private road.

It was used to transport a lot of farm goods at that time.

In 1873, you had the opening of the Metropolitan Branch of the B&O Railroad, and we also had the trolley that ran up and down the length.

And the trolley and the train together, with the road, really helped not only Rockville, but much of the county really fill out as these new forms of transportation made living in Rockville and working in DC very practical for people.

The Pike was paved in 1925, and that really made it much more usable for the everyday person.

ALAN: Hank Dietle's is a live music venue located on Rockville Pike.

SARAH: It was opened in 1916 as a package store by Edward Offutt.

They sold penny candy, livestock feed, food and drinks.

Ed Offutt also sold Good Gulf Gasoline out front.

Even to this day, we get a ton of drive-by traffic.

People see our live music sign in the window.

They want to see what it's all about.

And that was one of the big things that attracted us to rebuilding, was the location.

ALAN: There was a fire, Valentine's Day, 2018, luckily it didn't destroy the bones of the building.

♪ ♪ ♪ I got them old ♪ ♪ Hank Dietle's blues ♪♪ SARAH: We were all devastated by the fire, but I think the initial reaction was, "How can we bring it back?"

ALAN: It's very important to save the place because there's fewer and fewer places like it, not only in Montgomery County, but in the whole United States.

♪ Don't know where she lives ♪♪ ALAN: We have music, uh, seven days a week, and it can be anything from a one-man and a guitar to a seven to nine-piece band.

SARAH: And we try to have bands that, that people can dance to.

Nobody just sits at their table and isolates themselves from the rest of the people in the room.

Everybody's grooving on the music.

We just wanna continue to provide a place where people can gather as long as we can do it.

(cheering) (doorbell rings) CHRISTINE: What a cute neighborhood.

JOHN: They really did a nice job here.

CHRISTINE: They really did.

ROWENA: Welcome to house number two.

CHRISTINE: Well, it's perfect because the rain has started to pick up again, and we have a great carport to stand under.

JOHN: A really nice carport.

ROWENA: Yes, to protect us from that wet weather.

We are in Rock Creek Manor, really close to Lake Needwood, Manor Country Club.

CHRISTINE: Standing here, I can see a great outdoor space already.

JOHN: Yeah, what a great setup they have.

ROWENA: Well, wait till you see inside, and there's a great surprise down in the basement.

JOHN: Let's go check it out.

ROWENA: All right.

JOHN: We'll see you for the game.

ROWENA: Have fun.

CHRISTINE: Okay.

JOHN: Cute little porch here.

CHRISTINE: It is.

JOHN: All righty, okay, now this looks like a Rockville house.

CHRISTINE: Okay, I'll take your word from it.

(laughter).

CHRISTINE: Where should we start?

JOHN: How about to the left?

CHRISTINE: Okay.

Oh, nice.

JOHN: All righty.

The kitchen.

CHRISTINE: All right, but take a look at this dining area.

JOHN: Nice.

CHRISTINE: This is the perfect spot for a table.

I mean, you overlook this beautiful neighborhood with this gorgeous bay window.

JOHN: And then, very nice kitchen.

CHRISTINE: What works for me in a galley-style is when you can have one person on this side and one person on this side.

JOHN: Yep.

CHRISTINE: And you're not bumping into each other.

JOHN: Plenty of space.

CHRISTINE: Exactly.

Plenty of counter space.

JOHN: Nice granite.

CHRISTINE: And plenty of cabinets.

JOHN: Mm-hmm.

CHRISTINE: And they were refreshed with a simple coat of paint, when you just want a fresh look.

JOHN: For sure.

And I like the carport right off the kitchen.

Bring your groceries right in here, stay dry.

All right, well, we've seen one dining area, but there's another.

CHRISTINE: I know.

Do you know, I think there's a little something fishy about this kitchen.

JOHN: Oh.

CHRISTINE: All right, dining room.

JOHN: Number two.

CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.

JOHN: The thing about Rockville homes that I love is they fit a lot of rooms into a small space.

CHRISTINE: And it feels so family oriented because it flows right into the living room.

JOHN: I totally envision this house with parties, people here in the living room.

Your dining room, your kitchen out in your outdoor dining room.

And down in that lovely backyard... CHRISTINE: I know.

JOHN: All at one time.

CHRISTINE: And what's really nice is, these are some tall windows.

JOHN: Mm-hmm.

CHRISTINE: And they overlook that beautiful yard.

I'd sit there and watch my vegetables grow.

JOHN: Oh, that'd be lovely.

All right, so far, so good.

Why don't we check out the bedroom?

CHRISTINE: Sounds good.

First full bath, and some renovations have been done.

I like the floating sink.

JOHN: Yeah, nice tile.

This is plenty large.

CHRISTINE: Right.

JOHN: Good to move in, right?

CHRISTINE: Exactly.

Okay, so here we have our first bedroom.

JOHN: First bedroom, see what I'm saying?

Not large, but it's so cozy.

CHRISTINE: Right, but there's probably of room.

You have a nice big dresser, two end tables.

The queen bed.

JOHN: Those corner windows, we like it.

Down here, closet.

CHRISTINE: Closet.

JOHN: Oh, no.

CHRISTINE: This isn't a closet.

JOHN: Wow.

Primary bathroom, and this is really quite nice.

CHRISTINE: I like the gray tile.

The shower caddy, always handy.

JOHN: Yeah, I like the mix with the marble.

CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.

JOHN: And nice vanity.

CHRISTINE: Right.

I really like the overall look of just light and bright.

JOHN: Yes.

Well, that was a surprise.

Great primary for this little house.

CHRISTINE: Okay, second bedroom.

JOHN: All right, hello cutie.

CHRISTINE: Okay, little smaller.

JOHN: Yeah, and neutral paints, you know, really makes those floors pop.

CHRISTINE: It does.

So all that's left now is the basement.

JOHN: Let's go check it out.

CHRISTINE: Okay.

Ah, to the lower level.

JOHN: The old rec room.

CHRISTINE: Okay.

JOHN: It doesn't look like a rec room.

CHRISTINE: It doesn't because look what they've done, a simple coat of paint.

JOHN: Yeah.

CHRISTINE: And it brings it up to date.

JOHN: Sure does.

CHRISTINE: And the fireplace, at that time it was all the red brick.

JOHN: Yep.

CHRISTINE: Okay.

Again, brought up to date with just a simple whitewash.

JOHN: An old whitewash.

CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.

JOHN: And look, voila, you brought it into the next century.

CHRISTINE: Oh, definitely.

It's a great rec room to hang out in.

JOHN: Yeah, sure enough.

CHRISTINE: And I think there's more too around the corner.

JOHN: Oh, lookie, lookie here.

CHRISTINE: Ah.

JOHN: Another bedroom, and is this the largest bedroom in the house?

CHRISTINE: It is the biggest bedroom, and, you know, just outside of the size, look at this great view out the window.

JOHN: Another great view.

Oh, and the hammock in the backyard, swing in the wind.

And I call this bedroom.

This is mine.

CHRISTINE: Okay.

JOHN: Right, moving down the line.

CHRISTINE: Full bath, and I like the idea that they were able to get, like, a full sink with storage.

JOHN: This is so nice to have a bathroom on the lower level.

CHRISTINE: Oh, definitely.

JOHN: One for entertaining, for your guests.

CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.

JOHN: But also when, you know, guests come over to stay.

CHRISTINE: Yeah.

JOHN: Oh, now, this is a surprise.

CHRISTINE: Wow, it's a full-size kitchen!

JOHN: Yeah, it's like a kitchenette, but it's a kitchen.

CHRISTINE: Yeah, but any kitchen that has a dishwasher is a full kitchen for me.

JOHN: And you have a door to the outside.

CHRISTINE: Yeah, that's really nice.

JOHN: This could be one of those apartment rentals.

CHRISTINE: Yes, so we've seen the entire home.

JOHN: We have.

Let's go, and I wish you good luck.

CHRISTINE: Well, thank you.

JOHN: All right.

CHRISTINE: Okay.

You're so nice.

Hello.

ROWENA: Hi, so what'd you think?

JOHN: Okay, talk about a great Rockville house.

This was it.

Reminded me of the Rockville houses I grew up with.

CHRISTINE: You have that great dining area in the kitchen overlooking this lovely street.

And then, you know, every window you looked at, it had this great view of the backyard.

And then you come down here... JOHN: Mm-hmm.

CHRISTINE: And it's a whole additional living space, literally.

And a vacation rental opportunity or in-law suite.

JOHN: Mm-hmm.

CHRISTINE: I mean, that's sweet.

(laughter) JOHN: That is very sweet.

ROWENA: So I guess you liked it?

CHRISTINE: It's a great home.

It really makes it hard to guess the listing price.

JOHN: Yeah.

CHRISTINE: And I go first.

JOHN: Yeah.

ROWENA: Okay, so we have four bedrooms, three full baths, 2,352 as far as living space.

And it was built in 1965.

CHRISTINE: But I know I'm gonna regret this.

I'm gonna go in higher, at 725.

JOHN: Live with no regrets.

That's what I say.

I am going to give you a guess of 625.

ROWENA: But guess what?

620.

JOHN: Oh, man.

So close, $5,000 over.

Both over again.

Boy.

CHRISTINE: At least I said I would regret my price.

JOHN: I was over too, $5,000 over.

CHRISTINE: Oh.

JOHN: But I feel like I won in some strange way.

ROWENA: Oh, he's totally saying he won.

You know that.

CHRISTINE: I know.

We have one more opportunity to... JOHN: One more chance in Rockville.

ROWENA: All right, let's go give it another shot.

JOHN: All right.

CHRISTINE: All right.

JOHN: Let's do it.

ROWENA: All right, let's go.

CHRISTINE: Oh, boy, pressure's on.

JOHN: One of us is bound to win.

NANCY: Rockville really starts to grow by leaps and bounds after World War II.

In 1940, there was a population of roughly 2,000.

By 1960, the population here in the city was over 26,000.

The population everywhere in the country is booming at this time, as soldiers return home.

After the war, we had a different kind of builder come in.

This is where you would have one, two, three styles of homes, and people would be able to go and see the model home and pick out what they wanted and move right in.

Joseph Geeraert was a developer that was well-known here in Rockville.

You had many people now living out in the suburbs, and they weren't necessarily traveling back into the city for their everyday shopping.

Strip shopping malls would come in, and Congressional Plaza is a great example of that.

One of the things that's very exciting about living in Rockville today is that it has become this incredibly diverse city.

There's some 120 different ethnicities and nationalities represented here.

STELLA: My name is Stella Fernandez, and I'm the owner of Gwenie's Pastries.

We specialize in Filipino, Asian desserts.

For my family, cooking and baking is everything.

My dad and brother mostly do the cooking, and my mom and I just do the desserts.

A lot of our recipes definitely have more of a traditional recipe, but when there's something new, or, like, something trendy that you'll see, we'll incorporate our recipe into that.

So this is our ube cheesecake.

It's probably one of our bestsellers, along with our donuts.

Cheesecake is traditionally American.

We added the ube flavor to it, that's what the purple color is.

When I think of Rockville, I think of diversity.

Rockville seems like a center for everybody.

It's a really good, close-knit community.

(doorbell rings) ROWENA: Welcome to property number three.

CHRISTINE: Well, I can definitely tell we've kinda left that '60s era, and we have more modern living.

JOHN: Modern farmhouse.

CHRISTINE: Yes.

ROWENA: You're right.

In fact, this neighborhood is so special.

It's a mix of both old and new homes.

JOHN: Mm-hmm.

CHRISTINE: There's some Victorian homes right around the corner.

CHRISTINE: So before we go in and tour the home, you know, our track record today hasn't been that great.

JOHN: It's been lousy.

CHRISTINE: Pretty much... JOHN: Yep.

CHRISTINE: Pretty much.

ROWENA: Well, I really just want you to think about location, location, location.

We're close to Rockville Town Center, the Civic Center, the Metro, everything in the heart of Rockville.

JOHN: Mmm.

Okay.

CHRISTINE: Okay, all right.

JOHN: We're gonna take those words, and we're gonna carry those words with us.

CHRISTINE: We are.

All right, we'll see you for the game.

ROWENA: All right, see you then.

CHRISTINE: All right.

JOHN: All right.

CHRISTINE: You know what?

This yellow door's gonna bring me luck.

JOHN: I hope it does.

CHRISTINE: I feel it, I feel it.

All right.

JOHN: Wow, what an entry.

CHRISTINE: I know, what a wide foyer.

JOHN: Yeah.

CHRISTINE: And you can see, it's a new build.

JOHN: It is a new build.

And a guest bathroom right to our right.

CHRISTINE: Ooh, I like that wallpaper.

Oh, wait, that's not wallpaper.

That's tile.

JOHN: Ah, now, you know, we've seen that tile before on floors.

CHRISTINE: Exactly.

JOHN: But I love it on the wall.

CHRISTINE: Not on the wall.

I know, and the ceiling height in here, it is a great accent.

JOHN: Visual impact.

CHRISTINE: I like that.

JOHN: All right.

CHRISTINE: Okay.

JOHN: Good start.

CHRISTINE: Shall we go to the kitchen?

JOHN: Kitchen.

All righty.

I just love these neutral palettes in these new homes.

CHRISTINE: All right, great countertops.

JOHN: Yes, those are quartz, nice veining throughout.

CHRISTINE: I like the veining, definitely.

JOHN: With the gray, mm-hmm.

CHRISTINE: Definitely, okay.

Farmer sink.

JOHN: That is a huge sink.

This is a house of large sinks.

CHRISTINE: And I know you're probably eyeing the appliances.

JOHN: Beautiful stove.

I love it.

And no kitchen would be complete without a pot filler above your stove.

CHRISTINE: Ah.

That's another thing on the checklist.

JOHN: Checklist.

CHRISTINE: All right.

JOHN: So we've got this nice peninsula here.

CHRISTINE: Yeah.

JOHN: For the breakfast bar.

CHRISTINE: Well, and you know what?

You could easily fit six people, but look at this.

All this extra storage.

JOHN: More storage, always good.

CHRISTINE: Nice.

And it leads right into the dining area.

JOHN: I can envision a very large table.

CHRISTINE: Oh.

JOHN: Maybe for 12 in this area.

CHRISTINE: Yeah, and what's great is the whole open concept right from the kitchen and dining room into the living room.

JOHN: The living room.

And you have a bar for cocktail hour with a wine fridge.

CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.

Well, I see some more great tile.

JOHN: Mm-hmm.

Okay, this is one nice mudroom.

CHRISTINE: Well, the tile just grabs your eye.

JOHN: Yes.

CHRISTINE: But we got all these cute cubbies, this large bench.

JOHN: I think this is an award winner for us.

CHRISTINE: Okay.

JOHN: I would just hang out in that room, it's so pretty.

CHRISTINE: Ooh.

JOHN: All right, nice porch.

With three fans overlooking the backyard.

CHRISTINE: Now, this is nice.

JOHN: Yeah, all season.

You know, I think I saw a hallway down here.

CHRISTINE: Let's go take a look.

Washer, dryer.

JOHN: All right.

CHRISTINE: All right, and look it, more great tile.

JOHN: Yeah, they've got good taste in tile.

CHRISTINE: I know.

JOHN: Okay.

CHRISTINE: Okay.

JOHN: Into maybe a den?

CHRISTINE: Wow.

That's a good question.

Because you've got these great patio doors.

JOHN: Mm-hmm.

Out to that screened-in porch.

CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.

JOHN: Okay, well, whether it's a den or a bedroom, you could transition this into a bedroom, and then you could age in place because you have one-floor living.

CHRISTINE: Nice.

Mm-hmm.

JOHN: Right?

And, of course, this would really seal that deal.

A bathroom.

CHRISTINE: I don't think we've quite seen something like this.

JOHN: It's pretty long.

CHRISTINE: It is very long.

Okay, first of all, double vanity, and the shower head's even more great tile work.

And then there's one more door back here.

(gasps) John, it's a walk-in closet down here.

JOHN: Well, this is a perfect suite.

CHRISTINE: This is a great bedroom.

JOHN: All right.

Well, this was a good surprise.

CHRISTINE: It was.

JOHN: Okay, so why don't we head upstairs?

BOTH: Oh.

CHRISTINE: Almost missed a door.

JOHN: Downstairs, basement.

All right, spaces to the left and right.

CHRISTINE: I could see using as another seating area.

JOHN: Yeah, or a gym.

CHRISTINE: Gym would be perfect.

JOHN: Yeah.

CHRISTINE: Yeah.

Okay, should we check upstairs?

JOHN: Let's do it.

CHRISTINE: Okay.

I like these steps.

JOHN: All right.

CHRISTINE: Oh, what do we have here?

JOHN: A nice landing.

CHRISTINE: Wow, okay, so this is, like, the perfect book nook.

JOHN: Yeah, sure.

CHRISTINE: And I think they even designed it that way because they've got the lights by the bookshelves.

But I also see this as a great gallery wall too.

JOHN: Oh, yes.

Okay, rooms to the left, to the right.

CHRISTINE: Uh, let's go this way.

JOHN: To the right.

CHRISTINE: Okay.

JOHN: Bedroom number two.

Closet over here.

Great windows.

CHRISTINE: Yep, and you even have, oh, it's a Jack and Jill.

JOHN: Oh, the old Jack and Jill bathroom.

CHRISTINE: Okay.

Nice double vanity, great tile again.

JOHN: More great tile.

I love that they've varied the tile, but they kept the, uh, quartz counters throughout the whole place.

CHRISTINE: Right.

JOHN: And then, we have your shower, tub, and toilet.

CHRISTINE: And look, wraps right around to... JOHN: Connected to our third bedroom.

Now, this is cozy.

CHRISTINE: It's so quiet in here.

Because I think, you know, you have this very lush carpet.

JOHN: Mm-hmm.

CHRISTINE: That really absorbs the sound, and closet space.

JOHN: And closet space, all right.

CHRISTINE: Okay.

JOHN: All righty, Tina, bedroom number four.

CHRISTINE: Out of all the bedrooms, I will say, this has the most unique layout.

JOHN: It certainly does.

Nice L-shape, and you have double doors to a closet over here.

CHRISTINE: Closet, okay.

JOHN: And hey, hey, hey!

You have a full bath in this bedroom.

CHRISTINE: Same finishes, except this time they used honeycomb tile.

JOHN: Oh, we love honeycomb.

CHRISTINE: I think they covered everything.

JOHN: I think they did.

Okay.

All right, that does it, Tina.

CHRISTINE: It does, the pressure's on.

The pressure's on.

JOHN: Okay, this is our time for redemption here.

CHRISTINE: Don't go over, don't go over.

JOHN: Let's try.

Let's go find Rowena.

CHRISTINE: Hello.

ROWENA: Hi, welcome back.

How was property number three?

CHRISTINE: The only thing I have to say is, tile.

JOHN: Yeah.

CHRISTINE: Great, great tile, and just fabulous designs, and just a great cohesive look throughout the entire home.

ROWENA: And that primary bedroom on the main level.

CHRISTINE: Yes.

JOHN: Yes.

At first we're like, "Is this a den?

Is it a TV room?"

And we're like, "Oh, no, it's a bedroom, a great bedroom."

And then we saw the beautiful bathroom.

ROWENA: And I need that closet too.

JOHN: Everybody needs that closet.

ROWENA: Well, what about upstairs?

CHRISTINE: The minute we walked up the steps, and you had that landing.

JOHN: Cristina was like, "I think we should have an art gallery here."

And three great bedrooms, adorable.

You know, I love a good Jack and Jill.

You don't see them often, and I think we need more of them.

ROWENA: So before that big decision, let me give you the stats one more time.

We have four bedrooms, three and a half baths, over 3,000 square feet.

It was originally built in 1923, and completely rebuilt in 2023.

JOHN: I do love Rockville so much.

So I am going to give you a guess, Rowena, of 1,125,000.

CHRISTINE: Hmm.

Okay, so I think I'm going to come in at 1.1 million.

Okay.

ROWENA: Okay.

The list price is 1.19 million.

JOHN: Ah, yes!

We won.

I...

This is a collective win for both of us.

We did not go over.

CHRISTINE: Oh my gosh.

JOHN: Jeez Louise.

Thank you, Rowena, for a fun day.

ROWENA: Thank you.

CHRISTINE: Well, I'm ready to celebrate, so... JOHN: Me too.

ROWENA: You know what?

There's a new place in Rockville Town Center called Paris Baguette, let's go get a cup of coffee and some treats.

CHRISTINE: Okay.

JOHN: Why don't we go old school and go to Twinbrook Deli for one of their subs.

CHRISTINE: Let's just do both.

JOHN: We could do it all.

CHRISTINE: Okay.

ROWENA: Oh my God, let's go.

JOHN: Let's do it.

CHRISTINE: All right.

JOHN: All right.

CHRISTINE: This was the best non-win I've ever had.

JOHN: I think it was.

TED: If you lived here, you'd know that Bob's Shanghai 66 has some of the best dim sum in the DMV.

SEBASTIAN: You should visit Rockville Town Center because there's a lot of restaurants and a lot of cool attractions.

AMAYA: If you lived here, you would know it's very diverse.

ARTHUR: F. Scott Fitzgerald is actually buried in Rockville, right by the Metro station.

And people go there.

They leave flowers.

KAREN: If you lived here, you would know that you can walk just about anywhere in the city.

WOMAN: To find more about living in the Washington Metro area, visit weta.org/ifyoulivedhere.

Support for If You Lived Here comes from... MAN: The Yuen Foundation.

Committed to bridging cultural differences within the Greater Washington D.C. community.