(doorbell) DEIRDRE: Welcome to house number one.

We're in the Crestwood Manor neighborhood in Annandale... CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.

DEIRDRE: Inside the beltway.

As you can tell by the style of homes around here, there's a lot of split-levels and ramblers.

JOHN: Mm-hmm.

DEIRDRE: You'll see a lot of tree-lined streets, a lot of great lawns.

It's an awesome starter home.

It's a split-level model, which is popular.

Why don't you start the tour, and then I'll let you go, and then we'll meet back, and see how it goes.

JOHN: Perfect.

CHRISTINE: Okay.

All right.

All right, starter home, split-level.

Where I grew up, we didn't have a lot of split-levels, so this is kinda fun looking at one for me.

And I see they've done some updating, new flooring.

JOHN: New flooring.

CHRISTINE: And, you know, this is an easy change to a fireplace when you whitewash the brick just to bring it up to date a little bit.

JOHN: Yeah.

CHRISTINE: More modern.

JOHN: So, they've done some updates.

CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.

JOHN: Little changes.

Well, here's a room that doesn't need a lot of changes, the dining room.

CHRISTINE: Oh, this is a darling little dining space.

JOHN: It's perfect.

CHRISTINE: Look at that backyard.

JOHN: That's a big backyard.

CHRISTINE: You know, for the kids, for the dogs, it's great.

JOHN: And this great little patio.

Okay, Tina.

CHRISTINE: All right.

JOHN: We're going back in time.

(laughter).

JOHN: Okay, so this kitchen has probably been updated, you know, since the '60s.

CHRISTINE: Right.

When was the last time you saw an electric can opener?

JOHN: You don't see those often anymore.

CHRISTINE: You don't.

JOHN: Wow, this is taking me back, Tina.

CHRISTINE: You know what I like to say, buy what you like and make it what you love.

JOHN: Wow, that's beautiful.

Where'd you come up with that?

CHRISTINE: On this plan right here.

JOHN: Oh, look at that.

CHRISTINE: Yeah.

JOHN: Now, here's something.

The realtor's even saying like, "Hey, here's what you're new kitchen..." CHRISTINE: "Here's what you can do, here's the potential."

JOHN: "Could look like."

CHRISTINE: It's a palette that you can start with.

JOHN: Right.

And, that's half the fun of getting a new place and making it your own.

Shall we see what's down the stairs?

CHRISTINE: I think so.

All right.

So, this is what I'm appreciating about the split-level.

You come down a level... JOHN: Mm-hmm.

CHRISTINE: But it does not feel like a basement at all.

JOHN: Kinda subterranean a little bit, but it allows for bigger windows, right?

CHRISTINE: Right.

JOHN: So that's why it feels so great.

CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.

And I like the idea that there's not many steps either.

JOHN: Yeah.

CHRISTINE: You're just right up a few steps and there's the kitchen.

JOHN: I think somebody who didn't grow up with split-levels likes split-levels.

CHRISTINE: I can appreciate them.

(laughter).

JOHN: Okay.

CHRISTINE: Okay.

JOHN: Let's appreciate this, a bedroom.

CHRISTINE: Oh, nice.

JOHN: This was smart, you know, 'cause this floor was probably one big rec room, right?

CHRISTINE: Yes, I would guess.

JOHN: And, is that a bathroom?

CHRISTINE: It's a full bath.

It has the original tile to the house.

So, this bathroom was original.

JOHN: What?

CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm, yeah.

JOHN: This is nice.

CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.

All right.

Okay.

JOHN: Okay.

CHRISTINE: So, full bath.

JOHN: And this is the only bath on this level.

But at least there's a bathroom downstairs, full bath.

CHRISTINE: Right.

JOHN: Right?

CHRISTINE: Yeah.

JOHN: So, that's not bad.

You don't see this often.

That's storage to the crawlspace attic.

CHRISTINE: Oh, nice.

JOHN: Yeah.

Okay, let's check out... CHRISTINE: Okay.

JOHN: First bedroom up here.

Nice little bedroom.

You don't need much, right?

CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.

JOHN: And you have a nice closet.

CHRISTINE: Very nice closet, okay.

JOHN: Perfect for kids.

CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.

All right, corner bedrooms.

JOHN: Nice size.

CHRISTINE: Yeah.

JOHN: Really nice windows.

CHRISTINE: And a nice closet area.

JOHN: The storage with the sliding door I love.

CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.

JOHN: Great.

CHRISTINE: Okay... JOHN: All right.

CHRISTINE: Another bedroom.

JOHN: Hey, now this has some size to it.

This is a mod house and I think, you know, younger buyers... CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.

JOHN: See the coolness in this.

CHRISTINE: And they see the potential.

JOHN: Yeah.

CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.

Hey.

DEIRDRE: Hey, guys.

What did you think?

JOHN: I think that Tina and I are both going to be the founding members of the split-level appreciation club.

DEIRDRE: I love it too.

JOHN: That's right.

CHRISTINE: And what's nice is, you know, this home pretty much is move-in ready.

DEIRDRE: I think that you can move right in... CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.

DEIRDRE: And live, and then update right away.

JOHN: That's what I would wanna do.

CHRISTINE: But you do see the potential.

DEIRDRE: Mm-hmm.

CHRISTINE: And, I think there were pockets that we really liked.

You know, we liked that whole upstairs living space.

You could just see, you know, a really family unit up there.

DEIRDRE: Yeah.

JOHN: And, the bonus bedroom in the lower level.

CHRISTINE: Yes.

DEIRDRE: Oh yeah.

JOHN: It's not a basement.

DEIRDRE: Perfect for an in-law suite.

CHRISTINE: Yup.

DEIRDRE: I love it too.

JOHN: Absolutely.

CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.

DEIRDRE: Okay, so let's talk about the house.

Four bedrooms, two full baths, 1,270 square feet, built in 1959 on 0.22 acres.

CHRISTINE: What a great backyard.

When you said 0.22, that's a nice sized lot.

JOHN: All right.

I, um, am going to make a guess of $570,000.

CHRISTINE: Oh, we are close.

We are so close because I am going to come in at $565,000.

DEIRDRE: The actual price is $559,900.

JOHN: Oh.

Oh.

DEIRDRE: You both lost, but you're both winners in my heart.

CHRISTINE: Oh, that's so nice.

JOHN: Aw, that's so sweet.

But we both lost, yeah, we can take it.