Selling DC - J.P. Montalvan

Name: Selling DC - J.P. Montalvan
Address: Washington D.C., DC, 20007, US
Telephone: +13019223700

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Wishing you knew more about buying and selling? I'm here to help you with everything house and home. Join me in Selling DC.

Enjoy stories and expert advice on the market, maximizing your investment, and how to make home your best place in the world.

11/09/2026

I've walked through plenty of kitchens that photograph beautifully.

Gorgeous countertops. Designer backsplashes. Expensive appliances. Cabinets that look like they belong in a magazine.

And then you try to imagine actually cooking in them. Where do you prep your food? Where do the groceries go? Can you open the refrigerator while someone else is standing at the counter? Is there enough storage for everyday life? And can two people use the kitchen without constantly getting in each other's way?

These questions become even more important in smaller homes.

In one of our Selling DC episodes, we featured a one-bedroom condominium in Columbia Heights where the kitchen showed something I think we sometimes overlook — a well-designed kitchen doesn't have to be enormous to work beautifully.

The cabinetry provides useful storage. The countertops offer practical workspace. The appliances are arranged to support everyday cooking. And the kitchen connects naturally to the surrounding living spaces without overwhelming them.

It's a reminder that when you're comparing homes, the most expensive finishes don't necessarily create the best kitchen. And when you're renovating, the first question shouldn't be which countertop or cabinet color to choose.

It should be how you want the kitchen to work for you.

Because a beautiful kitchen is wonderful. But a beautiful kitchen that actually works? That's great design.

11/06/2026

What makes a home fun?

Apparently, if you ask Aviana, my two-year-old daughter, a roof deck with plenty of room to run around is a pretty good start. 😄

She makes a brief appearance at the beginning of this reel, sharing her answer while Papa does what Papa does best — talking about homes.

But she makes a pretty good point. Finding the right home isn't just about bedrooms, bathrooms and square footage.

It's about finding a place where you can enjoy your life.

Over the years on Selling DC, we've visited some incredible spaces across the DMV that make homes more interesting, more functional and just plain more fun.

Like a 1917 Park View and Petworth row home where a former open porch has become a cozy bar and gathering space. Or a fantastic Vienna lower level with a family room, dining and entertaining areas, guest space and a wet bar. And, of course, a Georgetown roof deck that gives you a whole different way to enjoy your home and the city around you.

These aren't always the spaces that appear at the top of a checklist when you’re buying a home. But sometimes they're the spaces that make you fall in love with a home. Because finding the right home isn't just about having everything you need.

It's about having room for the life you want to live.

And sometimes that means a w**e bar. Sometimes it means a place to entertain friends. And sometimes, as Aviana reminds us, it simply means having room to run around.

What's your dream fun space?

10/30/2026

Not every home needs a full renovation to feel completely transformed.

Sometimes the smartest decision is knowing what to leave alone.

When the owner of this home in Rockville's Fallsgrove community decided it was time to sell, she reached out to our team to help prepare the home for its next chapter.

The goal wasn't to change everything. It was to make the home look and live its very best.

We started with what was already working. The hardwood floors were in excellent condition. We left them alone. The home had beautiful millwork and architectural details. Rather than replace anything, we used warm neutral paint and crisp white trim to bring those features forward.

In the kitchen, the solid wood cabinetry was worth preserving. We painted it white, replaced the countertops with fresh quartz and brought the finishes together to create a brighter, more inviting space.

Upstairs, the carpets had seen better days. So we replaced them with warm, comfortable carpeting and quality padding.

And throughout the home, we focused on making the spaces feel connected, comfortable and ready for the next owner.

You'll see some of the before-and-after transformations throughout the video, including the dining room, kitchen and owner's bedroom.

What makes especially satisfying is that the improvements weren't complicated individually. But together, they changed the experience of the entire home.

With our renovation team, Capital Estate Renovations, we were able to connect the real estate strategy with the renovation decisions and the work needed to bring everything together.

And that approach isn't just someone selling their home.

Whether you're preparing a home for market or updating a home you plan to enjoy for years, the same principles apply.

A renovation changes a home. A thoughtful refresh brings out the best of what's already there. The trick is knowing which improvements will make the biggest difference — and which ones simply aren't necessary.

When you're considering a renovation, don't begin with everything you could replace.

Begin by asking what actually needs to change.

Thinking about selling, renovating or simply refreshing your home? Send me a message. We'd be happy to walk through your property and help develop a plan that makes sense for your home, your goals and your budget.

10/23/2026

Some of the best living spaces in the DMV aren’t inside the home at all.

They’re above it.

Over the years on Selling DC, we’ve had the opportunity to visit some incredible rooftop decks and terraces. And what makes them special isn’t just the view.

It’s how they change the way you live.

Take this private roof deck in Georgetown. Comfortable lounge seating, open sky and a setting that feels like an extension of your home. It’s your own place to relax, entertain or simply get away from the everyday.

Then there’s The Waterview in Arlington, where the rooftop is an entirely different experience.

Here, the amenity includes outdoor grilling areas, dining spaces, lounges and sweeping views across Washington, the monuments and the Potomac.

One offers privacy.

The other offers a shared space for gathering, entertaining and enjoying the city.

Neither is necessarily better. When you’re comparing condominiums, look beyond the floor plan and square footage. Ask about the amenities. Consider whether they’re private or shared, how they’re maintained and whether you’ll actually use them.

Because sometimes the space that makes a home special isn’t inside your unit.

It’s a few stories above it.

Which would you choose — the private roof deck or the shared rooftop terrace?

10/16/2026

Hi. I’m Aviana.

I’m not technically the host of Selling DC. That’s my papa, J.P.

He does most of the talking.

I mostly show up midway through on a roof deck and silently evaluate whether the spaces are actually fun.

But let me be clear. In this episode, I have opinions.

First, there’s a 1917 Park View and Petworth row home where an old open or screened porch has been enclosed and turned into a bar and hangout space.

Good start.

Then we visit a lower level with a family room, entertaining space, guest space and a wet bar.

Also promising.

Then there’s a glass-enclosed, humidified w**e cellar with room for up to 800 bottles.

I’m told what makes these spaces fun is a grown-up thing. But I have plenty of milk bottles too.

And finally, the roof deck.

Big views. Open sky. Plenty of room to move around.

That one gets my vote.

The point my papa is trying to make — and I agree with him on this — is that finding the right home isn’t only about bedrooms, bathrooms and square footage.

It’s about finding a place where you can actually enjoy your life.

Sometimes that means a bar. Sometimes a w**e (or milk) cellar. Sometimes a roof deck.

And sometimes it just means having enough space to run around while your papa talks to a camera.

So when you’re looking for your next home, don’t just ask what you need.

Ask what would make living there more fun. And my papa can help.

— Aviana, unofficial Selling DC correspondent

10/09/2026

One of the things I love about older DC homes is that they often give you something newer construction doesn’t always value...

Definition.

In this 1917 row home, you feel it the minute you walk inside. The foyer is separate, but not closed off. It creates a true transition from the front door into the living spaces — something very different from today’s tendency toward completely open plans.

Then there are the details.

Original-style moldings. Inlaid floors. Period millwork. Broad archways that connect rooms without erasing their purpose.

It’s open, but not too open.

And that balance continues at the rear of the home, where what would once have been an open or screened porch has been enclosed and turned into additional living space — in this case, a family room and bar.

When you’re considering an older home, look beyond age. Look at the way the rooms interact with one another. Look at what has been preserved. Look at what has been adapted.

And ask whether those spaces still work for the way you want to live today.

09/28/2026

One of the most misleading things we say in real estate is:

“This home sold in five days.”

Maybe it went under contract five days after hitting the market. But that usually isn’t when the sale started. A great sale often begins weeks — sometimes months — earlier.

It begins with walking through the property and deciding what needs attention. It’s the contractor conversations. The repairs. The paint. The floors. The landscaping. The decluttering. The staging. The photography. The video. The pricing strategy. The marketing plan.

The conversations happening before a buyer ever walks through the door. By the time a home officially hits the market, a tremendous amount of the work has already be finished.

Then, sometimes, everything happens very quickly. That’s why I think of a successful sale as happening gradually, then suddenly.

The contract may come in days. The sale was built over time.

Homes don’t sell in days — they sell over time.

09/25/2026

A renovated kitchen doesn’t always need to be a brand-new kitchen.

At this Springfield home, some of the strongest elements were already here. The flooring, the quartz countertops and the full-height backsplash.

The cabinets were another story.

They were dated, but the boxes themselves were still in very good condition. So rather than tear them out, we painted them inside and out in a fresh gray that connects beautifully with the veining in the countertops and the tones in the floor.

Then there was the refrigerator.

It was new and appropriately sized for the kitchen — but it didn’t actually function properly in the space. The door was scraping and couldn’t open freely.

A little drywall work, some new trim and careful carpentry solved the problem.

That’s an important lesson whether you’re renovating or buying. Don’t just ask whether something is new. Ask whether it works.

Good renovation is often less about replacing everything and more about recognizing what’s worth keeping, refreshing what needs help and fixing the details that affect how the home actually lives.

09/18/2026

Some of the best outdoor spaces in Washington are several stories above the street.

In this episode of Selling DC, we revisit rooftop decks and terraces across the DMV — and the very different ways they can change how a home lives.

At The Greenbriar in Upper Northwest, a shared rooftop terrace delivers panoramic views, including the National Cathedral and a great perch for watching the city.

In Capitol Hill, a private roof deck opens up sweeping views across Washington and the Anacostia.

In Georgetown, the outdoor space is special for another reason — rooftop decks can be particularly unusual in a historic neighborhood where adding one today may be difficult.

Then there are decks where the story is structural. In Glover Park, we talk about how creating usable rooftop space may require reinforcing the roof below — something that’s at least as important as admiring the furniture and view.

And at The Waterview, the rooftop becomes a full amenity. Grilling areas, tables, lounges and expansive views across Washington, the monuments and the Potomac.

When you’re comparing homes or condominiums, don’t just ask whether there’s a roof deck.

Ask whether it’s private or shared. How is it accessed? How was it built? Who maintains it? And most importantly — will you actually use it?

Because sometimes a few stories of elevation can completely change the way you experience the city.

Which rooftop would you choose?

09/11/2026

Preparing a home for sale doesn’t mean stripping away everything that gives it personality.

Sometimes the real decisions are knowing what to remove, what to keep and what to restore.

At this DC condo, we started by clearing out almost everything so buyers could better see the space.

But one thing stayed. This warm wood built-in.

Why? Because it anchored a long wall, added useful storage and gave an otherwise crisp, bright room some warmth and character.

Then we refreshed the paint throughout and refinished the original parquet floors in a natural tone.

And here’s the important part — we didn’t try to make those floors perfectly match the darker wood cabinetry in the already-renovated kitchen. They didn’t need to.

The natural parquet, darker shaker cabinets, stainless appliances and multicolored countertops are different — but they complement one another. That’s usually the goal when designing a home or preparing a home for sale.

Everything doesn’t have to match. It just has to feel like it belongs together.

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