If you want to hold your own in a conversation about Washington-area development, condo construction, transportation woes, or the new baseball stadium, bookmark these real-estate blogs and Web sites:

Started in January 2003 by a self-described “computer geek” named Jacqueline Dupree, Near Southeast DC Redevelopment tracks the changing landscape of the Southeast waterfront through photographs. She also scours newspaper articles, Web sites, and government reports for news tidbits about the neighborhood.

Beyond DC is run by a recent University of Colorado Boulder graduate with a degree in city planning. It focuses on new construction and transportation—you’ll see lots of posts about the planned Metro extension out to Dulles. Thumbnail photo galleries of area neighborhoods are a cool feature.  

Weichert realtor Dewita Soeharjono is behind Urban Trekker Blog, a good place to find area real-estate news and trends. Regular “Real Estate News Roundups” compile links to interesting pieces.

The tagline for DCMUD (DC Metro Urban Diary) reads “Washington DC is a flaming hotbed of property development, speculation, and good old-fashioned gossip. Let’s fan those flames!” The daily posts cover everything from construction projects to city council hearings.

DC Under Construction posts photos of ongoing construction projects, both commercial and residential. If there’s a massive construction pit in your neighborhood, this site can tell you what will eventually go there. And it’s also cool to watch the progress of construction sites across the city.

Did I miss your favorite blog?  Leave a comment to let me know about it.