Where: Arlington’s Ballston neighborhood
Size: 1,250 square feet
Type: Two-bedroom bungalow
Move in date:  August 1, two weeks after returning from our honeymoon

Why Ballston? “We moved to Arlington about three years ago into a one-bedroom apartment with a balcony, pool, gym, and free street parking. It was great. But as the wedding date drew closer and wedding gifts started to arrive, space became a problem. Plus, we wanted to start our married life in a new place, preferably a house. We stumbled onto this house as they were literally hammering the “For Rent” sign in the yard. We ran home to call the Realtor and make an appointment to view it. Two weeks later, the place was ours—twice as big, twice as cute, and practically in our backyard.”

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Overall Look? “The house is fairly small and low-set, so we wanted something minimal and modern but comfortable and lived-in. Our last apartment always had a cluttered feel because of the lack of space and our large furniture—gotta love hand-me-downs. We wanted to scale things back a bit and really open the space up. We chose pieces with cleaner lines and neutral colors to give the house more versatility and flow.”

Inspiration? “I read magazines constantly, especially In Style, In Style Home, Real Simple, and Domino. I save my favorites. I’ve even decorated a little side table in the guest room with old copies of In Style. Plus, there are always Crate & Barrel and Pottery Barn catalogs in my mailbox or on my coffee table. Rich can get on board with those because they’re never too flowery or overdone.  Just classic and comfy—that’s us!”

Biggest decorating challenge? Making everything fit and blend together. As I said before, we have a lot of really big pieces. This house has forced us to pick and choose our favorites, which meant finally throwing some old college dorm remnants away and actually buying “grown-up” furniture. Embracing the less-is-more mentality has been a challenge, but a good one. Having a basement to hide extra pieces helps, too!

Favorite element? Our couch. We bought it from Crate & Barrel, thanks to gift certificates and store credit from returned wedding gifts. It completely transforms the room and gives it a much more sophisticated feel.

The Alta, in DC’s Thomas Circle neighborhood, seamlessly blends modern architecture and city living with green building strategies. The steel pergola on the roof, which supports climbing plants, is a modern twist on a traditional architectural element. The building’s 126 swanky one- and two- bedroom condos have nine-foot ceilings with exposed spiral ductwork, European-inspired porcelain tiles, and stainless steel appliances. The eight penthouses on the top floor range from 995 to 1,310 square and offer views of the Washington Monument. Residents can enjoy ground-level retail, a second-floor lounge, and a parking garage.

The new building received a green-building certification from the city. Compact fluorescent lighting and water-saving appliances lower energy consumption and reduce costs. Environmentally friendly paints and carpets improve indoor air quality, and window glass maximizes solar efficiency.

Saturday, December 1
Alexandria Holiday Designer Tour of Homes. Five Old Town homes decorated by local interior designers and florists. 11 to 4. $30, $25 in advance. 703-548-0111.

Culpeper Christmas Tour of Homes. A glimpse of nine homes, with trolley rides and refreshments. 11 to 4:30. $20, $15 in advance. 540-222-8800.

Frederick Candlelight House Tour. Tour of nine homes, with holiday carolers, a horse-drawn carriage, and refreshments. Saturday 5:30 to 9:30, Sunday noon to 4. $20.

Sunday, December 2
Logan Circle House Tour. Visit a historic church and eight homes, including the residence of Eric Kole, co-owner of Logan Circle’s Vastu furniture store, and a home built for Ulysses S. Grant’s son in 1878. 1 to 5. $20, $15 in advance. The ticket includes a reception at Studio Theatre (1501 14th Street, NW) from 3 to 5:30. 202-489-4553.

Oxford Holiday House Tour. Ten homes, as well as a raffle, gingerbread house display, and refreshments. 11:30 to 4:30. $35, $30 in advance. Tour starts at Oxford Community Center, 200 Oxford Road. 410-226-5904.

Friday, December 7
St. Albans Christmas House Tour. Five homes in Bethesda’s Kenwood neighborhood decorated by local floral designers. Also holiday music performed by students from St. Albans and National Cathedral schools, as well as a holiday boutique and luncheon. Friday 11:30 to 5, Saturday 10 to 4. Tour tickets $35, luncheon tickets $15. 202-537-3190.

Saturday, December 8
Centreville Yuletide House Tour. More than a dozen homes and sites, along with Christmas carols and refreshments. 10 to 4. $20. 410-758-3010.

The Box Score:
DC: 5
Virginia: 4
Maryland: 1

$3,400,000—3025 University Terrace, NW, Kent
$3,300,000—7306 Maple Place, Annandale
$2,861,706—701 Miller Avenue, Great Falls
$2,700,000—1574 Maddux Lane, McLean
$2,505,722—11720 Woodthrush Lane, Potomac
$2,367,500—3528 Fulton Street, NW, Observatory Circle
$2,150,000—3419 R Street, NW, Georgetown
$2,100,000—4848 Hutchins Place, NW, Palisades
$1,890,000—5045 Millwood Lane, NW, Kent
$1,875,000—3401 North Vermont Street, Arlington

Bethesda-based Donatelli Development announced that it is converting its Highland Park condominium in the District’s Columbia Heights neighborhood to rentals. Several retailers—including a Potbelly Sandwich Works, Five Guys Burgers and Fries, and a new restaurant from Hank’s Oyster Bar’s chef/owner Jamie Leeds—have already signed on at the site, which is expected to open early next year. The 229-unit building features a landscaped rooftop deck, two-level fitness center, and party room with a plasma TV and billiards table.

Highland Park joins a growing list of condos converting to apartments, including Senate Square near Capitol Hill and McGill Row in LeDroit Park. Real-estate experts predict that as developers ditch their condo projects, the market should rebound from its recent slowdown. And as more units flood the rental market, those prices will likely fall.

Where: 1204 Woodlea Mill Court, McLean
Listing Price: $3,075,000
Time on the Market: six months
Bedrooms: six
Bathrooms: seven

The entry of this brick French country-style home has a two-story foyer and marble floor. The dining room offers a custom, inlaid-wood floor, a bay window, and a crystal chandelier. In the living room, there’s a two-story stone, wood-burning fireplace. The master bedroom has its own patio and hot tub. There’s also a recreation room, billiards room, library, wine cellar, pool, and pool house.

Word in real-estate circles is that Don Graham just bought this brick townhouse near Dupont Circle. The house is assessed for $1.3 million and last sold in August 2006 for $1.6 million.

On November 9 Graham announced that he was separating from his wife of forty years, Mary Wissler Graham. Earlier this fall, the Grahams bought a $4.65-million pied-à-terre overlooking Central Park in Manhattan.

The couple's home on Cleveland Park’s Newark Street, valued at $3 million, isn’t on the market—yet.