The Area’s Most Expensive Homes, Plus a DSK Home Sale Update

On newsstands today is the May issue of The Washingtonian, which features the 50 most expensive area homes and their inhabitants. At the top of the list is the $45.5 million chateau-like abode of AOL cofounder Jim Kimsey. Last on the list is the $7.2 million butter yellow Georgetown house of tobacco heir and former diplomat C. Boyden Gray. The other 48 crisscross the region from Alexandria to McLean to Potomac and various parts of Northwest.

Speaking of notable homes and pricey real estate, it appears that when people want to plunk down nearly $5 million for a house, they’d like it to have a parking spot. The home of disgraced IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn, a century-old red-brick Federal at 2613 Dumbarton Street in Georgetown, is still on the market–and the price keeps going down.

The property went on the market six months ago at $5.2 million and is now at $4.7 million. While that is arguably a fair price for a well-situated Georgetown home with a handsome garden and a blue-tiled swimming pool, three bedrooms, elegant main rooms, and an in-house office–but there’s no parking. No parking in Georgetown! The listing doesn’t shirk from that fact. It says, “Ask Agent About RENTAL PARKING.” No kidding. If you’re interested, you can take a virtual tour.

Strauss-Kahn became head of the IMF in 2007. He resigned in May 2011 after he was arrested on charges of sexually assaulting a New York hotel chambermaid. The charges were later dropped, and he returned to his native France, where he’s now facing allegations of involvement in a prostitution ring, plus a civil suit by the maid. Without the scandals, Strauss-Kahn would have been on a different path this weekend, as he was expected to be the socialist candidate challenging French President Nicolas Sarkozy in his reelection bid. The first round of voting in that race is Sunday.

The agents for Strauss-Kahn’s former home are Jamie Peva and Nancy Taylor Bubes of Washington Fine Properties.

Carol Ross Joynt