Daniel Cummings and his wife Linda are expected to buy 1609 31st St., NW.
The three-level penthouse, #2C, in the Ritz-Carlton Residences at 1155 23rd St., NW
The 10,600 square-foot colonial at 4815 Dexter St., NW has sold for $3,800,000. Built in 2003, the seven-bedroom house with six and a half baths now belongs to Robert Wilder, who was represented by Elizabeth Lavette Shorb of Washington Fine Properties. William F.X. Moody and Robert Hryniewicki, also with Washington Fine Properties, listed the home for the seller Cynthia Wilcox. Georgie Benardete moved to London. By press time, international real estate expert Daniel Cummings and his wife Linda are expected to buy Benardete’s house at 1609 31st St., NW. The elegant 4,200-square-foot, three-level, brick Colonial-style manse sits across from Tudor Place in Georgetown. Built in 1980 and recently remodeled, it has updated bathrooms and new wood floors. Fluted columns delineate the public rooms. There are five bedrooms and five baths, library, three fireplaces, and kitchen with two dishwashers, two ovens, two sinks and Sub-Zero refrigerator. French doors lead from the kitchen to the patio and swimming pool. The estate was listed by Kimberly Casey and Daryl Judy (who were named the #1 Team at Tutt, Taylor & Rankin Sotheby’s International Realty for 2007). The dynamic duo had the property under contract in just one day with an asking price of $3.4 million. Tutt, Taylor & Rankin’s Michael Rankin assisted the Cummings. Washington Fine Properties realtor Jim Bell and mortgage banker Mark Scott have sold their three-level penthouse, #2C, in the Ritz-Carlton Residences at 1155 23rd St., NW. to Mark Weinstein, executive director of the Washington National Opera. The couple now intends to purchase 2118 S St., NW from Pauli and Grant McClanahan. The $1.5 million home has four bedrooms, three and a half baths, a media room, a library, and a living room that opens onto a balcony with stairs leading to the garden below. Maryland Amy Weber Dice and Kenneth E. Dice, III sold their five-bedroom home at 6922 Woodside Pl. in Chevy Chase to Primacy Closing Corp. for $2.24 million. The sale comes in the aftermath of Ken’s decision to leave his position as executive vice president of marketing with Discovery Communication in favor of becoming Nike’s vice president of USA brand management. Both Ken and Amy are graduates of the University of Notre Dame, and she is a former associate publisher for People magazine. They now reside in Oregon. Virginia On March 3, Audi’s Marc Trahan and his wife Jane acquired an 11-acre horse farm in Purceville. The property, located at 18137 Oakridge Hamlet Pl., includes a five-bedroom home with four and a half baths, office, great room and walkout basement with theater and exercise area. The seller was Remax realtor Diana Austin, who was asking a mere $950,000. Kimberly Casey and Daryl Judy with Tutt, Taylor & Rankin Sotheby’s International Realty helped facilitate the sale. Tutt, Taylor & Rankin Sotheby’s International Realty’s Kimberly Casey and Daryl Judy were the listing agents for 303 Mansion Drive in Alexandria. By press time, this property should belong to Moira and Timothy L. Buzby, VP/controller of the Federal Agriculture Mortgage Corporation. Mark Souder of Coldwell Banker is their selling agent. The property is the estate of Mary Workun Covell, who died last October at age 89. She was a chairwoman of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, a fundraiser for the American Red Cross and the widow of Howard V. Covell, a deputy chief of the D.C. police. During World War II she did administrative work at the Pentagon and it was there that she met Brigadier General Richard B. Moran and his wife Thelma T. “Tillie” Thickins, from whom she eventually purchased this house. Tillie and her husband regularly entertained high-ranking military officers and their wives in this home, and Mrs. Dwight Eisenhower was a frequent visitor. When Tillie’s marriage ended in 1948, Mary acquired the house with the understanding that Tillie would always have a place in it. On December 8, 1970, Mamie Eisenhower, recounting the old days, wrote the following to Tillie: “All we women of the war era seem to be greatly scattered, and, of course, some of [us] have passed on, but I will always be grateful to you for your hospitality …. We enjoyed your lovely house and garden.” Tillie died on February 3, 1984. Built in 1936, the four-bedroom house retains its original hard wood floors and architectural flourishes. It is priced to sell at $1.3 million. Please Send Real Estate News Items to Mary_Mewborn@Yahoo.com
