Reston Real Estate: The High-Low Game, pt. 2

The bargain of the year? What the real estate listing calls "a fixer upper townhouse" in Southgate Square, which can be had for a mere $179,900. That's a damn cry cheaper than our previous High-Low champ, another foreclosed Southgate Square townhouse with a $234,000 asking price.

So, it's a "handyman's special," according to the listing. How bad could it be, really? I mean, if the ladder in the picture conveys, you'll be halfway there. Right?

Property has substantial mold and water damage in the basement. Cash offers only.

Oh. Never mind. The "cash offers only" must be Realtor-speak for "this house is uninsurable and unmortgageable," we're guessing. Only slumlords with a positive cash flow need apply.

Meanwhile, this stunner on Foxclove Road is under contract for a mere $2.1 million. But before you feel too envious, just bear in mind that even the very affluent must make sacrifices during this difficult time for home sellers: the asking price was reduced by $250,000.

If you're willing to slum it a bit, the "best townhouse in the Reston Twon Center. Period." in the Paramount is available for a mere $1.499 million. What, you may ask, is the difference between the Reston Town Center and Reston Twon Center? According to the listing, "higher seilings."

We've said it before, we'll say it again: You'd think that if you cleared roughly $45,000 in commissions on just one freaking sale, you'd be able to buy a computer with an inline spell-checker.