Thursday, July 30, 2009

Is Karl Rove Leaving Washington D.C.?

SELLER: Karl Rove
LOCATION: Weaver Terrace NW, Washington D.C.
PRICE: $1,585,000
SIZE: 4,529 square feet, 5 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms
DESCRIPTION: Ideally located 5 bedroom, 4.5 bathroom Federal with grand entertaining spaces, main floor Family Room, spectacular Living Room w/ beautiful built-ins, a wonderful Library, sunny Kitchen w/ brand new appliances and sep. Breakfast Room, formal Dining Room, incredible Master Suite, private rear patio, expansive yard, and Garage Parking.

YOUR MAMAS NOTES: We're a little late to the rodeo on this one darlings but we're still gonna discuss the Washington D.C. residence Republican bigwig Karl Rove recently listed with an asking price of $1,585,000.

Mister Rove has been a highly influential operative in the Republican party for many years but did not become a household name (or a lightening rod for liberals) until hired by former president George Dubya Bush as his Senior Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff, a lackluster title that does not adequately express the vast power and influence he wielded in Washington and a position from which he resigned in August of 2007 amid some scandal over emails and the improper dismissal of several U.S. Attorneys. Since leaving his employ at the White House, Mister Rove has worked as a political analyst for Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal and, not surprisingly, Fox News.

Property records show Mister Rove and his wifey Darby paid $799,000 for his Washington D.C. residence on Weaver Terrace NW way back in January of 2001 when he first moved east to work for Dubya. Records and listing information show the three story, brick built Federal style house measures 4,529 square feet and includes a 1-car garage, 5 bedrooms and 4.5 Republican poopers.

After squeezing through the oddly placed front door and climbing up a flight of stairs, we find a wood-floored living room lined with built-in bookshelves that are chock-a-block full of actual books, walls painted a soft celadon, simple celery colored curtains, a footstool covered in red and white toile in front of the fireplace and a couple of yellow floral sofas that would make chintz queen Mario Buatta wet his pants with glee. There is a formal dining room with a table for eight power players and a sideboard with a silver serving set for extra-special foreign dignitaries. The adjacent kitchen is accessed through a swinging door–oh how we love a swinging door–and has been fitted, according to listing information, with all new stainless stell appliances. A barely there pastel green paint has been applied to the cabinetry which effectively sets off the traditional and black and white checkered floor.

A den or study has been painted periwinkle, features more built in book cases filled with actual books, wood slat blinds and an oil portrait of George Washington that we'd give our pinky toes to have hanging in our office. It appears the family room has been converted to Mister Rove's war room where a dead deer hangs on the white-painted brick wall surrounding the fireplace and at least two of the walls have floor to ceiling built-in book cases filled with–you got in chickens–more books.

Mister Rove's wood-floored boo-dwar has been painted cream and, unfortunately a rather foul shade of peachy-flesh. The children will note even Mister Rove's bedroom has built-in bookshelves filled with books. Clearly this man likes to read. Although we find his particular brand of fear-based politics repugnant, we do admire and respect his voracious appetite for books. So few people read anymore. Anyhoo, like Mister Rove's boo-dwar, his 1980s looking private pooper has been painted a lighter but still foul and unfortunate peachy-flesh color. These colors, of course, are quickly and easily fixed.

The back of the house opens to a slate terrace which in turn leads up a few steps to a large lawn area large enough to run a medium sized pooch. We don't know if Mister Rove has a canine, but we might like him a teensy bit better if he did.

Previous reports indicate Mister Rove maintains a couple of small cottages in Austin, TX –where he votes but may or may not actually live–and records reveal he also owns a beach house in Rosemary Beach, Flaw-ree-duh, an area once known as the Redneck Riviera. The Roves bought the property in November of 2002 for just $165,000 and proceeded build themselves a 2,578 square foot house with 4 bedrooms, 3 poopers and a two story carriage house separated from the main house by a small courtyard with a fountain.

24 comments:

Gilsner said...

It's okay... but it could use some more books. There's just not enough books...

Jimmy said...

According to listing agent, the house in under contract. No doubt some Republican stalwart who want to erect a shrine to Rove and W.

An Aesthete's Lament said...

Good God, how dreary. Both the architecture and the decor.

Anonymous said...

You would have to call an exorcist to remove the evil spirits before moving in. Wouldn't it be faaaaaaaaaaaaaaabulous if a gay couple bought this home?

Anonymous said...

It isnt nearly so vile as he is. But, why the living room ceiling medallion all lonely by itself up there? And those cultured marble bath tops...surely he had a few hundred dollars lying around to replace those.

I agree with you on the books Mama. Back in college, and in fact, in one of my first post-college apartments, I had to double duty my master bedrooms as libraries. Wonderful spaces those turned out to be.

Anonymous said...

Pretty much all DC real estate is dreary. No style. Actually that describes the way we dress, too. A house without a soul for a man without a soul. Even walking past that place would give me the dry heaves.

Anonymous said...

Love the house - despite its wonky front. Yes, lots of books. Nobody said Rove was dumb. However, refinement and sophisticatin of means is not going to compensate for the maliciousness of goals, quite the opposite. Well, always good to have a worthy opponent.

Anonymous said...

Well alright. A house that actually looks like a house that real people live in, instead of those LA mansions that look more like movie sets!
Love the books. I have a whole wall in my bedroom double stacked with books to take the overflow.
Read books, have fun, learn stuff, it's good.
Andra

angie said...

So.. this is the inner sanctum of one of the evil geniuses whose schemes to subvert both our Constitution and Democracy ultimately failed. I can't think of anything much to say about it except that I sincerely hope he is leaving Washington and takes Cheney with him, never to return.

Anonymous said...

The house looks exactly like the building my lawyers office is in.

Anonymous said...

Very good riddance. Couldn't go far enough into oblivion for me.

Anonymous said...

"Republican poopers"

LOL

Does that mean they are already full of shit?

Of course...that could be said about any "political pooper"

Anonymous said...

It's funny how many of us despise this man as an eeeevil political operative. Like our own Rahm Emanuel or James Carville are any different.

The Swagman said...

This house has enormous potential actually!

Tracy said...

He may have plenty of books but he has lousy lighting.

Anonymous said...

Good buy to Karl Rove who thinks he is above the law, can't wait until he is forced before Congress over his scheming of sending former Governor Dom Siegelman to prison on lies Karl Rove helped create. The best place for Karl Rove is in prison and then he may finally get it through his thick skull that what he has done is illegal and he has broken the law.

Sweetie Darling said...

As much as I despise Karl Rove, it makes me happy to see a house filled with books.

I can't believe I just said something nice related to KR.

Anonymous said...

The back of that house is butt-ugly. Why aren't there more windows?

Anonymous said...

I feel sick saying this but I actually like the interior. It's very homey and comfy looking. Love all the books.
Now the exterior and the owner...yuck.

Unknown said...

Good luck with that price. Does it come with the wiretapping/video surveillance and torture equipment?

We will miss you....NOT!

http://whitehouse.georgewbush.org/initiatives/posters/images/hot-karl.jpg

Anonymous said...

Yes, I can see Sarah Palin moving in now, to plan her year 2012 run for the Presidency.

gwen2xs said...

oh mama, mama, mama. i can hardly write anything at all because i am snot-sobbing over the beauty of that prose concerning 'a private pooper in unfortunate peachy-flesh color'.

please, oh please get yourself on barrack's speech writing team. Bam Bam desperately needs your keen eye on D.C. aesthetics.

Anonymous said...

he is a history buff and he knows his history

Anonymous said...

Wow, what partisan hatred on this site. Very disappointing.

This is supposed to be a fun website for real estate news, not one for personal political attacks.

This is what passes for political "debate" these days?