Kingman Park is a small grid of 1920s and 1930s porch-front rowhouses east of H Street NE, bounded by Benning Road, Oklahoma Avenue, and the RFK Stadium campus along the Anacostia River. Blocks like 21st Street, Rosedale Street, and Gales Street NE have deep front porches and uniform brick — a style buyers love.
The big story is next door. In 2025 the DC Council approved a plan to redevelop the RFK campus, including a new football stadium and mixed-use development. That news brought wholesalers and speculators into Kingman Park fast.
Hard money loans in Kingman Park fund rowhouse flips and holds priced on today’s comps. Our thesis is simple: the neighborhood already works as an H Street spillover market. The stadium may help later. We do not lend on “later.”
DC hubs: Washington DC hard money lenders · DC fix and flip loans · DSCR loans Washington DC · Compare: Hill East · Eckington & Trinidad.
Kingman Park market snapshot (2026)
DC’s citywide median sale price is about $635,000 (Redfin, 2026). Renovated Kingman Park rowhouses sell above that median. Dated homes still trade below it, though asking prices rose after the stadium news.
| Asset | Typical acquisition (2026) | Rehab range | Renovated resale / rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Porch-front rowhouse (dated) | $470K–$580K | $100K–$170K | $730K–$840K resale |
| Rowhouse with legal basement unit | $520K–$620K | $140K–$210K | $4,500–$5,400/mo gross |
| Wholesaler “stadium” listing | $560K–$650K | Varies | Often priced above today’s comps |
That third row is the warning. Wholesaler marketing often quotes a future ARV. We compare it to closed sales from the last six months and size the loan on those.
How to underwrite around the RFK redevelopment
- Use closed sales only. Pull renovated rowhouse sales within Kingman Park and the blocks just west. Ignore listing prices and projections.
- Plan for disruption. Multi-year construction next door means trucks, noise, and closures. Showings on a weekday afternoon may feel different from a Sunday.
- Treat upside as a bonus. If values rise before you sell, great. Your deal should work if they do not.
- Consider a hold. Investors who believe in the long-term story can refinance into DSCR loans in Washington DC and wait.
How our hard money fits Kingman Park
- Up to 90% loan-to-cost, capped at 75% of ARV based on closed sales
- 100% of rehab funded through inspection-based draws
- 12–18 month interest-only terms at 8.99%–13.5%
- 7–10 business day closes
We underwrite the property and your exit plan, not your W-2 income.
Worked example: Rosedale Street porch-front flip
Property: Three-bedroom porch-front rowhouse on Rosedale Street NE. Vacant, original kitchen, sagging porch, and a cracked sewer lateral found on camera inspection.
Wholesaler pitch: $610,000 asking with an “$900K post-stadium ARV.” Negotiated purchase: $535,000 after the borrower showed closed comps Rehab budget: $148,000 — porch rebuild ($21K), sewer lateral ($12K), systems ($40K), kitchen and two baths ($52K), finishes ($23K) All-in cost: $683,000 Loan: 88% LTC → $601,040 at 10.5% interest-only; about 74% of $810,000 ARV from three closed sales Timeline: Close in 8 business days; rehab 4 months; sold in month 6 Sale: $805,000
Carry: About $5,260/month for 6 months ≈ $31,600. Selling and closing costs about $48,000. Net profit near $42,400.
At the wholesaler’s $610,000 price, the same sale would have left about -$32,600. The comps did the negotiating.
Local risks we underwrite upfront
Speculative pricing. The biggest risk is paying tomorrow’s price today. Walk away from deals that only work at a future ARV.
Construction and event traffic. Contractor parking and deliveries can be hard near the campus. Get public space permits for dumpsters early.
Floodplain edges. A few blocks near Kingman Lake and the river sit near mapped flood zones. Check DC Flood Risk and price insurance before you commit.
Sewer laterals. Old clay and cast-iron lines are common. A camera inspection costs a few hundred dollars and belongs in every Kingman Park file.
TOPA and rent control on holds. If you buy occupied or plan a multi-unit hold, review the DC TOPA and DOB guide and the DC rent control guide.
Permits. Search the DC Department of Buildings for open permits and violations on the address.
Kingman Park vs Hill East
Hill East sits south of the RFK campus and draws Capitol Hill buyers. Kingman Park sits north and draws H Street buyers. Both will feel the redevelopment. Kingman Park’s porch-front stock and smaller size make each sale more visible, so one overpriced flip can reset the block’s comps for everyone.
Kingman Park is a historic district: plan the porch first
Many investors miss this. The DC Historic Preservation Review Board designated the Kingman Park Historic District in 2018. It expanded the boundary in 2020 and set the period of significance at 1928 to 1968. The Office of Planning’s Kingman Park page posts the district map and design guidelines.
That changes the porch-front flip. Porches, cornices, and uniform rooflines are the features the district protects. Street-facing work now carries a preservation review step inside your normal DOB permit.
What that means in practice:
- Porch repair in kind is usually a staff-level review. Matching columns, rails, and roof pitch is the fast path.
- Enclosing a porch or adding a new one is listed by the Historic Preservation Office as work that typically goes to the full board. Board review often takes 30–60 days from filing.
- Street-facing windows and doors get staff review against the board’s standards. Budget for wood or approved composite units, not the cheapest vinyl.
- Roof decks visible from the street generally need board review too.
The Rosedale Street example above rebuilt a sagging porch for $21K. That budget assumed a like-for-like rebuild. An enclosed porch reopened to its original form costs more and takes longer. Price it before you sign.
Confirm your square is inside the expanded boundary. Some blocks along Benning Road were left out of the 2020 expansion.
The RFK timeline, in dates you can check
Stadium hype is easier to resist when you know the schedule. These milestones come from public project filings and team announcements.
| Milestone | Date or target | What it means for a Kingman Park flip |
|---|---|---|
| Old stadium demolition | Began January 2025; targeted to finish mid-2026 | Truck traffic already on the edges |
| District-led campus master plan | Office of Planning work began February 2026 | Housing, retail, and parks are still being planned |
| Stadium site enabling work | Began June 2026 | Utility relocation and foundation removal |
| Main stadium construction | Expected to start spring 2027 | Your 6-month flip sells into peak construction |
| Stadium completion | Targeted for 2030 | A 12-month bridge loan will not reach it |
Read the table as a carry lesson. A 2026 purchase with a 12–18 month term exits in 2027 or early 2028. That is the loudest phase of the build. Buyers touring then will hear it.
Max offer from closed comps, not the pitch
Work backward from the sale price. This uses the 70% rule and max offer calculator logic, adjusted for DC costs.
Assumptions: $148K rehab. About $32K carry, held flat across rows. Selling costs at 6% of the sale, including DC transfer tax. Buy-side costs near 2.5% of price, including 1.45% DC recordation tax. Target profit of $50K.
Formula: (ARV × 0.94 − rehab − carry − profit) ÷ 1.025 = max purchase price.
| ARV source | ARV | Max purchase price |
|---|---|---|
| Weakest closed comp | $780,000 | About $491,000 |
| Three-comp average (our number) | $810,000 | About $518,000 |
| Best closed comp | $850,000 | About $555,000 |
| Wholesaler’s “post-stadium” ARV | $900,000 | About $601,000 |
Look at the last row. Even if you believe the $900K story, the $610K asking price still fails a $50K profit target. At our $810K comp number, the math supports about $518K. The borrower’s $535K purchase accepted a thinner $42K profit to win the deal.
Common Kingman Park mistakes
- Replacing the porch before checking the district rules. A stop-work order costs more than the review.
- Comping against Hill East. South of the campus draws a different buyer. Stay north of East Capitol for Kingman Park ARVs.
- Counting event-day parking as an amenity. Future stadium crowds may be a negative for owner-occupants on some blocks.
- Skipping the hold math. If you plan to wait for the build-out, test the rent on the DSCR calculator before you buy.
Comp rules for Kingman Park
- Closed sales from the last 6 months only; no listings or projections.
- Stay within Kingman Park and the blocks directly west of 21st Street NE.
- Adjust $15K–$30K for a restored front porch versus an enclosed one.
- Adjust down for homes facing Benning Road traffic.
Pre-qualification checklist
- Signed purchase contract
- Three closed renovated sales within 0.4 miles
- Sewer camera report
- Line-item scope with porch and lateral work shown
- Flood zone check and insurance quote for eastern blocks
- LLC documents and interest reserves
Bridge financing at 8.99%–13.5% interest-only · DC flipping rankings · (833) 264-7776.
Evaluating a Kingman Park rowhouse? Pre-qualify for hard money or call (833) 264-7776 for a proof-of-funds letter.
Rates, terms and conditions offered only to qualified borrowers and are subject to change without notice. All loans are subject to full underwriting. Jaken Finance Group only finances non-owner occupied investment properties.