EXHIBIT 24



                                POWER OF ATTORNEY
                                        
               KNOW  ALL  PERSONS BY THESE PRESENT, that each of the undersigned
directors or officers of Washington Homes, Inc., a Maryland corporation,  hereby
constitutes  and  appoints Geaton a. DeCesaris, Jr. his or her true  and  lawful
attorney-in-fact and agent, with the full power to act, for him or  her  and  in
his  or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to do any and  all
acts  and  things  and execute any and all instruments which said  attorney  and
agent may deem necessary or desirable to enable Washington Homes, Inc. to comply
with  the  Securities  Act of 1933, as amended, and any rules,  regulations  and
requirements  of the Securities and Exchange Commission in respect  thereof,  in
connection  with  the  registration under said Act of securities  of  Washington
Homes,  Inc.  pursuant  to a Registration Statement on  Form  S-8;  but  without
limiting the generally of the foregoing, power and authority to sign the name of
the  undersigned  to  such Registration Statement and  any  and  all  amendments
thereto  (including  post-effective  amendments)  and  to  any  instruments  and
documents filed as part of or in connection with such Registration Statement  or
amendments  thereto; and the undersigned hereby ratifies and confirms  all  that
said attorney and agent shall do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

               IN  WITNESS  WHEREOF, each of the undersigned has  subscribed  to
these presents this 26th day of February 1999.



 /s/ GEATON A. DECESARIS, SR                     /s/ RICHARD B. TALKIN
     Geaton A. DeCesaris, Sr.                        Richard B. Talkin



 /s/ THOMAS CONNELLY                          /s/ PAUL C. SUKALO
     Thomas Connelly                              Paul C. Sukalo



 /s/ RONALD M. SHAPIRO                      /s/ RICHARD FRARY
     Ronald M. Shapiro                          Richard Frary


/s/ THOMAS J. PELLERITO
    Thomas J. Pellerito