Archive for May, 2011
Memorial Day Tribute
May 30th, 2011 categories: Community Life
We have the privilege of serving many military families in Northern Virginia, and doing so is an honor.
Memorial Day Tribute
On this Memorial Day we salute all of our currently serving military men and women and their families. Please know we at The Kathy O’Neal Team are mindful of your service and we are deeply appreciative, every day of the year. There would be no “American Dream” without those who serve in defense of our liberties.
On this day we especially give tribute to those who have served and given their lives from the start of this great nation until the present. In thinking about those who passed on while in service we are reminded of the cost of freedom.
We honor all who have given their life in service to others, and the families that even to this day, carry the burdens of their loss. Thank you, and God bless you.
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Garden Weed and Pest Control with Natural Methods
May 28th, 2011 categories: Home Life
If you want to keep your Chantilly or Northern Virginia home garden in good shape by controlling weeds and pests, but don’t like the strong chemicals, take a few minutes to watch this video.
Suggestions you will find in the video include:
- Use of flowering nectar-bearing plants to keep “good ” insects
- Use of electronic repellents and netting to deter pests
- Get the birds on your side…add a bird feeder to your yard
There are a number of other good ideas as well.
Keep in mind that “organic” doesn’t always mean “greener.“
Limited use of chemical products may be the best alternative in some situations.
If you are sprucing things up in order to get your home on the market, please know that we have been serving Chantilly and Northern Virginia area home sellers and buyers for over two decades, and we always stay on the cutting edge of excellence in real estate service. We invite you to view our Testimonial Video which explains how and why we are different.
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Big Help for Small Business: The Entrepreneur’s Journey
May 23rd, 2011 categories: Community Life, Small Business Insights
Are you a small business owner in the Northern Virginia area?
If so, please be aware of “The Entrepreneur’s Journey,” a free program for small business owners who want to take their business to its next level of growth and overall success.
The Entrepreneur's Journey: A Free Educational Program for Small Business Owners
The program is a serious – but fun - learning experience to help small business owners build an even better business while also considering their own “higher calling” in owning and operating a business of excellence.
We’ll cover state-of-the-art business concepts and methods addressing strategy and business planning, marketing (including branding and social media strategies), systems and process thinking to better streamline your operational systems, personal productivity, finance, leadership, team building, and related topics.
We will incorporate Biblical principles as we focus on practical strategies for growth and the timeless truths on which a successful business is based.
The program is facilitated by Fran O’Neal and a team of seasoned small business professionals who are very successful in their fields, highly credentialed, and eager to share their knowledge and insights with committed small business owners.
The program is offered without charge, but enrollment is limited and advanced registration is required. This is a genuine “learning adventure” that has the potential to significantly enhance your business.
For more details visit “The Entrepreneur’s Journey” City Impact web page, or contact us and we will answer any questions. It this looks interesting, we’d love to hear from you!
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Recent Floods: A reminder about flood insurance
May 23rd, 2011 categories: Home Life
The recent flood disasters are a reminder of the monumental damage that can occur when flood waters get out of hand.
These tragedies are not limited to high risk areas
According to FloodSmart.gov, floods are the #1 most common disaster in the United States.
About $709 million in flood insurance claims were paid out in 2010, but keep in mind that over a third of that went to people who do not live in “high risk” areas.
It is probably the last thing on your mind, but the recent national floods are a reminder about the issue of flood insurance. If you have have questions about what is and is not covered in your own home owners policy, this may be a good time to call your insurance agent and do a reality check on what coverage you do and do not currently have in your existing policy.
And by all means, if you ever do sustain any flood damage, make sure you get in contact with your agent immediately. You will want to make sure you don’t do anything on your own that will void coverage on your policy.
If you are looking for possible providers of home insurance here in the Northern Virginia and Chantilly area, do let me know and I will provide you with several local resources.
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Individual Buy and Sell Decisions: Do What Works For You
May 22nd, 2011 categories: Buyer Strategies, Seller Strategies
New home construction is reported by the U.S. Department of Commerce, and recent numbers show that single-family housing starts dropped by 21,000 units in April.
That is a 5 percent drop for single-family homes, as compared to March 2011, and 30 percent when compared to April 2010.
When permits to build are down, new construction follows. The reason: about 93 percent of new home construction starts within 60 days of permit-issuance.
Fewer permits, as a consequence, means fewer new homes. Therefore, if you’re looking at new construction in or around Fairfax, April’s numbers may spark a sense of awareness, if not urgency. Right now “urgency” and “home buying” are not words you usually find together!
What will this do to the home supply side here in the Northern Virginia area?
Well, overall keep in mind what national stats are showing: more foot traffic in homes for sale, very low mortgage rates, and job growth is picking up.
The last point, job growth, is the key. Confidence levels and actual job growth is still modest, but at least it is showing signs of life.
As always, your home buying and selling decisions are very individualized and should be based on your set of circumstances.
One thing to keep in mind though: if buying and/or selling are right for you now, consider the roughness in the housing market a gift. This current market has some incredible opportunities.
As always, let me know how we can help you. We are always here for you, whether you are moving into the Northern Virginia area, or are already living here.
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Best Schools For Your Housing Buck: Recent Study
May 16th, 2011 categories: Buyer Strategies, Community Life
We have a GreatSchools section on our website. It is a nice resource if you are moving into the Northern Virginia area and want to get a quick read on schools in this area.
Recently Forbes and GreatSchools did a study suggesting that home prices and the quality of public schools don’t necessarily correlate. That is another way of saying that the more affluent districts don’t necessarily have better schools.
America’s Best Schools For Your Housing Buck, is the title of the study.
What district tops the list? That would be Falmouth, Maine.
Falmouth has a population of less than 11,000 people, with about 2,000 children in its system. It has a median home sale price of almost $350,000.
This little community is the only city to score a 100 on the Forbes/GreatSchools list.
Here is the Top 10 Best Schools For Your Housing Buck list:
- Falmouth, ME (Score: 100; Median Price: $351,550)
- Mercer Island, WA (Score: 99.12; Median Price: $708,740)
- Pelle, IA (Score: 98.25; Median Price: $148,200)
- Barrington, RI (Score: 97.96; Median Price: $296,010)
- Bedford, NH (Score: 97.96; Median Price: $293,730)
- Manhattan Beach, CA (Score: 97.69; Median Price: $1,278,980)
- Moraga, CA (Score: 97.69; Median Price: $722,010)
- Parkland, FL (Score: 95.98; Median Price: $426,390)
- St, Johns, FL (Score: 95.98; Median Price: $181,700)
- Southlake, TX (Score: 95.74; Median Price: $476,880)
The study notes that low teacher turnover and low unemployment are factors that seem to be common among the high ranking districts.
Check out the Forbes website for more info. And if you are moving into the Northern Virginia area do take advantage of our many web resources, and of course let us know if you need any information on homes and property prices in any Northern Virginia community.
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Before You List Your Northern Virginia Home: Get These Done
May 14th, 2011 categories: Seller Strategies
Home owners in the Northern Virginia and Chantilly area who are considering putting their homes on the market have the obvious concern about how much or how little they should do to prepare the home for sale.
There are competing concerns about having a home that looks good, while not spending more than you need to spend.
Here is some advice from the Wall Street Journal that outlines 10 basic strategies that are low cost.
They are definitely worth making sure you have them covered..
- Repair or remove screen doors with holes and tears
- Pressure wash windows, sidewalks, and siding
- Paint your front door and polish the doorknob
- Pull weeds, seed bare spots, and lay down mulch
- Touch up holes, dings and cracks in paint
- Clean grout and re-caulk sinks, bathtubs and showers
- Buy new cabinet hardware
- Fix leaky faucets and toilets
- Spray lubricant on squeaky doors
- Get clutter into storage and out of the way
Prospective buyers who notice any of these problems are likely to get that negative feeling that the thing they see “is just the tip of the iceberg.” The exception is the home buyer who is buying a highly distressed property, but that is not most prospective buyers.
These are probably not the only things a home seller should be concerned about, but it is a good start. We provide a professional home consultation for all of our Northern Virginia home selling clients, and if you see the sale of your Chantilly or Northern Virginia home coming up within the next year, we’d be happy to share our comprehensive strategy to get your home sold well in every real estate market. Please let us know how we can help.
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Fairfax Condo for Sale: Super Clean at Hawthorne Village (MLS FX7592470)
May 8th, 2011 categories: Featured Listings
If condos for sale in the Fairfax area are front and center for you, our new listing at 9703 Kings Crown Court (#202) in the Fairfax, VA area is definitely worth a look.
Super Clean condo at 9703 Kings Crown Court (#202) - Fairfax, VA 22031
“Super clean” is a good starting description. This 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo in the very nice Hawthorne Village really sparkles. There is a long list of features that you will find on our website (new carpet, updated kitchen with stainless appliances, Corian counter-tops, new vanities,…the list goes on)!
A good place to start is with a quick Visual Tour. This will get you “inside” the condo instantly, and then if you are still interested, I invite you to let me know if you want to schedule a tour of the property.
By the way, the location is great also..just about 1 mile from the Vienna Metro.
There is also a HUGE Community Swimming pool that is part of Hawthorne Village. All in all, this is a terrific package.
We are here if you would like a closer look.
Also, please be aware this home is a normal sale property…no foreclosure or short sale hassles.
Price: $ 210,000
MLS#: FX 7592470
More information: please click here and you will see the property on our Featured Listings page.
PS – If you are relocating to Northern Virginia, we can get your questions about the area answered quickly.
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Selecting a Good Contractor in Chantilly and Northern Virginia Area
May 5th, 2011 categories: Home Life
Home remodeling in Chantilly and elsewhere is doing pretty well. It is anticipated that projects will top $130 blllion this quarter.
That is as high as it has been since the first quarter of 2008. Interestingly enough, the typical cost of home remodeling projects is dropping.
Chantilly and Centreville homeowners are like those in other places: they are putting money in home improvements.
But just like the importance of selecting the right real estate agent, making a good contractor choice will make all the difference.
Here is a short video from NBC’s The Today Show, which will give you tips for picking a good home contractor. Common sense points but worth hearing.
If you need a few local references here in Chantilly and surrounding area, let me know and I will provide several. And as mentioned previously, if you are considering buying or selling a home, check out our video on how to select a great real estate agent. You will definitely want to know what to look for and what to avoid in your search for a top notch real estate agent.
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Washing windows: eco-friendly and save a little money
May 2nd, 2011 categories: Home Life, Seller Strategies
Want to keep your windows clean and do it the eco-friendly way?
Here are a few easy steps.
First, try to save this task for a cloudy day. Hot windows will dry out more quickly and cause streaking.
Second, mix about 8 parts water to 1 part white vinegar and 1 part eco-friendly dish detergent. The dish detergent will help remove build-up from previous commercial cleaners. Mix this in a spray container. After you have done this one time you don’t need to add in the detergent. Just mix 1/2 teaspoon of the vinegar to 1 cup of water.
If you want to be more eco-friendly, and save money on paper towels, use a reusable microfiber-type cloth.
You will make very little environmental impact in doing it this way, and you will save a little money in the process.
And if you are getting your home ready to put on the market for sale, take advantage of the many resources on our website, and of course, please know that my team and I are here to help you sell your home well, under all market conditions. Let me know how we can serve you!
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