Kathy O'Neal

Chantilly homeowners know that home appliances can be a big investment. Here is something you may have never considered.

Your dishwasher is a breeding ground for mold and mildew.

It's warm, it's dark, and there is a bevy of decaying, organic material in the form of both food particles and soap.

Therefore, you'll want to periodically scrub and disinfect your dishwasher so that it remains clean and healthy, and so that your dishes stay that way, too.

Here's how to clean your dishwasher :

1. Remove all racks from the dishwasher. Wash with dish-washing detergent and set aside to dry.
2. Mix 1 part vinegar with 4 parts very hot water into a spray bottle.
3. Spray the mixture on the dishwasher seal and anywhere else you see discoloration, mold or mildew.
4. Scrub the affected areas with a non-abrasive scrub brush.
5. Replace racks in the dishwasher.
6. Fill a small, dishwasher-safe bowl with white vinegar and place on the top rack.
7. Without soap, run the dishwasher at the highest temperature setting available.

Then, if after performing these steps, you find that your dishwasher still has an "odor", or if mold or mildew remnants remain, immediately pour 1 cup of baking soda on the floor of your dishwasher, and run the cycle a second time at the highest temperature setting available.

If your mold/mildew problem persists, you should check the dishwasher's drain line. If it's kinked, water may be unable to drain and will pool at the bottom of your dishwasher -- a mold-breeding situation.

You should also check the food trap at the base of the dishwasher for too-large-to-drain pieces of food.

A good dishwasher will last years with proper care and maintenance. Keep yours mold- and mildew-free.

And if you are getting that dishwasher in good shape because you are planning the sale of your Northern Virginia area home, please know that the Kathy O'Neal Team is here for you!

Please feel free to contact us anytime!

[The Kathy O’Neal Team serves home buyers and sellers in Northern Virginia, with special focus on Chantilly, Centreville, and the communities of the Western Fairfax region.]

Consumers are doing lots of home improvement projects with about $110 billion in total volume this quarter.

Overall, these projects are not creating a lot of added home equity value. You may still have great reasons to do a project, but it does not hurt to look at these stats before doing so.

Remodeling Magazine reports in their Cost vs Value Report 2011-2012, that for each home improvement dollar spent in 2012, homeowners can expect to recoup just 58 cents in home equity.

This is way down from 2005, when the cost-to-value ratio was 87 percent.

It pays to consider which projects will help your home equity.

Remodeling Magazine's "Mid-Range Project" list :

• Steel Entry Door Replacement : Cost, $1,238; Recoup, 73.0%
• Attic Bedroom : Cost, $50,184; Recoup, 72.5%
• Minor Kitchen Remodel : Cost, $19,588; Recoup, 72.1%
• Garage Door Replacement : Cost, $1,512; Recoup, 71.9%
• Wood Deck Addition : Cost, $10,350; Recoup 70.1%

Projects which have a relatively low cost-to-value ratio include the following. Consider them if they have a high personal value, but not necessarily for their home equity value:

• Home Office Remodel : Cost, $27,963; Recoup, 42.9%
• Sunroom Addition : Cost, $34,133; Recoup, 45.9%
• Backup Power Generator : Cost, $14,760; Recoup, 47.5%
• Bathroom Addition : Cost, $140,096512; Recoup, 51.0%
• Fiberglass Entry Door Replacement : Cost, $3,536; Recoup 56.3%

Projects that include the replacement of doors, siding and windows occupy the list's first 6 slots in the cost-to-value ratio.

As always, if you live in the Northern Virginia area or are planning a move to this area, we are here to help you learn what is available in both the new and resale home market. Let us know how we can help!

You can see the complete Cost vs Value report online.

[The Kathy O’Neal Team serves home buyers and sellers in Northern Virginia, with special focus on Chantilly, Centreville, and the communities of the Western Fairfax region.]

The Kathy O'Neal Team appreciates other businesses that have a strong customer focus and are serious about quality.

That's why we wanted to share a good word about a terrific restaurant we recently visited in Purcellville.

Haute Dogs and Fries is taking a beloved American food icon and lifting it to a whole new level. By that I don't mean that you will get a Hot Dog that is so "fancy" that it has lost its authenticity. No, no, no! The dogs here are as real as it gets...they are just also delicious, fresh, well-prepared, and the best part is that you can get them just about any way you might like them.

Along with quite a few ways you may learn to love....lots of topping variations that will tempt you to go beyond mustard and relish, if you so choose.

Along with the honor of being among this year's 2011 Best Bargain Restaurants in the Washingtonian Magazine, Haute Dogs and Fries is garnering lots of other honors as well.

If you want to try other sausage type specialties, you will also find creative menu items that owners Pamela and Lionel prepare from very fresh local sources.

One of the special treats of a visit here is the co-star of the establishment's name..."Fries!" Have you ever wondered if there were any really, really fine french fries anywhere to be found, other than making them from scratch at home? If so, ya gotta give the fries here there day in the sun. We found them to be worth a trip back....no, made that worth many trips back!

Pay a visit to Haute Dogs and Fries next time you are anywhere in the vicinity of Purcellville. They are keeping an American tradition alive and well!

PS - If you don't eat meat, give the veggie dog a try. It was terrific!

[The Kathy O’Neal Team serves home buyers and sellers in Northern Virginia, with special focus on Chantilly, Centreville, and the communities of the Western Fairfax region.]

Recently the Federal Home Finance Agency announced significant changes to its Home Affordable Refinance Program Monday. The HARP (Home Affordable Refinance Program) was initiated to help "underwater homeowners" get their home refinanced.

There are over a million homeowners nationwide - and many home owners here in Chantilly and the Northern Virginia area - who might be helped by these changes. Given the historically low interest rates, it is wise to know about this program.

There are four basic qualifying criteria:

1. Your current home loan must be guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac
2. Your home must be a 1- to 4-unit property
3. You must have a perfect mortgage payment history going back 6 months
4. You may not have had more than one 30-day late payment on your mortgage going back 12 months

One of really big features of the updated program is that the government is waiving loan-to-value requirements on HARP loans. Homeowners' participation is no longer restricted by their home's appraised value. Actually, the new HARP doesn't even require an appraisal, in most situations.

Under the new HARP program guidelines, an underwater mortgages can be refinanced without LTV limit or penalty.

According to the government's official press release, lenders are expected to be offering the program as of December 1, 2011.

If you want to check it out, start by seeing if your loan is backed by Freddie or Fannie. Here is where you can go for that:

• Fannie Mae loan lookup : http://www.fanniemae.com/loanlookup/
• Freddie Mac loan lookup : https://ww3.freddiemac.com/corporate/

You can also call your lender directly.

If being underwater is not an issue, but you are looking for a few reputable lending sources, of course, let me know and I will be glad to provide you with a few referrals.

If you are home buying or home selling in the Northern Virginia area, please know I am always here for you!

[The Kathy O’Neal Team serves home buyers and sellers in Northern Virginia, with special focus on Chantilly, Centreville, and the communities of the Western Fairfax region.]

Many Chantilly and Northern Virginia home owners, like those elsewhere, have wondered about refinancing their home, given the amazingly low prevailing interest rates.

If this has been on your mind, take a few moments to view this Today Show video. Even though this was aired in September, I think you will most of the info current.

One of the key questions of course, is whether the costs of doing a refi outweigh the benefits.

Key points include:

• Lower rates mean higher costs. At least check out the slightly higher-rate option from your bank.
• Falling home values may make it harder to refinance in the future. Your window of opportunity may be now.
• If you have had a 30-year loan for many years, consider a 15-year mortgage to avoid "resetting" your term.

You will find lots of quality information in this short video.

If you need a quick reading on the current market value of your Northern Virginia home, or if you want a refeerral to a few quality loan officers, please let me know. We are always here for you!

[The Kathy O’Neal Team serves home buyers and sellers in Northern Virginia, with special focus on Chantilly, Centreville, and the communities of the Western Fairfax region.]