Kathy O'Neal

Chantilly and Northern Virginia home sellers and home owners will benefit from this short Today Show video called a "Fall Fix-Up Checklist". You will get very practical tips on how to:

• Clean up leaves. limit grass damage, and keep pests under control
• Unclog gutters so that you prevent house damage this problem can cause
• Turn off outside water sources and remove water from pipes and hoses

Also helpful is how to find air leaks in your home, and how they can be fixed. You can save a bundle by reducing or eliminating these leaks.

If you are a little handy, you can do this on your own. But if not, consider hiring a handyman. Some of these fix-ups will pay you back many times over. If you need a few references, I can provide that. And of course, if you are doing these tasks in preparation to sell, and would like a quick analysis of your home's current value, let me know. We are 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.]

Fall is nearing; the end of summer across Northern Virginia. If you're among the many Americans planning an end-of-season barbecue, you'll want to make sure your grill is clean.

A clean grill makes better tasting food.

There are several ways to clean a grill but, for owners of gas grills, the first step always is to disconnect the gas source.

Next, open your grill and remove its metal pieces. This includes grates, trays and flame guards. Take these pieces to your kitchen. If the oven has a self-cleaning mechanism, place the items in your oven and let it "self-clean". As the temperature reaches 900 degrees or more, residue will literally fall off your grill parts.

Be sure to wipe clean your oven once the cycle completes.

If your oven is not self-cleaning, wash the grill parts in your sink using hot water and detergent. You'll want to soak the parts in soapy water if they're especially dirty. Once clean, allow the parts to air dry.

Then, return to your grill and using a wire brush, scrape the residue from the sides, top and bottom of the appliance. Again, using a soapy hot water mixture, wash and wipe down the inside of the grill. Rinse it clean once the residue is removed.

Re-assemble your grill.

Lastly, reconnect the gas source (if applicable) and allow the grill to burn for 5 minutes. This will burn off any lingering residue from the cleaning process, including soap and detergent.

And that's it!

Plan on cleaning your grill at least twice annually with heavy use.

If you would like to be grilling in your new home this time next year and are interested in moving to the Centreville/Chantilly area in Northern Virginia please know that I am here to help. Our website has many useful tools for home buying and you can contact me directly with any questions. Enjoy your grill out!

[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.]

Your home furniture can be a big investment. If you have ever wondered how to deal with spills and stains, here is a set of recommendations from Martha Stewart. Think of them as first-aid for your home furnishings.

Wood
• Moisture "rings": Pour table salt on the white rings/haze and cover with a terry cloth. Apply hair dryer on low setting until rings are gone.
• Alcohol spills: Blot spills immediately, do not rub. Apply small amounts of ammonia to damage.
• Wax spills: Allow to cool and harden, then freeze the wax with an ice cube in a sandwich bag. Use a butter knife to gently scrape off wax.

Fabric
• Red wine stains: Cover wine with table salt and let sit until salt has wicked up the wine. Vacuum salt and repeat, as necessary. Blot remaining stains with damp cloth and dish soap.
• General spills: Repeatedly blot with a damp white cloth. Use white cloths to prevent dye transfer.
• Oil spills: Cover spill with baking soda and vacuum once absorbed. Blot remaining stains with rubbing alcohol

Leather
• General stains: Blot with all-purpose household cleaner. To prevent fading in the upholstery, avoid products with bleach or bleach alternatives.
• Scratches: Apply saddle soap to a damp cloth and rub the scratch to help it "blend in". It won't go away.

Also, a tip on leather furniture: forget touch-up kits or colored markers. It's nearly impossible to match leather colors and your repair work will likely make the problem more noticeable.

If you are thinking about your home's appearance in preparation for the possibility of selling here is the Northern Virginia area (or moving here from elsewhere), please know that I am here to help. Our websites have lots of tools, and you can contact me directly with any questions. 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.]

According to the BuildFax Remodeling Index, people are doing lots of remodelling projects.

They report that for the 19th straight month, their May index rose.

If you are doing projects on your own, do be aware of safety. Many preventable accidents happen because basic safety precautions are not taken. Some of these accidents can be very serious...like falling off a ladder.

Check out this 5-minute video from NBC's The Today Show. Being aware of the basic precautions mentioned could save you a lot of trouble.

The insights include:

• Use "expandable" earplugs to prevent hearing loss from power tools.
• Don't wear sneakers or sandals. Wear construction boots.
• Never stand on the top 2 steps of a ladder.

Also, don't forget the safety glasses. Eye problems are the number one injury as reported by home remodelers, and it is important to realize they can happen anytime.

Here is the video from the NBC website.

As always, if you need a referral for professional help to do a project, contact me and I will provide a few names.

Whether you are buying or selling, or just considering either or both, 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.]

Whenever I notice some positive news for Northern Virginia area home buyers and sellers, I like to share it.

Here is an interesting fact that you may not have heard about.

On a seasonally-adjusted basis, the Pending Home Sales Index rose 2 percent last month to reach its highest level since March.

A "pending home sale" is a home under contract to sell, but not yet closed.

The forward-looking Pending Home Sales Index is up 11 percent from its low of the year.

Of course,these stats are not necessarily useful for Chantilly area home buyers. To get more locally helpful info the Pending Home Sales Index report includes a region-by-region breakdown.

Between May and June 2011, the results were uneven:

• Northeast Region: -0.4%
• Midwest Region : -3.7%
• South Region : +4.4%
• West Region : +6.4%

Even the regional data does not tell the full story.

For example, the West Region showed big gains in June, but it is comprised of multiple states containing thousands of cities and towns. Some areas did well, others did not.

It is the highly local data that matters.

And for that, we are always a resource to provide you with a clear sense of what is going on in the areas of Northern Virgina where you have an interest. Let us know how we can help. And by the way, we invite you to use our free MARKET SNAPSHOT tool to get a fix on actual selling prices of homes in your Northern Virginia neighborhood of interest.

[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.]