Kathy O'Neal

If you have become weary of the never-ending stream of economic news that fill the media these days, this one is for you.

Let me offer a "cognitive therapy" way of seeing the bad news in its more accurate context: the context is seeing the whole picture, not just part of the picture. Realizing something is not true, or only partly true, is one way to rid yourself of worry.

Here is the problem: lots of people are in a state of fear and worry that is based more on seeing just part of the picture, and not focusing on the whole picture. The news media can be a powerful force toward creating a nearly hypnotic state that we might label "media attention disorder." As viewers process and internalize the bad news which is implicitly the only news, they begin to see the world in the one-dimensional way it is presented. In this sense the news media is not just reporting reality, it is creating reality.

The reality that is created in the minds of viewers can run the spectrum from low-grade annoyance on up to high-grade anxiety. As viewers believe the one-dimensional world of only bad news, they begin to assume this view as valid and apply it as one of their prime psychological filtering mechanisms. As this happens, all other information is interpreted through the "bad news" filter. Even good news is seen as the exception that proves the bad news rule.

There are many reasons why the news media presents information in the way it does. But my point here is simply to suggest that the incessant diet of negatives can distort an honest view of the world, as well as do real psychological harm.

Bringing it back to real estate, it can distort rational analysis and clear-headed thinking on important real estate decisions.

One way to counteract the impact of this is to recognize that the presentation of such a one-sided view is simply not true. Not true in that it is only a part of reality, not the full picture of reality. It is not a matter of putting a happy spin on bad news. It is a matter of seeing more than just one thing at a time.

Doing so provides freedom from "media attention disorder." And when you don't have this condition, you will be far better able to do whatever you need to do in real estate with a clear head. At the very least, you won't have to waste valuable time with worry and stress.

We also help combat real estate induced stress and worry with honest answers to your questions about buying and selling! Do feel free to contact us at any time.

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 home buyers in the Chantilly and Western Fairfax area use the Internet to obtain information on who they may want to work with as their real esate agent. Same comment for those moving into the area from elsewhere. If this is where you are, this series is for you.

I started out in Part 1 with the assertion that this choice is consequential. If you want a good outcome from your real estate transaction, you should definitely make a good selection of agent to assist you.

With just a little effort you can go into your choice of agent with confidence. It is one of the biggest transactions of your financial life, so do give it the “due diligence” it deserves. You will be rewarded for your efforts.

The second sign post I’d suggest you consider is whether your agent is a “one man band” or a team. The issue here is the level of service and the quality of support you will be getting during the transaction. There are great agents who choose to do everything as solo performers. On the other hand, there are agents whose client service systems are not what they could or should be because they do too much on their own.

Remember, you can find an agent you may like that works on their own, and you may find an agent that you don’t like that has team support. Of and by itself, this “sign post” is not a stand alone deal breaker. But it is one part of the total package you should consider.

Would you hire an accountant, attorney, or physician who did all of their own administrative and other support work? Would you feel comfortable knowing that a third or half of their time was not in the direct practice of their discipline?

On the other hand, would you be more comfortable knowing that there was more than one person attending to the myriad of details that are contained within every real estate transaction? Would you feel more confident that the details of your purchase or sale could be better managed with the support of a team, rather than a single person?

In the earlier part of my career I worked pretty much on my own. I know that since I have had several people to support me and my clients, as members of my team, I am better able to focus on the most important aspects of serving my clients. It takes more work and effort to perform as a team, but I believe a well-integrated team is better positioned to provide exceptional service and support.

So...how can you discover how any agent you are considering deals with this issue? From a distance, you can look at their web site and try to see if they promote a team approach. Some agents do use Virtual Assistants, and this is one form of team support in which the Assistant is paid by the agent to help in the processing of each case. This would not necessarily be evident from the agent’s website. You can also simply ask the agent via email or through a phone contact about this issue.

If you’d like to see this series in video, visit our VIDEO CENTER and scroll down to "The Right Real Estate Agent 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.]

Next time around we’ll cover the third big sign post on your road to making a great agent selection.

If you are considering selling your home and you live in the Stome RIdge or surrounding area, you probably already know that most home sellers get their property sold using a broker and real estate agent. However, a small percentage go the For Sale By Owner (FSBO) route.

I may not have a perfectly objective view on this, but I can offer realistic guidelines if you are thinking about the FSBO alternative, or if you have already gone this route and are thinking twice about it.

Here are a few things to keep in mind.

• It is your goal and preferences that are important, not the views of anyone in the industry like myself or any of the various FSBO-type web sites.

• That said, it is important to have a realistic view of what this involves. You probably won't get that realistic view if you have read only the advantages or only the disadvantages. Look at both.

• Many FSBO transactions are family-to-family type transactions. This is much different that attempting to sell the property on the open market.

• Some people pull off a FSBO, and would do it again. If you keep only that in mind, and base your decision on that fact, you will be missing the other equally true part of the story, which is...

• Many..from all the stats I have read most... who start as FSBO end up either with a modified "fee-for-service" or full-service agreement with a broker. I believe this happens because..

• They entered the process without a realistic assessment of the commitment.

If you'd like a bit more on this, written from a FSBO-critical point of view, take a look at this article from my monthly E-Newsletter.

And of course, if you are considering a FSBO, or are doing it now, but rethinking the decision, feel free to contact me for my best objective perspective given the particulars of your situation. I promise not to give you a canned response on why it is a "bad idea." I will give you an honest view based on whatever you'd like to discuss.

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.]

Are you using the Internet to find a real estate agent in the Northern Virginia area?

If the answer is "Yes," this post is just for you. Here are easy to apply criteria to help you make a great choice.

If you already have someone that you know, trust, and respect, you're in good shape. But if you are like many real estate consumers, you begin your search using the Internet and eventually make a choice. I'd like to offer you some help on how to make an exceptionally good choice.

So here goes. Based on 20 years of working in the residential real estate business, here is my take on what an informed consumer should know before selecting an agent with whom they will work.

Two things to mention before I give you the first "sign post" on the road to a great agent choice. First, don't base your decision on any one "sign post" - take them together. Second, WHO you select does matter. You are making a really big sale and/or purchase. So perform "due diligence," so that you end up with a true professional.

So what's the first big sign post? Let me get very "realtiy based": you start with level of experience.

The first thing you want to know is length of time working as a full-time professional within the field. This is a baseline criteria. Yes, there are 30-year people that are not for you, and on the other hand there are people with limited experience who are sharp, disciplined, and professional in approach.

There are exceptions on either end of the experience continuum. Because there are exceptions, I suggest you weigh this factor in relation to the others we'll discuss, to come up with your judgment.

How much experience should you expect? Well, with 10 years of solid experience, you are probably working with someone who has seen lots of market conditions and different types of individual problems. If they have kept learning and growing as a professional, you can benefit from all of the successes they have experienced.

But for you to benefit from their experience, they must be experienced.

Remember, having a real estate license, and being affiliated with a brokerage does not necessarily mean that the agent is doing much business. You want to get a fix on length of experience and depth of experience. By depth I mean just how much business they are doing. Three transactions every year, or 40 plus transactions every year?

If you are in contact with the agent, you can simply ask about their length of time in the business and the number of transactions they do during the year. If you encounter someone who is offended by the question, that might be an indication that you should go on to greener pastures.

If you are trying to make this judgment without having yet contacted the agent, go into the "Featured Listing" section of their website and see what you can discover about the volume of listings they handle. Are they helping people buy and sell homes in Northern Virginia on a regular basis?

Please remember, don't make this choice on length and depth only. You really need a few other things to line up before you can feel confident that this agent is right for you.

If you want to get the full story on this in video, visit our VIDEO CENTER and scroll down to "The Right Real Estate Agent for You." It is free and immediately accessible.

Next time we'll discuss the second big sign post.

As always, we are here for you. Contact us with comments or questions. We also invite you to visit our blog, Real Estate in Chantilly.

Cox Farms is a local tradition in the Chantilly, Centreville and surrounding area. The familiar sign marquee at the intersection of Braddock and Pleasant Valley Roads, with the occasional humorous message, is a Chantilly landmark in its own right.

In the late winter, after one bad weather day too many, the Cox Farm markee reminds us that Spring is on the way. After a short winter break, the Farm opens to bring in the Spring. During Spring and Summer, drivers passing or visiting the Farm get a blast of color from the many flowers that line up near or under the Farm pavilion.

Then, in that transition period when summer is nearly over but the crisp air of Fall has yet to kick-in, you'll see the sequential message signs along Pleasant Valley Road, reminding you that the Fall Festival is on the way. It is one of those annual events that punctuate the passing seasons, and it has become a local tradition.

The event is the Cox Farms Fall Festival. It's a little touch of rural Disney World in Northern Virginia suburbia. Non-stop hayrides, live entertainment, farm exhibits and demos, fun rides that seem to increase in number each year, tasty food treats, all the pumpkins you could ever want, lots of other Fall-type items, and best of all, getting that feeling of open space and countryside ambiance right here in Northern Virginia!

I have gotten to know the owners and staff at Cox Farms over the years. They are an absolutely terrific team of service-oriented and community spirited people who work their heart out every year to put on a wonderful event.

If you have not brought the kids to this experience, give it a try. They will probably want you to make it an annual event.

Here are a few details to help. You can get more info at the Cox Farms website.

WHEN? September 20 to October 31, 2008 - 10 AM to 6 PM
November 1 to Noverber 4, 2008 - 10 AM to 5 PM

ADMISSION - Monday to Friday: $9 - Saturday & Sunday $15

[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.]