The Mary and Cathy Team of Long and Foster

I worked with Jackie Steventon, under Mary's team. She is great, fantastic, outstanding, tremendous. She worked very hard to help us find a house. No matter the time of day I texted her, she replied. For about six months, we dragged her from Mount Vernon all the way over to Centreville/Clifton and everywhere in between looking at houses. I highly recommend Jackie and this agency for your real estate needs.

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Cathy gave us good advice as to how to best present the property to prospective buyers. She staged the house with furniture designed to bring out the best features. She kept us informed with feedback as to how prospective buyers were reacting and made suggestions based on those reactions. She returned our calls promptly and answered any questions we had. She listed the house in September and it settled the end of October.

The Mary and Cathy team were fabulous. We originally met them by attending open houses and were so impressed by their knowledge of the Fairfax/Burke area. There was no question on who to contact when we were ready to sell our townhouse and purchase a new home. It turned out to be an excellent decision. Through both transactions, we worked with Mary, Cathy, Jackie, and Jordan. The level of customer service was amazing. No detail was left unattended and everyone was so friendly and easy to work with. It really felt like we not only gained realtors but also new friends. Most importantly, by following their advice, we sold our home in one day and for more than we ever thought we would get. We would highly recommend the Mary and Cathy team to anyone looking to buy or sell a home.

Yes, I would hire them for the future.

We employed Mary and Cathy to sell our home in Fairfax and represent us in purchasing our next home in Burke, both in late summer of 2010. I would recommend their services to anyone. In our case, Mary managed the whole process from beginning to end, and Cathy assessed our house's curb appeal, recommending changes that would sell it and conducting the staging. We first contacted Mary in spring of 2010, during the buyers' tax rebate. My husband and I had second thoughts at the last minute and pulled out just before we listed. When most other realtors would be put off, Mary was very conciliatory and left the door open. We decided in June to go forward, just when the tax rebate ended and the market slowed. Throughout the summer, Mary held several open houses, actively sought feedback from all buyers' agents, and she, Cathy and their staff and contractors helped us tweak the property based on that feedback. Since they own their own staging furnishings and van, rent their own storage and have quick access to movers, it was very convenient to gradually change the furnishings to suit the market. Mary was also very helpful in keeping our costs to a minimum during this process. Mary skillfully managed buyers' interest so that we had two coinciding offers, from which we picked the strongest. Once we were under contract, she ensured that the appraiser had all the information she needed to value the property fairly. Mary then began to send tailored listings to us, tour those of interest and assess their value and fit for us. She has a strong rapport with other agents, both in and out of L&F, and used her network to research specific neighborhoods and homes. We were fortunate to find three properties of interest in our target neighborhood. Mary was endlessly patient and thorough in helping us evaluate the three and negotiating the best deal for us. By the time we were under contract, we had to move very quickly with financing, inspection and appraisal. This is where Mary tapped into her network of reliable inspectors, mortgage brokers and title company. Her assistant, Marsha Slavens, was also extremely helpful in facilitating all the details that kept us on track during this time. On the day of the walk-through and closing for our sale, Mary and her staff went well beyond the call of duty to ensure that the house was move-in ready and the closing went smoothly. They were also thorough in following through with the minor repairs required on the sold home. A smooth closing on our subsequent purchase was icing on the cake. If Mary and Cathy can handle our sale and purchase, they can handle anyone's. They have our hearty endorsement and will be our first choice if and when we sell again.

Mary Hovland is a dedicated professional with a sharp eye for detail and a passion for helping her clients. Her professionalism is matched only by her enthusiasm! As a first time homebuyer, I was completely new to the entire process. Mary was there every step of the way answering my questions and putting my fears to rest. When I got in touch with her about a property, she always responded with several more like it ? my final purchase was one of her finds in the same neighborhood, but for a better price and in a better condition! I can recommend her service without reservation or hesitation, as she is a pleasure to work with and strives to please every step of the way!