Name: Christine Stephenson
Company: Weichert, Realtors
Address: 9299 Old Keene Mill Road, Burke, VA 22015
Phone: 703/901-0944
Fax: 703/569-7870
E-mail: buywithchris@gmail.com
Year started: 2008
How did you get started in real estate? Our 14th military move landed us in Springfield, Va., 10 years ago. Any military spouse will tell you that you start looking for the packing boxes after 18 months. When they didn’t show up, I figured the next best thing would be to help those who were doing the moving. My husband suggested real estate. I worked for two years as the office manager/processor in Weichert’s Burke/Fairfax Station office. Getting my license seemed like the next step.
How long with the current company? Two years
Licenses and designations: Licensed in Virginia, Weichert lead specialist, Weichert mentor
Associations: National Association of Realtors, Virginia Association of Realtors, Northern Virginia Association of Realtors
Greatest accomplishment in the past 12 months: Two things come to mind. The first is the celebration of our 25th wedding anniversary this past August. Our children surprised us with a fabulous party. The second would be attaining the real estate goals I had set for myself during my second year in the industry.
Area of specialty: Fairfax County
Highest-priced home sold: mid-$700s
Most memorable house: Every home and every client has a story. One that sticks with me is a town home my clients were purchasing. It was nice, no over-the-top chandeliers or inlaid wood, but it had been home to the sellers and their two daughters for more than 20 years. At settlement, I watched the sellers transform from being a tad reluctant to hand over the keys to optimistic that these strangers could be a younger version of themselves. Perhaps the purchasers would care and appreciate their home the way they had.
Worst experience buying or selling a house: Hands down, it was the sale of my own house. This was years before I had my real estate license. We were stationed at Fort Polk, La., and thought we could save money by selling our home ourselves. What a mistake. It’s not what you know - but what you don’t know. Our home would have been sold to the first people who walked in the door had we had the sense to contract with a Realtor for the transaction.
Age: 48
Family: Husband, Lloyd, and three children, Craig, 22; Lauren, 21; and Colin, 16
Pets: A golden retriever, Sophie
Education: Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Ithaca College, Ithaca, N.Y., 1984
Community affiliations/community service/outside interests: Organized a Weichert team to participate in the American Cancer Society’s first Burke/Springfield Relay for Life, board member at Fox Hunt Swim and Tennis Club. I love Fairfax County Parks and Recreation Centers
Last book read: “The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest” by Stieg Larsson
Last movie seen: “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1”
What kind of car do you drive? Acura TL
Describe your personal dream house: After all the military moves, you’d think I would know exactly what I’d like in my dream home. For me, a dream home is the one where, when you walk in the front door, a sensation of calm, happiness and joy takes over. A sandy beachfront doesn’t hurt, either!
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