Today's Current News, Opinion & Advice
Your stairs obviously serve a great purpose in providing transport from one floor to another, but that doesn’t mean you have to settle for them only being utilitarian. Perhaps you haven’t considered making changes to this feature of your home—but you may once you see these creative ideas. Paint Them “Can you paint stairs?” The…
Yes, it’s pumpkin season, and that means you’re going to be seeing them everywhere—if you aren’t already. That also means the kids are going to be asking for them constantly—if they aren’t already. This year, skip the traditional carving and embrace some fall decor ideas that will turn your pumpkins into treasures. Paint Them You…
Keeping the house together during the selling process is a challenge. Making sure everything is just right for showings and open houses can be exhausting and overwhelming Throw kids into the mix, and things can get downright chaotic. Fortunately, a few small decor choices can help conceal kid clutter—changing your “for sale” sign to “sold.”…
The District’s 30-year-old Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act, or TOPA, is designed to prevent tenants from being kicked out by landlords planning to sell their properties. It gives renters an opportunity to buy the properties, at least the right of first refusal. In July, the D.C. Council revised the law – exempting most single-family homes,…
There are different types of home loans available that fall into various categories. There are fixed rate loans and adjustable rate loans. Loans for owner occupied properties and loans for rentals. There are loans for a purchase and loans for a refinance. The list is really quite extensive. Two others are construction and permanent loans.…
This morning PPG announced via press release that HGTV’s “Restored by the Fords” interior designer, Leanne Ford, will be partnering with them to create a new color palette aimed to give homeowners confidence in their paint selection. “We all should feel empowered to create a space for ourselves that we love coming home to at…
As Canada’s homeownership rate drops for the first time in 45 years, a new study says those who buy a home are better off financially than those who rent. If you can afford to buy a home, do it. That’s the message from a new study by Mortgage Professionals Canada, which compared the costs of…
A recent forum of the Orange County [California] Association of Realtors® focused on enforcement actions by the California Department of Real Estate (DRE). Chief among the topics was the department’s “cite and fine” policy. The presenter, Ms. Summer Goralik, is a former DRE investigator who now acts as a consultant to brokers on matters relating…
You rely on your chimney being safe. Whether you use your fireplace for wood-burning fires, you have a furnace that vents through your chimney, or you utilize a wood stove or gas insert, your chimney needs to be able to handle heat and sparks without allowing damage to your home. Stone or brick chimneys can…
All eyes are on Hurricane Florence and the ensuing flood this weekend, and if the devastation has you thinking about what you can do to protect yourself should you ever be in the path of a storm—or should you suffer a flood in your home for some other reason—this will help. Many flood safety tips…
You’ve already done the back-to-school thing, Labor Day is over, and you’ve got a bit of time before those Black Friday sales kick in. What’s a mega-shopper to do? Don’t worry. There are plenty of deals to be had right now, if you know what to look for. We’re breaking down the best things to…
There’s no shortage of advice for home buyers. Getting approved for a mortgage or how to keep on top of a credit report is certainly good advice but there should be just as much attention given to those who are selling their home. After all, home sellers also typically turn around and become home buyers.…
Renovating your home? Why not make it a family affair, getting the kids involved in projects that can make them feel included and proud of their work. Not every job is gong to be right for your kids. But there are several tasks they can do with supervision, and a few they might be able…
Can moving to a new city, state, or country make you happier? It certainly has the potential to — a move gives you an opportunity to discover new interests, meet new people, and start a new chapter in your life. While the process itself may seem nerve-wracking or tedious, it can also bring about positive…
Work smarter, not harder. That’s how the saying goes, right? Whether you need an easy entry into Smart Home living or a better answer for the dog hair and dust bunny situation, these items will help you realize that reality. A crumb and dog hair vacuum We were at the hairdresser when we first spotted…
VA loans, for those eligible, are the ideal option when coming to the closing table with as little as possible is a primary goal. VA loans don’t require a down payment whatsoever and one of the few zero-down options in today’s mortgage marketplace. The VA loan program also carries with it an inherent guarantee to…
Computers may make life easier, but they don’t necessarily make things simpler or automatically safer. This is very true for smart home technology or intelligent home automation which aims to combine internet-connected computers with every aspect of home life. According to Digital Journal, “the smart or automated home applies new technology to control and automate…
In last week’s column we emphasized the distinction between ethics as a body of rules and principles and being ethical as a disposition to conform to those rules and principles. We noted that it is certainly possible to teach someone ethics, but it is a different task to lead someone to be ethical — to…
So you’re sitting there on a Saturday morning, watching HGTV and drinking your coffee, when it hits. It’s the urge to paint a room, and it’s not going away. Next thing you know, you’re dipping that brush right into the paint can and slopping that blue hue up on the wall. It’ll all be fine,…
Because you need it for medical reasons. Because you want to become a grower or open a dispensary. Or because you’re simply a fan of getting high. They’re all reasons for moving to states where marijuana is now legal. But there are also a few you may not have thought about, like the fact that,…
Question. We live in a nice community, but every so often someone breaks one of our rules. Sometimes the infraction is minor — such as washing their car on the public street. Other times, the violation is more serious, such as yelling, arguing and even threatening people. The violators may be unit owners or tenants.…
“The mountains are calling, and I must go” is a quote from one of America’s most influential outdoor enthusiasts, John Muir. But did you ever think of doing the same thing? In 2005, my wife and I, along with our two sons, decided to do just that. Many of our friends thought we were nuts.…
WalletHub released two important lists this week, The Best and Worst Places to Raise a Family, and the Best Real Estate Markets, and if you’re looking to move to a new city, you’ll want to pay close attention. Unfortunately, the two lists don’t have a city in common at the top. But where the two…
To achieve effective communications between homeowners and their homeowner association, it is important to understand the authority that belongs to the property management company, the board members individually and the board as a whole. For example, the management company may be able to solve a problem quickly while at other times, management may not have…
