2012 July |

Archive for July, 2012

Home improvement spending is expected to go up

The first quarter of 2013 may see double-digit growth in home improvement spending. Brad Tuttle of Time highlights the market conditions that are contributing to the uptick, identified by Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies. Eric S. Belsky, managing director of the … Continue reading →

Mortgage debt forgiveness is on the line

Homeowners who sold their principal residences short or lost them to foreclosure have benefited from the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007. But the law expires at the end of 2012, meaning that those households who experience a short … Continue reading →

Travel smart with your pet

Cesar Millan, expert canine trainer and host of the popular “Dog Whisperer” television series, offers tips on traveling smart with your furry companion. The key, says Millan, is to nurture a sense of balance in your pet, so the two … Continue reading →

Cities vs. suburbs

Mortgage loan rates have fallen again. CNN Money reports that the 30-year mortgage dropped to 3.53% from 3.56% over one week ago, according to Freddie Mac’s weekly report. One year ago, the 30-year fixed rate was 4.52%. The 15-year fixed rate also … Continue reading →

Have we bottomed out?

Has the housing market bottomed out? Most economists surveyed by the Wall Street Journal (44 out of 47) agree that it has. Housing price indexes are moving in a positive direction after the housing bubble burst nearly seven years ago. But the … Continue reading →

Lawns go shaggy-chic!

Tired of mowing, watering, and fertilizing the lawn? Some homeowners are opting for a more natural look that cuts down on maintenance and invites indigent wildlife. Watch this Wall Street Journal’s Lunch Break for tips on growing a shaggy-chic meadow … Continue reading →

List your home the Hollywood way

“The Spider and the Fly” is a short film produced by Hans Zimmer Studios to showcase none other than a multi-million dollar mansion in Malibu. DeeAnna Staats, owner of Staats & Co., hired the Hollywood company to shoot the short, … Continue reading →

To shingle or not to shingle?

The Shingle artchitectural style is singularly American and stands in contrast to the nineteenth-century Victorian houses of the same era. The New England school of architecture reacted against the ornamental Victorian revival styles and created a new design that is … Continue reading →

Irrigation system basics

Rain Bird Corporation explains the basics of the irrigation system common in many household landscapes. Homeowners will gain a new appreciation for their automatic sprinklers when they understand how and why these contraptions spray water, keeping the lawn and plants … Continue reading →