GREETINGS! SUMMER IS ALMOST HERE!!!  All the trees, plants, and flowers  have burst into bloom, your tomatoes should already be planted, and it’s time to uncover your patio furniture to get ready for bbq parties.  Did you know that local vegetation develops relationships with soil microbes that help both grow and improve soil quality, and

The weather’s turning and one thing we should all be doing is protecting our homes from possible floods. In previous years, many houses just weren’t prepared for the deluge of rain, so what can homeowners do to make sure they limit damage from flooding and to the exterior of their homes? Joseph Beeby, DIY guru

An inviting open house can put your home on buyers’ short lists. Get ready for your open house — stress-free — by starting early and breaking down your to-do list into manageable chunks. Use this timeline of 35 tips and your house will stand out from the competition on open house day. Four Weeks Before

Still on the fence about becoming a homeowner? While owning a home comes with many responsibilities, its financial and personal benefits can prove it to be one of the best investments you’ll ever make. 1.Tax Breaks One of the greatest perks of becoming a home owner is being able to save a little bit on

You’d be surprised at what your home insurance policy doesn’t cover. Here’s what is and isn’t covered by your insurance. What does your homeowners insurance cover? The short answer is: “A basic homeowners insurance policy (called HO-1 in insurance lingo) covers your home and possessions if they’re damaged or destroyed by these things: Click Here

Buying a fixer upper home can be a nightmare, punctuated by a series of unexpected disasters, or it can be a profitable whopper of a deal. The secrets lie in choosing the right fixer upper home to buy and getting the fixer checked out by a host of specialized inspectors. One of the nice aspects

Attending an open house gives you the perfect opportunity to take a close look at every room in the house–especially the kitchen– to determine right off the bat if the home would be a good investment or not, because generally speaking, the kitchen happens to be one of the most important rooms that is a

Buying a house in 2017 will feel kind of like you’ve jumped onto the subway just as the doors were closing. Your heart’s pounding and you’re winded from the race, but you made it—just in time. OK, so maybe that’s a little exaggerated. But here’s the thing: Interest rates have begun to rise and will

High demand and low interest rates drove housing sales in 2016, and 2017 is shaping up to be another good year, albeit with a few minor caveats. While home prices for starter-to-midrange homes are pushing upward toward pre-recession peaks, especially in secondary markets, they’re stabilizing in higher-priced areas. Prognosticators see the robust markets of Seattle,

If the U.S. economy is to hit escape velocity in 2017, you can expect the real estate sector to serve as its rocket fuel. At its most broadly defined, housing can be counted on to compose 15% of GDP. It hasn’t done that much heavy lifting lately, however. That’s because in the wake of the