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Manteca Garden Tour features 6 gardens

Six residential gardens in Manteca will be showcased in the 2013 Manteca Garden Tour which will be held on Saturday, May 11, the day before Mother's Day. The date makes this event a perfect Mother's Day gift for mothers, grandmothers, and sisters who either have green thumbs, have a penchant for gardening, or are simply interested in enjoying a visual feast of lush and colorful private Edens. The tour is the club's only fund-raiser during ...

April 25, 2013 | Rose Albano-Risso | HOME SCENE


Sell your home faster with cost-effective staging tips

Appearances count, especially when you're trying to sell a home. Even though the housing industry experts predict this spring will be a seller's market, it's important to grab every advantage when you're trying to sell your home. Staging - decorating a house to appeal to the broadest possible range of buyers - can make the difference between a quick sale or a long, painful linger on the market.

April 25, 2013 | | HOME SCENE


Fewer California homes heading for foreclosure

SAN DIEGO (AP) - The number of California homes entering the foreclosure process plunged to a more-than-seven-year low this year thanks to rising home prices, an improving economy and new laws designed to protect homeowners, a research firm reported Tuesday.

April 25, 2013 | | HOME SCENE


Manteca condo prices increase slightly, still 75% off market peak

It was the hottest buy in town. The Cherry Lane Condos had just come on the market in September 2006 as the median resale sale home in Manteca hit $410,000. It was just $3,000 away from the market's peak. People were willing pay to $220,000 for 800-quare-foot homes accessed from alleys. That - and the fact there was almost nothing available under $300,000 - made the conversion of the apartments built in 1985 into condos ...

April 25, 2013 | Dennis Wyatt | HOME SCENE


New-homes sales rise 1.5 percent in March to 417K

WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. sales of new homes rose in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 417,000. The increase added to evidence of a sustained housing recovery at the start of the spring buying season.

April 25, 2013 | | HOME SCENE


Add low-cost living space with outdoor room

Adding living space to your home can be an expensive prospect. However, creating an outdoor room is a budget-friendly option that gives you more square footage, as well as additional opportunities to enjoy the season. As an extension of the home, outdoor rooms with decks or pergolas can be personalized to truly bring indoor comforts outside for relaxation and entertaining.

April 25, 2013 | | HOME SCENE


Condo boards eyeing ‘mortgage termination’

DEAR BENNY: I am the president of a large condominium in the Midwest and have just heard about a program called "mortgage termination." It sounds fascinating and very useful for our condo, since we have a number of delinquencies with properties that are underwater. Are you familiar with this and if so, how does it work? --Phyllis

April 25, 2013 | | HOME SCENE


Fast, fabulous fixes to banish a boring bath

The best bathrooms are more than just functional areas - they're sanctuaries where you can escape, reset and recharge. And as one of the smallest and most-used rooms in the home, that's likely why they've become the most popular remodeling project (78 percent), according to the National Association of Home Builders.

April 25, 2013 | | HOME SCENE


Rate on 15-year loan at record-low 2.61 pct.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The average U.S. rate on the 15-year fixed mortgage fell last week to its lowest level on record, making refinancing and home-buying more attractive to those who can qualify.

April 25, 2013 | | HOME SCENE


Easy solutions to backyard problems

For time-stretched gardeners who prefer to enjoy their backyards rather than work in them, several new products make outdoor living easier. Each offers a thoughtful solution to a common outdoor living problem, providing time-saving help to gardeners, gadget geeks and all who love to focus on fun outdoors.-

April 25, 2013 | | HOME SCENE


Sure-grow guidance for 1st-time gardeners

Each year, thousands of first-timers will join the millions of seasoned gardeners who already know the satisfaction of picking a perfect tomato at its peak, serving up salads from greens just grown right outside the back door, or harvesting home-grown peppers and specialty herbs never even seen at the grocery store.

April 25, 2013 | | HOME SCENE


Next generation of Del Webb homes

There is a reason why Del Webb was able to sell almost three out of every 10 new homes in Manteca during the past five years of The Great Recession.

April 18, 2013 | Dennis Wyatt | HOME SCENE


Previously owned home sales highest in more than 3 years

WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. sales of previously occupied homes rose in February to their fastest pace in more than three years, and more people put their homes on the market. The increases suggest a growing number of Americans believe the housing recovery will strengthen.

March 22, 2013 | | HOME SCENE


Rate on 30-year mortgage declines back to 3.54 percent

WASHINGTON (AP) - Average U.S. rates on fixed mortgages fell this week and remained near historic lows, a trend that has supported a recovery in housing.

March 22, 2013 | | HOME SCENE


$500 home improvement tax rebates good for 2013 & retroactively for 2012 energy efficient work

When U.S. lawmakers made a deal to keep the country from going off the "fiscal cliff" at the end of 2012, they reinstated a tax break of up to $500 to help homeowners earn money back for energy efficient home improvements.

March 22, 2013 | | HOME SCENE


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Articles by Section - HOME SCENE


Ellen Paradiso’s 4-season garden is a quiet and peaceful hide-away

Ellen Paradiso's blueberries were bought during a clearance sale at Park Greenhouse nursery in Ripon.

May 16, 2013 | Ryan Balbeuna | HOME SCENE


Buying tips to keep in mind as housing market warms

Ready to buy your first home, or move up to a larger home for your expanding family?

May 16, 2013 | | HOME SCENE


Reserve home mortgage can be good option for many seniors

Do you know that if you are 62 years or older you may be able to buy a house or a condominium using a reverse mortgage? A reverse mortgage allows you to get money from a lender, but you do not have to pay it back (or make any monthly payments) until you sell or die.

May 16, 2013 | | HOME SCENE


Homebuilder confidence rises in May from April

NEW YORK (AP) - Confidence among U.S. homebuilders rebounded this month, reflecting improved sales trends during the spring home-selling season and the strongest outlook for sales over the next six months in more than six years.

May 16, 2013 | | HOME SCENE


Rate on 30-year mortgage fixed loans rises to 3.51 pct.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Average U.S. rates on fixed mortgages rose this week but stayed near their historic lows. Cheaper mortgages have helped the economy by spurring more home-buying and refinancing.

May 16, 2013 | | HOME SCENE


Housing starts fell during April

WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. builders broke ground on fewer homes in April, one month after topping the 1 million mark for the first time since 2008. But most of the decline was in apartment construction, which tends to vary sharply from month to month.

May 16, 2013 | | HOME SCENE


What are pros & cons of buying rental property?

Hello Real Estate Boys: My wife Bambie, and yes she is a dear, recently lost her parents to an accident and we are in the middle of closing out the estate with one of Turlock's wonderful attorneys. I suppose at this point I should say Bambie was an only child and will inherit her parents' entire estate. While the estate is not huge it will give us a very nice sum of cash soon. The ...

May 16, 2013 | | HOME SCENE


Four new-home trends that can work for your remodel

Builders are back in business, and new-home construction is up in areas across the country. So is remodeling, as plenty of Americans choose to stay put and upgrade their current homes rather than tackle the challenge of buying and moving into something new.

May 16, 2013 | | HOME SCENE


Give your home a fresh look with color

A fresh coat of paint can give any room an instant lift, making it a great solution for converting a space from drab to fab.

May 16, 2013 | | HOME SCENE


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