Archive By Section - HOME SCENE
Buying puts money in your pocket in long run even without equity gain
What is the better value: Three bedrooms, one bathroom with 986 square feet of living space for $720 a month or three bedrooms, two bathrooms with 1,012 to 1,296 square feet of living space for $855 a month?
Going green: Energy efficient windows
Now that spring is here, many homeowners are thinking about remodeling projects that will improve the home this season and year-round. Whether you're planning a few do-it-yourself improvements or a major renovation, it's important to think "green." One way to enhance the beauty and comfort of your home while saving on energy is by installing highly energy efficient windows.
Growing vegetables can be easy
Some things bear repeating: Plant vegetables. The tastes of fresh-picked beans, lettuce, and tomatoes, grown from seeds of varieties bred for flavor rather than commercial appeal, will knock your socks off. Not to mention the satisfaction of doing "work" that puts food directly into your belly. Planned correctly, the most basic vegetable garden takes little time or effort. Here's how to plan and plant this most basic garden. LOCATION, LOCATION First, the site. ...
Garden prep 101: Getting ready for season
Outside birds are singing and bits of green are popping up all around. As seasons change from winter to spring, the gardener's mind quickly leaps to growing flowers and produce. Before getting out there and planting, follow these basic garden preparations to get the most out of this growing season.
Sensory gardens: Days of wine & roses
FULTON (AP) - Imagine a garden where melon, peach, apple, lemon, pear and gardenias bloom. Then imagine holding all that in a glass.
Going from cookie cutter to custom
A new home: It's your chance to personalize your living space with details that suit your taste and personality. Or, so you think. Many builders only allow you to choose colors; and offer limited options beyond their builders' grade materials. Or, if you've purchased a previously owned home, it too is most likely equipped with many basic options.
Pros and cons of organic vs. synthetic fertilizers
Another growing season is fast approaching, and before you can seed you must feed. Now is the time to decide whether to use organic or synthetic fertilizers to enrich the soil. They produce similar results but come at it from different directions. Most organic fertilizers are derived from plants and animals. This group includes manure, bone and blood meal, seaweed, compost and minerals. All are rich in nutrients, but must be "cured" or broken down ...
Manteca prices up, SF prices down in 2011
Bay Area housing price trends in the past have been used by real estate agents as a barometer as what is to come in Manteca and the rest of the Northern San Joaquin Valley.
Doors, a forgotten design element
It's a design opportunity that's easily missed: Even the most stylishly decorated rooms often have bland wooden doors with cheap hardware.
Spring’s hot color for homes?
Bright red-pink and bursting with energy, honeysuckle is dominating home decor trends in 2011 as a playful and vibrant alternative to the serene turquoise of 2010.
Going green on your remodel? Try tile
Are you planning an upcoming remodel for your home? Going green and using sustainable building materials continues to be a top trend in home improvement. Remodeling green isn't just about using products with recycled content, it's also about using superior products that will stand the test of time and reduce energy costs.
Different kind of short sale
Short sales - and not bank foreclosures - is where the largest chunk of the action is today in the Manteca housing market.
Tips for cleaning, organizing your garage in time for spring
Garages may have started out as a place to store cars, but gradually they've become a place to store almost everything else, from sports equipment to dog food to holiday decorations.
Tiny houses are catching on
Tiny houses are going mainstream. Just look at the Katrina Cottage, originally designed by architects Andres Duany and Marianne Cusato as a dignified alternative to the FEMA trailer for flood-ravaged New Orleans. The tiny charmers with pitched roofs, nostalgic front porches and 300 to 1,800 square feet are becoming popular elsewhere; Lowe's home stores sell the blueprints and materials. The cottages are being used as affordable housing, guesthouses and vacation cottages. It's part of a ...
If it glows indoors, you can find it outdoors too
A trend toward creating "outdoor rooms" has dramatically increased lighting options for homeowners who want to extend their time outside.
Articles by Section - 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
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.
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.
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.-
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.
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