Archive By Section - HOME SCENE
Close cropping is an easy way to gain garden space
Gardeners react no differently than anyone else when times are tough: They tighten spending and try to squeeze more from their budgets. Some turn to close cropping - crowding plants as a cheap and easy way to maximize yields from minimal space.
Homes selling almost 7 times faster than they did back in 2007
There is a 3.4-month supply of available resale homes in the Manteca market based on available property on the Multiple Listing Service.
Tax refund can make home ownership become a reality
K. Hovnanian Homes has initiated a sales promotion urging potential homebuyers to make the most of their tax refunds by applying them toward the purchase of a new K. Hovnanian High Performance Home.
Ayon joins Medallion in Manteca as part of new home sales team
Lory Ayon has joined the sales team at Medallion in Manteca by K. Hovnanian Homes. In the new position, she will utilize her extensive experience in real estate sales and loan origination to assist prospective buyers with their new home purchases.
Navigating a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure
DEAR BENNY: My friend and I would appreciate knowing how to go about initiating a "deed-in-lieu of foreclosure."
Bringing home a 3-D TV? What you should know before you buy
Everyone, it seems, is eager for 3-D. It's a fad that's had its heyday more than once in pop culture, but this time all signs point to 3-D finding staying power in American theaters and homes. If you have any doubt that 3-D is hot, consider the fact that more than 100 movies - from children's animated films to big-budget sci-fi offerings - were released in 3-D in theaters and on DVD in 2009 and ...
Expert tips for choosing the right fountain
Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon spent many years and covered many miles searching for the fabled "fountain of youth." Fortunately, you don't have to go to those lengths to find a special fountain that will transform your backyard into a private oasis. You only need to make a trip to the local garden store.
Updating classic California flat-top
Home Depot for close to a month became my home away from home. It's what happens when you decide to remodel your kitchen, bathroom, laundry room and make other assorted improvements throughout your home all at the same time. The decision to remodel was easy. Just like with buying a home, this is an opportune time to remodel. Contractors - well most anyway - are extremely competitive and reasonable and aren't so buried with work ...
Affordability drops slightly in Manteca housing market
Manteca is bucking the national trend ever so slightly when it comes to housing affordability. Housing affordability did not drop in Manteca during 2010 as it did nationally. It actually went up. Economists determine housing affordability based on the ratio of annual household income to home prices. That made Manteca's affordability index 2.78 in 2010 when the median selling price of an existing home was $185,000. In 2009, the affordability index was 2.68 when the ...
Manteca on pace to sell 1,026 homes during 2011
Manteca is on pace for a fourth straight year of 1,000-plus existing homes exchanging hands. Thirty-two days into 2011, there have been 90 resales that have closed escrow for a daily pace of just over 2.8 homes. If the rate continues there will be 1,026 home sold by year's end. Existing homes sales for the previous three years in Manteca are as follows: •1,193 homes in 2010 with a median selling price of $185,000. •1,211 ...
Classy looks spur steady sales
Union Ranch is a unique neighborhood for many reasons. •It has a loop street pattern serving eventually more than 400 homes. That means no through streets teeming with traffic. •It will back up to the future northerly extension of the Tidewater Bike Way. •Homes are 100 percent owner occupied and there are no distressed properties. •It is one of the first developments doing well enough to get ready to break ground on installing infrastructure for ...
Free classes address credit issues, needs of first-time home buyers
Knowledge is the key to home ownership. Deborah Romero of Ability Mortgage - who has been a mortgage lender since 1997 - noted that people with credit issues, foreclosures, and even bankruptcies can buy homes. All it takes is going through specific steps, and holding a steady course for a year or so or simply just months. At the same time many renters who want to own homes may not realize they could be in ...
Valley Blossom a big hit
Valley Blossom is showcasing the completion of its newest model homes this weekend. The floor plan, standard offerings such as granite kitchen counters, price point, and location have been so popular that 25 homes sold before the models could be finished. Florsheim Homes Chief Executive Officer Joe Anfuso expects sales will kick up even more now that people can see what they are getting in a new home starting at $169,900. As such, Valley Blossom ...
Manteca builder showcasing energy-efficiency
For several years, K. Hovnanian Homes has responded to its customers with higher levels of energy-efficiency and green technology in new homes. The builder has been a proactive force in the industry, pursuing new research, pushing initiatives and educating homeowners about living energy-efficient and earth-friendly lifestyles.
Transfer ownership without tax bite?
DEAR BENNY: If I buy a house outright for my aunt for $459,900 (fair market value), what is the best way for me to transfer ownership to her without tax consequences? I know that the gift tax exclusion is now $13,000. I'm not married and neither is my aunt.
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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