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Moving in the right direction
The fact that buyer demand remains strong as more homes come on the market from a combination of existing stock and new housing starts are all strong indicators that both buyers and sellers are continuing to respond to the extreme affordabili…
Need to sell before you buy? 101 reasons to call a Realtor today
Far from just driving buyers around or simply placing for sale signs in yards, the daily routine of a real estate agent involves a great many interactions with current and prospective clients, other agents and brokers, appraisers, attorneys, …
Smart sprinkler controllers
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that more than 3 billion gallons of landscape-irrigation water are wasted every year. With more than 13.5 million landscape irrigation systems currently in use across the US, upgrading th…
Are You Protected?
“The house is gone.” I’ll never forget those words – my father’s initial reaction after Hurricane Wilma tore across the Sunshine State in 2005. Our South Florida home was technically still standing, but we lost eight house windows, two glass …
Raising the energy efficiency bar
Honored as being part of the “energy-efficiency elite” during the 2011 International Builders Show, energy bills for heating and cooling the 1,650-sq-ft “Gem,” a transitional home by Treasure Homes in the Village in Burns Harbor, were estimat…
Indoor air quality: One of the EPA's top 5 environmental risks to public health
When it comes to air sealing and ventilating, new residential building codes are now in place to ensure energy efficiency as well as the comfort of the homeowner. In many existing homes, there can be a number of uncontrolled air leaks that ad…
Horror in the garden: Carnivorous plants take a bite out of pests
With their sweet fragrance and pretty colors, pitcher plants beckon, inviting insects to partake of what must be the most delicious nectar nestled in the depths of the wide open red and green lined mouth. But the slope is slippery and tiny pl…
May 16, 2013 12:00 am PhotosPhotos
At Home: Ground Zero Part Nine — Five offers, two letters, one house
The five offers in 48 hours to buy my parents’ former home bowled me over, especially considering the real estate market we all just barely lived through. But what really did me in were the letters.
Herbal Healer: What is turmeric?
Note: This week's column is dedicated to the memory of Jacquie Demaree, dedicated teacher and avid reader of the Herbal Healer.
To Carol with love: notes on a special daphne
I fell in love with Carol Mackie almost from the day she arrived here. True, she was nothing special to look at early on, but she always had a becoming daintiness.
Right at Home: placemats with panache
The placemat is a favorite at many dinner tables: The often-whimsical plastic version catches the slip of spaghetti from a youngster's fork, while a nice cotton placemat elevates the dining experience just a little without having to set down …
May 15, 2013 12:00 am PhotosPhotos
Exploring the artsy side of 3-D printing
Three-D printing technology is a game changer in the arts and crafts world.
May 15, 2013 12:00 am PhotosPhotos
New blooms, veggies and more debuting for 2013
Whoever believes there's nothing new under the sun hasn't seen the plants being introduced for the 2013 gardening season.
Dean's Landscaping
From the moment he steps onto the worksite, Dean Savarino can see it. As President of Dean’s Lawn & Landscaping, Savarino can quickly visualize how he and his talented team of designers and installers will ultimately transform a tired lan…
Hiking with babies and tots: Trail options grow
Debbie Frazier wants her two children to grow up appreciating the outdoors. So she introduced them to hiking before they could walk.
May 12, 2013 7:11 am PhotosPhotos
Growing a bright future
Homes are located in neighborhoods, which are part of a larger community. Our homes happen to be located in the shadow of the country’s third largest city, along the southern shores of the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume.
Strengthening our local economy
There’s nothing like a recession to hammer home the importance of real estate in our local, state and national economies. A healthy real estate industry is vital to a prosperous US economy and represents a significant annual contribution to l…
Remote control cellular shades
Press a button and up they go. Press another button and down they come.
“Ageless Attraction”
Rising interest rates or steeply escalating prices could dampen this housing market – and so could a wide generation gap.
Ask a Designer: style in a small outdoor space
Design magazines and home decorating catalogs tend to feature sprawling backyards with big wooden decks and room for everything from decorative fountains to artificial ponds.
May 11, 2013 12:00 am PhotosPhotos
5 common myths about solar energy for the home
Solar panels have come along way in recent years. Just ask renewable energy expert Kevin Moore, president of Midwest Wind and Solar.
May 11, 2013 12:00 am PhotosPhotos
Designed with Mom in mind
All professional homebuilders need to coordinate the efforts of a highly skilled team – from architects and engineers to carpenters, plumbers, electricians, painters and landscapers. However, when it comes to the design and function of a home…
May 11, 2013 12:00 am PhotosPhotos
Ways to save water—and money
An American family can use 400 gallons of water per day - and about 30 percent of that is used outdoors.
May 10, 2013 12:00 am PhotosPhotos
Herbal Healer: What is kidney vetch?
Commonly seen growing on top of “green roofs” in Switzerland, kidney vetch carries the nickname “woundwort” owing to its marvelous capacity to heal minor cuts and scrapes. Viewed side by side, this botanical medicine and common clover would a…
Groundbreaking USB charger
Drop zones with benches, lockers and cubbies providing storage and reducing clutter at the most common entry point in homes are getting a new addition – charging stations. Often equipped with Leviton’s USB charging receptacles, some plans inc…
Garden walls can come alive with 'living pictures'
Looking for a fresh way to liven up your garden walls? Think plants, not paintings.
Erba stella is a plantain but not a weed
My friend Bob would shudder if he knew that I planted plantain today.
Look Up: Ceiling height can be as important as square footage in any room
From a design point of view, ceiling height is all about how the proportions of a given room are created, how light (natural and artificial) will be used and, most importantly, how the space is intended to function.
May 04, 2013 12:15 am PhotosPhotos
The future looks bright for green homes
Construction and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) released their first survey on the green homes market.
May 04, 2013 12:00 am PhotosPhotos
As Seen on TV! Ronco kitchen line reaching new generation with new face guiding consumers
"Even when I'm shopping in a store and I see that little 'As seen on TV' sign, I get pulled in," Engel said. "I love the gadgets."
May 04, 2013 12:00 am PhotosPhotos
What’s Your Dream? Dream homes can come in all shapes and sizes.
Whether you envision a tranquil place where you can take refuge after a long day, a place where friends and family are always welcome, a yard that’s perfect for endless hours of playing catch or simply relaxing in the shade, there is one thin…
Herbal Healer: What is carline thistle?
During the Middle Ages the Emperor Charlemagne—Carl the Great to the German tribes—was losing soldiers to a dreadful plague. Folklore has it that an angel gave the ruler this herb, which was named in his honor, to stem the tide of this deadly…
Get the Low Down
No need to feel discouraged if you lack the recommended minimum down payment of 20 percent, experts say. Qualifying for a low down-payment loan can be challenging, but there are more available options than people think.
Short Sale vs. Foreclosure
Short sales are up and foreclosures are down – and that’s good news for banks and homeowners
Summertime bounty: A guide to the region's farmers markets
As spring returns to Northwest Indiana, many farmers markets are in final preparations for their opening festivities.
April 30, 2013 12:00 am PhotosPhotos
Dream of homeownership alive and well
Most people in the US want to continue to own or plan on buying a house, according to Gallup’s annual Economy and Personal Finance survey conducted earlier this month.
Qualify me
Bankers, builders and other stakeholders want to see customers qualify for loans – some are taking a proactive approach
Moving in the right direction
The fact that buyer demand remains strong as more homes come on the market from a combination of existing stock and new housing starts are all…
Need to sell before you buy? 101 reasons to call a Realtor today
Far from just driving buyers around or simply placing for sale signs in yards, the daily routine of a real estate agent involves a great many …
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