Maintaining Your Lawn Tractor

April 30th, 2010

Click photo to watch video This very informative video looks at the simple do-it-yourself things you can do for keeping your riding mower running properly. Topics include: – preparing your mower for winter storage – taking off and cleaning the cutting deck – inspecting and replacing the belts – draining and replacing the oil and [...]

Filled Under: Home Improvements

Are New Mortgage Rules Costing Canadians More?

April 29th, 2010

New mortgage rules coming into effect this month make it necessary for some home buyers to lock into five year fixed rate mortgages in order to secure the amount they need. Some claim this is forcing them to pay more than they have to. The irony is that the new rules are supposed to protect [...]

Filled Under: Real Estate

Tips on Eliminating Clutter

April 27th, 2010

Buying a bunch of boxes and bins is one of the most common mistakes people make when trying to declutter. At least that’s what the experts quoted in this article about decluttering say: How a Pro Helps Tackle Clutter. According to Laura Leist, president of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), “The most important [...]

Filled Under: Home and Family

Repairing a Toilet Flapper Assembly

April 26th, 2010

Click photo to watch video In this video home improvement consultant Tim Carter takes a phone call from someone whose toilet keeps on running. Tim describes the process of finding and replacing the toilet flapper unit. The flapper valve assembly in your California toilet is the component that opens and blocks the drain hole that [...]

Filled Under: Home Improvements

6 Worst First-Time Buying Errors

April 25th, 2010

According to one adviser the six biggest mistakes made by many first time home buyers are: 1. Not taking care of their credit score. This can make a very significant difference to the interest rate a borrower is charged. 2. Making a big purchase just before or during a mortgage application. This will almost certainly [...]

Filled Under: Real Estate

National Flood Insurance Program Renewed

April 24th, 2010

April 15, 2010 – After letting the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) expire on Mar 28, Congress passed legislation to renew it till May 31, 2010. President Obama signed the legislation into law on April 15. The NFIP provides flood insurance for more than 10,000 communities with homes in floodplains. Many real estate transactions were [...]

Filled Under: Home and Family, Real Estate

Looking for Kitchen Design Tips?

April 23rd, 2010

Quick Design Tips – Does your kitchen need a refresher? Would you like to give it a quick face-lift? Is it high time for a pick-me-up? Here are some inexpensive Kitchen makeover tips for adding a little bit of pizazz. For example, you can make a cafe curtain for your kitchen window by mounting an [...]

Filled Under: Home Improvements, Kitchen

Chinese Drywall Company Loses Court Case

April 21st, 2010

A federal judge in New Orleans has awarded seven plaintiffs in Virginia $2.6 million for damage done by toxic Chinese drywall. The drywall was installed at the height of the housing boom and in the wake of several hurricanes. It was mostly used in damaged homes in Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Virginia. The drywall [...]

Filled Under: Green Tips and Healthy Housing

Creating a Retaining Wall for Your Home

April 20th, 2010

Click photo to watch video Building a garden wall can be a great way to add interest to the exterior of your home. In this video Mike Kraft from Lowe’s explains how to install a stone retainer wall using standard materials available at most home and garden stores. There are lots of varieties of stones [...]

Filled Under: Garden and Landscaping, Home Improvements

Do Major Home Renovation Costs Boost Sale Price?

April 19th, 2010

Home renovation projects almost always cost more than they return in increased home value. According to the NAR (National Association of Realtors) for every $1,000 homeowners spend on reno projects they only get back $638. Here is the average return per $1000 on typical reno projects: – Heavy insulated steel entry door – $1,289 – [...]

Filled Under: Home Renovations