February 29th, 2016 at 10:00 am
You’ve probably heard the sarcastic old saying: “A house is just a hole in the ground surrounded by four walls into which you constantly pour money.”
Well, it doesn’t have to be that way if you’re a conscientious homeowner who maintains your property on an ongoing basis. With so many things that need to be inspected, repaired, and replaced over the years, home upkeep can be a bit overwhelming. (more…)
February 23rd, 2016 at 10:00 am
A real estate purchase, especially for first-time buyers, is a significant moment in the owner’s life and the occasion deserves a celebration. It shows friends and family that hard work has paid off and the buyer is now pursuing their own American dream. It’s an achievement many work toward during their adult life. The idea of a housewarming party is not a new one, but it has become a social norm.
If you’ve never attended a housewarming party, you might find yourself at a bit of a loss when the invitation arrives in the mail. After all, housewarming parties follow a slightly different format than other gatherings. For example, when attending a baby shower, it is considered bad etiquette if an attendee shows up without a gift. The host for these types of parties also varies. With a baby shower, the host or party planner is typically an immediate family member, but with a housewarming party, the new homeowners are the ones doing the planning and hosting.
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February 19th, 2016 at 10:00 am
Residents of Southern California all have one thing in common: They live in one of the most beautiful areas in the nation, maybe even the world. Knowing that, it’s easy to assume that all of your friends and relatives are going to want to come visit and stay with you, sometimes for extended periods of time.
Hosting guests should be a fun and relaxing experience for everyone, and although you can’t control how your guests will behave, you can control how memorable their experience will be. Below we’ve created a list of 11 essentials that every guest room should have. (more…)
February 17th, 2016 at 10:00 am
You love that tall, graceful eucalyptus tree in your backyard. But your next-door neighbors don’t. How come?
Its branches hang over your property line, so fallen leaves and limbs sometimes clutter their yard. Its roots have crawled into their backyard as well, posing a potential tripping hazard and breaking up their nice, manicured lawn. High winds and soil saturated by El Niño rains threaten to send the tree crashing through their fence. And speaking of their fence, it looks like it’s about to fall over anyway.
What are you supposed to do when it comes to neighbor etiquette? You don’t want to sue or get sued by a longtime community resident, but you don’t want to spend a fortune on tree repairs, either. And you can’t force your neighbors to prop up the fence. Or can you? (more…)
February 2nd, 2016 at 12:00 pm
Spring cleaning is just around the corner. But why not consider a “winter warmup” for some of those home improvements you might be putting off? While the urge to snuggle up and relax indoors is tough to resist during the cold season, spending some time on winter upgrades can save you time, money, and energy not just in coming months, but potentially for coming years as well.
