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April 9th, 2015 at 9:00 am

home renovation contest

Do you dream of home improvement projects, room renovations, and how you’d create the perfect kitchen? Would $50,000 help to turn those dreams into a reality? If so, this contest is for you!

We are pleased to announce that Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices is teaming up with the Fixer Upper program to offer viewers a chance to win a $50,000 “Good to Know” prize package including a consultation from Chip & Joanna Gaines, hosts of the HGTV Fixer Upper series. This prize package will go towards one lucky winner’s home improvement/renovation project of their dreams.
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April 2nd, 2015 at 3:00 pm

real estate trends

Home designs are capitalizing on the popularity of in-home suites. Commonly referred to as in-law suites, this home addition is now being occupied by more than one demographic. Most traditionally, an in-law suite was a place for older generations to occupy and be close to family and loved ones. However, now grandparents, boomerang kids, caretakers, and even dual-career homebuyers are seeing the potential that can come with having a segregated living space. According to a 2013 NAR study of buyers, an in-law suite was one of the rooms that buyers were willing to pay the most for, with 20 percent of buyers saying they would be willing to pay a median of $2,920 more.
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April 2nd, 2015 at 11:00 am

Lake Tahoes new look

When you think ski chalet, it’s likely that sleek and modern is not the first thing that comes to mind. Instead, a more rustic, sloped-roof homemade of raw woods and stone is a more common image. All that may be changing now that Apple Store architecture firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson has been commissioned to design an upscale ski community. The new collection of homes, The Stellar Collection, is part of the luxury Mountainside Northstar Lake Tahoe brand.

The firm was asked to think outside the box. The developer did not want a traditional ski chalet, but rather something new and modern. Drawing inspiration from modern Alpine buildings around Europe, BCJ came up with a fresh new design. These homes not only look different on the outside–featuring large windows, simplistic design, and void of embellishments–but the inside is also different. Interiors still feature natural materials, but not in the traditional sense. The home is warm and inviting. Light floods the home and there’s a clean and airy feeling inside. The renderings of both the interior and exterior give off a more urban feel than your traditional skiing community.
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April 2nd, 2015 at 9:00 am

Puppy technology

Wondering if the dog walker you hired really took Fido out on the leash or just sat on the couch watching “Scooby-Doo” reruns? Want a map of where Fluffy is prowling on her nightly scavenges?

These days, pinpointing pets’ whereabouts is easy, whether they’re outdoors or inside. The same GPS tracking technology that lets employers check the locations of their delivery trucks, scientists follow dolphin migration patterns, and vessel operators find shipping containers is available in collar-size, rechargeable electronics.

Pet-tracking methods have been available for some time, including microchip implants that require special readers, tattoos with accompanying collar-notification tag, and collar antennas that transmit to dedicated radio receivers. GPS tracking, though, has taken off in recent years, especially with the rise of smartphones and tablets that let owners track animals on the go.
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March 26th, 2015 at 11:00 am

April gardening

If you followed our March gardening tips, your garden should be almost ready for the upcoming spring planting season. If not, start with our March to-dos before moving on to our April list.

Follow the tips below on what to plant and how to maintain your garden for stunning results this spring.

Assess your garden. Is it ready for planting? Before you put any new plants in the ground, be sure you’ve fully removed all weeds from your garden. If you haven’t, weeds can grow out of control and take over the entire area. Weeds also compete with your new plants for nutrients, water, and sunlight. If you don’t weed your garden, you risk losing many of your plants.

After weeding, place an inch or two of mulch around your annuals or any other plants you intend to keep over the summer. The mulch will help hold in moisture.
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