A perfect garden: it’s the staple of a comfortable summer home. Unfortunately, gardening can be tough, and you’re not alone if you don’t quite have the green thumb you wish you did. Luckily, this doesn’t have to stop your summertime garden dreams in their tracks. We’ve got five simple gardening hacks that can make…
DetailsWhile the U.S. housing market hasn’t completed its rebound, most home values have been rising steadily. That’s certainly good news for homeowners! CoreLogic, a leading provider of consume, financial and property information, analytics and services to business and government reports that 91.5% of all mortgaged properties in the U.S. are equity-positive. Across the nation, borrower…
DetailsLiving on the 18th hole of a golf-course community was once considered the epitome of luxury and affluence. But today, some homeowners are putting down the golf clubs to five downwind from a barn instead. This new residential development model is springing up across the U.S. and focuses on modern, luxury living in a comfortable,…
DetailsThis could be the year to tackle the great outdoors—or at least to tackle the back yard and finally put up a deck. As usual, picking up a hammer and barreling out the back door won’t happen immediately. Creating a plan and breaking down the task into steps will undoubtedly work best. A profusion of…
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We’ll call this the maintenance “5-minute”, because you’re probably going to invest more than a minute flat in draining your water heater, but the good news is that you don’t have to drain it completely as your manual may suggest to get most of the benefit from draining the tank. Over time, any type of water…
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Some home sellers seem surprised when a buyer unveils a home inspection report that lists minor, or possibly more serious, repair issues that need to be addressed as part of the sale. When the time comes for negotiation between buyer and seller, haggling over these issues can be difficult—to the point of scuttling the whole…
DetailsIn aggregate, the scientific community has reached a consensus—the earth’s climate is changing. The gradual warming of the planet will have far-reaching effects on all areas of life, including the way we build and live in our homes. There was a time when concerns about generating waste and increasing pollution were non-existent. But today it…
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Why worry about a leaky faucet? In addition to being environmentally costly, a dripping faucet will be economically costly as well, wasting as much as five gallons of water per day. First, try to identify the type of faucet you have and check the manufacturer, website. There are numerous online video tutorials you can view…
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When it comes to maintaining a home, most people think of painting or cleaning moss off the roof. But there are other things around the house that can negatively impact the house too. Here are 6 quick things to look for: Trees. Trees can affect the house in many ways. If in contact with the…
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Often times, just after descending down my ladder from the attic, my clients will ask me, “what do you look for up there?” Here is my list of the most common issues I find in attics all over the Greater Seattle area: Poor Ventilation. This is crucial. It has become more and more apparent to…
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