Are you thinking about installing solar panels to reduce your carbon footprint, lower your utility bills, or even just to make your home more self-sufficient?  If so, you are not the only one.  A number of current social movements — increased interest in green living practices, and thanks to the economy, a push to spend [...]

After getting a pay raise at my job, I thought it was time to give myself a treat.  For most of my life, we have been scrimping by, and passing up on things that we truly wanted like a nice car and a larger home.  I guess we decided that making the sacrifice of living [...]

You’ve spent all year creating a yard that appeals to the eye. Now that winter is approaching it’s getting dark earlier and earlier. There are fewer hours of the day when people can see the work that you put into the yard. The solution is to add outdoor lighting that highlights the plants and decor [...]

When shopping for a home, one of the things to consider is how much you’ll be paying in HOA (homeowners association) fees.  While some people resent these fees, the fact is that they are usually put to good use.  Some examples of where your HOA fees might go include: Meetings.  If there is food at [...]

One of my best friends and her boyfriend recently bought their first house together.  It is a great starter home — a little older, from the 1950s, but really doesn’t have much in the way of major stuff that needs to be done to it.  It was move in ready, so they were able to [...]