Share A couple of Senators have been hard at work trying to help struggling home owners. The Responsible Homeowner Refinancing Act of 2012, the landmark bill to help home owners refinance to lower rates, has been redrafted. Senators Robert Menendez and Barbara Boxer propose to lower closing costs, reduce qualification requirements, and even make it…
ShareDo you share your home with other people, especially small children, or pets? You might want to start using natural, safe, organic cleaning products around the house. The cleaning products you typically buy from the store contain harsh, even toxic, chemicals such as bleach or ammonia. They can aggravate allergies, contribute to asthma, and irritate…
ShareMany new landlords are surprised and upset when they discover that after their tenants have moved out, they still need to spend some money on the property before it is ready to be leased again. These folks paid their rent on time and kept the house and yard in good shape, and you were looking forward…
ShareI sold a remodeled home in the Oak Meadow neighborhood that had been on the market for a long time before my buyer purchased it. One of the problems it had was that the fourth bedroom had been turned into a massive walk-in closet for the master bedroom. It became a three-bedroom home in a neighborhood…
ShareRecently I sold a house with carpet in the bedrooms and family room. The tenants who lived there previously apparently had some very heavy furniture. The dents in the carpet were still there, even after the carpet was shampooed and steam-cleaned–twice. It seems there are at least two ways of getting rid of those carpet…
ShareWe’ve all been there. That ominous feeling when you realize the toilet is not reacting the way it’s supposed to. You scurry to the sink to slam on the water faucet to slow down the imminent flood. Then sadly but bravely, you pick up the plunger and prepare to do battle with The Clog. But…
ShareThis home is in one of my favorite neighborhoods in San Antonio: Northwood. And now it has happy new owners! It had been well maintained, but there was carpet over the wood floors and original 50′s tile in the bathrooms. The Florida room was an enclosed patio with another screened patio next to it. They effectively made the kitchen and…
ShareIt hasn’t rained in San Antonio for a while, which means it’s a good time to check out the condition of your roof. Roofing professionals get very busy when it rains, so if your roof needs work, you are more likely to get service during times when they’re not patching leaks. Roofing: Repair or Replace?…
ShareSome people are surprised when they visit San Antonio for the first time to see how many trees we have here. The River City is not in the middle of the desert. Live oaks, pecans, cedar elms, hackberry trees, and many other trees abound. Understory trees such as red buds and mountain laurel are the…
ShareI work with both home buyers and sellers, and I look at a whole lot of houses. I try to keep up with decorating trends in various neighborhoods and price ranges, too, since a couple of my clients are involved in remodeling homes for resale. One trend that is starting to fade away, at least…
