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Real Estate Journal
The Eco-Kitchen Challenge Renovating to be green takes more time, research and intestinal fortitude than doing it the regular way. Is a 16-month journey to a new kitchen worth it? Journal reporter Gwendolyn Bounds details her remodeling process.
Can Houses Be Sold Like Art? A restored modernist home in Palm Springs, Calif., fetched $15 million this week at Christie's prestigious evening sales -- a record for a home sold at an art-house auction. But some devotees of midcentury architecture were dismayed. Photos
Fannie, Freddie Called Weak in Capital Base Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's meager capital could pose a significant risk to taxpayers and financial institutions, their regulator said.
Consumers Are Downbeat on Economy Consumer sentiment about the economy hit a 28-year low, while housing starts jumped 8.2% in April on gains in the multifamily category.
Pushing the Envelope on Vegetables Garden centers, catalogs and seed companies are promoting strange, colorful vegetables to intrigue veteran gardeners and inspire a new generation who -- until recently -- hadn't shown much interest in getting their hands in the dirt.
American Girl Founder Puts Houses on Sale Pleasant Rowland, the founder of doll company American Girl, has put both of her houses in Aurora, N.Y., on the market. Former Bear Stearns executive Alvin H. Einbender has listed his apartment…plus more. Photos
Congress Faults Bush on Housing Bill The Bush administration is a surprising wild card in the debate about a housing rescue. Lawmakers say the White House has sent mixed signals about what kind of housing bill it would approve.
Fannie to Scrap Policy Over Down Payments Fannie Mae is expected to announce that it is scrapping a policy requiring higher down payments on home mortgages in areas where house prices are falling.
Will Upgrading Your Home Help You Sell It? The resale value of home improvements in general is sliding, according to experts. In a departure from recent trends, homeowners are getting the best payback from relatively mundane improvements, such as sprucing up the exterior of their house.
Sewer to Spigot: Recycled Water A growing number of cities and counties grappling with water shortages are turning to a solution that may be tough for some homeowners to stomach: purifying wastewater so that residents can drink it.
Credit Frozen: What To Do? Across the U.S., lenders are slashing home equity lines of credit (HELOCs). June Fletcher on what to do if your loan is put on ice.
Home Buyers, Start Your Engines The latest data on the housing market shows that prices are falling at last. If you're thinking of buying, now's the time to look.
Relocation Costs Hit Companies Companies are disclosing sizable bills to cover real-estate losses of transferred senior officers. Qwest lost $1.8 million on its CEO's former home.
Maguire May Be Forced Out Robert Maguire III ended his last-ditch effort to buy the company he founded and is on the verge of being forced out as chairman and CEO.
Consumers Are Downbeat on Economy Consumer sentiment about the economy hit a 28-year low, while housing starts jumped 8.2% in April on gains in the multifamily category.
A Gamble That Went Bust The collapse of ANB, an Arkansas bank that went bust last week in the biggest failure of a brick-and-mortar U.S. bank in more than a decade, is an ominous sign for many banks that gambled on real estate.
Family Feud Upsets Asian Firm A family feud roiling one of the world's largest property developers, Sun Hung Kai Properties, took a fresh turn when its chairman and CEO won a temporary injunction fending off what he called an attempt by his two younger brothers to oust him.
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Giving Ceramic Tile Color That Will Last Q: DEAR TIM: Can you instruct me on how to paint ceramic tile? Money is tight now, and painting the tile is the only thing I can afford. Can you paint old ceramic tile so it won't peel? Is there a special ceramic tile paint?
The Right Plants to Attract Those Winged Works of Art Now is the time to install plants that will attract butterflies so that these beautiful insects can spend the summer visiting flowers, drinking nectar, pollinating plants and adding animation to your garden.
To Earn a Plumbing Permit, Head Back to the Drawing Board Q: DEAR TIM: My city allows homeowners to install their own plumbing. To get the permit, I need to supply a rough-in plumbing diagram. What is a plumbing diagram? Can I just do a bathroom plumbing diagram? All I am doing is adding a bathroom.
For Most Any Day in May, a Way to Garden Better Numerous lectures, workshops, tours and other educational programs are scheduled in May. Many require advance registration, so call ahead. Events are free unless otherwise noted.
The Art and the Science of the Trench Drain Q: DEAR TIM: Do you think a trench drain will solve my soggy yard and the chronic leak in my basement? Many of my neighbors suffered from a recent heavy rainfall, and we all are tired of dealing with water in and around our homes. Will a trench drain really work?
For Tile Matchmakers, Patience Is the Most Important Tool Q: DEAR TIM: I have ceramic floor tile in my kitchen. We removed a wall to open up the floor plan, and now I must replace the cut tiles with full ones to make the ceramic tile floor look perfect. My builder left behind a box of the original tile, so I have the pieces I need.
Moving the Nest IT'S SOMETHING MANY CITY AND SUBURB DWELLERS only dream about: ditching the corporate grind and finally buying that great little gem of a place in the mountains or down on the shore.
Down by the Bay THE TRADITIONAL EASTERN SHORE LANDSCAPE SETTING IS ONE OF HISTORIC GRANDEUR -- the colonial house at the end of the shady drive, terraces dotted with pungent old boxwood. It's all very rooted. But, to my mind, the more interesting gardens in eastern Maryland are the ones that rely on that other g...
Dark Beauty ARTIST JUDY JASHINSKY DID NOT CREATE THE DARKLY MYSTERIOUS AMBIENCE OF HER CAPITOL HILL ROWHOUSE, with its coal-black interior. But she clearly relishes the drama of the stage set.
Paying in Full Upfront Leaves You With Nothing but Hope Q: DEAR TIM: My kitchen cabinet remodel has turned into a disaster. I contracted the job through a national home-center chain, which demanded that I pay in advance for the entire job.
Sellers Turn to Pros to Dress Up Their Homes For sellers, it's a stressful real estate market: Lots of houses are available; buyers look and look, leaving them panicked and their agents frantic.
Stocked Up and Safe at Home Whenever winds knock out the electricity in rural St. Mary's County, the lights stay on and the fridge keeps humming at Jackie St. Clair's waterfront home, thanks to an emergency generator out back.
With 'Katrina Fatigue' Worn Off, Magazines Chronicle a Rebirth Editor Eleanor Griffin worried about "Katrina fatigue" among her readers when she devoted much of her magazine's October edition to New Orleans's comeback, more than two years after the devastating hurricane.
Outdoor Shed Can Answer Your Storage Problems Where do you store your lawn mower, gardening implements and other tools? If the answer is the garage or the basement, odds are that your gear is hard to get to or tough to find when you need it.
For a Secure Steam Room, Sweat the Small Stuff Q: DEAR TIM: I have wanted a steam room in my house for a long time. Are there certain things you must do to ensure that a home steam room will work well? How do you build a steam room that doesn't have any water or water-vapor issues?
In the Lawn Debate, Plenty of Common Ground Healthy turf offers more than a pretty green carpet and playing field. Lawn can protect against erosion, provide oxygen, trap pollution and even slow fire.
Rainmakers of Remodeling When the staff at Professional Remodeler magazine compiled a list of the people who most influenced the remodeling industry, Fred Case, founder of Bethesda-based Case Design/Remodeling, was an obvious choice, said Jonathan Sweet, senior editor at the trade magazine.
Cutting More Than Clutter Which came first, the clutter or the fat? TLC's "Clean Sweep" expert Peter Walsh has the answer -- but don't expect him to mince words in the new book, "Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?" (Free Press). The organizational consultant, satellite radio host and regular on "The Oprah Winfrey Sh...
Clothes Dryer's Vent Inspires Some Inside-Out Thinking Q: DEAR TIM: My husband wants to vent our clothes dryer into our garage to keep our cars warmer in the winter. I think dryer vents should be directed outdoors. Can you settle this debate?
Stray Light Has Sky-Gazers Yearning to Be in the Dark For the environmentally concerned sky-watchers among us, it isn't enough that the world should go green. It should go dark green. As in, "Turn off all the unnecessary lights, please."
When Walls Get in the Way The homes of yesteryear may possess charm that new construction can't match, but the rooms can be a bit small for 42-inch plasma screens and entertain-a-crowd cooking. Often, master baths are tiny, living rooms aren't so great, and galley kitchens seem built for galley slaves.
Home Front Post Home staff editors Annie Groer and Jura Koncius are here to answer your decorating-related questions.
From Piles of Stone, a Colorful Addition to the Landscape BAY SHORE, N.Y. -- In one area of their landscape recycling yard were pile upon pile of mulch, much of it being dyed black, red and brown. In another area were piles of crushed concrete and asphalt. Much of it was, well, doing nothing but piling up.
Tricking the Wind, and Other Tips for Setting Posts Q: DEAR TIM: What is the preferred method to set fence posts? My five-foot-tall, solid-picket privacy fence has had some issues over the past 10 years. The latest problem is posts set in concrete that have snapped.
Tub and Tile Paint WHAT IT IS: A water-resistant specialty paint that can adhere to porcelain and tile.
Bathe Your Walls in Light Sconces, light fixtures attached to the wall midway between floor and ceiling, can serve as primarily functional objects, or they can create a dramatic focal point in a room.
Showpiece House Harnesses Wisdom of the Ancients Does the classical architectural style of ancient Greece and Rome have any relevance for today's homeowners? Did the builders of preindustrial-era houses develop climate-control techniques that could be adapted to today's houses?
In a Quandary Over a Specialized Tool Q: DEAR TIM: A compound miter saw has bubbled to the top of my power-tool wish list. I think I need one to put up some crown molding and wonder if it's necessary. Would it be better to get a sliding compound miter saw?
Get It or Gimmick? ORLANDO Faster. Better. Easier. It's a mantra of the American consumer. With that in mind, many builders at the International Builders' Show in Orlando last week wandered the jammed convention center in search of products that pamper people or simplify life, hoping to get a competitive edge in on...
Renovating Your Home for Resale Selling your home? HGTV's Shane Tallant discusses how to make your home stand out from others on the market.
Home Front Post Home staff editors Annie Groer and Jura Koncius are here to answer your decorating-related questions.
Winter Bedding to Let You Keep the Thermostat Low We may still have plenty of chilly weather ahead, but you can turn down the heat and save on that utility bill if you outfit your bed to keep you toasty for the rest of the winter.
Putting In a Good Word or Two for Sustainable Gardening The green movement has grown dramatically in recent years, creating its own vocabulary to describe a variety of products and practices that purportedly are healthier for people and the environment.
An Escape Ladder WHAT IT IS: A portable ladder that hooks over a window sill, providing a safer means of escape from a fire in a multistory home. Such ladders store under a bed or near a window, and are designed to be quick and easy to use.
Making Home The Hangout When her daughter started high school, Susan Jaquet took a hard look at the basement of her American University Park house.
The Pros and Price of Going Tankless Q: DEAR TIM: I wonder if a tankless water heater is the best thing for a vacation home I am building in Michigan. The house will be vacant from November to April and occupied sporadically the rest of the time.
In Every House, Keys to Fight Climate Change I have devoted many columns to sustainability issues in terms of a single house. But every so often I like to pull back for the truly wide shot. From a global perspective, what is the state of our planet, and how might this affect our housing choices?
A Garden of Blooms You Can Set Your Clock By Most floral clocks are simply outdoor motorized timepieces with ornamental flowers in the shape of a clock. But what if you could coordinate the blooming so that the flowers would open and close at set times of the day? Now that would be an innovative way to tell time.
Temperature Of Water Is Key To Child Safety It was days before the baby girl would turn a year old, and her grandmother was giving her a bath. The phone rang. Grandma took but a minute to answer the call.
Home Front Post Home staff editors Annie Groer and Jura Koncius are here to answer your decorating-related questions.
Are You a Master of Mulch? A Scholar of Sweet Box? Prove It. You've been reading about gardening over the years. Now it's time to see if you've been paying attention, by taking a challenging quiz. There is only one correct answer for each question.
GREEN SCENE QUIZ ANSWERS RATE YOUR KNOWLEDGE: If you had all correct, you could host your own garden show. One to three wrong makes you the neighborhood horticultural guru. Four to six incorrect answers, and you just need more gardening experience. More than six wrong: Call an expert.
Be Warm, but Be Safe A portable electric heater can be an energy-saver, but it can also be a fire or shock hazard if used improperly.
Indoor-Outdoor Cameras Put Security Into Focus Q: DEAR TIM: I travel on business frequently, and my wife wants me to install security cameras in and around our home. Are wireless security cameras the way to go, or should I consider wired ones? Do I have to buy separate outdoor security cameras so I can view certain parts of my yard at night?
Home Front Post Home staff editors Annie Groer and Jura Koncius are here to answer your decorating-related questions.
The Tools and Tricks of the Plumbing Trade Q: DEAR TIM: You may not like this, but I am about to attempt some do-it-yourself plumbing. I have all sorts of plumbing questions, and I need help selecting plumbing tools. What are the most important tools I should buy?
Some Jobs Around the House Are Just Matters of Detail You can find plenty of telephone listings under "Auto Detailing." These firms specialize in making your car look new inside and out. Detailers rigorously clean, burnish, polish and make minor repairs.
Home Front Post Home staff editors Annie Groer and Jura Koncius are here to answer your decorating-related questions.
For Safety and Aesthetics, Call Before You Dig and Plan Before You Plant A garden without its plants is a mass of wires, pipes, steel, plastic, soil, wood and concrete. This tangled network operates your home and garden. Without it, you wouldn't have landscape lighting, irrigation, an outdoor kitchen, a water garden, a deck, a swimming pool or a security system.
A Primer on Primers Q: DEAR TIM: The instructions on the can of paint I am getting ready to use say to use primer on bare wood. Is that necessary? It seems like a waste of time. What are the benefits? I think the paint company just wants another sale.
Crafting a Workable Workbench at Little or No Cost Q DEAR TIM: I need a workbench. After reviewing many plans, I am a little confused. Is there a difference between a garage workbench and a workbench stand? Is there an advantage to making a metal workbench instead of a wooden one? What would you use for the workbench legs?
Energy-Saving Debate: Constant Temperature, Programmed Changes, or Chilly When Vacant? Q: DEAR TIM: My heating bills are going up faster than a jet at an air show. Settle a debate among my fellow employees: Some say it is better to leave the thermostat at the same temperature all the time, as it costs so much to warm a cold house. Others say to use a programmable thermostat.
The Beautiful Surprises of a Garden in Winter One of my greatest pleasures is enjoying a garden in winter. The forms of plants are exposed, and many display handsome habits. You find surprises, like a bloom or beautiful bark.
Home Front Post Home staff editors Annie Groer and Jura Koncius are here to answer your decorating-related questions.
Do You Need an Energy-Waste Sleuth? Robert Whale knew his 1920s Sears Roebuck bungalow wasn't exactly airtight, but he didn't know just how drafty it was until an energy auditor flipped on the switch to a large fan he had placed in the doorway.
Condo Kitchen Conundrum Q: I live in an older, garden-style, one-bedroom condo that was updated before I purchased it in 2004 -- not extravagantly, but new appliances.
The Perfect Garden Path, Step by Step Designing the right pedestrian circulation pattern on your property can enhance your experience in the garden and help plants flourish.
The Tricks to Fitting A Pre-Hung Door Just Right Q: DEAR TIM: I need to know how to install a pre-hung interior door. Is this job as easy as the salesman made it out to be? I am suspicious, as it seems that you need skills. What can you share so that I might have a fighting chance as I wrestle with this?
Drywall Holes Don't Have to Be Headaches Q: DEAR TIM: My testosterone-filled son was practicing some self-defense punches, and now I am left with a drywall repair job. Should I go look at drywall-repair kits, or is there a better way? I can't afford to hire a drywall repair service.
Major Home Remodeling Not Paying Off, Report Finds Homeowners who want the biggest bang for their remodeling buck might want to forget full-blown room remodels and opt for more practical replacement projects that reduce home-maintenance needs, increase energy efficiency or improve curb appeal, according to a recent report.
Home Front Post Home staff editors Annie Groer and Jura Koncius are here to answer your decorating-related questions.
The Right Approach Makes Grout Work Easier Q: DEAR TIM: I need to grout tile before my relatives come over for a holiday party. What type of grout should I use for my ceramic floor tile? Is mixing grout difficult? How much should be mixed at one time?
A Winter Reading List That Plants Seeds of Inspiration Nothing beats curling up with a book in your favorite chair, except maybe being in front of a fireplace, too. Here are my book picks for this year's holiday shopping list:
Nature Helps Build a Backyard Feeding Ground As winter approaches, drying stalks of snakeroot, black-eyed Susans and coneflowers serve as a buffet of tasty snacks to birds visiting Colleen Traylor's yard in Groveland Township, Mich.
Home Front Post Home staff editors Annie Groer and Jura Koncius are here to answer your decorating-related questions.
Contracting? Cover Your Bases. If you are planning to work with a construction or remodeling contractor, there are a number of steps you should take to protect yourself.
Land Clearing Is Best Left to the Experts Q: DEAR TIM: I bought some raw land to build a home, so land clearing is now on my radar. The land has lots of large trees and just a few bushes. I don't know where to start or how to do this. Is clearing land something I should consider doing myself? What equipment would I need?
For Durability and Eye-Catching Patterns, Granite Is a Cut Above Q: DEAR TIM: Granite tile looks as if it would be excellent flooring or a wall treatment. Is granite flooring a good choice, or will it scratch easily? I am thinking of installing granite tile in several places, but I wonder if I can do it successfully.
A Wind From the East Can Bring Harmony to Your Back Yard Gardens can make you feel relaxed or energized, depending on their design. Do you know how to balance the energy flow in your landscape design to ensure that it will be comfortable and harmonious with your surroundings?
Home Front Post Home staff editors Annie Groer and Jura Koncius are here to answer your decorating-related questions.
Out of the Pool and Into the Winter: The Closing Chapter October's warmth extended the swimming season. But cooler weather is here, and it's time to prepare the pool for winter. Here's a refresher course, compiled with help from the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals.
New York Times
They’re All Connected Building residents are organizing on the Internet to chat, air grievances and try to fix problems.
The Sell: After 24 Open Houses ... Dawn and Barry Goldstein spent six and a half months trying to sell their two-bedroom co-op on 56th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues.
Q & A: Lists of Candidates Running for the Board Is there any legal requirement for a co-op in New York to publish a good-faith list of names of people running for the board before the annual meeting?
Big Deal: Celebrating an Aristocrat Some of friends and colleagues of William F. Buckley and his wife, Pat, will have a chance to fill the couple’s Park Avenue salon one last time.
Big Deal: Lost in the Big City A rich felon and his family, perhaps looking to lose themselves in the anonymity of the big city, find a home at the Plaza Hotel.
When We Go, We Always Stop On the long drive to a weekend place, the same grocery, restaurant or gas station is a comforting pull-off that says, “We’re almost there.”
Collateral Foreclosure Damage for Condo Owners As foreclosures mount and contributions to building associations shrink, condo owners find themselves nagging each other to pay their assessments and haggling over chores.
Property Values: What You Get for ...$900,000 A three-bedroom 1890 Victorian in Fernandia Beach, Fla.; a two-bedroom 1800s cabin in Franklin, Tenn.; and a four-bedroom contemporary in Rancho Mirage, Calif.
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