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Washington Post
96 items
Help for Homeowners Hangs in the Balance
Congress left town for the July 4 recess with a half-baked cake in its legislative oven -- one that has huge potential significance for the housing and mortgage markets. The relief package left unfinished is designed to help hundreds of thousands of homeowners heading for foreclosure, pull buyers...
To Sell to Gen-Y, You Have to Meet Them Online
Despite the housing recession, there are still more than 1.5 million real estate agents in the United States.
A Realization in Fairfax About Traffic and Housing
Affordable-housing problems are a perennial theme of conferences sponsored by state and local governments, professional organizations, and trade associations. Fairfax County, one of America's most affluent jurisdictions, recently came up with a smart variation on that theme for its latest housing...
Anonymity Carries a Price at New Zillow Site
Zillow, a popular real estate Web site, now has a complementary mortgage site where neither lenders nor borrowers pay for the service.
Mailbox: Condo Coercions, Short Shrift on Short Sales and Testing the Bath
My mailbox has been full of comments on recent columns about life in homeowners associations, uncertainty with short sales and deciding how much money to invest in a bathroom.
Chat Plus
Real estate editor Maryann Haggerty and columnist Elizabeth Razzi respond to a question adapted from a recent online chat.
A Garden Haven With a Storied Past
Situated on 32 carefully landscaped acres just off Wisconsin Avenue NW in busy Tenleytown, the McLean Gardens condominium complex is lovely all year, but certain seasons highlight its best qualities.
Storied Historic Homes Suddenly In Dire Straits
HARTFORD, Conn. -- Mark Twain, Edith Wharton and other famous dead people have something in common with many living Americans: Their homes are in jeopardy.
Freshening an Old Listing, and Other Tips for Worried Sellers
"W e live in Baltimore and are trying to sell our house," writes a reader. "My agent tells me that my listing has to be withdrawn from the local multiple listing service for at least six months, otherwise the number of days on market will carry forward from my old listing to a new listing. Our ho...
When Condo Wars Heat Up, Common Sense Can Evaporate
Let me tell you a story about a game of hardball played over a hot, summery weekend. It happened not at Nationals Park but in a well-kept condominium complex in Reston just a few weeks ago.
Chat Plus
Real estate editor Maryann Haggerty and columnist Elizabeth Razzi respond to a question adapted from a recent online chat.
Gardener's Paradise Built for Growing Families
Karen Cepko remembers the day the cows invaded. "One afternoon I had three cows in my back yard, eating my grass," Cepko said. They had wandered in from the farm next door through a hole in the fence. That was shortly after Cepko had moved to Howard County's Holiday Hills subdivision in 1962. Bac...
Out-of-Whack Appraisals Lead to a Dispute Over the Deposit
Q. I recently entered into a contract to buy a house, but the deal went bad because the house did not appraise for the negotiated price.
FHA Calls for an End To Seller-Funded Down-Payment Charities
What's wrong with down-payment "gift" programs in which all or most of a home buyer's equity stake comes from the seller, funneled through a third party? And why is the federal government determined to ban them?
Lessons of Arlington's Urban Development Needn't Be Just History
The phenomenal metamorphosis of Arlington County's Rosslyn-Ballston corridor, among the region's most dramatic real estate transformations, teaches a timely lesson: Successful urban revitalization requires long-range planning and long-range public investment that sparks private investment.
The Bubble
The black-tie party at Washington's swank Mayflower Hotel seemed a fitting celebra tion of the biggest American housing boom since the 1950s: filet mignon and lobster, a champagne room and hundreds of mortgage brokers, real estate agents and their customers gyrating to a Latin band.
Where Short Sales Stumble
Here's what's really happening with short sales: All too often, they fall short of the finish line.
Chat Plus
Real estate editor Maryann Haggerty and columnist Elizabeth Razzi respond to a question adapted from a recent online chat.
Room to Roam, and Float, in Anne Arundel
It did not take Dan Hurston long to get involved in his new neighborhood. Hurston moved about two years ago to Annapolis Landing in Riva and is already vice president of the homeowners association.
Understanding Your Credit History Is the First Step Toward a Higher Score
I have heard from numerous readers who were confused by a recent column on how to clean up your credit history (also known as a credit report) and credit score.
Equity Losses Aren't Felt Evenly
As a homeowner, seller or buyer, what should you make of the Federal Reserve's latest report on Americans' declining home-equity positions?
In the U.K., a Different Standard For Broker Transparency
For perspective on institutional practices, nothing beats seeing how those practices differ elsewhere. Recently, I looked at how mortgage brokers and the lenders they deal with operate in the United Kingdom.
Pouring Cash Into the Bath
Every home seller who's serious about the job knows that scrubbing, de-cluttering, and all manner of primping are mandatory. But how far should you go in making expensive repairs to a bathroom?
Its Name Lacks a 'Park,' but Not Its Vibe
Takoma has had an activist spirit from the start. An early example: Georgia Avenue was a toll road in the neighborhood's early days, and residents built out Piney Branch Road to avoid the payments. In the 1880s, when Takoma Park was founded as a railway suburb of the District, distinctions betwee...
For Modern Whimsy, A Reach Back to Towers and Turrets
In the collection of magazine clips and photographs that Faye Guercio gave her architect for her home renovation, she began to notice an inadvertent recurrence of turrets and towers. It wasn't long before she realized she wanted one, too.
A Chance to Make a Real City Out of Tysons
Tysons Corner presents an extraordinary challenge and opportunity. No longer suburban, Tysons begs to be properly urbanized through visionary planning. Such planning could radically yet constructively transform one of the nation's most unattractive and dysfunctional environments.
Never Pay In Advance To Fix Your Credit
Picture this: You're eager to take advantage of today's troubled real estate market and buy a foreclosed house at a fire-sale price. But you don't have much money for a down payment. And your credit files are scuffed up with late payments.
Overcoming the Noisy, the Dirty And the Just Plain Eerie
W hile I was hosting a radio show recently, a call came in about whether to buy a house that was in foreclosure.
Understanding Insurance, Spotting Predators
Here are some of the questions I get most often from mortgage borrowers:
Chat Plus
Real estate editor Maryann Haggerty and columnist Elizabeth Razzi respond to a question adapted from a recent online chat.
As Disputes Escalate, So Can the Legal Bills
Beware the homeowners association squabble that escalates. Back-fence grousing over parking restrictions, architectural rules or allegations of cronyism can grow into civil war, and homeowners -- the source of all money in the association -- can end up paying big legal bills, no matter which side...
Resting on a Peninsula, With Little Pretense
Cabell P. Bragg seems oblivious to what many would consider his million-dollar view of the Patuxent River.
The General's Gem
The evidence of where the great once lived can come down to some peeling wallpaper in an upstairs room.
It's a Bonus, Not Blackmail
Q Our house has been listed for sale for more than four months. Early on, our real estate agent hosted an open house for real estate agents and brokers. At this meeting, someone suggested to our agent that we offer a bonus to the selling agent. Afterward, our agent pushed this idea, saying that t...
A New Way to Tackle Foreclosures
Over the past several weeks, I have discussed a proposal for a new type of mortgage insurance called mortgage payment insurance.
Slim Pickings for Buyers Without Cash for a Down Payment
M ortgage loans that allowed you to buy without a down payment were a fast ticket to homeownership for many first-time buyers over the past decade.
An Alarm System For Inaccurate Credit Scores
When you're quoted a higher interest rate than you deserve because of information in your credit file, wouldn't you appreciate it if someone red-flagged it for you?
Water Everywhere, and Yet Home Prices Shrink
An ebbing tide lowers all boats, at least if you take the analogy to water-related real estate. Lower prices and longer times on the market mean it's easier for boating enthusiasts to find a home that puts them closer to casting off from shore.
Chat Plus
Real estate editor Maryann Haggerty and columnist Elizabeth Razzi respond to a question adapted from a recent online chat.
Born of Need, Shaped by Nurturing
In the midst of the Great Depression, 5,700 families applied to live in 885 Prince George's County townhouses and apartments built to make work for unemployed men.
Don't Overlook the Kitchen Exhaust
Q: DEAR TIM: The plans for my new kitchen call for a range hood exhaust fan . Is one fan more effective than another? Years ago, the downdraft exhaust fans were popular. What kind of fan is in your kitchen? How do I make sure the one I select will adequately ventilate my kitchen?
When an Appraisal Just Doesn't Add Up
Q: I applied to refinance my mortgage and was told that I would have to have a current appraisal. The lender contacted an appraiser to schedule a time. I paid the lender $349 upfront, which was charged to my credit card.
A Look Into the Past, at a Man Who Helped Build the Future
The National Building Museum's exhibition about Eero Saarinen presents an inspiring account of the Finnish-American architect and his memorable portfolio of modern buildings and furniture.
For First-Time Buyers, Tempting Prices but Tougher Rules
If you're a first-time home buyer, you'll find it a little harder to qualify for a mortgage than your counterpart did two years ago.
Looser Credit on the Way In 'Declining' Markets?
Could the mortgage industry scrap its controversial practice of listing hundreds of local real estate markets as "declining" -- and restricting lending there through higher down payments or credit scores?
The Hurdles on the Way to a Better Insurance
In my last several columns, I have discussed a proposal for a new type of mortgage insurance that I think would help solve many of the problems with the current mortgage system.
Real Estate Calendar
Here are some events that builders and developers have scheduled for would-be home buyers in the coming weeks. All are free and open to the public.
Drawing Attention Away From a Tiny Back Yard
Mary O'Connor hasn't had much trouble getting prospective buyers to hop out and check out her four-bedroom, 2 1/2 -bath home in Leesburg.
4 percent were afraid of the contractor's germs 30 percent said while fixing one thing, the contractor broke another
Contractors From Heaven . . . or Hell
Contractors From Heaven ... or Hell
3 percent said a contractor asked them out on a date 2 percent said the contractor took a nap on their bed or couch
Chat Plus
Real estate editor Maryann Haggerty and columnist Elizabeth Razzi respond to a question adapted from a recent online chat.
Getting Easier to Get Big Loans
The gears of the mortgage market are starting to unlock for borrowers needing big loans. In expensive markets such as Washington, that covers most people looking to refinance or move up from an entry-level home.
Twentysomething, College-Educated And Moving Back In
When Melissa Jenkins received her college diploma last year, she was ready to get on with life -- and move in with her parents.
No Cookie-Cutter Community: Bayberry Believes In Dirt, Difference
Coming home to Bayberry is like "going to sleep-away camp," resident Elliot Nudell said of the pocket of 57 homes perched on the south shore of the Magothy River in Anne Arundel County.
At FHA, a Surprising Result Underpins a Big Change
DALLAS Who have better credit scores on average -- home buyers with higher or lower incomes? Inside the country's fastest-growing home-mortgage program, the surprising answer is: People with lower incomes have slightly higher FICO scores. That finding, which emerged from a statistical analysis of...
Housing Industry Adapts to Not-So-Retiring Baby Boomers
Are you a baby boomer? Statisticians consider anyone born from 1946 to 1964 to be one.
Profiles in Tenacity: Short-Sale Buyers
Laurel Wittman and her husband, Eduardo Lopes, are examples of a rare species: successful short-sale buyers.
Shreds, Reds and Stony Beds
Properly applied mulch can help retain moisture in the soil, suppress weeds and control soil temperature.
Second Mortgage
· A mortgage with a lien position subordinate to the first mortgage. That means if the borrower defaults and the house is foreclosed upon, the second-lien holder will be paid from what's left after the first-lien holder gets its money.
Real estate editor Maryann Haggerty and columnist Elizabeth Razzi respond to a question adapted from a recent online chat.
A Southeast Spot Blossoming With Charm
The fact that Hillcrest is a front-porch-sitting, dog-walking, back-fence-chatting, heavily voting community is not that unusual in this area.
Hang Tight -- It Can't Be This Bad Forever
I'll admit it: When home prices were soaring in my neighborhood, it made me feel really smart.
Appraisal Changes Face Resistance
A legal brawl is breaking out over how homes are appraised, at what cost and by whom. The outcome could directly affect how much you pay for your next piece of real estate and how much money you can borrow.
Missed Potential Along the Potomac
The nation's capital is proud of its miles of wonderful waterfront parks. For locals and tourists, waterfront cafes can be just as wonderful.
A New System to Prepare for the Next Crisis
Last week, I discussed what I see as a serious weakness in the way the mortgage system deals with default risk. Essentially, interest rate risk premiums collected from borrowers that are not needed to meet current losses are paid as income to investors and not reserved to meet future losses.
A Widening Divide Over Lost Deposits
Today, we take another spin through the e-mail inbox. A recent column about what happens to deposits when buyers back out of a new-home purchase drew the most response.
Count to Five Before You Send the Last Check
Many people look forward to the day they own their homes free and clear. But gathering the money to pay off the mortgage is only part of the process. It's also important to make sure all the paperwork is in order.
Letter From a Reader
The Eco Wise column in the April 6 Sunday Source ( "Mattress Eco-Matters: Don't Take It Lying Down" ) leaves the false impression that to avoid exposure to allegedly hazardous fire-retardant materials, readers may be better off not buying a new mattress, which must meet a rigorous flammability...
Submitting Applications to Multiple Mortgage Lenders
Q Hyattsville: Every advice source suggests doing of plenty of homework before selecting a mortgage lender. Does this "homework" include actually submitting preapproval applications? In other words, is it common practice to submit more than one application, to see which rates come back, or is this...
'Not Quite Dupont' to Some; an Inspiration to Many
Matthew Nguyen, 34, and Sergio Quintana, 32, had been house-hunting in the District for more than a year before they learned the name of their new favorite neighborhood.
If You Can't Sell the Home, Why Not Remodel?
To sell a home in many parts of the country, sellers need to outshine the competition, must be willing to negotiate on price and have to be prepared for months on the market. It's enough to make some sellers sit this season out, waiting for conditions to improve.
Restrictions Are the Rule For All Sorts of Once-Easy Credit
Like a spreading infection, restrictions on credit are moving into new and more specialized niches of the mortgage market.
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.
In California, Building a Town With a Gentle Footprint
Can a new house reduce your ecological footprint? An ecological footprint is a way of quantifying human impact on the earth. The originator of the concept, environmentalist Mathis Wackernagel, sees it as a way to help average people wrap their brains around an overwhelming amount of data. Wackern...
At the Heart of the Chaos, A Poor Way to Manage Risk
The housing finance system, while still functioning, is in a crisis. Interest rate risk premiums -- the rate increment on mortgages classified as riskier -- are two to four times as large as they were two years ago. Day-to-day rate volatility, which can cause havoc in the relationships between bo...
As Swimming Season Nears, Study the New Safety Rules
Does your community association have a swimming pool or hot tub? If so, you should be aware of a law that requires new safety measures.
For Loan Seekers, Preparation Is More Important Than Ever
One of the reasons many subprime loans have failed is because of weak underwriting, a new study suggests.
Real Estate Calendar
Here are some events that builders and developers have scheduled for would-be home buyers in the coming weeks. All are free and open to the public.
Brokerage Barons See Washington Making a Slow Recovery
With hope of gaining perspective on the Washington-area housing market, I recently asked two deans of the brokerage business, John McEnearney, 81, founder of McEnearney Associates, and P. Wesley Foster Jr., 74, founder of Long & Foster Real Estate, to chat over lunch.
Chat Plus
Real estate editor Maryann Haggerty and columnist Elizabeth Razzi respond to a question adapted from a recent online chat.
The Right Plants Can Help You Get the Right Price
When Albert Fox bought his 1940s Cape Cod in South Arlington in 2004, he inherited "a high-maintenance English garden." In an attempt to ratchet down the work needed on his 8,000-square-foot lot, two years ago he replaced those beds with daffodils and daylilies -- and not much else.
Bethesda Enclave Built for Gardeners, Social Butterflies
In 2001, Paul and Laurie Wilner left what they described as a "typical Colonial on three-quarters of an acre near Great Falls" for a community of 104 contemporary houses without lawns or basements two miles from downtown Bethesda.
'Declining Markets' and Self-Fulfilling Prophecies
Could designations of Zip codes, metropolitan areas and entire states as "declining markets" hinder a real estate recovery and hurt minority groups and moderate-income buyers disproportionately? Growing ranks of critics say yes.
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?
Barriers to Reducing Needless Foreclosures
Needless foreclosures are happening all around us. Note that I am using a coldblooded business definition of "needless foreclosure," not a bleeding-heart one. Under my definition, if it costs the holder of the loan more to foreclose on a mortgage than to make it viable, it is a needless foreclosu...
The Hard Work of Finding a Good Match for a Mortgage Lender
I 've received many e-mails lately from home buyers worried about finding a good lender.
Safeguarding Parents' Wishes for a Property Partnership
Q: My parents, who are in their eighties, own a small apartment building with my brother and his wife. They hold title as joint tenants with right of survivorship. When the property was bought, they agreed that this would be a 50-50 partnership.
An Underlying Problem: What's Below Our Cars and Feet
A crisis looms. America's infrastructure is in terrible shape, performs badly and is destined to fail more often. Neglect, lack of political will, bureaucratic myopia and woefully inadequate funding are the primary causes.
Real Estate Calendar
Here are some events that builders and developers have scheduled for would-be home buyers in the coming weeks. All are free and open to the public.
Stagnant Market Has Ups, Downs Across Region
The District far outshone its suburban neighbors in housing prices in 2007.
Bucking the Trend, Md. House Prices Edge Up
Unlike their neighbors across the Potomac, home sellers in the Maryland suburbs saw the value of their properties rise in 2007, if only by a smidgen.
Falling House Prices Take Toll in Va. Suburbs
Housing prices declined across Northern Virginia last year, with the outer suburbs leading the drop.
Friendly and Sophisticated, Virginia's Inner Suburbs Offer Tastes of Mayberry and Manhattan
In the 1980s, the area of South Arlington called Shirlington was an I-395 off-ramp with no draw to speak of. But by the '90s, Shirlington Village started to turn into an oasis of nice restaurants to serve the condo communities of Fairlington, Parkfairfax and others. Slowly, Shirlington began to lure...
If You Walk Away, Expect to Pay
If you thought buying a new home was expensive, wait until you see how much it costs you to back out of the deal.
Beyond the Tyranny of White and Flat
Whether simple or ornate, ceilings can have a big impact on how people perceive a room.
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Washington Post
108 items
Help for Your Hands, Feet and Plants
Good footwear, gloves, tools, irrigation and plant-enhancing materials can make gardening safer and more enjoyable. Here are some new products that my associates and I have tested recently.
Do-It-Yourself
Q: I have a wood deck that I have stained twice in six years with semitransparent stain. The second time was a disaster. The stain is peeling and chipping. Both times, I cleaned and power-washed the deck before staining. I can't remember the brand of stain I used. What could cause this?
The Anxiety and Mystery Of Architect Fees
Most people have no clue how much it costs to hire an architect, and with good reason. The way most architects charge for their services is confusing.
Tapping Your Garage's Hidden Storage Space
Q: DEAR TIM: I think overhead garage storage is the answer to my clutter problem. There is a giant empty space over the hood of both cars in our wide garage. I need a do-it-yourself garage-storage system that will support furniture, boxes and other household items.
Prof. Lerner's Reading List For Garden Design 101
When it's time to rest from weeding and watering, consider some books on landscaping that will educate you about planting techniques, what to install and how to design.
Keep an Eye Out -- the Perfect Plants for Your Garden Are Nearby
Every gardener wants plants that perform well, that are hardy, pest-resistant and long-lived, as well as aesthetically pleasing. But how do you find such stars?
Tall Cabinets, Thoughtful Layout Can Help Keep Laundry Room Clean
Q DEAR TIM: It is time for new laundry room cabinets at my home, but after looking at several designs, I have decided that my current laundry room layout is bad. I don't want to order new cabinets until I am sure the floor plan will work. What is involved in remodeling a laundry room? Do you have...
Stay Safe, Even as the Temperature Rises
When working on your house in hot weather, take these precautions to protect your health and get better results.
Making the Connection Between Your Home and Your Planet
Even though two-thirds of Americans now accept that global warming is a serious issue, the cause hasn't yet hit home for many.
After Spring Rains, It's Summer Chores That Keep Your Garden Lush
After plenty of spring rain, gardens are growing lushly again, a contrast with last summer's drought. So it's time to get back to normal garden management activities.
Drawing Up a Screened Porch That Isn't Just a Mutated Deck
Q: DEAR TIM: The next project at my home is a screened porch. I have looked at many plans, but none of them really excite me. But after looking at some pictures, I have some good ideas about what I want in my design.
Home Front: Jura vs. Ants, plus Pink Paint, Sudsy Washer, DIY Caulking and more
Post Home Section staffers Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza help with your decorating dilemmas.
Well-Built Walls Can Hold Back Forces of Nature
Q: DEAR TIM: Can you tell me how to build a retaining wall? Are retaining wall blocks a good choice? What critical things do I need to know so that I don't have a collapse or other failure in the years to come? I have access to lots of large stones. Can I just stack them to make a retaining wall ...
Relaxation, in Rotation
Many people can't imagine traveling to a summer house every weekend. But every third weekend? That seemed about right for Maureen and Larry Miller.
Assessing the Health of Trees, Preventing Lyme Disease and Attracting Butterflies
In the height of our growing season, your questions abound.
Home Front: Wet Basements, Finding a Mover, Housekeeping Help and Welcome Terri!
Post Home Section staffers Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza help with your decorating dilemmas.
An Enduring Look for an Enduring Patio
Q DEAR TIM: I have decided to use patio pavers to build a nice outdoor space. Installing them seems easy enough, but I don't want to make a mistake. Can you tell me how to install them? What should I be concerned about if I want a patio that looks good and is as low-maintenance as possible?
Keeping Ticks Where They Belong -- Away From Humans
Lyme disease is a concern for gardeners and anyone else who spends time outdoors.
A Solution to the Particleboard Problem?
Particleboard has made veneered wood furniture, cabinetry and hardwood wall paneling affordable, although it's probably almost invisible in your home. Nonetheless, it's still a subject of controversy because of its health and environmental effects.
Under Attack
A brigade of teeny brown ants scaled the wall, shot across the kitchen counter and stormed the fireplace at the Montgomery County home of Debbie Samartzis.
Even After Heavy Rain, Trees May Need Help Surviving Drought
The drought is officially over, but its effects might continue for our area's trees.
Don't Overlook the Kitchen Exhaust
Q: DEAR TIM: The plans for my new kitchen call for a range hood exhaust fan . Is one fan more effective than another? Years ago, the downdraft exhaust fans were popular. What kind of fan is in your kitchen? How do I make sure the one I select will adequately ventilate my kitchen?
Building a Better Wood Than Mother Nature
I recently asked several builders, "Which building product with recycled content gives the biggest bang for the buck?"
In Planning a Shed, Form -- and Everything Else -- Follows Function
Q: DEAR TIM: I need storage-shed plans because the clutter in my garage has become unbearable. What should I be looking for? Is it necessary to have detailed plans if I am going to do the work myself?
How Does Your Garden Grow?
Here are a few of my top do-it-yourself gardening guidelines:
Late Spring Answers on Tulips and Training, Butterflies and Begonias
Washington's growing season is in full swing. Q: My wife loves tulips. Is it true they only last one to two seasons? Are there any species that come back every year?
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.
In Every Garden, Fertile Ground for Fitness
Physical fitness might not be the main reason avid gardeners till, plant and weed, but regular gardening can help keep you fit.
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.
Home Front: Refinishing Furniture, Front Door Colors, and Furniture Delivery Fees
Post Home staff editors Annie Groer and Jura Koncius are here to answer your decorating-related questions.
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.
You Can Load Up With Quiet but It'll Cost
When it comes to dishwashers, silence ranks right up there with cleanliness.
Recommended Reading, and Viewing, for Garden Lovers
Here are my picks for landscape-related reading this spring, as well as a couple of DVDs.
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.
Home Front: Spring Cleaning, Curb Appeal, and Bathroom Vanities
Post Home staff editors Annie Groer and Jura Koncius are here to answer your decorating-related questions.
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.
Falling Berries, Doggy Patches and Heavenly Bamboo: Time for Early Spring Queries
It's time for your early spring gardening questions.
Wary of Waning Power Supplies, Eco-Minded Architects Build a Better Box
Dennis Meadows has long argued that the world's resources are limited and its environment stressed.
For Many Bits Of Old Stuff, a Useful New Life
Spring cleaning doesn't have to mean bag after bag of garbage.
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.
Home Front: Glass-topped Tables, Textured Paint, AeroBeds and Leftover Glass Vases
Post Home staff editors Annie Groer and Jura Koncius are here to answer your decorating-related questions.
The Good, the Bad and the Untidy: Thoughts on Early Spring
With spring upon us, many plants are already in full bloom and will soon require attention.
Makers of Housewares Ready to Put a Lot of Color Into Kitchens
It was cold and gray outside Chicago's McCormick Place convention center last week. But you wouldn't know it from all the color inside.
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.
Home Front: Pet Hair, Painting Furniture, and Lampshades
Post Home staff editors Annie Groer and Jura Koncius are here to answer your decorating-related questions.
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?
A Backdrop for Life: An Iconic Home's Lesson in Architectural Humility
Last month I visited a renowned house, the home of Charles and Ray Eames, in Pacific Palisades, Calif.
Toward a Peaceful, Healthy Coexistence of Plants and Dogs
Those who love both their dogs and their gardens often seek ways to protect their plants from the stress of daily dog traffic.
As the Market Turns: Real Estate TV Still Has Stories to Sell
The real estate market may have cooled considerably, but not real estate television.
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.
Five Questions to Pose to Get the Landscape You Want
Landscaping can greatly influence your enjoyment of a property -- not to mention how much time and money you will spend taking care of it.
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 Ad |
