It’s a fair bet that you spend more time in your kitchen than any other room in the house – cooking, eating, socializing; it all goes on in the kitchen.

Far from being just a place to make breakfast or cook the evening meal, your kitchen is now the focal point of your home and the way it looks often makes a statement to others about the place you live and the person you are.

Like the way you dress, your kitchen says a lot about your personality. Bold colors, shiny handles, oak units, natural wood floors – every detail when it comes to designing DIY kitchens is a statement, whether you intend it to be or not. Read more...

Photo from Flikr user tropictraveler

Despite the luxuries of owning a pool and portable hot tub, caring for them can seem like a daunting and exhausting prospect for those who have never taken care of one. In fact, many pool and spa owners would love to delegate all of their maintenance to a professional pool company or technician. Aside from being prohibitively expensive, it can be impractical to have someone handle every aspect of keeping your pool sparkling and ready to use. If you are ready to be a little more self reliant, here are five tips your pool guy won’t tell you. Read more...

If your HVAC unit is not cooling, it could be due to any number of problems. An air conditioning unit – the “AC” in HVAC – is somewhat complicated, and there are a lot of things that can go wrong. If your home cooling system is not cooling as it should, it could be because... Read more...

Home ownership can be one of the most rewarding achievements in life. However, rewards also come with responsibilities that enhance home values and quality of life.

Interior Items

While hopefully you purchased your home after a professional home inspection, pay attention to big-ticket items like heat pumps, air conditioners and hot water heaters. If they don’t work correctly, not only can they leave you hot or cold at the most inopportune times, but also drain money. These major appliances may have passed home inspection, but can lose proper function without warning. Be on the lookout for constantly running heat pumps/air conditioning units, unusual noises and water that does not seem as hot as usual. Read more...

My greatest childhood memories revolve around gatherings we hosted at our house. We were a loud, rambunctious family that always had vigorous discussions in the kitchen. No wonder why kitchens hold such a special place in my heart!

As a busy buyer’s agent, I find that the kitchen seems to be the room that can make or break a house. Today’s buyers scrutinize the flow of the main living area to determine how they would entertain and create memories of their own. They want a smooth, circular and open flow between the kitchen, dining, and living areas. If you have walls dividing these rooms, you might consider opening up some of the wall area to create a more open feeling. Read more...