How to make your home senior-friendly

As we age, even a house that has been a home for decades can become an obstacle course or pose unexpected problems.The American Association of Retired Persons suggests these modifications for your home:Vision• Make sure lighting is adequate on exterior . . .

Posted: 2017-02-11

Aging millennials fleeing urban areas

Dowell Meyers, a professor of demography and urban planning at the University of Southern California, recently published an interesting paper concerning millennials and their impact on housing preferences.This age group has crested as it relates to urban or downtown living. . . .

Posted: 2017-02-11

Repair with care to keep buyers interested

Home sellers need to understand that buyers today have access to more information and are more educated and savvy than ever before.As a result, today’s buyers tend to be more cautious. Seeing one small issue with the condition of the . . .

Posted: 2017-02-11

There's no such thing as too much pizza

Question: We had a party and ordered way too much pizza. We do not want to eat pizza for the next three days, any ideas of what we can do with the leftovers?— BeatriceAnswer: Restaurant pizza is a great treat and . . .

Posted: 2017-02-11

Sweet peas made easy

With the right method, these beautiful blossoms aren't so hard to grow

The sweet pea, with flowers reminiscent of a butterfly’s flitting wings, has proven irresistible to gardeners ever since the 17th century when Franciscus Cupani, a Sicilian monk, recorded the original wild sweet pea, Lathyrus odoratus, in 1695.Cupani’s Original is a . . .

Posted: 2017-02-11

A window of opportunity

Long-ignored features can sometimes become pivotal to a redesign

Older homes present many unforeseen challenges during any renovation process.As construction methods and building materials have changed throughout the years, merging old and new may not always be as easy as it seems.This can cause delays and lead to unforeseen . . .

Posted: 2017-02-11

Getting over those cold feet (and floors)

Two readers have the same issue: floor space that won't heat up like the rest of their home

QUESTION: We have a high efficiency furnace, with air intake that terminates on the outside wall under the bedroom floor. The floor is very cold and has produced frost in our closet. I believe it is also affecting the rest . . .

Posted: 2017-02-11

Four AV receivers that sound like a deal

How to get the most out of your home theatre system

So you’ve got the high-definition, wide-screen, 4K video television. But if you want the full home-theatre experience, you need an AV receiver. Here are the four best models we’ve seen in the last year:Sony STR-DN1070CNET rating: ★★★★1/2 out of fiveThe . . .

Posted: 2017-02-11

Shopping on a budget

The Richmond 2 is an affordable, stylish home

Housing options for young couples and empty nesters on tight budgets can be limited. Thus, when a young couple is searching for a move-up home or empty nesters are looking to downsize, the choice often comes down to an older resale . . .

Posted: 2017-02-11

Condo feels like a house

Spacious unit surprises with its functional and efficient floor plan

It’s an intangible quality that some homes have and that, well, others don’t. A 1, 673-square-foot townhome-style condo found tucked away next to wetlands has that quality — pride of ownership — in spades, Royal LePage Dynamic Real Estate’s Lori Hopfner . . .

Posted: 2017-02-11