Sensible ways to tackle a home remodel
Spring and summer are kickoff season for many kitchen remodels, bathroom updates and deck repairs. But recent economic turmoil may have homeowners questioning their home improvement plans. Spending on home renovations is expected to slow this year because of factors such as declining home sales and values, rising interest rates, continuing inflation and rumblings of a coming recession,... READ MORE
Quick cash for your home? Not so fast!
The real estate market is hot, and, for those who own a home, you may have received offers or seen advertisements promising to buy it quickly and for cash. Selling a home is time-consuming, and the promise of a quick close is tempting. However, it’s important to understand the difference between selling your home to a traditional buyer and making a deal with a home investor, sometimes... READ MORE
Downsizing a big home is not for sissies
How many towels do I use in a week? How many pots and pans do I really need? I never had to ask these questions until I faced the daunting task of downsizing from my five-bedroom, 3,000-square-foot house to a 1,071-square-foot apartment. The decision to downsize from the home I’d lived in for 57 years, where I’d raised my two children, was agonizing. But when an apartment became... READ MORE
‘Home care’ differs from ‘home healthcare’
"Home care” and “home healthcare” are two terms that are often used interchangeably, but they are very different in what they offer. Learn what senior care services each provides to determine the best fit for your needs. Types of home care services The first step in hiring in-home care services is identifying the differences in a caregiver’s duties and responsibilities between... READ MORE
Products that can make gardening easier
Gardening offers many excellent mental and physical health benefits. First, it’s a healthy form of exercise. At the same time, it boosts your emotional health when you spend time outdoors while tending to your plants’ needs as they grow. Unfortunately, all the bending, extending, kneeling, lifting and other tasks gardening requires can become painful or difficult. If you find... READ MORE
Affordable ways to improve curb appeal
Your home’s first big impression is its curb appeal, so if your place is in need of sprucing up, you may wonder how you can make some updates without breaking the bank. These 10 ideas are easy on budgets, but they can also make a big impact on your home’s exterior image. Paint your front door. As long as your front door is in good condition, there’s no need to replace it... READ MORE
Consider co-buying a house with friends
Seven years ago, Phil Levin and his girlfriend, Kristen Berman, pondered a common question: Should we move in together? Levin assumed they’d take a predictable path and find a more affordable apartment outside of pricey San Francisco. But Berman, a behavioral scientist, shared her reservations about leaving their friend network — and some facts to back up her concern. “All the... READ MORE
DC Housing News — April 2023
New community open in Waldorf In February, a new senior living community opened in Waldorf, Maryland, 45 minutes south of Washington, D.C. Harmony at Waldorf has studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units. The community offers three levels of care: 78 independent living apartments, 67 assisted living units, and 38 memory care rooms. “We have some of the largest floorplans in the... READ MORE
What do independent living sites offer?
You have a dilemma. The home where you raised your children, the place you came home to for 30 years, and the yard you manicured, is now too much to manage. You no longer have the desire to weed the flower bed, lug the vacuum upstairs, and listen to your neighbor’s car stereo booming at night. But maybe the memories of this place stretch your entire adult life. Your kids took their... READ MORE
Volunteers perform needed home repairs
Awad Tanios, a double amputee, did not have an accessible bathroom or shower and could not get to the second floor of his townhouse in Montgomery Village, Maryland, so he slept in his living room. Now, thanks to a nonprofit, Tanios has a customized chair lift to bring him to his second-floor bathroom, where he can access a new shower with his wheelchair. A Maryland retiree was living ... READ MORE