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
Workshops help residents tell life stories
There’s power in telling your story. Last fall, at Brooke Grove Retirement Village in Sandy Spring, Maryland, a group of residents listened to each other’s life stories at an event led by a speaker from the nonprofit Story Tapestries. “People loved the opportunity to share their voice as well as listen,” said Arianna Ross, founder and CEO of Story Tapestries Inc., based in... READ MORE
Baltimore Housing News — April 2023
Getting their goats at Inspirations Memory Care Two pygmy goats were born this winter at Inspirations Memory Care of Westminster, Maryland. More baby goats are on the way this spring at the farm-like six-acre community, which also has alpacas and chickens. Residents can feed, pet and hold the goats. “It’s animal therapy,” explained Christina Green, executive director of regional... READ MORE
When your adult child moves back home
When Amanda Claypool was 28, she left a government contracting job in Washington, D.C., and moved back to her parents’ house in upstate New York while she figured out her next step. Then the pandemic struck, and her temporary return lasted longer than she’d planned. Living with her parents for several months “helped give me more flexibility to pivot to a new career,” said... READ MORE
Are heat pumps or solar panels better?
Solar panels or a heat pump? Both can improve your home’s energy efficiency, reduce your carbon footprint and, crucially, save you money on your energy bills. Heat pumps use electricity to extract heat from the air and pump it into your home. This thermal energy can be used to heat your water supply and keep your home warm. Heat pumps produce so much thermal energy that they can... READ MORE
The role of a geriatric care manager
It can happen in an instant. One day your dad is living on his own, independent and mostly healthy despite advancing age. The next he’s in bed with a broken something, dependent on his grown children, and forced to move into a long-term care facility because you don’t have time to research alternatives. I’m not exaggerating when I say I’ve seen it happen hundreds of times. Dad ... READ MORE
