Articles filed under Real Estate

Show Articles : next 20

RE/MAX offices donations help Chicago children’s hospital May 13, 2013 12:00 AM
The RE/MAX Northern Illinois real estate network donated $129,000 in 2012 to the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, a Children's Miracle Network Hospital.
Electronic toilet features may bowl you over May 12, 2013 12:00 AM
Q. I'm remodeling my bathroom and plan on installing a new toilet. My question: Do they make a toilet with bidet features?
Old floor tiles need to be removed by professionals May 12, 2013 12:00 AM
Q. I need help with this floor. There is a great hardwood floor under it. However, I don't know if it's safe to go and pull this up — whether it has asbestos in it or not. It is the one-foot-square pieces glued down, and if you do pull it up, what's the best way to get the glue off the floor?
One by one, homes in California subdivision sinking May 11, 2013 12:00 AM
Eight homes are now abandoned and 10 more are under notice of imminent evacuation as a hilltop with sweeping vistas of Clear Lake and the Mount Konocti volcano swallows the subdivision built 30 years ago.
Make room for the walk-in pantry May 11, 2013 12:00 AM
If you're wondering where the best kitchen storage went, blame the breakfast nook. Of course, pantries predate Ikea kitchen options. They date back centuries, according to the Encyclopedia of Food and Culture, which puts culinary history in anthropological context.
Insulating ductwork pays dividends May 11, 2013 12:00 AM
Q. I had a home-energy analysis. The report said my ductwork needs to be repaired upstairs and in the crawl space. It's been recommended that repairs be made with either mastic and tape, or foam, which is more expensive ($2,500). What should I do?
Safety first when choosing a crib May 11, 2013 12:00 AM
Cribs don't come with a guarantee that your baby will sleep soundly through the night, as much as sleep-deprived parents wish they did. Cribs do, however, keep your baby safely contained while she sleeps (or doesn't).
Splurge on kitchen features you can’t live without May 11, 2013 12:00 AM
I have been lucky to have always lived in homes with great kitchens. Even in college, my two roommates and I shared an apartment in Washington, D.C., that had a kitchen with exposed brick walls, a working fireplace, a big old-fashioned enamel stove, a full-size refrigerator with a separate full-size freezer and an amazing picture window that looked out on a fig tree and a distant grapevine-covered wall.
Father can’t take back a $15,000 gift May 11, 2013 12:00 AM
Q. Twelve years ago, my dad, then 80, purchased a condo in Florida for himself and his live-in girlfriend. He paid $30,000 for it. The deed states that in the event of the death of one of them the other inherits the condo.
Who can serve on the association board:? May 11, 2013 12:00 AM
Q. Our condominium association has a rule that states that an owner who is delinquent in the payment of their assessments is not eligible to serve on the board. Is this a valid rule?
How to get the most out of your herb garden May 10, 2013 12:00 AM
Beautiful, delicious, aromatic and self-sufficient, herbs represent a form of perfection in the garden. Culinary herbs are singularly suited to growing in pots and other containers — they love a dry, airy perch.
Super handyman: Protecting your home from water damage May 10, 2013 12:00 AM
We get a lot of questions about problems that often are caused by drainage issues around the outside of your home. So many times, you can do a little inexpensive advance work and prevent a lot of costly damage to your home. Here is some advice.
Home inspector: new homebuyer afraid of gas appliances May 10, 2013 12:00 AM
Q. As a first-time homebuyer, I'm worried about gas appliances. All the houses I've looked at have gas stoves, gas water heaters, and gas furnaces. The house I'm renting has all-electric appliances. I've heard lots of horror stories about safety problems with natural gas — everything from fires to explosions. Are gas appliances safe, or should I stick with electrical ones?
How to make a home relocation easier on pets May 10, 2013 12:00 AM
Many buyers and sellers who struck deals at the start of the prime spring home-buying season are now ready to move. The two-thirds of those who have pets have special concerns.
The rise of ‘pocket listings’ may be costly to sellers May 10, 2013 12:00 AM
How hot is hot when it comes to housing markets across the country right now? Crazy hot: There are growing numbers of houses that sell even before they formally hit the market — sold through a controversial technique known as "pocket listings."
Choosing the right pot to grow herbs May 9, 2013 12:00 AM
A 14-inch-diameter pot is the optimal size for a collection of herbs — large enough to do the job without becoming a major production in weight, cost and soil volume.
Home builders need workers to keep up with demand May 9, 2013 12:00 AM
The resurgent U.S. housing market has sent builders calling again for Richard Vap, who owns a drywall installation company. Vap would love to help. And he would — if he could hire enough qualified people. “There is a shortage of manpower,” says Vap, owner of South Valley Drywall in Littleton, Colo. “We're probably only hiring about 75 or 80 percent of what we actually need.”
Record profit signals healthier Fannie Mae May 9, 2013 12:00 AM
Fannie Mae said something Thursday that would have been unthinkable a few years ago: It earned a record $58.7 billion profit in the January-March quarter.
Ask the plumber: New kitchen sparks ‘Battle of the Bowls’ May 5, 2013 12:00 AM
Q. We're going to remodel our outdated kitchen and plan to install a cast-iron kitchen sink. I want a single-bowl sink that will be open and large for me to work in. My husband wants a double-bowl sink. He says it will be better for the garbage disposer and, later on, for resale value. Can you help us solve this disagreement?
Pair of old furnaces should be replaced soon May 5, 2013 12:00 AM
Q. I have two 23-year-old, 100,000 BTU Carrier natural gas furnaces heating my 2,900-square-foot two-story home in the Chicago area. A few years ago, a service tech said furnace No. 2 has a small crack in the heat exchanger and needed to be monitored for carbon monoxide leakage.