Home and Garden
-
Home & garden calendar, March 3-14Mar 03, 2026 2:17 pm - Upcoming gardening club meetings and events in the Chicago suburbs, covering topics like creating seasonal palettes, permaculture, and more, as well as an auction of dahlia tubers.
-
For the first time since 2022, average US long-term mortgage rate dips below 6%
Feb 26, 2026 3:57 pm - The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate slipped this week below 6% for the first time since late 2022, good news for home shoppers as the spring home-buying season gets rolling. The benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate fell to 5.98% from 6.01% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. One year ago, the rate averaged 6.76%.
-
Condo sale closed without board’s knowledge: Who should pay assessments?Feb 25, 2026 4:54 pm - The closing of a unit in our association occurred without the board’s knowledge. Is the new owner responsible for the prior owner’s unpaid assessments?
-
Study: Sunroom market size to double by 2035Feb 24, 2026 6:37 pm - The market research experts at Business Research Insights report that the three-season sunroom market size is projected to nearly double between 2025 and 2035.
-
Scarification: The simple seed-starting trick that helps tough-coated seeds sprout faster
-
Stop flushing ‘flushable’ wipes
Feb 24, 2026 5:51 pm - It reopens a long-standing question: Are “flushable” wipes actually flushable?
-
Early March is a good time for pruning fruit treesFeb 24, 2026 4:42 pm - Prune fruit trees in our area between late February and early March before the buds begin to swell. The branching habits are easy to see, and the weather is generally more conducive to outdoor work.
-
Home & garden calendar, Feb. 23 to March 7Feb 24, 2026 2:38 pm - Upcoming gardening club meetings and events in the Chicago suburbs, covering topics like the cultural history of birds, Ikebana, designing with color, and more.
-
Owner afraid to get a building permitFeb 24, 2026 10:55 am - A homeowner wants to convert the garage of her 100-year-old house to a bedroom, but is hesitant to apply for a building permit because the property might not be able to meet modern codes.
-
What’s the difference between removing an officer and a board member on an association?Feb 18, 2026 11:17 am - The declaration for our association discusses removal of officers and removal of board members. There are different procedures for both. Isn’t an officer a board member?