Homeowner Tool Review: Toro Ultra Blower Vac Leaf Blower

Among the many “joys” of home ownership is the never-ending cycle of home maintenance. Since fall is the time when many homeowners find their lawns and driveways buried under a thick layer of brown, red, and gold, I thought it would be worthwhile to post a brief review of the Toro Ultra Blower Vac that […]

Homebuying Tip: Get a Sewer Scope Inspection

So far in this week’s poll more people have indicated a preference for homes built before 1940 than any of the other options. If you’re shopping for older homes, in addition to your regular inspection, you should really get a sewer scope done as well. A sewer scope is exactly what it sounds like. They […]

Pro Tip: LeakFrog to the Rescue

Sorry, no time for a substantive post today. Dealing with a leak a section of my home’s sewer line that runs right under the platform the previous home owner built to hold the water heater. Thankfully, when water started pouring out of a failed joint last night, the LeakFrog I had placed in that area […]

Seattle Population, Kids, & Ownership vs. Top 100 Cities

Some of us were talking a few weeks ago about how important schools are to buyers in the Seattle area relative to other cities and what percentage of families here have children. I decided to pull that data as well as some additional population and home ownership data on each of the 100 largest cities […]

Rethinking Home Ownership / Buyers Get Picky

I may not be able to make a substantive post today, so here are a few national stories of interest that caught my attention in the last couple days. David Wessel, Wall Street Journal: Rethinking Part of the American Dream It’s time to have a serious conversation about the American approach to home ownership and […]