Autumn Rios

“Built to last” takes on a whole new meaning with these advances in construction materials and techniques.

‘Maintenance-Free’ is Magic to Homeowners’ Ears One of the big advantages to buying a newer home is the use of modern building materials that reduce — and in some cases, completely eliminate — the need for costly home repairs. Check out these advances in building materials and techniques, which are also a great choice for those with older hom...

If you own property with water on or adjacent to it, what are your rights to its use? Here is a quick summary of your water rights as a property owner.

Water Rights for Property Owners Property owners with water geographically connected to their land need to know their legal rights. The water could be a river, lake, the ocean or even the water underground. Types of water. Three basic types of water may have a connection to your property. A watercourse is any lake, river or stream....

DIY disasters. Know your limits and leave the big jobs to the professionals.

When to Hire a Pro to Avoid DIY Disasters Do-it-yourselfers, empowered by YouTube videos and well-produced cable TV shows, have no doubt saved themselves serious money by tackling home-improvement projects. But some jobs are better left to the professionals. A good rule of thumb: If you don’t own most of the necessary equipment or you nee...

From the basement to the attic, here’s a top to bottom look at choices in stairways.

The Ups and Downs of Multiple Staircases In large multi-story houses, more than one staircase may exist. Attic stairs are common and some houses may even have an outside staircase for renters or a back set of steps as an entry to upstairs playrooms. Let’s go exploring up one staircase and down another. A showcase. The main (or only) stai...