This is an unprecedented time in the history of American homeownership. “What’s so hot about it?” you may ask.

1. Home prices. According to the Schiller Housing Index (Composite 10 index), home prices peaked in March 2007, and are at the same price levels as in July of 2003. The consumer price index has risen 24% since 2003, which translates into a great bargain when buying a home!

Read more: Strike While the Iron...

There are many great historic homes in the Michiana region, and, while these homes are full of charm and style, if you live in one, you know that oftentimes they could use restoration or renovations to meet your modern needs.

Historic property owners have to often make decisions and considerations that are unique from owners of properties built more recently. Here are some tips to consider as you look to renovate and restore your historic home.

1. Look into Local Laws and Regulations

Read more: Tips for Restoring...

Spring storms aren’t always predictable. You don’t exactly know when you’ll lose power and not be able to cook, keep your refrigerator working, stay comfortable or find your way in the dark. That’s why a lot of homeowners create a backup plan. They make the fairly small investment in a home generator to save themselves a lot of trouble later on.

Have you wondered about getting a generator for your home? If so, how do you decide which one is right for you? And how do you safely operate a generator? These are big questions, and we can help you get started on the answers.

Read more: How to Shine a Little...

Homebuyers will soon be able to organize information about homes they visit, including photos, and share it with friends and their real estate agent through a new iPhone and Web application launched Tuesday (April 10).

iDreamAgent allows users to list information about homes they have visited, upload photos and rank the homes. The app was conceived by West Lafayette entrepreneur Dustin Washington and developed by Purdue Research Park-based DelMar Information Technologies LLC. It can be purchased from the Apple App Store for $4.99.

Read more: iPhone, Web...

National Safe Digging Month is here - a time to remember the importance of calling 811 before starting any digging projects. Did you know that the colors of the paint and flags the 811 locators use indicate what is buried below?

• Red = Electric
  
• Orange = Communications, Telephone/CATV

  Read more: Know What's Below:...

Sometimes you can hear little noises that tell you your home has a concern to address. You know, something like the drip, drip, drip of a faucet that says "fix me." Or the sound of wind that's coming through a crack that should be patched.

Spring is a good time to walk through your home just to "look and listen" to the maintenance issues that cropped up over the winter months. That way you’ll know what needs tending to.

Read more: Is Your Home Trying to...

In this type of work, we see a lot of relieved faces. In weather like this, it’s usually when the heat comes back on after a simple repair. There’s just something about the feel of that warm air on a cold night that lets a homeowner relax and get comfortable again.

But sometimes the relief is about something that has been prevented. That can happen during one of our routine maintenance visits. If we show a homeowner a problem that’s been developing that could lead to a carbon monoxide leak, and then we present a simple solution for making that problem go away, we’re both relieved!

Read more: Reasons to Watch What...