Oscar Calle, Realtor

Paint is not one-size-fits-all. Here’s a primer on how to choose the best paint for staging your home.

Brush Up on How to Pick the Best Paint For Your Project How do you go about picking the best paint for your home project? Choosing the right color is a good first step but the type of paint you use and the sheen are also crucial to a successful project. Let’s get started. Latex paints are a water-based, consumer-friendly option. They are easy to apply ...

When an aging loved one begins to need daily help, a move to an assisted living facility may be the answer. Here’s a brief overview for family members.

Assisted Living Facilities Provide Extra Help for Seniors When seniors first show signs of needing help with medical and daily personal care, it’s time to consider moving to a community that provides what’s known as assisted living. When you need a hand. Once capable of living alone, seniors who begin having health issues may find they need a little ex...

September 11 is designated as Patriot Day, when we remember the victims of the terror attacks of 2001. When and for what purpose is the similarly named Patriots’ Day observed in the United States?

Patriot Day: Remembering 9/11 Since 1775, some of the New England states have marked the third Monday in April as Patriots’ Day in honor of the Battle of Lexington and Concord that marked the beginning of the American War of Independence from Great Britain.The new holiday began immediately following the terrorist attacks on Se...

Your monthly cable bill includes a rental fee for the modem and router. Can you ditch that cost by supplying your own devices? Let’s explore that option.

Homeowner’s Guide to Modems and Routers When consumers sign up for internet service, they’re faced with a barrage of choices and questions. While you’ve probably heard words such as modem and router, do you actually know what they do and the differences between them. Here’s a quick internet primer and a few tips on how to choose wha...

Getting approved for a mortgage is much more difficult than in the years before the 2008 crash -- and that’s a good thing. Here’s an overview of reforms designed to protect consumers like you.

What Exactly is the Dodd-Frank Act and How Does It Help Consumers? The financial crisis of 2008 started with shoddy mortgage-lending practices. Congress answered this problem with the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act, which was designed, among other things, to tighten mortgage lending standards and disclosures, keeping consumers better informed and curbing predatory lending pra...

Dark and ornate have given way to bright and simple. Here are six of the latest trends in home design.

Lighter, Brighter and Simpler are Today’s Buzzwords in Home Design With homes trending smaller, today’s houses are being built with cleaner lines and styles to emphasize the open concept. Detailed trim work and dark stains are out; light colors and simpler styles are in. Let’s look at six of the latest trends. Cabinets. Painted cabinets in bright colors with st...

Apartment living means close quarters. Here’s a survival guide to keeping the peace.

Six Steps to Peaceful Apartment Living Apartment life, by definition, means you’re living in close quarters -- literally on top of one another in most instances. Needless to say, getting along with your neighbors is a must. Here are six things you can do to promote harmony. Get to know your neighbors. It’s much easier to get along wi...

Smart Technology is just a few swipes away with this guide.

The Home of the Future Is Available Today Thanks to the latest in “smart device” technology, and three technology giants, it’s possible to turn your house into a home of the future. Amazon, Apple and Google offer competing technology -- known in the marketplace as “voice-activated assistants” -- that will control your home thermos...

In 1882, labor unions organized a parade to promote workers rights, which led to the beginning of the Labor Day holiday. Today, which profession has the largest number of unionized members?

Labor Day: Celebrating the American Worker The National Education Association, the union for teachers and school administrators, is the largest union with more than three million members. In 1894 President Grover Cleveland signed the law making the first Monday of September the federally recognized holiday known as Labor Day.

Buying a home with dated hardwoods? Here's how to give a new look to those old floors.

Taking a Hard Look at Your Hardwood Floors Hardwood floors add warmth and depth to your home, and they certainly repel dirt and stains much easier than carpet, but they don’t last forever. Here’s a primer on hardwood floor resurfacing. Leave it to the pros. Resurfacing hardwoods is typically a job beyond the level of expertise of most DI...

The real estate marketing wave of the future is already here. Check out these tips on promoting your eco-friendly home.

Green Homes Growing in Popularity Eco-friendly homes are a growing segment of today’s real estate market. Tap into that environmentally conscious mindset with these tips for both buyers and sellers. Green agents. In most markets across the country, agents are earning a “green” designation from the National Association of REALT...

If out-of-control clutter is crowding out your cars, take control with these handy, yet affordable, organizing tips.

How to Organize the Garage On a Budget It seems obvious that a garage should be used as a place to park your cars, but many folks have unintentionally turned their garages into giant storage rooms. If you’re guilty as charged, let the purging begin. Before you know it, your cars will replace all the clutter and you might even make your...

Take your home’s beauty to the next level. Check out these staircase designs -- from classic to new and modern.

Step-By Step-Details to Beautiful Staircase Design Elegant, sweeping stairs are one of the central contributors to a home’s beauty. Here are the latest trends in stairs, which just might sweep you off your feet. Anatomy of a staircase. If you are updating a staircase or in the process of a building a new one, it’s helpful to know the lingo. The ...

8 factors to consider when choosing between new construction and an existing home.

Buying New or Used: What’s Your Home Preference? The hunt for a new home most often begins with the answer to one simple question. Do I want to purchase an existing home or new construction? Retro and quirky versus a blank slate? Consider these eight trade-offs before making your decision. Purchase price. Statistics show that buying a new house ma...

When hiring a listing agent, interview at least three candidates for the job. Here are some important factors that you should consider in your decision process.

How to Hire the Right Listing Agent It’s wise to meet with at least three listing agents before selling. Here’s a checklist to help you through the process of choosing the right listing agent.

Want to be a good landlord? Study up on the federal laws that protect consumers in the sale and rental of real estate.

What You Need to Know About the Fair Housing Act If you are a new landlord, it’s crucial to learn about the Fair Housing Act. Though it was established as part of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, it’s as relevant today as it was nearly 50 years ago. Established to eliminate discrimination against certain protected classes of people in the sale an...

Looking for a distinctive path to your garage? Stones, pavers and decorative concrete are among the tempting choices.

Decorative Driveways Add Style The typical driveway, let’s face it, tends to be a bit boring. Made of concrete or asphalt, they provide a humble entry to the garage. But in newer neighborhoods, especially those with larger lots, driveways are providing a place to add a little pizzazz and curb appeal. Driveway configuration. The...

What to expect if your new home has old appliances? Here’s a guide to appliance longevity.

What’s the Lifespan of Your New Home’s Big-Ticket Appliances? Gone are the days when big-ticket home appliances lasted for decades. With some exceptions, the life span for most appliances is ten years or less. All the more reason to do your homework as a prospective buyer and check the age and condition of the appliances in any home you’re seriously consider...

Don’t disappoint today’s online buyers. Professional grade pictures and video are crucial to clinching a real estate deal.

Top-Quality Photos and Virtual Tours Are Key in Today’s Market More than 80 percent of home shoppers start their searches online, so it makes sense that the first impression of your listing be delivered with top quality photos and videos.

You pay your utility bills every month, but do you understand what they say?

Check the Fine Print on Utility Bills The next time the monthly utility bills arrive, resist the urge to blindly write a check or schedule a payment. Take the time for a more in-depth examination. You just might find a way to trim the bill. Understanding your electric bill. Using a fixed rate, the power company charges a set rate of x [...

Is a slipcover a design slip-up or a style save? Find out more in this comprehensive guide.

Slipcovers 101: The Great Coverup Whether you crave washability, desire a new look for every season, or just want to make the best of a flea market find — slipcovers have got you covered. With a little research and effort, you’ll find a slipcover to fit your furniture piece, along with your style and budget. When to use a slipco...

Looking for a quick and easy fix to your credit report? Sorry, but there is none. Try these 10 tips to repair bad credit.

10 Ways to Help Repair Your Credit History Do you have bad credit? While legitimate credit repair services can help improve your credit scores, you can do the work yourself and save money. Here’s how. Pull your credit report at www.annualcreditreport.com. It’s free. Each credit reporting agency, Experian, Equifax and Transunion, will hav...

Don’t let the details of moving overwhelm you. Here’s a handy checklist to keep you from making expensive errors.

Four Costly Mistakes to Avoid When Moving Selling a home and moving is expensive. No need to further add to your expenses by making costly mistakes. Here’s a handy checklist to keep you from incurring extra costs. Talk to your bank. Let a representative know you’re moving and make sure you’ve canceled any automatic payments on your ol...

Is your kitchen clutter getting the best of you? Try these five simple solutions.

5 Kitchen Storage Hacks to Curb the Clutter If chaos in the kitchen is sending you to the drive-through window a bit too often, it’s time to take control with the help of some time-saving, storage-friendly kitchen hacks. Here are five to get you started. Pull-out shelves. If you have to kneel down and rummage through deep corner cabinets, p...

Don’t be in the dark about pendant lighting. Here are some bright options for your kitchen.

Shedding Light on Kitchen Pendants As one of the busiest and most productive rooms in a house, the kitchen needs lighting that is not only stylish but bright enough to illuminate the cooking, cleaning, snacking, studying and cleanup that makes this space a focal point of family life. As an addition to canned lights and as a replaceme...

Neighborhood tennis courts and swimming pools: a benefit or a drawback?

Pros and Cons of Swim and Tennis Communities When you’re shopping for a new home, many planned developments offer tempting neighborhood amenities such as swimming pools and tennis courts. But before you dive in, read about the pros and cons. Pros. Living in a neighborhood with tennis courts and a swimming pool provides easy access to leisure...

Squirrels and raccoons may be cute in the wild, but not in your attic. Here’s a quick guide on what to do and who to call.

Removing Wild Animals from Your Home When wild animals take up residence in your attic or walls, it’s usually a female looking for a safe, warm spot to tend to a litter. Unfortunately, these creatures are destructive and may carry diseases. Squirrels are the No. 1 type of invasive animal in the attic. Homeowners typically will hear t...

You’ve heard about saving big bucks by dropping cable TV in favor of online streaming, but you’re not a techie. Here’s what you need to know to make the switch.

Streaming TV Offers Cheaper Options than Cable and Satellite Thanks to the internet and smartphone apps, watching television will never be the same. So-called streaming TV is far cheaper than traditional cable and satellite television, which is driving its soaring popularity. Evolving technology. With cable and satellite, viewers are watching live feeds from....

What comes to mind when you think of wallpaper? Today’s papers are a vast improvement over the tired relics of decades past.

Rolling Out the Options on Today’s Wallpaper Styles Anyone who has removed old wallpaper from a house is likely to think long and hard about adding it to a nice clean expanse of unblemished wall. But today’s wallcoverings deserve another look. When it works. Open floor plans with a large living space are good candidates for wallpaper, which can giv...

Is one-floor living for you? Or does your family need a multi-level home? Check out this step-by-step guide.

One-Story Versus Two-Story Homes Prospective homebuyers will get more bang for their buck on a two-story home, but one-story houses definitely have their advantages. What works best for your family? Take a look at the pros and cons of each. Lot size. The footprint of a one-story home is much larger than a two-story, making one-stor...