Eating fresh, local produce is easier than ever with local Green B.E.A.N. Delivery. This is a healthy and convenient choice that also supports local farmers. You can sign up for several different levels of delivery, from different-sized bins, or a package that includes the option to add other groceries. Your produce bin will contain a variety of the best available produce of the season, including fruit and vegetables (or just fruit if you prefer), and will vary from week to week depending on the season. The minimum order is $35, and your order can arrive weekly or bi-weekly. You do not need to... [more...]

The first annual Greenarama home show is going on now in Columbia Tusculum. This unique show features townhomes with cool green features and hip city style. Tickets to Greenarama are $10, which include entrance to 7 display homes. An eighth home is also open, which is an unfinished home where visitors can learn about what goes into the green building process. These homes are located on a section of Strafer Street. Our friend Jo Potvin at Design to Market Staging has staged one of the homes. She says the home she staged “is a perfect example of new construction that delivers the feel of the... [more...]

When deciding between hardwood floors and carpet, it may be tough to determine which is right for your home. Both can be beautiful and cost-effective. But according to Lowe’s, homeowners also should consider other factors such as the room, traffic, durability and maintenance. Carpeting is generally less costly to install than hardwood floors, but may require more frequent maintenance such as vacuuming and professional cleaning. Carpets reduce noise better than hardwood floors and provide a cushion in case of slips and falls. In colder climates especially, carpets provide warmth while hardwood... [more...]

Few things are better than a barbecue on a warm, sunny day. Keep those burgers and hot dogs coming by keeping your grill in tip-top shape. The National Barbecue Association recommends that you always start with a clean grill. Break up tough charred food and ashes from the last barbeque session with a metal-bristle brush or a steel wool pad. If the food is still difficult to remove, consider closing the grill’s lid and cook on “high” for an additional five or 10 minutes. The grill residue will turn to ash, which is easier to clean off. To prevent food or ash residue in the future, lightly... [more...]

The New York Times recently published a map highlighting the highest and lowest natural disaster zones. Our area fared in the middle, with medium tornado risk and some other weather issues, but low earthquake and hurricane risk. The grading was based on an area’s likelihood of earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, and other extreme weather such including flooding, drought, hail, wind. Frequency of these events was also taken into account (for example, earthquakes are more rare than tornadoes.) Metro areas with the lowest risk: Corvallis, OR Mt. Vernon-Anacortes, WA Bellingham, WA Wenatchee,... [more...]

**Update** Looks like city hall came to their senses and, beginning May 9th, Yard Waste Pickup will continue for the rest of the year! http://www.wvxu.org/news/wvxunews_article.asp?ID=8784 During the week of May 9-13, City of Cincinnati residents can put out their yard waste on their regular trash day. If you have been accumulating yard waste, this is the perfect opportunity to have it picked up. This is a one-time collection! Take advantage of this opportunity by preparing your yard waste for pick up. It will save you a trip to the yard waste collection location. To prepare your yard waste properly,... [more...]

With recent volatile weather in our area, some of you may have experienced the disappointment of a wet basement. If you get water in your basement during rain, it’s important to take steps to treat the problem. First check to be sure your gutters aren’t clogged, that they have a long tail and direct water away from your home and not toward the foundation. Also check to be sure that a leaky window or door isn’t the only reason water is entering your basement. Also survey your landscaping — is it sloping negatively near the foundation? If so, bring in dirt or hire a landscaper... [more...]

We’ve talked about credit scores on the blog many times. Well, time to see if you’ve been paying attention! The Consumer Federation of America and VantageScore have put together an online quiz to test our knowledge about credit scores. Have you obtained a credit score recently? Do you know how to obtain a credit score? Do you know what credit scores are used for, or how your score affects your life? Take the quiz to see how you rate. Visit www.creditscorequiz.com. You’ll learn all the right answers in the process of taking the quiz. The quiz was designed by these non-profit organizations... [more...]

A recent survey by the National Association of Realtors sought to uncover the nation’s attitudes about homeownership — from both renters and homeowners.  Overall, the survey found that both groups still value the idea of homeownership. The survey revealed that homeowners are more likely than renters to find vaule and connection to their community, as well as are more likely to play an active roll in their community. “Owning a home provides a healthy and stable environment for raising a family” Renters: 64% agree or strongly agree Homeowners: 87% agree or strongly agree “Owning... [more...]

Remember the very beginning of the homebuyer tax credit in 2008? The first incarnation of this tax credit required repayment of the credit over time after the first two years. This means that for those buyers who took advantage of the early credit, that repayment time starts now with the 2010 tax return. (Remember, the 2009 and 2010 tax credits do not get repaid.) See our 2008 entry, “Federal Housing $7500 Tax Credit is a LOAN.” This is what my CPA Mark Conrad had to say about the credit at the time: “The $7,500 is really a interest free loan from the Federal Government. The... [more...]

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