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Alan J. Heavens has been writing about real estate and home improvement for the last 14 years. A veteran of 35 years as a reporter, he holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in history.
Heavens cannot make recommendations about contractors, Realtors, mortgage services or neighborhoods.
I'm constantly bombarded by e-mail from out-of-town experts regarding this region's real estate market.
A recent missive was from CoreLogic Case-Shiller, which had been two separate animals until the first acquired the second.
- Once, twice, three times a Shore getaway
- Regarding real estate, it's all local
- Keep attic-steps insulation in summer
What makes New Hope, well, New Hope?
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Keep attic-steps insulation in summer
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Question: We have an attic with a set of steps that pulls down from the ceiling. In the winter, we keep an insulated foam dome in the attic that covers the folded steps and the trap door that they are attached to.
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Mortgage deduction's coastal tilt
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Push-and-shove over the value of the mortgage-interest deduction isn't abating. And there are some new data that support economists who contend the deduction benefits higher-end homeowners more.
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Medford: 'Outdoorsy' and great schools
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It doesn't take long to figure out what draws people to Medford Township.
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Patio bricks are turning black on top
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Question: I have a dry-laid brick patio bordered on three sides by flower beds. Over the years I have noticed that the bricks are turning black on top.
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Tax program linked to city's new homes
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I've learned much from economist Kevin Gillen in the years he has provided me with data on this region's real estate market.
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Somerton, a suburban feel in the city
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Somerton is rare among Philadelphia neighborhoods: Its borders are fairly clear.
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Dander, black carbon polluting the air
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You think tree pollen has been in great quantity this spring? An environmental research firm hired by Honeywell looked into what air purifiers had captured over two months in houses in Los Angeles and New York City - not too far from us - and this is what was found:
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Shale drilling results in upstate Pa. housing boom
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We were on our way across country in 2008, planning to stop at Fallingwater, the renowned Frank Lloyd Wright design, and were looking for a place to stay the night.
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'Lansdale is a small town in itself'
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If you've been house-hunting and Lansdale is on your list of possibilities, consider setting aside Saturday to give this Montgomery County borough the once-over.
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Throw out old containers, food and makeup
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I often think about old things I'd like to be rid of - like about 40 years between me and my early 20s - but that's not possible until they invent a time machine.
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