Alan J. Heavens

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.

New Obama mortgage plan could backfire
Your Place: In cold weather, mice get into the dishwasher
Make your case for a loan

No let up yet in housing downturn

Take advantage of mild winter to get a jump on repairs - 02/09/2012: By Alan J. Heavens

Home Economics: With an absence of snow and ice so far, spring cleanup should be easier and less expensive. Start planning now to take care of those projects.
Your Place: In cold weather, mice get into the dishwasher - 02/10/2012: By Alan J. Heavens, Inquirer Real Estate Writer

Question: I live in a mature residential area not too far from a neighborhood park. For the last few years, when the weather reaches the low 20 degrees, field mice come in the house. Then they find their way into the dishwasher, of all places.
Appraisers face tough challenges - 02/03/2012: By Al Heavens, Inquirer Columnist

Al Heavens: As pondered the various opinions surrounding appraisals, I decided a fresh voice was needed to articulate what appraisers are up against.
Biting back at appliances' 'vampire power' - 02/03/2012: By Alan J. Heavens

Home Economics: Winter has been relatively mild and virtually snow-free so far. That's helped take the chill off utility costs. But there's a way to cut costs even more, though it may not be immediately obvious.
Your Place: More about dampness in Shore home - 02/03/2012: By Alan J. Heavens, Inquirer Real Estate Writer

In a recent column, a newly minted Jersey Shore homeowner asked for help making his damp abode drier. He said he'd been told that building code mandated that the vapor barrier be up against the floor over the crawl space, but the two-year solid oak flooring was beginning to curl because of moisture.
Feeling squeeze, housing industry pushes back - 01/29/2012: By Al Heavens, Inquirer Columnist

The grandson runs up to the front porch, leaping into a hug from Grandpa. Without missing a beat, he asks how long Grandpa has lived there.
Who owns your mortgage? - 01/27/2012: By Alan J. Heavens

Finding the answer is extremely important to many homeowners, but especially those in financial trouble.
Your Place: Things to consider in replacing a furnace - 01/27/2012: By Alan J. Heavens, Inquirer Real Estate Writer

The winter has been virtually snowless, but the temperatures haven't been high enough to give your furnace a three-month vacation.
Real estate may be all local, but it's not isolated - 01/22/2012: By Al Heavens, Inquirer Columnist

In early January, Dean Baker of the Center for Economic and Policy Research blogged that 40,000 of the 200,000 jobs created in December were courier jobs that would disappear in the next month's report.
Marketing a house now means a lot more work - 01/20/2012: By Alan J. Heavens

Home Economics: Not so long ago, marketing a house for sale was as simple as a newspaper ad, open house, the smell of bread baking in the oven, and a few shovelfuls of fresh mulch on the front gardens.