The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star, Norfolk, VA

Adverse Possession May Require a Trip to Court

Q. How does adverse possession work? I have been using about 20 feet of the vacant lot next door for the last 14 years. I tried to contact the owners, but my letters were always returned unopened. A. Adverse possession occurs when you occupy an entire property without the owner's permission. The law says your occupancy must be "open, notorious (obvious), hostile, exclusive and continuous." In addition, you must pay the property taxes. The number of years of hostile occupancy required varies b...

Extra Payments, Biweekly Schedule Can Save Big Bucks

When the last week of August quickly slipped into Labor Day Weekend, the Cashen kids decided the time had come to take over the loan payments of the family cabin from their parents. Each of the three kids and their families had enjoyed their allotted time at the lakeside retreat, fishing, water skiing, sailing and visiting with long-time lake families who had, like them, had children of their own.

Extra Time and Help Can Make Moving Less Unsettling: Moving Can Be an Unsettling Process

Mark Nash knows that a housing transition can be an overwhelming process - all the way from the initial decision to sell to the packing and moving. As a Coldwell Banker broker and author of several real estate books, he's been advising clients and readers for more than 10 years. But until this year, when he resolved to sell the 3,200- square-foot house he owned in a premier Chicago neighborhood, Nash didn't experience how grueling a housing move can be.

Attic Ventilation Makes Home More Comfortable

Q. I don't know if you've ever gotten questions about this, but I went up to our attic a couple of weeks ago to get some suitcases for our vacation and it was so hot that I couldn't even get into the storage area. Is there something wrong with our house and if so, what can we do about it? A. Regardless of where you live, high summer temperatures can make an attic a very hot place. The big problem, though, isn't the fact that all this hot air is sitting up there. What you need to be concerned ...

Woodpeckers Make Swiss Cheese of Vacation Home

By Peter Frost McClatchy Newspapers

Secluded Community Nestles Among Wild Neighbors

By Sandra J. Pennecke Special to The Virginian-Pilot

New Rules for Handling Money Help Protect Associations' Accounts

Q. As a board member of a community association, I am concerned about the security of our money. We have accumulated a fair amount in our reserves. While we have confidence in our manager, I still feel a need to have some comfort that our owner funds are safe. What standards are there for insurance coverage for people who handle association money? Is there a special kind of insurance? A. A community association can suffer serious losses if employees or volunteers misappropriate association fu...

Realty Sales[Corrected 09/28/07]

The real estate transfers are provided by The Court Report (ritasrep@ worldnet.att.net). NORFOLK

Stain Removal Calls for Quick Action, Elbow Grease

By Nzong Xiong McClatchy Newspapers

Think Your Roof Job Took Forever? At Least It Wasn't Thatch: Think Your New Roof Job Took Forever? Try Thatch

By Alan J. Heavens The Philadelphia Inquirer

Teacher Dug Deep and Stayed Cheap in Her New Garden

By Kay Reynolds The Virginian-Pilot

In Some Upscale Homes, Every Day Is a Spa Day in Some Homes, Every Day Is a Spa Day

By Nancy Trejos The Washington Post

Record Donation Made to Scholarship Fund

DONATION GIVEN: Ed Sadler and daughter Lauren Sadler Riddle of Sadler Building Corp., Virginia Beach, have donated a record sum of $100,000 to the Tidewater Builders Association Scholarship Foundation. The Sadlers raised the money through the sale of a home their firm built in the Heritage Park section of Virginia Beach.

Reglazing Old Windows Is Slow and Painstaking Work

Q. I have an old cottage in Maine, with a sun porch, with 80 - count 'em, 80! - windows that need reglazing. I know that having them reglazed by a professional would probably cost as much as a new window, and I'd really like to do it myself. Could you give me a step-by-step procedure, including removing old putty, installing new compound, and painting? I have plenty of time. A. It's not as hard as it looks, but it's slow, especially for an amateur. It's best to take the window out of the fram...

Consumers Save On Inaugural Energy Star Sales Tax Holiday

Saving energy: The Alliance to Save Energy is urging consumers in the state of Virginia to take advantage of the state's first-ever sales tax holiday on Energy Star products next month. "Virginia's inaugural Energy Star tax holiday allows consumers to save money on an immediate basis by saving the local and state sales taxes on Energy Star products costing up to $2,500," said Kateri Callahan, the Alliance's president. "They also will save in the long run with lower home energy bills," she added.

Cover Story: A Well-Rounded Residence

BY JEANNE MOONEY THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

Some Gardeners Seek Lawn Made of Truly 'Green' Grass Some Homeowners Pursue Truly 'Green' Grass

By Virginia A. Smith The Philadelphia Inquirer

It Took Years - and a Few Tears - to Turn Corset Factory Into Home It Took Years - and a Few Tears - to Turn Corset Factory Into Home

By Shaila Wunderlich Chicago Tribune

Ask Questions Before Hiring a Remodeler

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