Read Before You Refi: 5 Tips for a Higher Home Appraisal

Trulia Money Matters. April 21, 2016. By Laura Agadoni: If you’re hoping to refinance the mortgage on your home, there’s one big roadblock between you and that lower rate: the home appraisal… To start your appraisal prep, make sure your home is clean (inside and out). Appraisers are human, after all, and can be swayed by how pristine (read: well-cared-for) a home looks.

6 Landscaping Mistakes that Destroy Your Yard

Realtor.com. March 29, 2016. By Jamie Wiehe: As warmer temps approach—quite slowly, depending on your part of the country—you might already be sweating your lawn. And with good reason: Good landscaping can add up to 28% to the overall value of a home.

No Pond, No Problem

Lawn and Landscape. February 10, 2016. By Brian Horn: Pondless waterfalls have the benefits of a water feature without the hassle…

The trend now is maintenance-free water features. Instead of homeowners taking an active role in maintaining the feature, they want something they can see and hear but don’t have to touch. That attitude has led to a rise in the popularity of pondless waterfalls.

Santa Monica’s Last Unadulterated ‘Shotgun’ House

Los Angeles Times. January 24, 2016. By Nita Lelyveld: It’s just a little slip of a house, three tiny rooms in a row.

But when its narrow front door opened on Saturday, people lined up for a chance to get in.

What is believed to be Santa Monica’s last unadulterated “shotgun” house — one straight, hallway-less shot from front door to back — had been through so much to reach what amounted to this moment of rebirth.

When El Ninos Hit Hollywood

The Hollywood Reporter. January 15, 2016. By Sharon Swart: Ghosts of the epic storms that have slammed L.A. haunt the town as bold-faced names recount what it’s like finding your pool washed away, getting to work on ‘Seinfeld’ with the sheriff’s help and discovering a trampoline (someone else’s) sliding into your backyard.

Brown Is In – So Are Other Colors

LA Daily News. October 29, 2015. By Suzanne Sproul: The Golden State isn’t so golden these days. In fact, it is a little brown around the edges. But the prime fall planting season [is] here!

Get Your Hands Dirty!

Sierra Madre Weekly. October 18, 2015: After months of landscape demolition, grading and irrigation work, the Community Planting Day is finally here! The Sierra Madre Garden Club and City of Sierra Madre are seeking eager volunteers to help replenish the landscape outside City Hall with beautiful drought-resistant plants. The event is part of a joint community project aimed at saving water and demonstrating the beauty and economic benefits of native plant gardens!

Outdoor Kitchens Put Guests CenterStage

HGTV.com. July 29, 2015. By Lori Johnston: These kitchens with bars place guests in the middle of the action and showcase sensational style from coast to coast.

Hey California, You Can Still Have a Lawn!

Los Angeles Times. July 23, 2015. By Janet Kinosian: The poor traditional Southern California lawn. Our flat green grass turfs have been beaten up and bullied with calls to replace them. But how many people know there are numerous drought-tolerant grass species well suited for the Southern California climate that still have the general look and feel of lawn as we know it?