C21AGVoices

As the stock market dips then jumps then dips again, it’s important to remember that markets are unpredictable and nobody knows what will happen tomorrow. Unfortunately, that doesn’t stop the analysts from trying. An obvious example comes from May of this year.   As the price of oil crossed $120 per barrel on its way to an […]

[Read more →]

Buyers are returning to the housing market. Each month, The National Association of REALTORS® tracks homes under contract to sell, but whose closing has not yet happened.  It calls them “pending sales” and publishes a monthly report to quantify them.  The Pending Home Sales report is important because it’s meant to predict future home sales activity.  […]

[Read more →]

With home heating costs expected to increase 20 percent over last year, The Today Show offers 10 tips to reduce home heating costs this winter. The advice ranges from the well-known to the obscure, but every little bit is meant to put money back in homeowners’ pockets: Replace your air filter monthly Drain a quart […]

[Read more →]

Given the stock market’s recent performance, it’s not surprising that gasoline’s falling prices are garnering very little attention. That doesn’t make it any less relevant, however. Since peaking in July, gas prices are off by 20 percent. Falling gas prices are an important positive for the U.S. economy because less money spent at the pump means […]

[Read more →]

Photo courtesy of Creativecommons.org I’m from a smaller town in North Eastern PA that in the fall is abundant with haunted hayrides, harvest festivals, and some of the best foliage in the state. To get a little dose of home I did some research to see what Philadelphia had to offer this time of year. […]

[Read more →]

In this 4-minute video, turf grass specialist Carmen Magro demonstrates the proper way to prepare your lawn for Spring.  His tips include: How to seed “worn down” areas of a lawn How to control thatch to promote a healthy lawn How to fertilize a lawn without “overdoing it” The Fall season is one of the […]

[Read more →]

As household budgets get pinched and credit markets tighten, a growing number of Americans are making “hardship withdrawals” from their 401(k) plans. One major fund group cites a 15 percent increase in activity from this time last year for various reasons including staving off foreclosure and medical emergency. However, 401(k) loans should only be made with careful […]

[Read more →]

While home electronics advance, the basic extension cord has been slow to catch up. This has created a size mismatch because today’s devices tend to carry large size plugs, but the standard 6-outlet power strip is only meant for “skinny” ones. Pictured at right: the solution. Matching form and function, the ezSpace UFO provides 6 […]

[Read more →]

Photo courtesy of Creativecommons.org Whether your are moving, collecting, selling or rummaging Craigslist.org is the best place to find new and used goods on the net. Craigs is the online version of your newspaper’s classified section. You can find a job, a pet, furniture, a car, and even a date. When I first moved to Philadelphia I […]

[Read more →]

When functioning properly, gutters can extend the life of a home. By directing water away from the physical structure, gutters protect a home’s foundation, its siding, and its landscaping. The key to reliable gutter performance is simple — keep them clean.  Twice annually, experts recommend a thorough gutter cleaning and the project can be a […]

[Read more →]