Debbie Kovar, Taylor TX Area Real Estate and Local Living

06/24/2022

National parks preserve the United States' most unique cultural sites and natural landscapes, connecting visitors to their outdoor surroundings with dramatic views, elaborate trails and endangered wildlife. But these natural wonders are ecologically vulnerable as climate change yields weather events...

06/23/2022

No need to pack a bag for this trip around the world. Jessica Nabongo, the first Black woman documented to have visited every country in the world, has written a memoir to guide you across the globe with a turn of the page.

06/22/2022

Our readers voted for the 10 best botanical gardens across North America over four weeks, and the results are in.

06/21/2022

The Biden administration is dropping Covid-19 testing requirements for inbound air travelers from abroad, the White House said Friday. The rules, put in place by the Trump administration in early 2021 and later tightened by the Biden administration, required inbound travelers, including U.S. citizen...

06/20/2022

The real estate industry is rather traditional, historically dominated by a few large corporate stakeholders, imposing major barriers to the entry of smaller, individual players.

06/20/2022

06/19/2022

When you apply for a mortgage, chances are good that your lender is going to require a home appraisal. An appraisal is an analysis of the valuation of the home performed by a professional. Appraisers will evaluate how much your home is worth based on a comparison of your property to others in the ar...

06/18/2022

Americans moved around a lot over the past two years, and those destinations also now happen to have the highest inflation rates in the U.S. "We saw right away that inflation was highest in Phoenix and lowest in San Francisco," Redfin deputy chief economist Taylor Marr told CNBC.

06/17/2022

The internet offers a bewildering array of senior travel tours and ideas for older travelers. Many of us have the time and resources for serious travel and we're aware of the health benefits of physical activity.

06/16/2022

Lumber has seen a dramatic decline in price despite its scarcity. There is still not enough lumber to meet demands for new housing. Lumber is crucial to the U.S. because nine out of 10 new single-family homes built are wood-framed. Lumber prices and supply have taken investors, contractors, and cons...

06/15/2022

It helps to be adaptable in this housing market. Look for homes that have been on the market for over 14 days and consider rehab mortgages.

06/14/2022

If the value of your home ballooned during the pandemic, you may receive an inflated property tax assessment in the mail. There are ways, however, to combat a higher bill, experts say. Despite double-digit growth in single-family home prices, property taxes only increased by 1.8% in 2021, with an av...