Latest Local News & Information

Renovation season is approaching. What home improvements will give you the best return for your money? Here’s a hint: step outside. You might assume upgrades to interior spaces like kitchens and bathrooms have the best payoff, but most home improvements don’t return 100 percent of their value when resale. Generally, exterior improvements yield the best return on investment for the most modest costs. Interior …

Did you know that the smallest room in your home can be the most dangerous? Every year hundreds of thousands of adults seek emergency care for injuries sustained in bathrooms from falls and other accidents. Injuries are from grabbing loose fixtures and doorknobs for support to slipping on surfaces. Fortunately, many mishaps are avoidable by just changing your interior doors. The Benefits of Pocket …

If you plan to paint this year, here are some tips to help prepare you for success. Choose colors with confidence A fresh coat of paint in the right color can quickly transform the look and feel of any space. To help choose the perfect color for your room, use the easy-to-use color selection tools available to help you find and try colors before …

Character is not something with which every home is born. Newer construction often sacrifices some of the charm or detail of older home styles that can be incorporated strategically using materials and furnishings. Imagination is the limit for homeowners, but here is a sampling of what can be done. Build from the ground up Install new flooring that’s inspired by the charm of vintage …

Maybe you have been in the market to buy a new home for a while now, however, you keep coming upshort with your offer. After all, the market to buy a house can be a competitive place, offers above asking price with minimal contingencies seem to be a win for sellers. When sellers win, a buyer can be left holding the bag on what …

Upstate New York News Note to black bears in the Hudson Valley: don’t mess with our farm animals. An amazing video recently showed exactly what happens when a predator attacked the wrong pigs. While it’s not necessarily out of the ordinary for a bear to attack a domestic animal, it is unique for the animal to fight back. Just a few months ago, for example, a hungry …

The Rome Chamber of Commerce successfully completed the fourth annual Bowling Bonanza at Kingpin Lanes. This year’s event was held in honor of the late William Gugliemo who recently passed after 50 years of service to the Rome Chamber of Commerce. Teams of four to seven bowlers competed for an hour in a friendly competition. The Bowling Bonanza was made possible due to the …

Visualizing the dream for a new home build or remodel can be difficult. Many times, it comes down to a hand drawing by a professional, an expense many have difficulties affording. The downside is the hand drawing often doesn’t capture the vision meaning returning to the artist’s board and starting over. 3D interior rendering has some great benefits, like being able to see a space …

A Chamberlain Group survey found that 69% of homeowners worry about their package deliveries going missing during the holidays and 74% of homeowners take extra measures to ensure they are home when their packages arrive. Following are four ways to protect your holiday packages from porch pirates without having to reorganize your day: 1. Get deliveries inside your garage  Smart garage door openers by …

There are millionaires and there are billionaires. Then there is the latest definition of wealth that is beyond the millions and the billions.  Prillionaire is the new term for wealth in different forms, not counting the zeros, but rather the multiple facets of wealth.  A “prillionaire” is someone who has several bank accounts in the country or across borders and has some different forms …

Would you make a 40-year commitment in exchange for $300-$5000 cash, with no credit check or loan required? MV Realty, based in Delray Beach FL, thinks homeowners will which is why they came up with their “innovative” Homeowner Benefit Program. The program, currently available in 33 states according to their site, pays homeowners upfront money ranging from $300-$5000, based on the estimated value of …

Widespread flooding in the wake of Hurricane Ian potentially damaged as many as 358,000 vehicles. That number is on top of the 400,000 water-damaged cars that CARFAX data shows were already on the road in 2022 – before Hurricane Ian. Used-car shoppers need to be aware that these waterlogged vehicles could resurface anywhere around the country. These vehicles can show up in states where …

While the number of U.S. home fires has continued to decline over time, the home fire death rate has stagnated in recent years, with annual spikes like the most recent one seen in 2021. “The latest number of home fire deaths reinforces that today’s home fires present real challenges,” says Lorraine Carli, VP of the Outreach and Advocacy division at NFPA. According to NFPA …

According to National Grid, the average household will pay $943 for natural gas heating this winter, which is a 39% increase since last year. The most recent prices for home heating oil in the North Country have doubled since last year. Now more than ever, you’re going to want to make sure your home is as energy efficient as possible. Your heating and cooling system likely uses …

When an emergency arises, having financial and medical records and important contact information on hand can give you peace of mind, ensure you have access to essential medical and prescription information, and help you avoid additional stress during a difficult time. Consider storing paper copies of important documents at home in a fireproof and waterproof box or safe, in a bank safe deposit box, …