Real Estate

Q. I live in a homeowners association and my neighbor expanded his deck significantly into the common areas without asking permission from anyone, and then went to the village and obtained village approval for his deck expansion in an attempt to validate his actions. Neither the board nor the...

The first stop Jamie Snydel makes after a 12- to 13-hour workday is at the concierge desk of her apartment building to pick up packages.

Q. I am on the board of a condominium association. A unit owner fell asleep while filling his bathtub, and the water poured over, damaging his unit only. The unit owner claims his homeowners insurance carrier will not cover his negligence and is demanding the association submit a claim to its...

Q: Our condominium association consists of four units. The board coordinates lawn maintenance and snow removal services; however, the board has assigned unit owners to maintain the common elements inside the building and move the garbage cans to an area where the trash collectors will pick them...

By Ilyce Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin

By Ilyce Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin

By Ilyce Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin

When it comes to home remodeling, Elmhurst resident Krista Ladd has had her share of victories — and defeats. The gray-checked tile she chose for her new home was a distinct success. The oversized armoire she bought for her husband's office in the same home didn't work out as well. Its...

If you haven't booked your flights yet for Thanksgiving and year-end holidays, now is the time to start searching and plotting how to get a reasonable deal.

DEAR TIM: Our full-size divided basement has mold growing on the west side of the wall, as well as the south side on the other end of the basement. The basement has two sump pumps, one on each side of the basement. The basement does not leak water. We've scrubbed the mold away with bleach/water...

We wish we had a dollar for every website, app or other electronic wonder that promised to "revolutionize the way real estate is sold." We're still waiting for the revolution to come, but meanwhile, there's no shortage of clever tech developments out there. A sampling of some recent ones:

Q: On a recent radio show, Ilyce recommended taking out a 10/1 adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) to help accelerate a mortgage repayment.

Q: I am so disorganized and have a negative view of paying basic bills on time because I am trying to maintain a business.

Q: I am purchasing a home and want the cheapest payment. I have only 5 percent to put down on the property and can comfortably afford a monthly payment of $1,400 to $1,500, tops. Actually, I'm hoping it will be closer to $1,400.

Scroll through their colorful gallery of tassel garlands and metallic pinatas, and it's clear that Nicholas Anderson and Julie Ho, the pair behind the New York City-based company Confetti System, have elevated party decorations to an art form. The professional crafters — who also work...

From the poetry of deer grass to the sizzle of tiny, hot-pink "Lady Jane" tulips, the recently relaunched Garden Design magazine is full of surprises — among them that there is still so much that is new and fresh to say about naturalistic gardening. There are no ads, so you get a full 128...

As we gear up for the holidays, you may think of turkey and all the dishes that go alongside it on the holiday table. You may busy yourself trolling Pinterest for new dessert ideas, scour your favorite cookbooks for fresh inspiration for the dressing or the rolls, and try to decide whether...

Impassioned ornithologist John Marzluff has combed the United States — specifically the suburbs that ring large cities — to research what our feathered friends are up to. The result, "Welcome to Subirdia: Sharing Our Neighborhoods with Wrens, Robins, Woodpeckers and Other...

DEAR TIM: I've got a chronic problem with water entering the 4-foot tall crawlspace under the duplex I live in. This year has been bad with all the rain we're having. We installed a swale, but that has not helped. I know the ground water is causing the problem, but I'm at my wits' end about how...

By Ilyce Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin

Q: I read your reply to the homeowner who wanted to rent out his townhouse for two to four months near Washington, D.C., while spending time in warmer climes. It seems he is either retired or can work from home. If that is the case another option may be to swap his home and stretch his vacation...

Q: After meeting with our builder and his agent numerous times, we signed a contract for a home that was to include a three car garage and a covered porch.

Elegance meets rusticity in the charred conical lamp by Moran Woodworked Furniture (moranwoodworked.com), a small company based in Red Hook, N.Y., that melds traditional craftsmanship with modern design. We discovered this unique piece while perusing the website of The Commons (the-commons.us),...

Let's talk turkey.

It sounds a bit silly to say marble is having "a moment." After all, hasn't the metamorphic rock been appreciated since time immemorial — from classical sculpture to countertops; mortar and pestle sets to chess pieces? Yet while marble was an interior design staple in the first half of...

There's a sense of pride in any job well done.

Among all the trees that glow golden in the Illinois woods in autumn, there's one that brings a hint of tropical warmth.

Over the summer, I saw a pretty plant with purple flowers growing along the expressway and would like to get it for my garden. It appears to be a tough plant. What is this and where can I find it? I have not seen any plants like it at the garden centers in this area.

DEAR TIM: I'm having a house built and I've got some problems. It's still in the rough stage, with just the rough framing pretty much complete and the roof on. I'm noticing all sorts of mistakes, such as a window that's not centered, and my metal woodstove chimney looks like it's been put in by...

October is Fire Prevention Month, so as a public service designed to reduce the number of calls for electrical fires, "Your Place" offers the following tips from Leviton, manufacturer of electrical devices and lighting controls (dimmers, switches):

Q: My sister is in a dire financial situation. She is single, 62 and was recently diagnosed with cancer. She owns a home that's now in foreclosure, which she cannot maintain.

Q: I have a rental property in Dacula, Georgia. The current value, according to a few different websites, is about $170,000. I'm collecting $1,145 per month in rent.

Q: My wife and I are saving up to buy a vacation property in a resort area. Our plan is to keep socking money away until we find a short sale that we can purchase in cash. We're willing to be patient, but now that the economy is recovering and the real estate market is stabilizing, are short...

Retired Army Specialist Joel Sigfrid humbly took the keys to his split-level home recently week surrounded by family and friends. Wells Fargo donated the bank-owned home to the nonprofit Military Warriors Support Foundation, which will eventually deed it to Sigfrid. It's the 160th home that...

I am planning to install some new walks and a patio at my home and have heard that I should not use limestone screenings for the base. Is that correct? If so, why should this readily available product be avoided?

A cozy fire is one of the pleasures of autumn. But as you prepare the fireplace or fire pit, be sure you don't accidentally contribute to tree problems by using infested firewood.

Got ghosts? Gotta sell?

Rugs come in all shapes, sizes, colors, fabrics and designs. The price of a rug may be determined by the rug's origin, whether it's handmade, its materials and the intricacy of its design.

DEAR TIM: I bought a pre-hung double French door because it was so beautiful and the price was great. I want to separate the two doors and use each one at different openings. Is this possible to do without destroying one of the doors? Is this a project a mere mortal can accomplish? Tell me...

The South Loop Neighbors annual Loft Walk tour will be held 1 to 6 p.m. Nov. 1.