Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

AUSTIN Over the last few years, in one of the fastest-growing cities in America, change has come at a feverish pace to the capital of Texas, with churches demolished, mobile home parks razed and neighborhood haunts replaced with trendy restaurants and luxury apartment complexes.

The transformation has perhaps been most acutely felt across East Austin and the neighborhood of Montopolis, a 2.5-square-mile patch southeast of downtown, where unobstructed views of the ever-expanding skyline have made the historically Black and Latino neighborhood a sought-after community.

And the momentum is nowhere near abating. These days, construction sites and cranes feel more like permanent fixtures across the neighborhood, where longtime residents have watched with growing anxiety as chic coffee shops, yoga studios and pricey bars have inched closer and closer.

We knew it was coming, said Francisco Nuez, who for nearly two decades lived at the Cactus Rose Mobile Home Park until it was sold to a developer to make way for amenity-rich apartments that now fetch more than double what he once paid in rent.

A decade ago, Austin, the capital of Texas often deemed a liberal oasis in a staunchly conservative state, was among the most affordable places to live. Now, according to a forecast prepared by Zillow, a real estate company that tracks affordability, the Austin metropolitan area is on track to become by years end the least affordable major metro region for homebuyers outside of California. It has already surpassed hot markets in Boston, Miami and New York City.

With an average of 180 new residents moving to the city every day in 2020, housing inventory is very low, realtors said. Multiple offers, bidding wars and blocks-long lines outside open houses are commonplace.

Home sale prices in the city of Austin skyrocketed to a record median of $536,000 in October, up from about $441,250 a year ago. And they have more than doubled since 2011, when the median sales price was $216,000, according to the Austin Board of REALTORS, a trade group. Rentals, too, have surged, with the average cost of an 864-square-foot apartment now $1,600.

Austin is the worst-kept secret, said Job Hammond, a secretary-treasurer with the board.

With the University of Texas flagship campus, gentle rolling hills and a vibrant music scene, Austin has long been an attractive place to call home. But surging prices have created a brewing housing crisis that is reshaping the city of nearly 1 million people, and pushing mostly low-income Black and Latino residents like Mr. Nuez away from cultural centers, transportation hubs, grocery stores and other amenities that come with urban living, activists said.

The lack of affordable homes has been underscored by the relentless sight of homeless encampments outside City Hall and under busy highways. (The city recently began efforts to clear them after voters approved a public camping ban this year.)

In 2018, while already experiencing explosive growth, at least 35 Austin neighborhoods were undergoing some stage of gentrification. Another 23 neighborhoods were at high risk of following suit, according to a study commissioned by the city and conducted by researchers with the University of Texas.

The numbers are likely higher today, said Heather K. Way, a law professor at the university and one of the studys authors.

You drive down a street one day and all of a sudden youre thinking, What happened to the apartment building that stood there last week? said Ms. Way, referring to the rapid demolition of older housing occurring in some Austin neighborhoods.

The displacement of low-income residents, in a city where about 13 percent live below the poverty line, has concerned Austin officials to such a degree that a grass-roots movement led them to hire the citys first displacement officer this year. Nefertitti Jackmon has been assigned the challenging task of preventing widespread gentrification even as cranes continue to dot the skyline and new structures climb ever higher.

Ms. Jackmon said that while plans remain in flux, her office will be allocated about $300 million over the next 13 years to be spent on addressing displacement, such as securing more affordable housing in affected neighborhoods. She doesnt mince words when describing the challenges that lie ahead.

In Austin, Black and brown neighborhoods have been marginalized and underinvested, Ms. Jackmon said. She also said she wants to expand participation of local residents in the early process of new developments. We are saying development can happen without displacement.

But not everyone is convinced a new displacement office will have a significant impact.

Its an aspirin for cancer, said Fred McGhee, a local historian and longtime resident of Montopolis, a neighborhood once home to formerly enslaved people and Mexican migrants who came to work in cotton fields.

On a recent day, Dr. McGhee walked out from his home and pointed in several directions, toward construction sites or newly built luxury buildings. Not long ago these used to be all wetlands, Mr. McGhee said. Now all you see are new developments or plans for one.

The East Vue Ranch is one of them. On the land that was once the Cactus Rose Mobile Home Park, the luxury complex has a sleek swimming pool, game room and enclosed dog park. Nearby, another apartment complex now sits on land once occupied by a historical Black church. Another Black church, built in the 1860s, was demolished to make way for a road to accommodate all the new traffic. And a neighborhood hair salon was replaced with a trendy South American bakery.

This has become the tale of two Austins, said Susana Almanza, a longtime activist. The rich keep building in our neighborhoods and the poor keep getting displaced. It doesnt end.

From March 2020 to February 2021, despite the pandemic, Austin nearly led the nation in new construction, with close to 42,000 new residences, according to a housing report by Rice Universitys Kinder Institute for Urban Research.

Much of the citys expansion has been attributed to the recent arrival of tech titans, including Apple, Amazon and AT&T and more recently Tesla, whose chief executive Elon Musk, already a resident with a rocket site in South Texas, said that the company would move its headquarters from Palo Alto, Calif., to Austin.

Those big moves joining other major tech companies, like Dell and IBM, already fixtures in the region have meant an infusion of a younger and more affluent population, giving rise to the citys new moniker of Silicon Hills.

The high-paying jobs have accelerated the areas economy. Over the last 10 years, jobs in high-tech, which tend to pay in the six figures, rose nearly 62 percent in the Austin metropolitan area, for a total of about 176,000 positions, accounting for 17 percent of all jobs and far surpassing the growth of all other industries, according to the Austin Chamber of Commerce.

And since 2010, the median household income has jumped from $55,744 to $80,954, according to the chamber.

Those high salaries have pushed up the price of housing, including rentals, the cost of which surged 38 percent over the last decade, more than other fast growing Texas cities like Dallas and San Antonio, according to a 2020 Root Policy Research housing market analysis.

The city, which saw an increase of nearly 160,000 people over the last 10 years, cant build homes fast enough, said Rob Gordon, manager and real estate agent with the realty company, JBGoodwin.

In the neighborhood of Northwest Hills, about 20 minutes northwest of downtown, where Mr. Gordon does a majority of his business, 18 of the 19 homes on the market this spring sold for more than the asking price, an average of a 113 percent spike, Mr. Gordon said. One home, listed at $975,000, was sold for $1,395,000 after a grueling bidding war.

Jon Kniss, a photographer from Nashville, took desperate measures to find a home when he moved to Austin last year. For months, he blanketed his new neighborhood with letters of cash offers.

Nine months and more than 200 letters later, the Kniss family moved into a three-bedroom house in an affluent community northwest of downtown. We wanted to see if we could get a little advantage, Mr. Kniss said. Great weather, quality of life, the schools. Everybody wants to move here.

That feels especially true in Montopolis.

For those who left the neighborhood, many wonder whether they will be forced to uproot from their new homes yet again, as new developments continue to be approved and built in even more remote pockets of the city.

Maria Garcia de la Luz, 68, a former Cactus Rose resident who now lives next door to Mr. Nuez, said she misses the proximity to shops and access to public transportation that she had in Montopolis. Not long ago, she hurt a knee in an accident and had no way to go get treatment after her husband, Magdaleno Garcia, 77, also fell ill and was unable to drive her.

It really affected me. I feel trapped here, Ms. de la Luz said. In the end, it is us, the poor people, who end up getting hurt. Whos to say they wont kick us out of here too?

Susan C. Beachy contributed research.

The rest is here:
How Austin Became One of the Least Affordable Cities in America - The New York Times

Folks, out in Portland, Oregon, there's this family-owned business by the name of Tiny Heirloom. The name alone should give you a hint that whatever this team builds is small. Well, they're a tiny home designer and builder responsible for mobile homes that break any established norms of the industry.

One project they have in their lineup is simply known as Journey. The name says it all, and with the sort of work they do, you can expect a mobile construction meant to give you everything you need to feel at home no matter where you are. Since Journey is constructed on a hand-built chassis and features a triple-axle setup, it is up to you wherever you lay your head for the evening.

Like other builds from this team, Heirloom completes Journey with the same 2x4 lumber framing with CDX plywood and shed roof. To make sure all this wood isn't affected by the elements, a Zip System moisture barrier keeps things dry. Closed-cell spray foam insulation maintains the interior nice and toasty, and flooring is completed from rigid foam.

Now, what sets the Journey is the result of over two years of market research and questions to clients to produce a home that gives customers what they want and need. Sure, Journey does come in with an asking price of 139,000 USD (123,025 EUR at current exchange rates), but once you're acquainted with what you get for that sort of cash, you too might feel it's worth it. On the other hand, I've seen travel trailers that cost more than this, so it's not really an inflated price. After all, you are buying a home.

You're given two options to enter Journey, a lateral entry and another entrance at the deck. For the sake of argument, I'll mention the interior layout starting with the patio or deck entrance.

Once inside, you'll encounter the kitchen equipped with residential-sized appliances like a fridge with bottom freezer, induction cooktop, fireclay under-mount sink with brushed gold pull-down faucet head fill this area. There's also an option to add a washer/dryer. Across from the kitchen, a drop table sits ready to enjoy intimate dinners.

Heading towards the rear, the living room is the next space encountered and is also the space where you'll find the entertainment center and can add a full or queen bed. The rear is reserved for the bathroom with shower tub, toilet, sink and even fit with multiple cabinets.

Aside from all the usual home furnishings I mentioned, Journey is equipped to handle your electrical, plumbing, and heating needs. Two electrical and programmable wall heaters, plumbing connection and drain, water heater, and exterior outlets are available. Even though much else isn't mentioned about what electrical systems are in place, logic dictates that a comprehensive electrical system is available.

To find out a bit more, I tried out the configurator for Journey, just to see how much my dream home would run me. By the time I was done adding a larger entertainment center, propane upgrade, massive skylight, solar power consultation, and a queen bed in the living room, I ended up with a Journey priced at 160,397 USD (142,051 EUR at current exchange rates). Honestly, I've seen camper vans with a higher price tag, and here you're getting a home. Think about it.

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Journey Is the Culmination of Two Years of Recon A Near-Perfect Mobile Home - autoevolution

Five years ago ten tornadoes left behind a path of destruction in the Tennessee Valley on November 29th and 30th, 2016. These storms struck during the evening and overnight hours, which made it dangerous for those in the path of these tornadoes. Above are some photos of the damage from the tornadoes. There were a total of three fatalities and thirteen injuries. The three deaths and majority of the injuries occurred with an EF-3 tornado that moved through Jackson and Dekalb counties, early in the morning hours on the 30th.

Of the ten tornadoes that impacted the area, five had the strength of an EF-2 or EF-3 tornado. This means the winds with the strongest tornadoes were between 111-165 mph. These occurred in Cullman, Colbert, DeKalb, Franklin, Jackson, and Madison counties.

Just after midnight on November 30th, residents in portions of DeKalb and Jackson counties were awoken by a severe storm that would produce a tornado. The tornado touched down just outside of Rosalie at 12:02 am CST and had a 13.7-mile continuous damage path. At 12:20 am CST the tornado lifted 10 miles north-northwest of Ider, right before the Alabama and Georgia state line.

This tornado claimed the lives of three individuals and injured ten others. Homes sustained significant damage and a barn was completely destroyed in Jackson County. Over in DeKalb County, an unanchored mobile home was completely destroyed and in the Deer Head Cove area, a well-anchored metal shed was destroyed.

The EF-3 tornado that occurred in Morgan County touched down around 8:40 pm along Danville Road, just east of Isabel Mountain, and was on the ground for eight minutes. The tornado continued to strengthen as it moved towards the northeast, causing roof and structural damage to homes. In the Neel area, the roof of the volunteer fire department was almost completely taken off and large metal trusses were bent.

The tornado reached its maximum intensity as it crossed Boys Ranch Road, producing the most damage. A home in this area suffered complete roof loss and partial wall collapse, an anchored mobile home was destroyed, and a large motorcycle repair shop was almost wiped clean. The damage here was consistent with a lower-end EF-3 tornado with winds of 140 mph. Thankfully, in the 6.20-mile damage path, there were no fatalities or injuries.

Just after 7 pm on the 29th, a tornado touched down near Lost Creek Road on the west side of the Cedar Creek Reservoir in Franklin County. When it touched down it caused a significant amount of roofing damage to a single-family home and an occupant of the home was injured. The tornado was the strongest in Franklin county with wind damage typical of an EF-2 tornado.

It quickly moved off towards the northeast, crossing into Colbert County, this is where two others were injured. These individuals were injured when a single-wide manufactured home sustained damage to the roof and walls. Along with the many homes that were damaged, many trees were snapped or uprooted. After producing an 11-mile damage path, it lifted at 7:23 pm seven miles south/southwest of Tuscumbia.

The final tornado we will touch on from this outbreak was an EF-2 tornado that traveled nearly 20 miles through Madison and Jackson counties. At 9:30 pm, this tornado touched down just outside of Monte Sano State Park snapping and uprooting trees along the northern brow of the mountain. More significant damage occurred near the Central Estates neighbored where at least 15 houses had some roof decking removed, some of these homes had large sections of the roof damaged.

The peak of intensity occurred near The Flint Ridge horse farm where damage was consistent with EF-2 strength, peak winds of 125 mph. Nearly all of the tin roof was removed from one large and one small horse and a riding arena was completely destroyed. After being on the ground for almost thirty minutes, the tornado lifted 3-miles north of the Princeton area. Thankfully, there were no fatalities or injuries.

November here in the Tennessee Valley is known as the secondary severe weather season. You can read more on this here.

The rest is here:
Remembering the Tornadoes of November 29th and 30th of 2016 - whnt.com

Fidaa Ataya, an artist from a village outside Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, is a hakawatia a storyteller who is well-acquainted with the dangers of trying to create art under occupation. Settlers have attacked her, broken her equipment, and wrecked what shes tried to build on the hill of Kafr Nima, where she was born in 1987, during the First Intifada.

But Ataya isnt giving up. At the end of the month shes organizing a festival called Al-Haya Al-Mahdoura (Forbidden Life), with artists from Palestine and abroad. I want to bring the area back to life, she says. The Israeli occupation is trying to break our emotional connection to the land and uproot us. Art can bring us back.

When she was a little girl, Ataya would frequent the hill that overlooks Kafr Nima, which spans Areas B and C of the West Bank (under partial and complete Israeli control, respectively), and which itself is surrounded by other hills. Now, Atayahas turned her art into a means of resisting the military and the settlers that have taken control of that mountain.

After studying cultural psychology in Ramallah and drama in Jarash, Jordan, Ataya went to study theatre in Lebanon. In 2018, she moved to the United States, where she received another degree in community art. At the end of 2020, however, the coronavirus pandemic forced her to return to Kafr Nima from the United States.

Even before she went abroad to study, one of Atayas hobbies was taking daily hikes through the hills around her village. Al-Rusan Hill, which is part of Kafr Nimas land, was one of her favorite spots, and ever since she was a child, she would climb to its summit and sit there under a large tree.

For me that was the top of the world, Ataya recalls, I felt like I was at the center of the world, surrounded by clouds, the sky stretching across the horizon with nothing obscuring its view, as if you were standing at the beginning and the end of the earth at the same time.

Fidaa Ataya. (Courtesy)

I have to travel a lot for work, and Ive seen a lot of nature, but for me, this is the most beautiful place in the world. This is where life begins.

Before she went to the United States, Ataya invited colleagues from Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States to come and see the hills. They hiked there and wandered through the ruins of an ancient village, probably from the time of the Byzantine Empire. They found caves, fossils, and bits of pottery. One of her friends photographed the site, and they decided that their next art project would be on Al-Rusan Hill.

When she returned from the United States in 2020, Ataya went into quarantine because of the pandemic. We have a small house close to the hill, Ataya says. I isolated myself there, and my parents brought me food. One morning she went out on a hike toward the hill, as had been her routine. I saw that there was a barbed wire fence, she says, and I kept walking. I saw a gate and a car going in. I went in right behind the car.

She was told that an Israeli settler had taken over the hill. I went up the hill and sure enough I saw a settler there in a mobile home, Ataya recalls. Everyone said he would probably leave. In the village she heard that this same settler had paved a road from the neighboring village of Ras Karkar, all the way to the top of the hill, and set up a mobile home despite the objections of the Palestinian residents.

When I arrived [in the village] there was a demonstration, explains Ataya. I didnt participate in the demonstration, just continued up the hill. The soldiers stopped me on the way, threatened me with their guns and asked me what I was doing there and where I was going. They said it was a closed military zone and they wouldnt let me go up the hill.

A settler saw me and asked me where Im from. I replied that Im a Palestinian-Italian. I entered the area. I saw someone feeding sheep. [The settlers] had turned the hill into a settlement. There were several mobile homes, a wood house, and big barns where they were raising animals horses, goats, sheep. I saw a woman leaving her house. I tried to speak with her, but she ignored me.

I continued to walk towards the tree where I used to sit. They had changed everything. Not a trace of the Byzantine village remained. Someone came over and started interrogating me. I spoke to him in English. He had a gun. He was the head of the hilltop settlement.

He barely understood what I was saying, so he called someone over to translate. He asked me to speak Arabic. I replied that my Arabic isnt good enough and I am worried that I might get confused. He asked me why I had come here, and I replied that I wanted to continue the art project that I had started there. He asked me where in Palestine Im from. I pointed towards Modiin and told him that my grandmother was from there, became a refugee and came to live in Kafr Nima.

Fidaa Ataya. (Courtesy)

As soon as I finished my sentence, he punched me right in the face, cursed at me, and demanded, Speak Arabic. I continued speaking English unfazed. He started cursing at me and then punched me again. I said, Dont hit me, Im speaking nicely to you.

He started yelling. The woman I had seen outside, who must have been his wife, started yelling at him to stop. My headscarf fell off. He grabbed it and used it to blindfold me. They yelled at me, put me in a vehicle, and handed me over to the army.

The army asked me for my ID. I told them that I dont have my ID or phone on me because I am in quarantine. I gave them the number, the soldier checked it and told me to go home. He asked me how I had even gotten there, and I told him that Ive been hiking here my whole life. I asked him what they were doing there.

The soldier told me that from today on, hiking is no longer allowed on the hill because it is a closed military zone. I asked him what had changed, and he replied, Everythings changed, ask the villagers.

The pandemic has been very difficult for Ataya. Both her brother and her father passed away from COVID-19 in 2021. But she didnt give up. After her quarantine was over, she went to the police to complain about the settler violence.

The prohibition on going to the hill didnt stop her either. She continued to look for new sites in the area to create art. I realized that I have to come back to art, because there is hope in art, she says. She started a project on the Jordan River with colleagues from abroad and Palestinian artists. The idea was to hike the Jordan River to see the beautiful view, the beauty that had disappeared from our lives. The idea was to get people to fall in love with the place again and give them hope.

Ataya put together handmade milepost signs to place along the hike, but the army harassed her. The soldiers ruined my project, arrested six artists and confiscated one of their cars. Someone destroyed all the signs we put up, she explains.

At the same time, she organized a project on village land, between Ein Al-Hilweh and Wadi Al-Maliha (Freshwater Spring and Salty Wadi). Its a miracle to me that the salt water and the fresh water meet.

Ataya found herself surrounded by violence and destruction once again, when both settlers and the army destroyed her artwork whether from the settlers or the army. She turned to the Israeli police, filed a complaint, and continued to look for a space for new projects.

I tried to access our land to plant trees and they didnt even let me go there, Ataya says. I tried to walk around the area with my foreign friends and continue with our art project, but the settler stopped me. He remembered me, asked me what I want from him and why Ive been coming to his house.

I replied that I wanted to continue the art project that I started there, and he responded, no, you want a war. I replied that I dont want a war, and the women and I continued to walk to the site. I planted trees in place of the trees they uprooted. I made a library for children and a small costume room. I set up a parasol and a large doll and I made a sign that read Art Studio.

I was at the studio taking photographs. A settler came up to me and started photographing me and my studio. I asked him to leave. When I was on my way home, the settler came back on a motorcycle with the army in tow and started asking me where Im going. The head of the settlement arrived, and I told the army that he had hit me.

Atayas brother arrived at the scene, spoke to the soldiers in Hebrew, and was able to release her. Three days later I came back to my studio, she recalls. There was nothing there. They stole everything. They even uprooted the trees. They also took the sign. I went straight to the police and filed a complaint, and I went to the [Israeli human rights] organization Yesh Din. Ive already filed four complaints against the settlers with the police.

Atayas works have been displayed in festivals around the world Italy, the United States, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, France, and others. I tell stories. Sometimes theyre true stories about my own experiences or stories that other people told me, and sometimes theyre Palestinian folk tales. I make them relevant and tie them to our present reality.

Village life gave me a strong connection to nature. The land is a part of the villagers lives. I organize festivals and invite artists from Palestine and abroad. Each time I pick a new location where I feel there is a conflict. We sit, meet with locals, listen to their stories, and come out with a collaborative art project either visual or story-based, depending on the place and the stories.

Is your art an act of resistance?

For me, art is a way to help people. I realized that I cant make change on my own. I want to bring the area back to life. The occupation is suffocating us from every angle.

On Oct. 30, Atayas festival, Forbidden Life, will take place featuring artists from Palestine and abroad. My plan is to put together three large festivals a year, not just in Palestine. I want the art to be part of nature, not disconnected from it. Thats my way. I go somewhere and incorporate my art into the people, places and environment.

Fidaa Ataya performs for Palestinian schoolchildren. (Courtesy)

Maysoon Badawi, a researcher from Yesh Din, is tracking settler and military violence in the area and is the coordinator of the organizations work on gender issues. She also runs workshops on legal empowerment for women in the West Bank. Fidaa came to me, says Badawi, shes never able to get to her land.

For me, Fidaa is a symbol of the struggle. She went to the police alone to file a complaint three times. Its not an easy thing to do, Badawi says. She doesnt throw in the towel. They uprooted her trees several times, but she didnt give up. Its important to file complaints with the police. It wont end the occupation, but the settlers need to understand that someone is keeping tabs on them.

This article was first published in Hebrew on Local Call. Read it here.

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'The occupation is trying to uproot us. Art can bring us back' - +972 Magazine

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4 to 6 percent of all monthly U.S. listings are For Sale By Owner

Based on new research by Zillow over the past three years, For Sale By Owners (FSBOs) made up 4-6% of all home listings nationally, which translated to roughly 63,000 homes for sale during September 2021. The research also found that FSBOs are most common in rural areas and tend to be more affordable.

"Our research shows that homes put on the market directly by owners are a small but consistent part of the housing ecosystem," said Zillow economist Alexandra Lee. "We see that these types of listings are more heavily used by rural, lower-income sellers, a demographic that appears to value flexibility to sell their home on their own terms."

The research found that in 2021, 24% of rural sellers did not use an agent, compared to 16% of suburban and 20% of urban sellers. Additionally, across all markets, FSBOs are listed at prices 18% lower than properties represented by agents. This trend is likely attributable to location and size of the home, rather than the home being sold at a discounted price. The median listed price for a FSBO home is $292,810. The median price of a home listed with a seller's agent is $355,777.

FSBOs can be found in every state in the country, providing an option for some buyers searching for a home at a lower price point. For instance, in states like New York, Illinois and Montana, FSBOs are 19-25% less expensive than non-FSBO properties. States with the largest share of FSBO properties are concentrated in the Midwest and South. FSBOs make up at least 10% of all home sales for in Iowa, Mississippi, Nebraska, Kentucky, Arkansas, Oklahoma and West Virginia.

The data shows homeowners with lower incomes are more likely to sell their properties directly. For instance, a household earning less than $50,000 annually is almost twice as likely to sell a home without an agent than a household earning over six figures. Around a quarter (24%) of sellers earning less than $50,000 sold their home without the help of an agent over the past three years.

While more FSBOs are generally in rural areas, FSBOs can still be found at lower prices than traditionally listed properties in a number of large, populated U.S. metro areas. In 23 of the largest 50 metros, FSBOs are priced lower than agent listings. Looking closer at these figures, the research shows that homes for sale by the owner in Indianapolis, St. Louis, Atlanta and San Antonio had the largest price differential -- FSBOs in these markets were listed at 10% less than traditionally listed properties in these markets.

The research also found that due to structural inequities in income and, in turn, home value and type, sellers of color are slightly less likely to report using an agent. On average over the past three years, 79% of Black sellers and 76% of Latinx sellers report enlisting an agent to help sell their home. White sellers reported using an agent 83% of the time.

Overall, FSBOs are used for all home types, but are most popular for sellers of smaller home types like townhomes, row houses, duplexes, triplexes, mobile homes and manufactured homes.

The steady and consistent prevalence of FSBO listings underscores the importance of this option as one of many in today's housing market.

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For Sale By Owners Tend to be Rural, Lower-Income Sellers in the U.S. - World Property Journal

In the warmer months,Greater Lansing residentsdealwith mosquitos and ants some must also endure bees, waspsandtermites. Now that winter is upon us, there's an entirelydifferent set of bugs to be on the lookout for.

Bob Yoakam isthe "Lansing Bug Man" his pest control business dealswith bug issues mostly in the spring and summer however, this time of year iswhen he starts getting more indoor calls.

"Now that it's this cold, they're already in your house," Yoakamsaid.

So, what are the bugs to watch out for in winter? And how do you get rid of them once they're inside? Read on for the five most common winter bugs in Greater Lansing, and how to keep them out of your home.

Gary Parsons is thedirector of the MSU Bug House, part of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, where you can learn about all sorts of insects and arachnids and interact with live specimens.

According to Parsons, the five most common bugs found in Michigan homes during the colder months are:

Each of these bugs have adult stages in the winter, which makes them mobile and motivatedto get out of or avoid cold and rain and snow.

Most are seeking a dry spot to enter a hibernation state,somewherethey know they'll be protected. Some may go into the bark of trees, or inside a fallen log. Stink bugs especially are known to hibernate in rock, such as the crevasses of a cliff.

Ladybugs and stink bugs are distasteful,meaningpets may get sick from eating too many. For the most part, though, theseare all harmless, Parsonssaid.

These bugs view houses as just another place to spend the winter because they can sense the warmth. Once inside, they mostly just hibernate in the house.

Obvious entry pointsfor bugsare where there's an electrical, water or air-conditioning line enteringthe house, Yoakam said. Caulking and sealing holes around these openings is a good first step toward a bug-free home, but it's not as certain as using a pesticide, he said.

Other common places for bugs to sneak in is through warped siding, orwindows anddoors that aren't well-insulated. Parsons said he's had stink bugs get into his house through vent pipes in theroof. He recommends sealing up all cracks where bugs could get in.

Parsons said bugstend to prefer south- or west-facing sides of the house, because those areas tend to get more sun in the winter. He also usesa mesh screen over his attic vents and other openings to keep bugs out of his home.

"The first thing you should do is try to prevent them from getting in the house," he said.

Oncebugs are inside, they emit an attractivepheromone to help other bugs findthe safe, warm area and then it becomes a matter of getting them out.

"We do not advocate using pesticides," Parsons said. "It really has little effect on these things anyway." He said there are more effective ways to deal with bugs indoors that don't leave any residue.

According to Parsons, the best way to address thebugs who have made it inside your house already is to vacuum them up, or capture them in some sort of container to take outside. These bugs die in the cold, so there's no need to worry about them coming back inside.

Parsons warns residents to not squish bugsstink bugs and lady bugs especially can leave a stain, not to mention possible odors.

Yoakam the "Lansing Bug Man" approaches gettingbugs out a bit differently:"Without a pesticide keeping a bug out of a house, I don't know another way to be honest," he said.

To learn more about how to keep bugs out of your home thiswinter, visit the Lansing Bug Man websiteor MSU Bug House. And for more resources about bugs in general, including tips for keeping them out of your home, visit the MSU Extension website.

Sophia Lada is a news assistant at the Lansing State Journal. Contact her at slada@lsj.com or 517.377.1065. Follow heron Twitter@sophia_lada.

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5 most common winter bugs in Greater Lansing, and how to keep them out of your home - Lansing State Journal

Ann Arbor, MI Countertops

Ann Arbor countertops Michigan's #1 countertop provider, fabricator, and installer of countertop the industry's leading materials. The city of Ann Arbor, Michigan predominantly known as home to the University of Michigan has a strong reputation for more than being a college town. With Ann Arbors robust personality and culture full of education, family life, healthy living, and inclusivity, the city is known as a well-rounded community for its residents.

As one of Michigans most popular towns, Ann Arbor, MI is located in Washtenaw County, just 43 miles west of Detroit, and is considered a very attractive location for real estate. Featuring beautiful outdoor landscapes, spectacular museums, literature, and nightlife, it is clear why the city is flourishing with over 47,000 households and families putting down roots.

The average age of a home built in Ann Arbor is 48 years old, making it no surprise that so many homeowners living in the city are interested in remodeling services every year. MKD is proud to be at their service, offering home remodeling services that include countertops, cabinets, and more.

Ann Arbor homeowners recognize the diverse activities the city has to offer. From food and drinks to football and design, Ann Arbor, MI hosts a thriving and creative market.

Known for some of Michigans best cuisine, Ann Arbor has more restaurants per resident than any city in the United States. Numerous renowned chefs can be found showcasing their skills, ensuring any craving can be satisfied in Ann Arbor. Some resident favorites include Knights Steakhouse, a classic steakhouse with a modern twist, Aventura, featuring a Spanish tapas menu packed with flavor, and Zingermans Delicatessen known for being one of the best delis in the city.

Youll never be far from a good time in Ann Arbor, with Ann Arbor Farmers Market being a hot spot for fresh produce, local shops, and hand made art. Along with a little known gem, referred to as the Huron River, where residents and visitors can kayak, canoe, and paddleboard along. When it comes to Ann Arbors most popular hotspots, Ann Arbor Art Center is at the top of the list. Located in the heart of downtown, inside the historic Walker Building youll find Ann Arbors most unique venue for special events. Having been host to weddings, corporate events, high school reunions, and more, the landmark space is a beloved location for your most special gatherings.

We cant forget about The Big House, also known as Michigan Universitys Football Stadium. Seating an impressive 107,601, Michigans Stadium is located at the northeast corner of Main Street and Stadium Boulevard and has been host to the Real Madrid and Manchester United match up in 2014. No matter your interests, the best part about Ann Arbor is the city has something for everyone!

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#1 Granite & Quartz Countertops in Ann Arbor | MKD

Amid white quartz countertops, chevron tiling in bathrooms and a fitness facility, monstrous textile equipment remains in some of the hallways of one of Worcesters newest apartment complexes.

The industrial equipment pays homage to the brick buildings past as the home to Chevalier Furniture Inc. on Water Street.

Filling the recently vacant structure located next to the Canal Lofts, 62 units are set to come on line by the end of the year, according to Castinetti Realty Group, which is listing the units.

The project is under the watch of Rossi Development Inc., based out of Boston. The facelift for the former Chevalier Furniture building includes studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units. All come with one bathroom, in-unit laundry, access to a fitness center, bike racks and a dog park.

Parking is also available behind the building near the dog park, but there are fewer than 25 spaces.

The units facing Harding Street also offer tremendous views of the citys skyline.

A new 62-unit apartment complex is set to open by the end of the year in Worcester's Canal District. The complex features studio, 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom units at market rates.

Layouts differ from unit to unit due to the historic nature of the building.

Studios begin at $1,295, one-bedroom units begin at $1,495 and two-bedroom units are $1,895.

According to Castinetti Realty Group, about 30% of the 62 units have already been rented. The two-bedroom units have been most popular and only one remains.

A fitness center with exercise bikes, treadmills and other equipment, is situated in the basement along with a bike rack.

The building is pet friendly with an updated dog park which is available to tenants along Harding Street. Work began on the vacant structure about a year ago.

Castinetti Realty Group expects work to finish and residents to begin moving in by the end of the year.

The complex represents the latest residential plans within the Canal District, which will introduce hundreds of new units within the next several years.

Churchill James has plans for a 13-story building that will contain more than 300 market-rate units. Beyond housing, the building will also have nearly 30,000 square feet of retail and foodservice space as well as a 152-space parking garage located on Green Street, not far from the new units on Water Street.

The plans also include a pizza restaurant and a candlepin bowling alley.

Rossi Development also is building residential units across from Polar Park off of Madison Street. The area is expected to be home to two new residential buildings, a hotel and a biotech facility.

Also not far from Polar Park, the Kelley Square home of Table Talk Pies is expected to begin to transform into more housing.

Boston Capital Development LLC will take over the property at the end of the year once Table Talk Pies fully moves to its new location in Worcester. Boston Capital hopes to have shovels in the ground in 2022 for the first stage of a multi-phase and multi-year project. The plans include retail, affordable housing, market-rate housing and even a creation of a new road.

The first phase will include a six-story L-shaped building with 80 affordable units.

The early plans for Boston Capital also include reinstituting Spruce Street as a connection from Green Street to Washington Street.

The residential boom within the neighborhood began with the Worcester Public Market. The Kelley Square Lofts are above the market. They include studio, one-bedroom and two bedroom units.

They debuted in 2019.

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New apartments in Worcesters Canal District start at $1,295 offering quartz countertops, exposed brick and a - masslive.com

Interior design for 2022 maintains a strong focus on the kitchen, one of the most dynamic spaces in the home.The kitchen has always had a vocation as a collective convivial space, but todays kitchen is much more than this. The many changes in society in recent years have added to the functions served by this central space in the home, as will be clear, for example, in kitchen living areas adapting living space to the new standards, requirements and rhythms of everyday life.

In recent years the kitchen has been the room in the house that has seen the most experimentation among designers, both in the new appliances proposed and in modular customisable furnishings, all capable of improving performance and liveability.Retracting doors and walk-in pantries conceal essential parts of the kitchen while adding to its appeal, practicality and orderliness. The popularity of islands and peninsulas is confirmed for the new year thanks to their practicality for cooking and socialising in the utmost comfort, as well as their attractiveness providing a visual focus for the kitchen.

When it comes to the choice of materials, high-tech ceramic is the material that makes the most difference in the kitchen.

Ceramic materials of all kinds combine beautiful, useful and practical design with the strength, durability and easy cleaning typical of porcelain. A material creating original and often surprising effects, porcelain also anticipates the new trends in the industry, responding to consumers new tastes and aspirations.

Little specks of material and the neutral background colours of the surfaces allow Il Veneziano to add an original touch of timeless elegance to the kitchen while maintaining the technical performance of full-body porcelain. Its outstanding properties include easy matching with other SapienStone surfaces and countertops.

The three countertops in SapienStones Il Veneziano collection are 12 mm thick to ensure great visual lightness combined with absolute technical resistance. The materials are produced in big 320x150 cm slabs to cover large surfaces without gaps or grouting.

Made from carefully selected natural materials, SapienStone ceramic slabs are sustainably made in zero-emission production plants. Scrap is put back into the production cycle, and the countertops may be recycled when no longer needed.

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SapienStone's highly original surfaces and countertops for the kitchen of 2022 go with everything - Floornature.com

AMHERST, N.Y. M.J. Peterson Real Estate Corp. and the Related Cos. have begun their $60 million renovation of four Amherst apartment complexes.

The 18-month project will see 1,016 low income apartments some of which date back to the 1940s renovated. The work is underway at the Oxford Village Townhomes, Princeton Court Apartments, Brewster Mews Apartments and Parkside Homes. The New York City-based Related Cos. is led by Miami Dolphins' owner Stephen Ross.

Pete Peterson, M.J. Peterson president and CEO, said all of the apartments will get new kitchen cabinets, countertops, vinyl plank flooring and appliances. Also due to be replaced are bathtubs, showers and vanities. The Oxford Village and Parkside Homes will get new playgrounds and benches. Princeton Court will see a new community building and exercise room developed, while Brewster Mews will also gain a new community building.

Link:
M.J. Peterson, Related Cos. begin $60 million Amherst apartment rehab project - WGRZ.com