Q: We live on the outskirts of Dixon. There are about 40 homes in our subdivision. We’ve been here for a little over two years and one of the reasons we bought this particular house was because our front yard looks out onto an old orchard which we understand is on county, not city, land. We were told that homes wouldn’t be built in the orchard because you aren’t allowed to build houses in the county. Last week bull dozers began tearing down the orchard. One morning I walked across the street and asked one of the heavy equipment drivers what was going on. He said this was going to be a development. We are confused. We thought you couldn’t build developments in the county. Shouldn’t our Realtor or someone have told us this was going to happen?
A: One of the most important lessons I’ve learned in my very long life is that nothing is certain and everything changes.
Back in the dark ages, the first home my wife and I bought was in the brand-new Dover Terrace South development in Suisun. The biggest selling point was that all the land south of Highway 12 was forever protected wetlands with panoramic views full of ducks and geese. About six years later they started building the big Lawler Ranch development, built by the same company that built my house!
To be clear, I’m not sure what development you’re referring to, so I can’t address it specifically. But I can tell you firsthand that money and political power can quickly turn “never” into “not until next week.”
However, development is
process any landowner has to go
to happen. Why would he? He could have just been hired to knock down the trees, something farms around the county have been doing with some regularity as the marketability of different produce changes.
On the other hand, the driver’s definition of “development” may be different than yours and mine.
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You’re right that huge home tracts can generally not be built at least in part, the county isn’t police, fire and utility burdens that a tract of homes places on they have to get a city to incorporate the land and move the city boundary.
But, from what you’ve told me, you don’t have nearly enough facts to even know what’s going on.
To begin with, you don’t sound certain that you even know exactly where the county line is. Is it possible that the orchard is just inside the city limits?
It’s not always easy to tell where a city ends and the county begins. Road signs welcoming you to a city are notorious for being placed where they’re most visible, rather than directly on the city boundary.
Perhaps the orchard was historically in the county, but was incorporated into the city in the recent past, before you bought your home.
It’s also entirely possible that the guy driving the bulldozer doesn’t really know what’s going
Depending upon how big the orchard is, someone would be allowed to build a couple of houses and out-buildings on it, even though it’s in the county. That’s not what I would consider a development.
Since you’re concerned, here’s what I suggest you do.
Go to the Dixon City Planning Department and ask a planner what is going on. You just walk up to the desk and ask. Be prepared to explain exactly what property you are referring to. You could use your home’s address as a reference point, or better yet, bring in a map to illustrate the location.
If somebody is hammering a nail into a piece of wood anywhere in Dixon, the Planning Department will know about it. Regarding disclosures, neither builders nor Realtors are required to check public records to see if development is slated to occur around a property. If someone made a deliberate misrepresentation to you in order to get you to buy the property, then that is, of course, a different matter.
Tim Jones is a real estate attorney in Fairfield. If you have any real estate questions you would like to have answered in this column, you can send an email to AllThingsRealEstate@ TJones-Law.com
The government debt ceiling is like a home equity line of credit limit, or HELOC. Lots of folks, nowadays, are taking out a HELOC to borrow money secured against their home equity to remodel kitchens, put in a swimming pool, consolidate debt and make investments in other real estate. Nobody is refinancing their 3% rate $400,000 mortgage to get $100,000 in cash out.
A HELOC is like a credit card. The HELOC creditor gives the borrower a credit limit of $200,000, for example, and once the borrower gets to a balance of $200,000 the only way for the borrower to get more money is if the creditor approves a new higher credit limit.
The government is asking the taxpayers and their creditors to increase their credit limit. The U.S. national debt today is $31 trillion, which is 120% of our GDP (the value of our economy).
If a borrower calls me today and asks me for a HELOC credit limit for 120% of her home’s value, I will have to let her know that we will limit the HELOC to a maximum of 90% of the home value. Conservative Democrats and all Republicans that represent the taxpayers are concerned about spending more than we make and running up our debt just like a family might do if they are not careful.
From 1984 to 1989, I personally did this and borrowed from our house equity a few times to support my wife and four kids based on the idea I will make a lot more money next year and will be able to pay off the debt. I had a bad year in 1988 and had to sell our house in Pacifica, pay off all our debt and relocate to Vacaville and start over from scratch.
We were lucky the home value had nearly doubled from 1984 to late 1988, but a painful lesson was learned because we
Jim Porter
had to rent for two years until we were able to purchase our Vacaville home in late 1990.
The Congressional Budget Office projects that by 2033 we will be paying $3.9 billion per day for the interest on the national debt. Today, we are paying $1.3 billion per day and rising, thanks to the nine Fed rate hikes in the past 14 months.
We are not paying down the balance on our national line of credit and we are way over the credit limit by 30% based on my 90% loan-to-value risk policy. Our kids and grandkids will be stuck with massive debt for the next 60 years if we don’t start spending less than we make. Common sense makes sense.
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Price Reduced!!! O ered at $2,590,000
TOTAL SALES: 7
LOWEST AMOUNT: $560,000
HIGHEST AMOUNT: $955,000
MEDIAN AMOUNT: $830,000
AVERAGE AMOUNT: $817,571
1107 West 2nd Street - $915,000
04-18-23 [4 Bdrms - 2264 SqFt - 1974 YrBlt]
225 East 2nd Street - $698,000
04-21-23 [3 Bdrms - 1544 SqFt - 1982 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 08-19-22, $650,000
635 Daffodil Drive - $935,000
04-18-23 [4 Bdrms - 1964 SqFt - 1989 YrBlt]
1262 Grove Circle - $560,000
04-17-23 [2 Bdrms - 1402 SqFt - 1978 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 09-10-03, $311,500
116 Mountview Terrace - $830,000
04-17-23 [4 Bdrms - 2288 SqFt - 1995 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 12-08-97, $259,500
509 Poppy Circle - $830,000
04-18-23 [3 Bdrms - 1814 SqFt - 1986 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 08-26-02, $395,000
563 Primrose Lane - $955,000
04-19-23 [3 Bdrms - 1902 SqFt - 1991 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 02-10-12, $375,000
TOTAL SALES: 2
LOWEST AMOUNT: $575,000
HIGHEST AMOUNT: $779,000
MEDIAN AMOUNT: $677,000
AVERAGE AMOUNT: $677,000
1155 Bello Drive - $779,000
04-20-23 [5 Bdrms - 3824 SqFt - 2004
YrBlt], Previous Sale: 10-08-04, $588,724
960 Rohwer Court - $575,000
04-17-23 [3 Bdrms - 1328 SqFt - 1993 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 05-20-10, $225,000
TOTAL SALES: 14
LOWEST AMOUNT: $225,000
HIGHEST AMOUNT: $1,388,000
MEDIAN AMOUNT: $646,500
AVERAGE AMOUNT: $676,679
304 Auburn Court - $643,000
04-19-23 [3 Bdrms - 1651 SqFt - 2017 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 03-11-21, $610,000
2646 Barbour Drive - $610,000
04-20-23 [3 Bdrms - 1638 SqFt - 1975
YrBlt], Previous Sale: 03-20-17, $405,500
1866 Beacon Falls Way - $865,000
04-19-23 [5 Bdrms - 3101 SqFt - 2013 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 03-15-18, $660,000
2995 Blackwell Court - $700,000
04-21-23 [4 Bdrms - 1596 SqFt - 1976 YrBlt]
2193 Cedarbrook Drive - $550,000
04-17-23 [3 Bdrms - 1902 SqFt - 1980 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 06-21-17, $405,000
4463 Glencannon Drive - $1,388,000
04-20-23 [3 Bdrms - 3832 SqFt - 1983
YrBlt], Previous Sale: 05-16-12, $715,000
2232 Hom Drive - $650,000
04-21-23 [3 Bdrms - 1952 SqFt - 2012 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 04-13-18, $465,000
1215 Mallard Court - $485,000
04-19-23 [3 Bdrms - 1128 SqFt - 1972 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 02-03-17, $310,000
5140 Renaissance Court - $999,000
04-21-23 [4 Bdrms - 2471 SqFt - 1993 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 01-25-16, $670,000
2545 Shorey Way - $573,500
04-19-23 [3 Bdrms - 1423 SqFt - 2002 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 05-18-18, $426,500
5096 Silverado Drive - $650,000
04-18-23 [3 Bdrms - 1609 SqFt - 1982 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 05-13-14, $302,500
555 East Tennessee Street - $450,000
04-20-23 [3 Bdrms - 933 SqFt - 1959 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 05-20-22, $372,500
586 Versailles Lane - $685,000
04-19-23 [4 Bdrms - 1948 SqFt - 1995 YrBlt]
18 Villa Court - $225,000
04-20-23 [2 Bdrms - 968 SqFt - 1971 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 05-30-19, $166,000
TOTAL SALES: 8
LOWEST AMOUNT: $400,000
HIGHEST AMOUNT: $549,000
MEDIAN AMOUNT: $507,500
AVERAGE AMOUNT: $487,063
144 North 5th Street - $505,000
04-20-23 [4 Bdrms - 2007 SqFt - 1946 YrBlt]
421 Birch Ridge Drive - $549,000 04-17-23 [3 Bdrms - 1945 SqFt - 2011 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 12-01-11, $359,500
4378 Broadway Chase - $515,000
04-18-23 [3 Bdrms - 1508
TOTAL SALES: 24
LOWEST AMOUNT: $365,000
HIGHEST AMOUNT: $1,130,000
MEDIAN AMOUNT: $630,500
AVERAGE AMOUNT: $638,125
119 Andover Drive - $565,000
04-21-23 [3 Bdrms - 1296 SqFt - 1975 YrBlt]
1124 Araquipa Court - $538,000
04-18-23 [3 Bdrms - 1518 SqFt - 1996 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 07-26-10, $111,000
208 Bald Eagle Drive - $658,500
04-17-23 [4 Bdrms - 2003 SqFt - 1994 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 06-18-20, $580,000
913 Bergenia Street - $631,000
04-17-23 [3 Bdrms - 1547 SqFt - 2021 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 01-11-21, $510,500
272 Berryessa Drive - $365,000
04-17-23 [3 Bdrms - 960 SqFt - 1965 YrBlt]
1048 Boone Court - $815,000
04-19-23 [6 Bdrms - 3534 SqFt - 2001
YrBlt], Previous Sale: 02-11-13, $398,000
117 Bryce Way - $435,000
04-18-23 [2 Bdrms - 1388 SqFt - 1981 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 04-17-18, $340,000
160 Clark Way - $540,000
04-20-23 [3 Bdrms - 1318 SqFt - 1978 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 02-18-20, $430,000
7678 Clover Lane - $1,130,000
04-17-23 [3 Bdrms - 1907 SqFt - 1969 YrBlt]
461 Diamond Oaks Drive - $1,030,000
04-21-23 [4 Bdrms - 2707 SqFt - 1995 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 02-16-01, $440,000
342 Dumbarton Drive - $653,000
04-18-23 [4 Bdrms - 1807 SqFt - 1988 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 04-01-05, $475,000
836 Landon Court - $635,000
04-20-23 [3 Bdrms - 1711 SqFt - 1970 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 00/1992, $237,500
254 Loch Lomond Drive - $549,000
04-17-23 [4 Bdrms - 1993 SqFt - 1988 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 02-22-18, $415,000
802 Marshall Road - $515,000
04-21-23 [3 Bdrms - 1296 SqFt - 1987 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 00/1991, $148,000
412 Mount Vernon Circle - $630,000
04-21-23 [4 Bdrms - 1782 SqFt - 2008 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 04-06-16, $450,000
481 Robin Circle - $631,000
04-18-23 [4 Bdrms - 1701 SqFt - 1989 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 10-20-10, $245,000
216 Solano Lane - $415,000
04-18-23 [3 Bdrms - 1568 SqFt - 1961 YrBlt]
1766 Southwood Drive - $542,500
04-18-23 [4 Bdrms - 1304 SqFt - 1978 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 10-21-22, $300,000
1012 Syracuse Circle - $515,000
04-18-23 [3 Bdrms - 1528 SqFt - 1993 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 05-28-10, $217,000
506 Topeka Lane - $910,000 04-21-23 [5 Bdrms - 3498 SqFt - 2004
Previous Sale: 01-07-04, $514,990
106 Viewmont Lane - $650,000
04-20-23 [5 Bdrms - 2247 SqFt - 1978
Previous Sale: 09-23-04, $499,000
499 Willamette Drive - $705,000
These are the local homes sold recently, provided by California Resource of Lodi. The company can be reached at 209.365.6663 or CalResource@aol.com.
04-17-23 [4 Bdrms - 2195 SqFt - 1978 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 03-20-17, $550,000
250 Wisteria Circle - $665,000
04-18-23 [3 Bdrms - 1860 SqFt - 2020
YrBlt], Previous Sale: 05-18-20, $528,500
100 Woodridge Circle - $592,000
04-17-23 [3 Bdrms - 1436 SqFt - 1988 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 01-19-12, $194,000
TOTAL SALES: 25
LOWEST AMOUNT: $205,000
HIGHEST AMOUNT: $1,575,000
MEDIAN AMOUNT: $537,000
AVERAGE AMOUNT: $569,560
622 Butte Street - $205,000
04-20-23 [2 Bdrms - 840 SqFt - 1918 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 04-23-13, $60,000
210 Cabrillo Avenue - $540,000
04-21-23 [3 Bdrms - 1149 SqFt - 1955 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 06-16-22, $385,000
1034 Caldwell Avenue - $525,000
04-20-23 [3 Bdrms - 1310 SqFt - 1949 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 06-04-02, $260,000
234 Cassady Street - $340,000
04-20-23 [1 Bdrms - 680 SqFt - 1938 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 12-29-16, $225,000
1051 Cimarron Court - $551,000
04-19-23 [3 Bdrms - 1614 SqFt - 1990 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 04-16-14, $290,000
225 Cimarron Drive - $635,000
04-21-23 [3 Bdrms - 1614 SqFt - 1990 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 09-28-17, $425,000
309 Del Sur Street - $1,575,000
04-20-23 [3 Bdrms - 900 SqFt - 1953 YrBlt]
284 Dutch Flat Court - $462,000
04-19-23 [3 Bdrms - 1188 SqFt - 1978 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 11-18-22, $300,000
115 El Verano - $605,000
04-17-23 [4 Bdrms - 1498 SqFt - 1940 YrBlt]
111 Fiddletown Court - $570,000
04-19-23 [3 Bdrms - 1344 SqFt - 1979 YrBlt]
1022 Flagship Drive - $680,000
04-17-23 [3 Bdrms - 2831 SqFt - 2007 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 11-29-06, $657,500
1546 Flagship Drive - $920,000
04-17-23 [4 Bdrms - 3029 SqFt - 2017 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 08-20-17, $614,000
5072 Georgia Street - $700,000
04-19-23 [4 Bdrms - 2684 SqFt - 1986 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 07-20-17, $542,000
141 Grubstake Place - $400,000
04-17-23 [3 Bdrms - 1040 SqFt - 1982 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 07-08-09, $130,000
301 Hampshire Street - $440,000
04-18-23 [2 Bdrms - 1160 SqFt - 1935 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 01-05-16, $265,000
201 Jordan Street - $470,000
04-17-23 [3 Bdrms - 1070 SqFt - 1942 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 12-17-09, $110,000
136 Lancaster Way - $726,000
04-19-23 [4 Bdrms - 1975 SqFt - 1978 YrBlt]
210 Manhattan Drive - $479,000
04-18-23 [3 Bdrms - 1300 SqFt - 1954 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 04-19-13, $186,000
572 Moorland Street - $449,000
04-20-23 [2 Bdrms - 820 SqFt - 1941 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 08-30-17, $270,000
244 Navone Street - $310,000
04-21-23 [3 Bdrms - 1040 SqFt - 1951 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 09-17-10, $118,000
202 Orange Street - $500,000
04-21-23 [3 Bdrms - 1331 SqFt - 1955 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 05-26-15, $155,000
719 Pennsylvania Street - $537,000
04-17-23 [4 Bdrms - 1380 SqFt - 1870 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 11-14-17, $395,000
1901 Sereno Drive - $595,000
04-20-23 [4 Bdrms - 1640 SqFt - 1965 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 09-25-18, $460,000
179 Tellerday Court - $615,000
04-19-23 [4 Bdrms - 2410 SqFt - 1980 YrBlt]
319 Valencia Street - $410,000
04-19-23 [4 Bdrms - 2004 SqFt - 1965 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 10-12-15, $255,000
THE WASHINGTON POST
For two years, Jennifer Flynn has been reaching out to dozens of highly recommended home improvement companies, handymen, painters and others for some projects at her Syracuse, N.Y., home. Many have not shown up for appointments, even after confirming them. Others haven’t returned her calls. Still others come out and promise an estimate, only to ghost. “I’ll contact them and they’ll either respond they’re too busy or don’t respond at all,” she says.
It’s a frustration shared by many. “It’s harder than ever to get tradesmen to commit to a job because there is so much work out there and they can afford to pick and choose,” says Kimberly Greenwell, a home education expert and host of My Southern Home TV.
The situation is unlikely to improve in the near future. There aren’t enough tradespeople to go around. Inflation has driven up the cost of doing business. And professionals are weary of spending their time and money to give a free estimate to people who are unlikely to actually hire them.
The shortage of skilled tradespeople has been at least a decade in the making, says Chris Egner, the chairman of the board of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. “For the last 10 years, few people have chosen to learn a trade, because it wasn’t seen as a viable career option. On top of that, during the pandemic those tradespeople near retirement age left the field. It’s starting to get better as younger people understand skilled tradesmen can earn good money and eventually open their own business, but a 10-year gap takes a
long time to rebuild,” he says.
On top of that, costs for materials, labor, insurance and fuel have as much as tripled since 2020. According to Egner, who owns a design, build and remodel firm in Milwaukee, that means businesses determine which jobs maximize profit. A roofer is going to choose a full-blown roof replacement, for example, over a one-hour roof repair. A remodeling company would rather deploy a crew to a home converting an unfinished basement into an bedroom with an en suite bathroom than a job replacing a bathtub with a shower stall. Others set a minimum price before considering a job. In Flynn’s case, one contractor told her they wouldn’t take a job below $500,000.
Then there are comparison-shopping consumers just testing the waters, who – to the tradespeople – feel like a waste of time. “I have 50 people calling with zero interest in hiring me. They simply want a free estimate so they can find the cheapest price,” says Alan Archuleta, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders Remodelers Council. “Why would I drive to your home and give anything to you for free?” To combat this, Archuleta charges for detailed estimates. These bank-ready proposals range from $300 for a master bath remodel to $5,000 for a home addition. If you hire his company, the proposal fee is credited toward the job.
In the meantime, Flynn’s to-do list keeps growing: Replace a bathroom exhaust fan, cement cap three pipes, remove a broken awning, fix a leaking sink, repair a fireplace flue, redo kitchen
See Handyman, Page 14
In a lot of homes, the kitchen counter is one of the few spots that gets cleaned – or at least wiped down – every day. So, it’s a good idea to make sure you’re taking care of yours correctly.
You might actually be doing too much, says Alan Mayr, president of MARBLELIFE, a company that repairs and restores household surfaces.
He says about 20% of the company’s clients need professional help because they’ve used an “inappropriate cleaner” on their counters, when experts say a general rule, no matter what type of countertop you have, is to use only water and mild dish soap for daily upkeep.
“Dawn literally could clean your entire house,” says Poiette Noel, owner of No More Dust Maid Services in D.C. Also: stay away from abrasive sponges. Even the scratchy, green side of an average kitchen sponge can damage the surface and remove its protective coating. Instead, use a soft, microfiber cloth.
While dish soap and water are your best bet in most cases, there are, of course, some kitchen messes that require a tougher approach. If you need to perform a deep clean or work on a stubborn stain, here’s what experts recommend for seven common countertop materials.
Quartz is the most popular countertop material largely because of how durable it is. But “that doesn’t mean [it’s] invin-
cible,” says Grace Reynolds, a founder of the American House Cleaners Association. She advises wiping up spills immediately and using cutting boards to protect the quartz surface. If you still wind up with a mess, avoid abrasive and acidic cleaners, as well as bleach and vinegar. Instead, use a quartz-specific cleaner, from a brand such as Weiman or Hope’s.
For tough stains, Reynolds says you can try a bit of Goo Gone, though she advises testing it first on a “small, inconspicuous area” to make sure it doesn’t cause discoloration or other damage. Then, apply a small amount to the stain, let it sit for a few minutes, and carefully scrub it away with a microfiber cloth. Rinse the area with water and dry it with a clean microfiber cloth.
As with quartz, stay away from bleach, vinegar and harsh chemicals when cleaning your granite surfaces. If you need something stronger than dish soap and water, try a granite-specific cleaner. To get a stain out, make a 50/50 mixture of isopropyl alcohol and water, then wipe it onto the spot with a microfiber cloth. Another option for stain removal: a thick paste (think of the consistency of toothpaste) made of baking soda and water. Start with a heaping tablespoon of baking soda then adding a teaspoon of water, or just enough so that the mixture sticks to the countertop. Spread the paste over the stain, cover it with plastic wrap and leave it for at least 24 hours. Use a microfiber cloth, water and mild dish soap to clean the paste
off. You might need to repeat the process several times, but it’s safe and gentle and won’t damage the granite, Reynolds says.
Marble is “always the most finicky out of all the countertops” because of how porous it is, Reynolds says. In general, if soap and water aren’t working, use a specialized marble cleaner or pH neutral stone cleaner. A product not intended for natural
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124 Goya Drive, Fairfield
Spacious Home in Senior Mobile Home Park
Comfortably large living / dining room combination. 2 large bedroom 2 full baths. Well appointed kitchen, w/separate laundry room, w/d to stay. Quiet location, sparkling pool & community Clubhouse. $172,500
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Open House Saturday 2-4PM 21 87 Rasmussen Court, Fairfield
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Open House Saturday 1-3PM 2330 Quail Court, Fairfield
This beautiful home is nestled in a lot and features 4 bedrooms, 2 full baths (two bedrooms downstairs), 1936sqft home, lrg lot, dual pane windows, 2 fireplaces, bonus room, and so much more. $505,000
Open House Saturday & Sunday 1-3PM
3525 Fieldcrest Avenue, Fairfield
Lovely 2800+sf, Rolling Hills home. 4 bedrooms and 3 full baths, on a 12,000+ sf lot. Outdoor kitchen, Spa, Solar w/ Tesla batteries. Privacy! Must see! $769,000
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BRE#01870308 (707) 330-8400
Loney & Worley Team invites you to join us at 1687 Rockville Road, Green Valley-Fair eld • Saturday & Sunday 1:00 PM-5:00 PM
This custom built single story home sits on the 16th fairway of Green Valley Country Club’s championship golf course. Featuring a remodeled gourmet kitchen with island, large pantry and premium appliances. Large kitchen windows overlooking the sunny courtyard, perfect for a kitchen garden. Cozy up in the den/office space opening up to a spacious logia. This charming 3-bedroom, 3-bathroom home is a perfect example of traditional style. As you enter, you’ll find spectacular views from the entryway and almost every room throughout the home. Beautiful Spiteri hardwood flooring , an open floor plan, natural light, vaulted ceilings, gas fireplace, and new dual heating/air. The two primary bedrooms feature large closets, solid marble slab countertops, soaking tub, and bidets. Large enough for sitting areas with expansive windows to enjoy the views. Anderson windows throughout, custom plantation shutters, all new interior paint and exterior paint in 2022. The backyard includes an inviting patio, pergola-style gazebo, covered outdoor kitchen and golf cart access to the course. A Generac all home generator, powers the entire home if needed. Close to great dining, wineries and Rockville Hills Park. Put this special property on the top of your list!
Offered at $1,495,000
Fully hosted by “Loney & Worley Team”
Memorial Day festive treats will be ser ved 2280
www.loneyandworleyteam.com
“Your Local Top Producers with Over 28 Years each in the Real Estate Industry-Luxury Estates, Wineries, Vineyards, Commercial, Developments and Residential Sales.”
Lic#01035560
94534
Loney & Worley Team invites you to join us at 1117 Churchill Drive, Fair eld
Great single story located near North Bay Hospital. Mostly all original except for the appliances, roof and major components. This home is situated on a large lot. It offer’s great curb appeal and definitely has plenty of room for Boat/RV parking on the right side of the home. There’s a large, enclosed sunroom, approximately 416 sq ft. Indoor laundry room. Backyard has a covered patio and garden area. Each bedroom has ample closet space. AC/Furnace is approximately 10 years old. Ceilings were originally vaulted and can be changed back. Large family room-dining room combo with fireplace and wet bar. Separate living room. Seller has maintained a bi-monthly pest service and the Grainer AC/Furnace is serviced every 3 months. Seller prefers an “AS-IS” sale.
Offered at $537,000
Fully hosted event by Alicia N. Worley, Realtor (707) 344-1300 Lic# 01322884 and Jessica Suarez (530) 434-0405 Lic# 02066342
Jessica Suarez (530) 434-0405
Lic#02066342
Saturday & Sunday 11:00 AM-1:00 PM 2280
www.loneyandworleyteam.com
“Your Local Top Producers with Over 28 Years each in the Real Estate Industry-Luxury Estates, Wineries, Vineyards, Commercial, Developments and Residential Sales.”
Lic#01035560
From Page 6
stone may not have a neutral pH, which means it might dull the marble surface or leave behind spotty areas. (Manufacturers are not required to list the pH level of cleaning products on their labels. You can measure the pH yourself with a pH test strip; some brands link to the safety data sheets of particular cleaning products –which may include pH levels – on their websites.)
Even when only cleaning your marble with soap and water, be sure to quickly dry off the surface – just water can permanently stain it. Some water marks will disappear as the stone dries out, but it could take weeks.
For a surface-level stain, including those caused by evaporated water, use a marble-specific cleaner. Or, try the same trick recommended above for granite: Spread a thick paste of baking soda and water over the stain, cover it with plastic wrap and leave it for at least 24 hours. Use a microfiber cloth, water and mild dish soap to clean it off, and repeat if necessary.
Whether your butcher block counter is finished with urethane or a natural oil or wax, stay away from harsh chemicals when cleaning it, says Paul Timmins, president of Baltimore Fallen Lumber. Instead, he advises sticking to a mixture of water and either mild hand soap or Dawn dish soap. Anything more can strip the protective coating off the countertop, leaving the wood more vulnerable to stains and other damage.
For deeper cleaning, Timmins advises scrubbing with pure Castile soap and water with “a lot of elbow grease.” To remove stains, he suggests a mixture of a half-cup of vinegar, half-cup of water and one teaspoon of lemon juice. Reynolds suggests cutting a lemon in half, sprinkling some
salt on the stain and using the lemon to scrub.
Some stains, such as red wine, might require light sanding, plus a new coat of finish. If you aren’t sure what type of finish will match the rest of the countertop, consider hiring a professional for the job.
Because laminate is manmade – and not nearly as expensive as natural stone – some homeowners assume they don’t have to be as careful with it. But harsh cleaners – from vinegar and lemon juice, to bleach and ammonia – can wear down the surface.
If you’ve got a stain that requires more than soap and water, try baking soda paste: Reynolds recommends making a thick paste, comparable to toothpaste, by combining a heaping tablespoon of baking soda with a teaspoon of water, or just enough so that it sticks to the surface. You can mix it directly on top of the stain, or dab it on with your fingers. Wipe it away after 24 hours with a microfiber cloth. For a stain that is “not coming up any other way,” Reynolds says you can try a Magic Eraser. But proceed with caution, since those can cause microabrasions.
Even if your entire countertop isn’t made of stainless steel, you can often find it as part of the stove, connected to the rest of your counters. Stainless steel is easy to damage, so don’t assume you can clean it with whatever you’re using on the rest of the countertop. For deep cleaning, use a specialty product such as Bar Keepers Friend or a stainless steel cleaner. For routine cleaning, a wipe-down with mild soap and warm water will do.
Whatever cleaning product you’re using, apply it with a microfiber cloth. “Once you scratch stainless steel, it’s very difficult to remove the scratch,” Noel says. If you’ve already scratched it, you can try buffing it out yourself with
a Scotch-Brite pad, but doing so without causing more damage requires precision. It might be safer to hire a professional.
Though it’s more familiar in the United States as a material for tile, porcelain countertops –already popular in Europe – are gaining traction with Americans, according to Lori Shapiro, public relations manager at countertopmaker Caesarstone. The material is highly durable, able to resist scratching and tolerate high heats. But you should still avoid strong chemicals when cleaning it, sticking to dish soap and water or products with a neutral pH. One reliable option for stubborn spots, says Shapiro, is powdered Bar Keepers Friend, but don’t apply it directly to the porcelain. Instead, sprinkle some on a damp microfiber cloth and rub it in a circular motion.
Last year, Cynthia Berger tried for an autumn spinach harvest in her Pennsville, Pa. garden. The pests got there first.
“It was slug city,” says Berger. The slimy, shell-less mollusks turned the delicate leaves to Swiss cheese, leaving trails of sticky ooze in their wake. This year, Berger hopes to lure in a solution: hungry toads.
Though other garden wildlife – think bees and butterflies – tends to get more press, the often-overlooked toad can transform a vegetable plot. When it comes to pest control, toads are nature’s Orkin men. They can quickly plow through bug populations, eating just about any insect, larvae, snail or slug they can get into their mouths.
It’s clear what toads can do for us. But they need our help in return, says Gina Della Togna, executive director of the Amphibian Survival Alliance. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists 41 percent of all amphibians on its Red List of threatened species. “It’s an alarming situation,” says Della Togna. “It’s the highest percentage of threatened species compared to mammals, birds and reptiles. It’s a crisis.”
Despite their imperilment, the creatures are widespread. There are at least 20 types of toad in North America, with native species in every state
except Hawaii. The amphibians are a subspecies of frog (all toads are frogs; not all frogs are toads). They breed in water but spend most of their adult lives on land.
And while they may seem squat and sedentary, they’re actually dynamic predators, says Michael Benard, a herpetologist and interim biology department chair at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. The American toad – the species most commonly found in Eastern gardens – can shoot out a sticky tongue quicker than you can blink and eat as many as 100 insects in a night. Over the course of a gardening season, that means 10,000 fewer bugs to infest your crops.
“They will eat all sorts of things,” Benard says. “Really, anything that’s moving. They’re going to key in on a beetle crawling, a fly landing in front of them, and that visual cue will set them off.”
Toads are especially sensitive to pesticides, herbicides and even some fertilizers. “That’s one of the big reasons we see amphibians that are going extinct or rapidly declining around the world,” Benard says. Some of the primary drivers of amphib-
ians’ plight are habitat loss and the use of chemical contaminants. “When open space and farmland is converted into suburbs with no ponds and wetlands and no forested patches, you’re going to lose your toads,” he adds.
The situation is dire, but in our gardens, at least, we can do something about it. Toads need a few basic things: water in which to breed (a small backyard pond or even a ditch that holds water in the spring will suffice), a moist, dark place to hide and soil to burrow into.
Most any gardener can become a toad landlord, says Benard. Garden centers and greenhouses often sell premade “toad abodes” – small decorative clay cottages and huts. But a toad home is also easy to DIY.
“Just provide cover
objects: logs, rocks, pieces of wood, with toad-sized spaces between them,” Benard says. “They’re looking for a moist, tight place where they can wedge their body and burrow themselves into the soil.”
Berger uses overturned flower pots to create toad shelters in her garden. “It doesn’t have to be fancy,” she says. “You can just take a rock and prop the pot up so the toad can get underneath.”
They also need a spot to soak. “The joke is that toads drink with their butts,” says Benard. “They have vascularized skin on the underside of their legs and bellies, and they sit in water and absorb it through their skin.”
Create a basic toad bath by placing a clay saucer of shallow water in a shady spot near the shelter. Just be sure to keep it clean and replace the water every day or two. Once you’ve created an appealing toad habitat, all that’s left to do is wait.
“It’s an ‘If you build it, they will come’ kind of thing,” Benard says. And once they move in, you can protect them by avoiding the use of chemicals in and around the garden. Even common bug sprays can harm them, so make sure to apply those far away from the toad’s home.
Della Togna says the most helpful thing people can do for toads is simply get to
know them. “There’s often a social or cultural component to people not liking amphibians,” she says.
Beliefs persist that toads can give you warts (false) or that they’re poisonous to the touch. The latter is half true: When threatened, they can secrete a toxin from lumpy glands behind their eyes. It’s harmful if swallowed, but if you use caution with kids and dogs and wash your hands after any contact, says Della Togna, you should have nothing to worry about.
Toads are creatures of habit: If they find a home they like, they might stay more than a decade. “People want to know if they have the same toad coming back night after night or even year after year,” says Benard. “If you look carefully, they have unique spot patterns on their back that can let you identify one individual from another.”
When her children were young, Berger recalls a toad –or maybe several of them – that was the long-term tenant of a terracotta hut in a corner of her herb garden. “The kids would go and check on it, and sometimes he’d be home and sometimes he’d be out,” she says. “It was really fun for them to have this wild sort of ‘pet’ that they could see and interact with.”
Toad husbandry isn’t hard, says Della Togna, and every gardener can help make a difference. “We can see it as one person and one garden and one toad, and that doesn’t feel like a big impact,” she says. “But think about 1,000 of those gardens. That’s a significant impact on this amphibian population and a huge contribution to citizen science and local conservation.”
how to help them
RIGHT: Rainbow Rhythm Blazing Glory will make its debut in 2024. Seen here blooming at The Garden Guy’s house with Blue Boa agastache.
FAIR RIGHT: Once you plant daylilies you will have a host of fun and visitors, like this Green Tree Frog.
Atrio of new daylilies has The Garden Guy pumped on daylilies once again. The three new selections make their debut in the Rainbow Rhythm series in 2024. Rainbow Rhythm Blazing Glory, Rainbow Rhythm Persian Ruby and Rainbow Rhythm Blood Sweat and Tears are blooming now to the rescue of The Garden Guy’s trea-
sured daylily garden.
Last year was the perfect storm for my secret garden, which many of you know as my daylily garden. It is not a big expanse of daylilies; it’s about 25 plants partnered with other perennials and some choice favorite shrubs. It is planted on the side of my house on either side of a
See Winter, Page 15
From Page 5
cabinets, caulk a portion of roof flashing, unstick three painted windows, repaint the kitchen and more. She isn’t afraid to DIY, but she knows her limitations; tile, cabinets and an acceptable paint job with no drips are not in her skill set. “What do I have to say to get tradesmen to take me seriously?” she wonders. “Is there something I should be saying or not saying? Am I too anxious or not anxious enough?”
Greenwell says a homeowner may need to cast the net as far as possible to find a qualified and reputable company, independent tradesperson or handyperson. Ask friends, neighbors, co-workers, your social media network
and members of your faith community. The main question you should ask is not “Are you happy with the work?” but “Would you use them again?” Should you find someone who has a good relationship with a handyperson or tradesperson, have them make an introductory call on your behalf.
If you strike out there, try a local real estate agent. “They are a great resource and typically keep a list of roofers, plumbers, electricians and handymen to recommend to their clients,” Greenwell says. Reach out to apartment managers or your homeowners association, if you belong to one. Ask department managers at local home improvement or hardware stores for recommendations.
The NARI website has a list of members you can search by Zip code and specialty. Those who live in rural areas may need to use the
Zip code of the nearest major city and may pay a fee for someone to come a longer distance.
Archuleta also suggests finding a local or state home builders association. Call their office, tell them you are looking for a qualified remodeler and ask if they can give you a name. If the recommended remodeler says the job is too small, ask if they know someone more suited to the task. Another option is the local franchise of a national brand such as those under the Neighborly banner, which owns Mr. Handyman and Mr. Electric, among others.
Once you find prospective tradespeople, share as much information as you can up front. Email images of the project. Use Zoom or FaceTime and walk around your home with your tablet or phone to show them that hole in the wall or broken
window. Being willing to have a virtual meeting instead of expecting them to drive to your home for a 5-minute meetup shows that you value their time. If, like Flynn, you have a long list of projects, combine them into one larger job. Time is money for busy tradespeople. A full day or multiple days of work can be more appealing than an hour-long task.
Be open and honest about your project and your budget. If you aren’t sure what the project will cost, ask about similar projects in the area. “Typically, a professional should be able to give you a price range,” says Egner. Once you’ve reviewed your financial situation or secured a line of credit, then you can ask for a more detailed estimate.
Another tip from Archul-
eta: When you do make contact, say “I’m looking for a qualified remodeler willing to get my home up-to-date, willing to pay for an estimate and want to work with a qualified person. How can we work together?”
“Remember, I’m interviewing you as much as you are interviewing me,” he says.
And don’t be afraid to be a squeaky wheel, says Greenwell. “That tradesman may not have staff to call you back, so you have to take ownership of your project,” she says. “Don’t be obnoxious, but do follow up, so they know you are serious.”
Finally, in today’s tight market, expect that some tradespeople will be no-shows or ghost you. If that’s the case, be glad you aren’t working with them.
THE DAILY REPUBLIC DELIVERS. CALL 707-427-6989.
ABOVE: Daylilies have been called the perfect perennials and that is just what you will think when you grow this Rainbow Rhythm Blood Sweat and Tears making its debut in 2024.
RIGHT: Rainbow Rhythm Orange
Smoothie has a smaller bloom but is a treasure found for this Eastern Tiger Swallowtail.
NORMAN WINTER/TNS PHOTOS
From Page 13
dry creek bed.
After a storm last spring, I had to get a new roof. No telling how many square feet of shingles had to be taken off in a hurry and new ones hammered on. The best place to take the shingles down was over the daylilies, and although it was only a day’s work, the result was a great new roof –and what resembled a war zone for the daylily plants.
The growth resumed, but suddenly my secret garden was no longer secret. The neighborhood deer population discovered it, followed by armadillos. In my despair, I probably did the most damage by not maintaining a really good triage program with water and fertilizer. But ultimately I only lost three daylilies and have planted nine more. I’ve got the deer managed and The Garden Guy is pumped again.
They are starting to bloom, and the companion plants have all matured. Blazing Glory, Persian Ruby and Blood, Sweat and Tears will bring Proven Winners’ Rainbow Rhythm series to 14 selections, all competitive in their beauty. I never really dreamed such beautiful daylilies would ever be mass produced for garden centers.
My time as director of the Columbus Botanical Garden and then the Coastal Georgia Botanical Garden really taught me not only how beautiful daylilies are, but about the great partnership possibilities. The exotic look of the daylily blooms partner well with other perennials. I am using Rainbow Rhythm, Blazing Glory with Blue Boa agastache. The golden yellow and burgundy blooms are borne on tall scapes reaching about 30 inches.
Rainbow Rhythm Persian Ruby produces huge 8-inch, deep red/purple blossoms with a glowing yellow throat. The scapes are tall, reaching 30 inches. I’ve partnered mine with the shorter Rainbow
Rhythm Orange Smoothie daylily and in close proximity to the golden needle Fluffy arborvitae and the blue-flowered Let’s Dance Arriba hydrangea.
Daylilies have been called the perfect perennials, and that is what you will think when you see the rosy red Blood, Sweat and Tears. This showy daylily is a couple of inches shorter, but you’ll never know the difference. I’ve got mine partnered with Pyromania Blaze Red Hot Poker.
These daylilies are easy to grow, requiring at least six hours of direct sunlight each day for best performance. Best results are obtained from raised beds rich in organic matter. Perhaps you haven’t tried daylilies because the flowers only last a day. Remember, each scape or flower stalk has many buds, as I mentioned above. And they open in a series, giving you beauty for not only days, but weeks and even months as they repeat.
