Patio

From Page 4 these steps to completely fill the gaps. Use concrete or polymeric sand for more durability. Just don’t let either of these materials sit on your paving surface, as they may stain or stick to it.

$200,000 out of their $3.1 million sitting in the bank. (That’s a $2.5 million profit.)

This was the biggest no-brainer in the history of firsttime homebuyer programs, but it did very little for the thousands of buyers who needed this the most in Solano and Yolo counties, because the guidelines were so broad that the coastal-city market Realtors and buyers jumped for joy. Over my last 40 years in the business, income-based down payment assistance programs have almost never been available for home prices above $720,000 and usually only help folks looking below $600,000.

Dream for All is coming in the fall, but for first-time homebuyers today, CalHFA has down-payment money right now for buyers who make less than $215,000 per year to buy a house with zero down.

Jim Porter, NMLS No. 276412, is the branch manager and senior loan adviser of Solano Mortgage, NMLS No. 1515497, a division of American Pacific Mortgage Corporation, NMLS No. 1850, licensed in California by the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation under the CRMLA / Equal Housing Opportunity. Jim can be reached at 707-449-4777.

8. Put in plants

The proper plantings can transform a basic patio. Carr has a few ideas: Plant a hedge around it to create a private oasis; put in an adjacent herb garden so you can add fresh seasonings as you grill; or use flowers to bring pleas- ing fragrances to the area. “Always plant something for movement, such as grasses,” adds Hovis, who advocates for only using native species. “Even if it’s a hot day, when you see the breeze catch the plants it feels a lot cooler than it may be and it’s just a wonderful sensory component.”