AAA House Manager Blog

We’re a little over a week away from the night most kids have been looking forward to for months, Halloween. They’re counting down the minutes until they can score what they hope will be their biggest loot of candy ever. But to get the candy, they’ll need to walk door to door for blocks, maybe even miles. So it’s important that their pathway remain safe. Here are five tips to ensure your home is ready for an influx of trick-or-treaters.

This month we’re diving into a topic that AAA House Manager is being asked to help with more and more — aging in place. Last week we took a look at the growing trend of seniors staying in their homes long term and discovered some simple tips for making a home more age friendly.

Remember the old days of going through the phone book to look for a plumber? Homeowners in our day and age are fortunate to have so many options and resources to help with home care! With that said, the sheer number of products and services can be overwhelming. To help you make the best decision for your home and needs, we've started mapping out the various services and pros and cons, starting with traditional handymen and home warranties. Next up: Angie's List.

It’s a blessing to be able to grow old and, let’s face it, we’re all getting older. By 2030, according to the U.S. Census Board, there will be about 70 million Americans aged 65 or older. That’s up from 25 million in 2000 and would constitute nearly 20% of the total U.S. population.

Fall is officially upon us! (The fall equinox was on Monday, September 23rd, in case you missed it.) With cool, rainy weather on the horizon, this is the perfect time to get your home ready for the change in season. You'll be glad you did when you see friends or neighbors complain that they should have cleaned the gutters or covered backyard furniture sooner!

Summer is winding down, fall is on the way and we’ll soon be seeing nothing but weeks of poor weather. Which means your deck will be sitting alone and forgotten. After a long summer of standing up to the blistering sun — blistering depending on where in the Bay Area you’re located — the drastic change to rain and freezing temperatures will be tough. It’s no wonder you may be seeing cracks, fading and other damage. Not to fear, there is hope. With these 4 tips, you could have your deck looking as good as new.

Properly maintaining a home is difficult. Properly maintaining two, three or four can be downright impossible. So it’s no wonder that we’re often asked by landlords and owners of second homes if a AAA House Manager membership could work for them.

Last week, we gave you a breakdown of the home improvement projects that provide the biggest boost to home value. Now that we've hopefully got you thinking about ways to maximize your biggest investment's value, let's make sure you're also aware of the "improvements" to avoid — those that either don't have great ROI or even lower your home value. (Surprising, we know. But they're real and, sadly, some homeowners do fall prey to them.) 

Home improvement projects are not created equal. Some can have much more impact — and much higher return on investment (ROI) — on your home's value than others. Then there's the nightmare scenario: "improvements" that actually lower your valuation. We dig into those for you here. On the flip side, here are five projects with some real bang for your buck.

Congratulations! You made the decision to become a member of AAA House Manager. You found time in your schedule to set up your first home visit, watched as your House Manager closely inspected every nook and cranny of your home, and waited for the results. Now, you’re sitting in front of your laptop reading over your Home Health Report thinking; Now what?