AAA House Manager Blog

It's the most wonderful time of the year! With the caroling, marshmallow toasting, glowing lights... and bursting pipes. OK, so maybe winter isn't all hot mulled wine and gingerbread decorating, but most home maintenance and hosting hiccups can easily be avoided with a little preparation. 

One of the best things about your AAA House Manager Membership is that the benefits begin right away. Whether you decide to start by scheduling a Home Service Visit, Essential Seasonal Maintenance, Virtual Service Visit, or a Home Assessment, your first visit can be held as quickly as three days after becoming a Member.

If you've already started creating a to-do list of items for us to tackle, but aren't sure how to prioritize it, a Home Assessment is a good place to start. It will be your House Manager's first opportunity to familiarize themselves with your home. After taking a closer look, they'll work with you on what items need to be taken care of right away. They will also put together your Home Health Report, which will identity other issues that may need to be taken care of in the future.

Last month, we shared our top tips for getting your home ready for fall. Now that winter is around the corner, it's time to winterize. Bay Area winters, while mild by most standards, also tend to be unpredictable. One day the sun will shine during lunchtime, then torrential rain will come down for three days straight and cause floods all around the Bay. Since we never quite know when the weather will turn, it's best to start preparing for those chilly nights and hefty downpours in November. Here are the biggest tasks to prioritize this month: 

The countdown is on! We’re exactly three weeks from Thanksgiving which means, if you’re hosting, you’re likely starting to feel the pressure of getting your home in order. (Fingers crossed you haven’t invited any Judgy McJudgersons who will be inspecting every inch of your home.) Either way, whether you’re looking to make a good impression or just want to liven up your living area for the holidays, here are 5 ideas for adding some pizzazz to your entertaining spaces before Thanksgiving.

A few months ago, we doled out tips to help you plan your next remodel project. If you took them — or will soon — then the countdown is on to demo day. Unfortunately, after months of deciding on hardware, finishes and colors, there are still a few decisions left to make before the big day. Here’s a look at some of the last minute preparations you can take to help get you and your home ready for your renovation.

A couple weeks ago we sat down with Susanne Stadler, executive director of the Bay Area organization At Home with Growing Older, who told us that, when it comes to getting a home ready to age in place, she recommends starting with the bathroom and entryway. For that reason, we decided to take a closer look at these two areas of the home (as well as a few others) to find easy, inexpensive fixes and upgrades you can do yourself. And, if you want to take it a step further, how AAA House Manager can help.

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.