Real Estate

Aurora Sheriff of Portage County to WM Specialty Mortgage LLC, 960 Bryce Ave., $66,667 Sheriff of Portage County to Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp., 123 Eldridge Road, $120,000 Sheriff of Portage County to Franklin Bank SSB, 453 Meadowview Drive,...  Read Story.

Parade of Homes opens May 3 Choices abound at The Northeast Ohio Parade of Homes featuring Condominium Lifestyle Spectacular, a four-county scattered site home show set for May 3-18. The parade is an effort of the Home Builders Association serving...  Read Story.

Portage County Dennis Weckbacher, 3893 Morley Drive, Brimfield, sunroom, $6,900 Alice and John McFarland, 2978 Huntington Way, Mantua Township, deck, $5,000 Mark and Diane Sullivan, 6542 S. Pleasant Ave., Brady Lake, addition, $78,000 Earl E. Coburn...  Read Story.

How does the housing cycle work? By Marcie Geffner Bankrate.com It's no secret that the U.S. housing market is cyclical and in the midst of yet another painful correction. The causes and characteristics of these cycles vary, at least in some respects,...  Read Story.

Trends in kitchen decor include a move toward 'soft contemporary' By Nzong Xiong The Fresno Bee Ellen Thomas of Fresno, Calif., searched high and low for new kitchen cabinets to replace her whitewashed oak ones. But there were a couple of requirements....  Read Story.

Show features old toys, farm machinery Travel to Tiffin this Sunday to enjoy a unique collectibles and toy show that includes an antique farm machinery swap meet. The event has something for every collector, as tables are filled with sports cards and...  Read Story.

Lessons learned the hard way! By Rhonda Prast and Steve Rice Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune We knew when we bought our 1959 ranch that it needed a lot of updating, inside and out. The kitchen was a decent space -- 12 by 20 feet -- but a lot of it was...  Read Story.

Waterfront-style retreat is relaxing For The Associated Press Escape from the workaday world to this relaxing waterfront-style retreat, Plan PH-1600, by Homeplans, part of Move. Four bedrooms border the exterior walls, affording a good deal of privacy...  Read Story.

HUD proposes new good faith estimate Bankrate.com Getting a mortgage can be confusing and frustrating. To make it less so, the federal housing department has proposed an overhaul of the mortgage process, from application to closing. The proposed...  Read Story.

Dresden hosting its third 'PJ party' Remember pajama parties? It meant staying up all night, sleeping all day and girls giggling while trying not to wake up parents in an adjoining room, Longaberger and the town of Dresden offer the opportunity to enjoy...  Read Story.

Atwater Citimortgage Inc. to James P. Rothermel, 1846 S.R. 183, $59,000 Brimfield Ryan Homes to Jeremy and Tammy Kenepp, 777 Cambridge Court, $158,600 Signature of Sharon Ltd. to William and Pamela Thompson, 1755 Honeychuck Lane, $64,000 Sheriff of...  Read Story.

Portage County Hiram College, Hiram, entrance shelter for handicap equipment at music building, $5,000 William Chillian, 5760 Unger Road, Atwater, garage, $33,000 Jerry and Chris Zimmerman, 4547 W Prospect, Mantua Township, repair/replace crawl space...  Read Story.

Using the Internet for your home search Portage County Assoc. of Realtors It used to be when someone wanted to buy a home they rode around in the back seat of a real estate agent's car until they either found a property they liked, or both parties...  Read Story.

Lighten and brighten for spring! By Mary Carol Garrity Scripps Howard News Service Q: It's still cold outside where I live, and I'm feeling depressed. I think taking on a home-decorating project will help me beat the blues until the weather warms up....  Read Story.

Raiding retirement funds a last resort By Denise Trowbridge Bankrate.com Many homeowners facing financial difficulties used to look to home equity as a resource to cover shortfalls. But with that option off the table for many, increasing numbers of...  Read Story.

By Scott Lindlaw Associated Press Mendy Fisher had the 3,000-square-foot house in the Cincinnati exburbs, where sprawling housing developments meet farmland. He had the screened-in porch, the four bedrooms, the ponds, the geese, the clubhouse. He also...  Read Story.

By James and Morris Carey For The Associated Press Q. I built my home four years ago in accordance with strict county and state energy requirements. My problem is condensation in the crawlspace, along the foundation wall on the north side of the house...  Read Story.

Portage County James and Valorie Adkins, 9288 Whippoorwill Road, Palmyra, residence, $141,545 Nick and Julia Dillon, 3277 Stroup Road, Edinburg, residence, $160,000 Edward and Terrilea Ellis, 2194 Sugar Maple Drive, Brimfield, residence, $300,000 Dianna...  Read Story.

By Monika Mathur Associated Press The Bushes may be on their way out, but they are leaving their mark on the White House. Architectural Digest got a look at the residence's private rooms for its March 2008 issue. First lady Laura Bush began redecorating...  Read Story.

Aurora Randy Roberts to Walter S. Bonner, 713 S. Bissell Road, $194,000 John R. Smart Trust to Mark D. Tucker, 731 Cross Creek Oval, $205,000 Calandra Family Trust to Anthony and Larraine Perry, 451 Honeysuckle Path, $195,000 Richard M. and Claudia B....  Read Story.