Linda K Sells HHI Homes

5 Small Backyard Ideas to Make Your Cramped Outdoor Space Feel Like Versailles These backyard ideas will make your small space look and feel BIGGER. Image:  Photo by ADZA Don't think of your microscopic yard as a curse. So what if it's technically a small concrete slab that baaarely accommodates a half-sized Weber grill? Or if your flagstone patio is just big enough for you, a lounge chair, and a good book? Your tiny outdoor spot is actually an opportunity to get creative. To live large with a small footprint, try these functional tweaks to make your minuscule outdoor space feel like a palatial retreat. 1. Divide the Space Wait, what? That's right. Even if your square footage is relatively small, dividing your outdoor space into two areas can actually make it seem bigger. "Creating a space within a space makes it seem larger because it gives you a separate experience," says Joy Diaz, chief marketing officer at Land Care Inc. Diaz recommends a small wood pergola, w

A Remarkable Recovery for the Housing Market For months now the vast majority of Americans have been asking the same question:  When will the economy turn around?  Many experts have been saying the housing market will lead the way to a recovery, and today we’re seeing signs of that coming to light. With  record-low  mortgage rates driving high demand from potential  buyers , homes are being purchased at an accelerating pace, and it’s keeping the housing market and the economy moving. Here’s a look at what a few of the experts have to say about today’s astonishing recovery. In more than one instance, it’s being noted as truly remarkable. Ali Wolf, Chief Economist, Meyers Research "The housing recovery has been nothing short of remarkable...The expectation was that housing would be crushed. It was—for about two months—and then it came roaring back.” Fannie Mae “Recent home purchase measures have continued to show remarkable strength, leading us to revise upward our home sales foreca