A one-bedroom apartment is not a lot of space for Julie Beers, her 2-year-old daughter, a golden retriever and a black Lab.

Gus Drakakis's single-family brick colonial didn't seem like it would be an easy sell. Yes, it was in good condition. And yes, it was remodeled.

Remember the bad old days of 11th-hour mortgage settlement cost shocks and mystery junk fees? Remember when the "good-faith estimates" your lender gave you upfront said closing costs would be about $2,000, but somehow they ballooned to $3,500 on the final settlement sheet?

DEAR TIM: A kitchen designer recommended soapstone countertops for my new kitchen. Do you have any experience with soapstone counters or even a soapstone sink? I've never heard of this material and wonder about it. Would you use it in your home? If not, why not? -- Tara M., Montrose, Calif.

Soapstone changes color as it ages, and, because it's a natural metamorphic stone, it almost always comes with random veining. The veins of color add a distinctive look. When first quarried, the stone is gray, but it gets darker with age as it begins to oxidize. My soapstone countertops, when wet or...

Mortgage rates for 30-year, fixed-rate home loans fell for the first time in a month this week as the Federal Reserve pledged to keep its benchmark rate near zero.

My partner and I recently signed a contract to buy a condominium unit, and settlement is scheduled to take place by the end of the month. We will put up equal amounts of money for the purchase and have agreed to share all expenses equally.

If you thought you had missed your last chance to plant trees or shrubs in your yard this year, think again. November is still a good month to install such plants, as the ground has not frozen yet and the air is still warm enough to work outside.

Mike Hanks grew up in Clarks Run, and he loved his childhood days playing sports with his friends around the La Plata neighborhood. Years later, when Hanks was looking for a safe place to raise a family, Clarks Run was an easy choice. In fact, he bought his old house from his parents.

BOUNDARIES: Clarks Run lies within the town of La Plata, southeast of the central business district. It is bounded by Charles Street (Route 6) and the Ellenwood subdivision to the east, roughly by Clark Run to the west, by the Wood Haven Park subdivision to the south and by an unincorporated area of...

I am buying a house as a co-borrower. I declared Chapter 7 bankruptcy more than eight years ago. I have provided my lender with a copy of the petition and the discharge, along with every other document he requested.

When architect Barry Berkus designed a pied-à-terre for himself in Santa Barbara, Calif., three years ago, he brought an unusual depth to the project.