Your Valuable Home

In the Replay, we report on two creative solutions to the danger posed by

dead ash trees. It’s time for the Bad Guy Bulletin, with a heads up on Social Security and other scams. In the Feature, learn how insurance companies respond to hail damage, the damage and theft caused by squatters and which insurer is responsible for damage to a condo cause by a water leak from above...the HOA’s insurer or the insurer of the unit above. Insurance pro, Mike Cellucci addresses it all.

In the Replay today, Kevin walks us through the renovation of a 300-year-old farmhouse.

In the Horror story, Kevin discovers a new company on Instagram and their improper installation of windows and roofing.

In the Feature today, Brad O’Conner, Chief Economist of Florida Realtors, provides a briefing on Florida real estate with an emphasis on the Gulf Coast. Properties currently on the market still don’t come up to the pre-Covid numbers, but the market is moving, despite rising mortgage and homeowners’ insurance rates.

In our replay today, we get Michele’s take on her recently completed total

ProVia exterior makeover.

In the Horror Story, a homeowner learns that the poor choice of a contractor results in a poorly installed patio door.

In our Feature, Angel explains the latest improvements

she’s made to her smallish, concrete, Mid-mod home, located where the

northern boundary of Philadelphia meets the burbs. Angel, who retired

from the commercial design firm she founded, just completed a wonderful

outdoor entertaining area that wraps around two sides of the house. This is

Angel’s third renovation of a smallish home. The first was a vacation home

in Stone Harbor, New Jersey, The second was her townhome in a historic

area of Philadelphia. Angel does not hesitate to recommend small, more

affordable homes for first-time buyers and downsizers.

In our Replay today, we arm you with questions few homeowners ask when selecting a contractor. The right answers can make the difference between a great job and a botcthed job.

In our Horror Story Today...the contractor came to install a new roof and siding, and caused massive water damage. Was it worth it? Do you know if you have 2 X 4s for studs or the newer 2 X 6s. It makes a difference in terms of the insulation in your walls.

Today, Kevin again becomes Professor Kennedy, as he explains the R value of fiberglass insulation and why you need to insulate the space in your attic and over your attached garage. Simple...hot air rises, and without proper insulation, its going to escape. Stay tuned for insulation 101.

Today’s Replay is the first of two that offer sound advice on choosing a

contractor for any type of home improvement project.

It’s time for the Bad Guy Bulletin. There’s a pretty widespread scam going on. It involves roofers who knock on your door, claiming that you have hail damage on your roof, and they can re-do your roof at your insurance company’s expense. Sounds tempting, but beware.

In our feature today, Kevin and Ron share their points of view on selecting, improving and maintaining rental properties. Both have multiple rental properties, but approach the role of landlord in somewhat different ways. If you own or are thinking of acquiring a rental(s), you’ll want to hear this.

In today’s Replay, Kevin explains the proper way to install windows and

why it’s so important. In the Horror Story, Kevin encounters a contractor

who failed to get a permit and got caught. In our Feature, we again

interview renowned architect, Illya Azaroff, about a current project

underway in Oahu, Hawaii The KO’OLAULOA Resilience Hub is under

development in a particularly isolated area of Oahu. It’s capable of housing

1,500 local residents for 30 days, whenever Mother Nature shows her

angry side. Loaded with the latest technology, and onsite sources of food

and water, the Resilience Hub has the full support of many stakeholders

and the government. It’s a concept that could be a gamechanger wherever

populations are most vulnerable to natural disasters.

In the Replay today, Kevin riffs on the pros and cons of a drip edge. The

Horror Story is about another botched window installation. Listen carefully,

so you know how to spot a botched window installation, if it happens to

you. In order to help you and/or your parents with the process of rightsizing

to simplify life and age in place, take a few tips from Rosemary. She made

the transition from a 5,000-square-foot house to a compact rental cottage.

A couple of years later, she couldn’t be happier. This interview is packed

with sound advice.

In our Replay today, Ron takes us on a 15-minute journey through Palm Springs. This oasis in the California desert east of LA was featured in our Popular 2023 YouTube series, The Coolest Neighborhoods in America.

Listen today, as Ron shares what he learned about Palm Springs during a recent trip to the epicenter of Mid-century Modern architecture and so many other fascinating things. Ron’s trip inspired two additional Feature segments. One was on Pacaso fractional home ownership (11/10/23). The

other was with George Smart, founder of U.S Modernist (12/22/23).

The title of Our Horror Story today is Everyone Thinks They’re a

Contractor.

In today’s Feature, we replay the soundtrack from the 2023 YouTube, the Coolest Neighborhoods in America – Palm Springs. Be sure to also watch the Palm Springs video of this feature here:

https://youtu.be/d4X4EGJG_Vc?si=O_VaOg94B0f_UdGY

In our Replay today, Ron gives us the inside story of his recent visit to the

architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpiece, the Martin House. FLW

designed the house for a Buffalo, New York entrepreneur back when that

city was one of the wealthiest in America. Among many fascinating

features, the Martins became the first American family to a have a home

with an open floor plan.

In our Horror Story, trouble often happens because everyone thinks they’re a contractor.

Our Feature is the soundtrack from the Buffalo, New York video in our 5-city YouTube series, The Coolest Neighborhoods in America. The Buffalo video featured the Martin House. The entire series generated 30,000+ initial views when it was released in early 2023. To view the Buffalo video and the 4 other "coolest neighborhoods in America" visit the New Pod City YouTube channel by clicking here> https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQedu2LHREVUvDgzCRzm1NMHrbiPY9ikQ&si=0LJuVbenetAwXA7F

In our Replay today, we discuss the criteria for SUCCESSFULLY hiring

a contractor. The Horror Story deals with sophomoric questions

posted to Facebook by a siding contractor who should know better.

The urban Doom Loop is a hypothesis developed by Professor Stan

Van Nieuwerburgh from the Columbia University Graduate School of

Business. According to Professor Van Nieuwerburgh, Covid and the

sudden rise of remote work spawned crises in terms of vacant office

space and a cascade of other troubles in big cities across America.

The professor believes things can only get worse before they get

better. The professor goes on to cite those cities most likely to fall

prey to the Doom Loop, including New York. Don’t miss this!