Home Seller: Friday, December 2, 2022

You can pay real estate brokers on the side with proper paperwork

Q: We are in the process of selling our home and have been approached with a unique offer by a couple who want to purchase our house. In essence, they are willing to pay the purchase price we are asking, minus the real estate commission. In other words, they want us to pay the Realtors on the side and reduce the sales price by the same amount. Their purpose is to reduce the property tax they’ll pay. This sounds fishy. Is there anything wrong or illegal with handling the sale this way? Can we get in trouble?

A: There isn’t anything illegal about it. As long as you are paying the com mission to a licensed broker there is nothing wrong with paying them outside of escrow.

There are, however, a couple of things you’ll have to keep in mind.

First, remember to pay your agent’s broker.

Most Realtors hold a real estate sales license. They are required to work for a broker and, according to state law, only the broker can receive a commission. The broker then pays the salesperson.

If you and the buyers are represented by two different brokers, you’ll have to talk with the brokers to find out exactly how much money to pay each company. Brokers often have compensation agree ments with one another that their clients aren’t privy to.

Finally, there may be certain state and federal tax documents you’ll have to execute to accompany those payments. Ask your escrow officer for those details. The bigger question is whether going through all of this trouble will accomplish what the buyers hope it will.

Ever since Proposition 13 was passed by California voters in the late

1970s, residential real estate can only be reappraised, with few exceptions, upon transfer.

Consequently, every sale is reported to the county assessor’s office in the county where the property is located. The asses sor then reassesses the property at the current market value for taxing purposes.

Fair market value is, by definition, the highest price a buyer will offer, and a seller will accept, absent some unusual situation like a pending foreclosure.

When a seller places a property on the market and eventually accepts the highest offer, that offer usually equals the fair market value. The assessor will con sider the purchase price and, most often, assesses the value at that figure.

But they don’t have to.

When the assessor reviews the sale, they may feel the price was too low and will reassess, but then again, maybe not.

As the seller, the only thing you are concerned about is that the brokers are actually paid. For that reason, I would suggest you have the buyer put certified funds into escrow with instructions that those funds be given to the brokers when the property closes.

Tim Jones is a real estate attorney in Fairfield. If you have any real estate ques tions you would like to have answered in this column, you can send an email to AllThingsRealEstate@TJones-Law.com.

THE DAILY REPUBLIC DELIVERS. CALL 707-427-6989.

Tim Jones

How to renovate your kitchen on a budget, from $1,000 to $15,000

MARISSA HERMANSON SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON POST

When my husband and I bought our house in Richmond, Va., we knew we’d need to renovate the kitchen. The laminate countertops, offwhite cabinets, 1990s appliances and dim lighting made the space feel dark and dirty. I envisioned gutting it and adding square footage. Then I got a harsh dose of reality from a contractor. My plan, he said, would cost $88,000 and take two months.

Okay, so we’d live with the layout. After some more research, I opted to have the cabinets professionally spraypainted for $3,375. We got new lighting, leathered-granite countertops and stainless-steel appliances, but kept the existing backsplash. When we finished

the job last summer, the total tab was about $15,000. While it’s not the kitchen I originally dreamed of, it’s a space that makes me smile.

Like a lot of homeowners, I’d heard that you should spend 10% of your home’s value on your kitchen renovation (which, by the way, would’ve still been much less than that initial $88,000 quote) – but I learned that I didn’t really need to, and maybe you don’t either. Even with a budget as small as $1,000, home-design experts say you can make a significant difference in your kitchen. Here’s how.

1. $1,000: Paint and add new accessories

Inexpensive cosmetic updates can go a long way. For instance, I scored a sleek faucet on clearance at Lowe’s

for $70 and new knobs and pulls for $265 at Build.com – all noticeable upgrades. But new paint will probably give you the biggest bang for your buck.

“You can literally paint every square inch and make it feel different,” says Amanda Vernaci, the Clarkston, Mich., DIY blogger behind Come Stay Awhile. For those oak cabi nets that were so popular in the ‘90s, Vernaci recommends applying a coat of wood filler with a putty knife to achieve a smooth surface, then sanding and priming before rolling or spraying on two coats of paint (sanding lightly between them). Start to finish, Vernaci esti mates the job will take about two weeks. “Painting your cabinets takes a ton of prep work, but it can save you a lot of money to do

SOLANO REAL ESTATE SCENE

Give thanks for homeownership

From 1960 to 1970, my mom and dad rented 1290 41st Ave. in the Sunset District of San Francisco, a 1,250-squarefoot, bottom floor, two-bedroom, one-bath flat one block from Golden Gate Park and eight blocks from Ocean Beach.

Our next-door neighbors were Mani Glanz, my brother’s godmother, 1 inch away on one side and Charlie’s Market, a corner store, on the other.

After four boys in a row, my sister Suzanne was born. We had us four boys in bunkbeds in one bedroom and Suzi got my parents’ bedroom. Mom and Dad moved to a fold-out couch in the living room.

In late 1969, somehow, Mom became pregnant with my kid brother Rob, and with a little help from my grandpa, they bought a 35-year-old, 2,000-square-foot, four-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bath home six blocks away for $32,500 with 10% down, and obtained a 25-year fixed-rate mortgage at 6.5%.

As the story goes, my mom had to threaten my dad with bodily harm to sign the loan docs and closing papers at the title company because my dad was worried about the payment at $350, which was $125 more than the rent they were paying Mr. Popov, our kind and con siderate landlord.

Baby boy No. 6 and baby girl No. 7 were both born in the home and missed out on the experience of a family of seven living in two bedrooms with only one bathroom.

I am sure it was tough on my mom but us little kids loved it, and other than the quarterly ER visits for stitches from our wrestling matches around the fireplace and jumping from

one top bunk to the other, the memories of living in that flat are great.

My dad died a couple of years ago and my mom is still kicking, and that awesome American Dream four-bedroom home is still in the family.

We sadly lost boy No. 4, Merlin, when he was only 18, but the six of us who are left are thankful that not only did Mom and Dad feed us and keep a roof over all our stitched-up heads, but they also became homeowners and gave us a home of our own.

Thanks, Mom and Dad.

Jim Porter, NMLS No. 276412, is the branch manager of Solano Mortgage, NMLS No. 1515497, a division of American Pacific Mortgage Corporation, NMLS No. 1850, licensed in California by the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation under the CRMLA / Equal Housing Opportu nity. Jim can be reached at 707-449-4777.

Jim Porter

METRO SERVICES

Home-design experts say you can make a signicant difference in your kitchen on a small budget.

it yourself.”

Vernaci has also transformed dated tile with little more than a paintbrush. She used white epoxy tile paint on a backsplash in her old house, a technique that works for tile floors, too.

Richmond interior designer Diana Mathews, of Mathews & Co. Studio, gave her own kitchen a facelift with a coat of Sher win-Williams Studio Clay on the walls, along with new furni ture and artwork. She painted a $600 antique worktable on casters and now uses it as a kitchen island, and snagged a pair of floor-sample bar stools from Pottery Barn for less than $100. “The island was definitely a functional game – changer, adding both surface area as well as a place to sit,” she says.

2. $5,000: Hire a pro to paint or refinish your cabinets

If you can spend a bit more, it’s worth hiring professionals to give your cabinets a facelift. The results will almost certainly hold up better (and look nicer) than a DIY job.

Some companies give you the option of brush-painting wood cabinets or – for a little more money – spray-painting them. The painters who did my cabinets quoted me $2,250 for brushing with latex versus $3,375 for spraying with lacquer, which will withstand more wear and tear.

The painter removed hard ware; degreased, sanded and cleaned the exterior of our cab inets; wrapped the entire room in plastic; then sprayed the cab inets with two coats each of oil primer and lacquer. Within a week, they were transformed.

Cabinet refinishing is a step up from painting and typically costs about twice as much. The process involves spraying on a durable varnish, rather than

paint. “That finish would come on brand-new cabinets. It’s a factory finish,” explains Pete Simonello, owner of The Cabinet Restoration Co. in Manchester, Md. “And it can be matched to any paint color.”

Doors and drawer fronts are removed and sprayed offsite; cabinet boxes are sprayed on-site. For a small kitchen, Simonello estimates refinish ing would cost around $5,000 (by comparison, he estimates that a paint job in a similar kitchen would run about $2,000). Refin ishing, he says, “is a good fit for someone staying put for another 15 years.”

3. $10,000: Get new countertops, floors and backsplash

According to Marine Sarg syan, an economist at Houzz, about 90% of renovating home owners surveyed in the site’s Kitchen Trends Study eventu ally upgraded their countertops. Engineered quartz (typically $55 and up per square foot) and granite ($40-plus per square foot) are top choices, as is butcher block (as little as $30 per square foot).

Though granite might conjure images of the builder-grade stuff from the ’90s, it actually comes in a number of on-trend styles. Nowadays it can feature veining (similar to marble, but lower maintenance), or it can be leathered, a process that results in a more textured, matte finish.

Quartz, although pricier, is sealed during the manufacturing process, adding to its durability.

One tip for homeowners looking to save, according to Halil Bulut, co-owner of TriState Surfaces in Temple, Md.: Tear out the old coun tertops yourself, as most companies charge extra for demo and haul-away.

The backsplash is another opportunity to add personality to your kitchen. There are endless tile options, many of which are inexpensive (basic subway tile, for instance, costs as little

as 15 cents a piece at big-box stores). Professional installa tion costs an average of $1,000, according to Angi.

If outdated tile or vinyl floor ing is bringing down your space, consider swapping it for luxury vinyl planks (also called LVP), an affordable, durable upgrade that’s relatively easy to install for an ambitious DIYer. The material comes in an array of faux wood or stone finishes. On average, it costs $3.45 per square foot – or about $4.50 less than real hardwood at big-box stores.

“The trickiest part is cutting around door jambs and angles, but once you get going, you get the hang of it pretty quickly,” says Vernaci, about installing it. “This type of flooring also floats, so it isn’t glued or nailed down at all.”

4. $15,000 and up: Reface your cabinets and/or get new appliances

If you don’t like the style of your cabinet doors – but your cabinetry is in good overall con dition and you can live with the layout – refacing might be your best bet.

Simonello says his compa ny’s average cabinet-refacing job costs around $15,000. It involves replacing the drawer and door fronts, updating hard ware to soft hinges and drawer slides, and can also include storage upgrades such as installing lazy Susans and pullout trash systems. “Refacing, which is the next step up from refinish ing, is what I call a full facelift without replacing the cabinets,” says Simonello.

New appliances are another big-ticket item. On average, homeowners spend $10,875 to replace a full suite (the fridge, range, microwave oven and dishwasher), according to HomeAdvisor. One tip that Mathews, the Richmond interior designer, offers renovators on a budget: Shop scratch-and-dent sales at appliance stores, or ask if floor models are for sale.

SOLANO REAL ESTATE SCENE

More people find benefits of multigenerational households

If you’re thinking of buying a home and living with siblings, parents or grandpar ents, then multigenerational living may be for you.

The Pew Research Center defines a multigenera tional household as a home with two or more adult generations. And the number of individu als choosing multigenerational living has increased over the past 50 years.

As you consider this option for your own home search, know it could help you on your home ownership journey and provide you with other incredible bene fits along the way.

Living with loved ones could

help you achieve your homeown

There are several reasons people choose to live in a mul tigenerational household, and for many, the arrangement is a personal one. But according to the Pew Research Center, the top reason people choose to live together today is financial.

A recent study from Freddie Mac also finds more people are choosing to buy a home together

so they can save money in the homebuying process. As the study says: “. . . an increasing percentage of young adult firsttime homebuyers are relying on support from older generations, including their parents, to buy a home together.”

For these individuals, com bining their resources can help them achieve their dream of buying and owning a home. By pooling their incomes together to make that purchase, they may be able to afford a home they couldn’t on their own.

Other key benefits of multi generational living

Living in a home with loved ones can have other benefits,

too, like giving you more quality time to spend together. Darla Mercado, a certified financial planner and markets editor for CNBC.com, explains how this living arrangement can help on a personal and financial level: “Residing with relatives can offer advantages . . . you can pool multiple streams of income, for instance. And in households with young children, grandparents can pitch in with child care.”

If this sounds like a great option for you, it’s important to work with a trusted real estate professional to discuss your needs. They can help you navigate the process to find the right home for you

and your loved ones.

Bottom line

More people are discovering the benefits of multigenerational living. For the best information and help deciding what’s right for your personal situation, let’s connect and start the conversation today.

Don McDonald (DRE License No. 01436448) is a founding partner of Re/Max Elite Part ners (License No. 01215931) in Fairfield. Reach him at 707-4950774, don@remaxelitepartners. com or www.remaxelitepartners. com. Locally Focused-Glob ally Connected.

Open House Sat & Sun 1-3PM

1991 Dorland Drive, Fairfield

Charming 3bd/2ba, OWNED solar. Remodeled bthms, new interior paint, refinished hardwood floors. Brick fireplace. SS appliances w/gas stove. Must see! $549,500

Open House Saturday 1-3PM

764 Shannon Dr. Vacaville

New listing! Browns Valley 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath, over 2200 sq ft & 6420 sq ft lot. Updated kitchen & baths, Laminate & tile flooring. Separate living & family rooms. $675,000

Don McDonald

1830 Margurite Drive, Dixon

3bed/2bath w/1969sf on a 7283sf lot in the heart of the Schooner Ridge community. Freshly painted interior, new laminate flooring, and crown molding throughout the home. Designer picture rail in every room makes it easy to show off artwork. $590,000

FOR THIS WEEKEND

December 3rd & 4th

Please Call for an Appointment to View

857 Atchison Drive, Vacaville

Cooper School district! Displays pride ownership. Both primary & junior suites + 2 more BR’s. Great flexibility of room use easily allows 3 or 4 offices, also. Large loft, soaring ceiling, waterfall. 4,000+ sq ft. Pool. 3 car garage. $874,999 Open House

Over 4000sf, this beauty sits on a cul-desac in Rancho Solano hills. 5 bedrooms which includes a downstairs junior primary, 2 bonus/media rooms. Cook’s kitchen with adjoining great room and an outdoor courtyard with gas FP. Outdoor kitchen, great for entertaining. $1,099,900

Solano real estate transactions

These are the local homes sold recently, provided by California Resource of Lodi. The company can be reached at 209.365.6663 or CalResource@aol.com.

BENICIA

TOTAL SALES: 2

LOWEST AMOUNT: $725,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $880,000

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $802,500

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $802,500

863 Channing Circle - $880,000

10-27-22 [3 Bdrms - 2608 SqFt - 1984 YrBlt]

380 West M Street - $725,000

10-27-22 [3 Bdrms - 1405 SqFt - 1963 YrBlt]

DIXON

TOTAL SALES: 2

LOWEST AMOUNT: $599,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $625,000

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $612,000

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $612,000

780 Alwin Drive - $625,000

10-24-22 [4 Bdrms - 2044 SqFt - 1999 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 01-06-99, $187,712

960 Norton Court - $599,000

10-27-22 [4 Bdrms - 1904 SqFt - 2003 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-23-22, $625,000

FAIRFIELD

TOTAL SALES: 10

LOWEST AMOUNT: $162,500

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $2,350,000

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $507,500

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $654,450

1000 4th Street - $370,500

10-27-22 [3 Bdrms - 1467 SqFt - 1955 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 08-13-08, $140,000

401 Arlington Circle - $609,000

10-24-22 [4 Bdrms - 1894 SqFt - 1976 YrBlt]

5336 Boulder Ridge Court - $2,350,000

10-26-22 [4 Bdrms - 5634 SqFt - 2008 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 05-09-06, $775,000

5286 Klingsell Place - $765,000

10-27-22 [5 Bdrms - 3119 SqFt - 2013 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 05-11-22, $810,500

2555 Mankas Boulevard - $525,000

10-26-22 [3 Bdrms - 1082 SqFt - 1964 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 10-26-16, $340,000

826 Ohio Street - $356,000

10-25-22 [4 Bdrms - 1425 SqFt - 1915 YrBlt]

1049 Pierce Street - $162,500

10-24-22 [2 Bdrms - 768 SqFt - 1953 YrBlt]

2114 Saddlebred Drive - $381,500

10-27-22 [5 Bdrms - 2802 SqFt - 2010 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 10-29-10, $389,500

1007 Taft Street - $535,000

10-25-22 [3 Bdrms - 1777 SqFt - 1952 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 03-02-22, $400,000

724 Utah Street - $490,000

10-24-22 [3 Bdrms - 1034 SqFt - 1950 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 04-01-22, $405,000

RIO VISTA

TOTAL SALES: 1

LOWEST AMOUNT: $424,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $424,000

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $424,000

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $424,000

234 Cedar Ridge Drive - $424,000

10-24-22 [2 Bdrms - 1410 SqFt - 2001 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 05-18-16, $270,000

SUISUN CITY

TOTAL SALES: 1

LOWEST AMOUNT: $495,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $495,000

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $495,000

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $495,000

52 Terry Court - $495,000

10-25-22 [3 Bdrms - 1342 SqFt - 1978 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 11-09-09, $140,000

VACAVILLE

TOTAL SALES: 8

LOWEST AMOUNT: $250,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $610,000

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $510,000

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $469,000

773 Calico Trail - $610,000

10-27-22 [3 Bdrms - 1633 SqFt - 1989 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 05-31-22, $520,000

177 Fairoaks Drive - $375,000 10-27-22 [2 Bdrms - 1011 SqFt - 1974 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 05-06-16, $240,000

103 Heritage Lane - $540,000 10-27-22 [4 Bdrms - 1887 SqFt - 1990 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 06-10-20, $440,000

1801 Marshall Road #903 - $250,000

10-25-22 [1 Bdrms - 714 SqFt - 1986 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 12-08-11, $65,000

607 Morning Glory Drive - $610,000

10-25-22 [3 Bdrms - 1382 SqFt - 1987 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 03-09-16, $319,000

1079 Portofino Avenue - $480,000 10-26-22 [3 Bdrms - 1229 SqFt - 2006 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 03-23-18, $365,000

1766 Southwood Drive - $300,000

10-25-22 [4 Bdrms - 1304 SqFt - 1978 YrBlt]

930 Summerbreeze Court - $587,000 10-25-22 [3 Bdrms - 1639 SqFt - 1999 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 04-05-04, $365,500

VALLEJO

TOTAL SALES: 24

LOWEST AMOUNT: $142,500

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $1,335,000

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $464,500

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $478,125

713 6th Street - $300,000

10-24-22 [2 Bdrms - 568 SqFt - 1920 YrBlt]

125 Bayview Avenue - $190,000

10-26-22 [3 Bdrms - 928 SqFt - 1938 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 02-10-22, $385,000 811 North Camino Alto - $479,000 10-25-22 [3 Bdrms - 1064 SqFt - 1962 YrBlt] 1000 North Camino Alto - $635,000 10-26-22 [4 Bdrms - 2276 SqFt - 1959 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 03-07-22, $230,000 1333 North Camino Alto #142 - $259,000 10-27-22 [2 Bdrms - 856 SqFt - 1974 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 10-27-16, $98,000 343 Campbell Avenue - $142,500 10-25-22 [2 Bdrms - 1040 SqFt - 1926 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 08-26-22, $125,000 182 Candy Drive - $440,000 10-25-22 [3 Bdrms - 1170 SqFt - 1977 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 12-12-13, $171,000 518 Catalina Circle - $450,000 10-27-22 [4 Bdrms - 1986 SqFt - 1988 YrBlt] 1077 Granada Street - $630,000 10-25-22 [4 Bdrms - 1931 SqFt - 1978 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 10-28-20, $580,000 7309 Hapsburg Crown Court - $596,500 10-24-22 [5 Bdrms - 2069 SqFt - 2001 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 10-05-10, $168,000 275 Lofas Place - $290,000 10-25-22 [3 Bdrms - 960 SqFt - 1955 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 02-01-12, $77,000 1038 Maple Avenue - $415,000 10-26-22 [2 Bdrms - 1102 SqFt - 1949 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 02-25-16, $220,500 157 Mariner Drive - $287,000 10-26-22 [1 Bdrms - 594 SqFt - 1986 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 04-19-19, $232,500 2618 Redwood Street - $1,335,000 10-27-22 [2 Bdrms - 786 SqFt - 1941 YrBlt] 149 Riverview Drive - $602,000 10-25-22 [3 Bdrms - 1810 SqFt - 1983 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 02-05-19, $438,000 721 Rosewood Avenue - $510,000 10-24-22 [3 Bdrms - 1020 SqFt - 1951 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 11-06-08, $175,000 657 Russell Street - $320,000 10-26-22 [2 Bdrms - 874 SqFt - 1941 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 03-16-00, $140,000 134 Skyway Drive - $585,000 10-25-22 [3 Bdrms - 1752 SqFt - 1969 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 11-22-17, $460,000 160 Smokey Hills Drive - $585,000 10-27-22 [4 Bdrms - 2346 SqFt - 1983 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 08-14-08, $295,000 800 Taper Avenue - $569,000 10-25-22 [5 Bdrms - 2405 SqFt - 1960 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 10-21-20, $470,000 614 Tennessee Street - $325,000 10-26-22 [2 Bdrms - 837 SqFt - 1930 YrBlt]

306 Valle Vista Avenue - $500,000 10-26-22 [3 Bdrms - 1524 SqFt - 1942 YrBlt] 208 Wallace Avenue - $345,000 10-27-22 [2 Bdrms - 918 SqFt - 1940 YrBlt]

196 Winter Harbor Place - $685,000 10-26-22 [3 Bdrms - 1861 SqFt - 1987 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 08-23-99, $250,000

A sign advertises a house for rent in Dallas, July 9. Nationwide, in 2021, victims of real estate scams lost roughly $350 million – a 64 % jump from the previous year, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.

Real estate scams are on the rise

Here’s what you need to know

TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY

Landlord Sonja Kluesener first suspected something fishy when three poten tial renters contacted her about the Zebulon home she’d just listed on Zillow, and there was a significant price difference.

In her ad, she’d listed the three-bedroom ranch-style cottage at $1,700 per month. But they reported finding a similar ad on another listings site –for $200 less.

Then it clicked. “People were impersonating me,” she told The News & Observer.

Scammers had lifted her ad from the popular real estate site and, within days, created a fake listing using Kluesener’s name, photos, and even open-house times. They also added a few sweeteners, like the below-market price and allowance for “cats and large dogs,” and then posted it to other sites like Redfin and ForRent.com.

The contact number and email listed, however, wasn’t hers.

“Each of these people believed they’d been emailing with me and were about to wire $4,500 for rent and security to whoever put up the false listing. (They) even sent people to my open house to make it seem legit,” Kluesener said.

The scam unraveled when people became suspicious and contacted her through Zillow. But she worries others won’t be as lucky. “Other than informing the public, I have no idea how to stop it,” she said.

A Zillow spokesperson said its teams actively monitor the site for possible fraud or scams, preventing them from getting posted.

“If a listing is found to be fraudulent, it is removed from our site as quickly as possi ble,” the company emailed in a statement.

ELIAS VALVERDE II/DALLAS MORNING NEWS/TNS FILE

Although the first words have barely hit this column, I am getting a sense of glee. Just think, it took a garden writer, The Garden Guy, to beat the big boys to Valentine's. When you see Valentine’s stuff the day after Christmas, just remem ber where you saw it first.

In truth I’m not trying to sell you Valentine's stuff, but to alert you to the most beautiful new hibiscus making its debut in the spring, Summerific Valentine’s Crush. The competition will be so great for this plant that you need to bribe your garden center now to get in the game, so to speak, and order them.

You may have thought Summerific Holy Grail or Sum merific Cranberry Crush was the ultimate achievement in red shade hibiscus, but I predict Summerfic Valentine’s Crush will reign at the pinnacle for quite some period of time. The 7-inch flowers open to reveal a bright cherry red with a dark center. This is the red of your dreams, the red that makes

you think so tropical you will be fooling not only your friends and neighbors, but Mother Nature, too.

Summerific Valentine’s Crush

and Summerific Lilac Crush are making their debut in 2023, bringing the series to a dazzling 12 selections. This is my fourth year in a row to be growing Sum merific hibiscus or rose mallow. As I regularly tell you, I am sunchallenged, but the performance has gotten better and better each year. This year I had blooms from mid-June until late August.

My sunlight challenge means I will never have those catalog photos with 50-plus blooms, but I will have enough to make me happy and delight in watching you grab your camera.

But I want to go back to the tropical look that may fool

Mother Nature. While I am guilty of choosing the variet ies to do that, and even more so when combined with bananas and giant alocasia elephant ears, I want to challenge your design Financing

Open Hous e Event

You’re invited to come and tour this beautiful single story home that has 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and has approximately 3179 square feet of living space. It’s a highly sought after floor plan with tall ceilings and crown molding. The kitchen has granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, 5 burner gas cooktop, dual ovens and 2 pantry closets. The kitchen opens to the family room. There is a formal dining room, living room and family room with a fireplace. The fireplace has been completely remodeled. The laundry room has tile countertops, cabinetry and a sink. There’s cherry wood and tile flooring throughout the main part of the house. Primary bedroom has carpeting with upgraded padding, fireplace, 2 walk-in closets. The 3 bedrooms on the left side of the home all have carpeting. The 4th bedroom/office on the opposite side of the home has cherry wood flooring. The 4th bedroom/office that has its own separate entry doors at the front of the home. The backyard offers a pool with a spa, 2 waterfalls and fruit trees. Enjoy the sunsets with panoramic views of the golf course and hills. There’s a 2 car garage with painted flooring, insulated garage door and lots of storage space. Looking forward to meeting you and touring together. Offered at $1,029,000

Hosted by “Loney & Worley Team” with Andy Klink

www.loneyandworleyteam.com

These stylish, useful ideas – all under $100 – will cover your needs for housewarming, hostess and homebody gifts this year

THE WASHINGTON POST

Gift-giving presents a conun drum. Is it better to give something useful, such as a 112-bit screwdriver set, or something whimsical, such as a catsized iron throne? There is no right answer. That’s why our 2022 Holiday Gift Guide, curated by Post report ers and editors, includes suggestions at both ends of the practicality spec trum. With a wide range of gift ideas in nine categories – we’ve even included some that are func tional and fun – this guide will make the process just a little bit easier.

Happy Birdwatcher Co.: HappySeed Boxes

$32-$72 | These birdseed mixes can be customized by Zip code to attract native species. Buy one variety, or assortments that cater to birders with more than one type of feeder.

Hay: Sowden Bottle

$35-$40 (12 and 17 ounces) | This sleek and colorful stainless steel bottle is the perfect way to take hydration (or a comforting hot drink) on the go. Available in multiple colors.

Hudson Grace: Square Marble Monogram Cocktail Napkin Tray Set

$66 | The

Graf Lantz: MacBook Pro and Air Sleeve

$64 | Made of granite merino wool with a snapshut leather flap, this carrying case is a thought ful gift for people who travel with their technol ogy – whether on vacation or just to work.

perfect hostess gift, this napkin holder comes with a set of 50 three-ply paper cocktail napkins monogrammed in gray (it can be refilled with any 5.5-inch square napkins).

7 expert-recommended rakes to get you through leaf-clearing season

THE WASHINGTON POST

It’s leaf-clearing season in much of the United States, and nothing beats a good rake in terms of completing this chore with minimal noise, air pollution and cost. Raking also counts as exercise. But not all rakes are created equal. “Different rakes serve different purposes, and some perform unique tasks,” says Kim Roman, who runs Square Foot Gardening 4 U, a business that teaches small-space vegeta ble-gardening methods.

To clear leaves off a lawn, for example, you need a lawn rake, which has long, thin, flex ible tines spread in a fan shape, Roman says. A bow rake, which has short, sturdy tines in a straight line, works for removing weeds, leveling soil or spread ing mulch. Adjustable lawn rakes can be made narrow to get under bushes. There are also potato hoes that can be used as rakes, landscape rakes and even functional child-size rakes for your favorite little helpers.

Once settled on a type of rake, test the weight of a few options. “You’re moving heavy stuff. There’s no reason the rake should be heavy, too,” says Daryl Beyers, author of “The New Gardener’s Handbook.” Beyers prefers rakes with fiberglass or wooden handles for their durability. Aluminum handles are light but might not last as long, he says. Steer clear of plastic rakes. “They’re usually not of good quality and may break easily,” Roman says. And don’t worry about ergonomic handles or anything “extra.” It’s easy enough to add foam-pipe insu lation around the handle for comfort, an idea Roman borrowed from her friend Toni Gattone, a master gardener.

We asked Roman, Beyers and

are their picks.

1. Lawn rakes

For a big yard with a lot of leaves, consider the heavy-duty Bully Tools lawn and leaf rake ($38.48, lowes.com), says Roman, author of “How to Garden Indoors & Grow Your Own Food Year Round.” With its fiberglass handle and 30-inch-wide rake head, “it’s a serious rake for a serious yard,” she says. Pro tip: Old, mulched-up leaves make excellent fertilizer. Get most of the leaves off the lawn with your rake, then run over the rest with your mower to help them decompose.

Wood rakes have “a good feel,” Cosby says, “and are very durable as long as they are not exposed to moisture for long periods.” (Roman suggests pulling leaves and debris off all rakes after each use, drying the tools with a cloth and hanging them up with the tines facing the wall to protect them and to prevent long poles from toppling onto people.)

Sneeboer’s leaf rake ($74-$89, shopterrain.com) has a lifetime guarantee. It’s available in small (six inches wide) and large (14.5 inches wide), and it has stainless-steel tines and an ash handle. The larger size is useful for lawns; the small size can reach under bushes in garden beds.

Or, instead of having two sizes for different jobs, try an adjustable rake, Roman says. “Since I tend to multitask, I like tools that do the same.” Bond’s steel rake adjusts between seven and 25 inches, so if she’s raking the lawn and notices

Coleman Cosby, owner of Coleman Cosby Landscape Design and project manager at online land scape design company Yardzen, to share their favorite rakes for any job. Here

INFLATION AND THE HOUSING MARKET:

How to cope with high home prices

JIM PROBASCO BANKRATE.COM

Inflation hasn’t left the build ing, but it may be starting to look for the exit.

In October, the Consumer Price Index rose 0.4% – the same increase as in September. Over the last 12 months, the all-items CPI increased 7.7%. Not only is this less than what most econ omists had expected, it’s the smallest year-over-year increase since January 2022.

Perhaps the Federal Reserve’s efforts to slow inflation are finally bearing fruit. So far the Fed has raised interest rates five times this year with a sixth expected after the December meeting. The current slight cooling has led to experts anticipating a smaller hike in December – perhaps a 50 basis point increase versus the 75 basis points hike the previous five times.

But it’s not all good news – espe cially on the housing market front.

What’s happening in the housing market now

For one thing, the Fed’s inter est rate hikes have increased

mortgage rates to more than 7%. For another, prices for shelter in the CPI continued to rise – the rent index rose 0.7% and the owners’ equivalent rent index rose 0.6% last month – and in fact were “the dominant factor” in the monthly all-items index’s increase, contributing to over half of it, the Bureau of Labor Statis tics reported.

Nationally, home prices rose 11.4% year-over-year in Septem

ber, CoreLogic reports. While that represents a slowdown, it’s still high by historical standards. In a persistent trend, both homebuy ers and sellers feel less optimistic about their prospects, according to Fannie Mae’s latest index.

In fact, only 16% of people surveyed feel it’s now a good time to buy a home. Those who believe now is a good time to sell a home decreased sharply from 59% to 51% in October.

“The HPSI (Home Purchase Sentiment Index) reached an alltime survey low this month, in line with expectations that the housing market will continue to cool in the months ahead,” said Fannie Mae Senior Vice Presi dent and Chief Economist, Doug Duncan, in a statement.

“Consumers are increasingly pessimistic about both homebuy ing and home-selling conditions. Amid persistently high home prices and unfavorable mortgage rates, the ‘bad time to buy’ com ponent increased to a new survey high this month, while the ‘good time to sell’ component continued its downward trend,” he added.

Should you wait for inflation to come down more?

With inflation still weighing on the economy and housing market, should you buy a home now? What about selling your home now?

If you can’t make the numbers work, it’s OK to wait things out instead of buying a home today to beat increased prices and rates, especially if you’re a first-time buyer. While you’d be putting off building equity, you might find you’re in a better position to buy

in the future, when the market cools and your income potentially has had an opportunity to grow.

“Even when inflation does come down on a consistent basis, it doesn’t mean prices falling; it just means prices not rising as fast,” says Greg McBride, chief financial analyst for Bankrate.

“For homebuyers, a more modest pace of appreciation or even a period of stagnant home prices can allow for incomes to grow further. Rather than stretching too much now, you may be able to buy a bit more comfortably in a couple of years if your income growth outpaces home price growth. But there are no guar antees, and rents have certainly spiked in the meantime.”

That said, the circumstances of your life might require you to buy a home now, and that’s as acceptable a reason as any. Because you’re buying at the peak or nearpeak of the market, be prepared to stay in the home for a while if you want to come out ahead when you sell.

For sellers, the tides are turning. Depending on where you live, you could find fewer takers,

Rakes

From Page 16

leaves under a bush, she can make it smaller to fit the tighter space ($17.99, acehardware.com).

2. Bow rakes

Bow rakes are useful for clear ing objects heavier than leaves. They can smooth soil, break up

dirt, grade soil and gravel, and move rocks. The Fiskars pro rake ($63.43, amazon.com) is a good lightweight aluminum choice, according to Cosby and Roman. “The tines can comb out larger debris [from] the soil, and I use the straight edge of the back of the rake to smooth” out grading or decomposed granite, Cosby says.

3. Landscape rakes

Slightly tougher and wider than

a bow rake, a landscape rake can smooth out large areas of dirt and bigger gravel, such as when clean ing up a rock path or driveway, Beyers says. The Leonard land scape rake ($59.99, amleo.com) has an ash handle with a steel tube welded to the tine section. It can also be used to push, gather, back fill, cultivate and break up soil.

4. Potato hoes

A garden hoe can double as

a tool for cultivating soil and removing weeds. Technically, the Ames four-tine forged culti vator ($24.98, homedepot.com) is made for digging up potatoes or into hard, rocky soil. But Beyers, who is also the gardening certifi cate program coordinator at the New York Botanical Garden, uses it “for scratching the soil [and] getting it ready for seeding.” It’s also perfect for getting into tight spots or spreading mulch.

5. For kids

Children often enjoy helping with yard tasks, but they might have trouble managing fullsize tools. Roman likes the rake in Fiskars’ kids’ cleanup set ($21.99, fiskars.com). It’s sturdy, with a lightweight aluminum handle that’s perfect for little hands, and “will serve your children well until they’re ready for adult-sized tools,” says Roman, who enjoys gardening with her grandchildren.

FEVERPITCHED/DREAMSTIME/TNS

Forecasters say home prices could soon experience significant declines.

5 bed 3 bath 2286 sq ft, lot 9583 sq ft

Located in the heart of Browns Valley, this 5 bedroom 3 bath home has a bedroom and full bath downstairs. It features an updated kitchen with beautiful white cabinets and granite counters. Gorgeous engineered wood flooring on the main floor. The large lot has an in-ground pool, plenty of space for entertaining, and mature trees provide privacy. There’s also a 3 car garage and custom storage shed!

Prices

From Page 17

or need to come down on price. Let’s not forget what happens on the other side of the transaction: When you go to purchase your next place to live, you’ll be com peting for a limited number of available properties – and now likely obtaining a new mortgage at a higher rate, to boot.

Tips for buying in an inflationary environment

If you’re set on buying soon, you can try stretching your dollars by:

• Putting your down-payment savings in a high-yield account. One upside to inflation and the Fed’s response: higher inter est rates on savings accounts. If you aren’t already, put your

down payment contributions in a high-yield account. Just make sure the account allows you to access your money easily when it comes time for closing – some online savings accounts take three days to deliver your funds when you withdraw.

• Considering a mortgage lender with low or no fees While it might be more conve nient to get a mortgage at your bank, banks typically charge an origination fee, often 1% of the amount you borrow. Many nonbank and online lenders don’t, so if you can find a no-fee lender with attractive rates, you’ll keep more money in your pocket.

• Locking in your mortgage rate. When you find a lender and are applying for a loan, ask about locking in your rate. Now’s not the time to take a chance on the size of your monthly mort gage payment suddenly soaring, right before you’re set to close.

Scams

From Page 8

Zillow also offers warnings on its website on how to avoid rental and home for-sale scams, and other internet fraud.

On the rise

Real estate scams are nothing new. But as rents, home prices, and inflation remain high in today’s volatile housing market, some industry experts warn scams could be on the rise.

Nationwide, in 2021, 11,578 people reported losing roughly $350 million due to these types of scams – a 64% jump from the previous year, according to the FBI’s Internet Crime Com plaint Center.

The office of North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein said it is aware of such scams, but it

doesn’t track numbers and hasn’t received any reports of incidents.

“Because this is a criminal vio lation, we’d encourage people to report this directly to local law enforcement,” said Nazneen Ahmed, the attorney general’s press secretary.

Lynn Foster is a real estate agent working out of Apex. She said she’s seen these kinds of scams for years now, and they target homes for sale, not just rentals.

“I’d say these scams are more common than we’d like to

believe,” she said. “As [scam mers] become savvier with internet hacking, and buyers and renters become more desperate due to housing shortages, we see this type of activity increasing.”

Dustin Engelken, government affairs director at Triangle Apart ment Association, urged “healthy skepticism” when entering the apartment search.

“If you see something that looks significantly below market rent and seems too good to be true, it probably is,” he said.

Other red flags include a request to wire funds, or to do business via text messages.

“A lot of times, it’s ‘Send me a deposit via Venmo or a cash app,’ then you never hear from them again,” Engelken said. “You certainly don’t want to make payments to somebody that you haven’t met, or which isn’t going directly to the legitimate company. You want to do some extra research.”

‘If you see something that looks significantly below market rent and seems too good to be true, it probably is.’

— DUSTIN ENGELKEN

Solano County Listings: Homes for sale

$840,000 116 Mountview Ter Benicia 4 3/0 2,288 0.11 322031987

$459,000 1320 Blackberry Ct Dixon 3 2 /0 1487 0.073 322062507

$565,000 1410 Cornell Dr Dixon 3 3/0 1,917 0.07 322085404

$590,000 1830 Margurite Dr Dixon 3 2 /0 1969 0.167 322100781

$785,000 515 West Cherry St Dixon 4 3/0 2755 0.124 322083817

$4,500,000 6156 Clark Rd Dixon 4 4 /0 5906 78.98 322047718

$350,000 225 Pennsylvania Ave #A2 Fairfield 3 2 /0 1084 0.026 322065570

$434,950 56 Del Prado Cir Fairfield 3 2 /1 1234 0.038 322081681

$449,000 2813 Elmhurst Cir Fairfield 3 2 /0 1290 0.13 322100983

$450,000 749 Wren Court Fairfield 3 2 /0 1,952 0.2 322098917

$465,000 1655 Hemlock St Fairfield 3 2 /0 1,274 0.16 322082879

$489,585 2001 Bluebird Way Fairfield 4 2 /0 1,285 0.17 322096754

$499,000 2373 Cabrillo Dr Fairfield 4 2 /0 1704 0.13 322086472

$499,500 204 Camelia Street Fairfield 3 2 /0 1,403 0.17 322078544

$544,950 4 831 Silver Creek Rd Fairfield 3 2 /0 1082 0.185 322077342

$549,900 2983 Carmel Wy Fairfield 4 2 /0 1738 0.18 322097723

$565,000 1661 Homewood Ct Fairfield 3 2 /0 1127 0.175 322099977

$575,000 2737 Almondwood Wy Fairfield 4 2 /1 1512 0.08 322080695

$602,000 962 Julie Ct Fairfield 4 2 /0 1804 0.19 322097450

$650,000 2018 Windsor Pl Fairfield 3 2 /1 1862 0.26 322078194

$659,000 2907 Owens Ct Fairfield 3 3/0 2320 0.18 322084406

$695,000 4 480 Rolling Meadows Ln Fairfield 4 2 /1 2210 0.169 322086454

$698,988 15 Fairway Place Fairfield 2 2 /0 1,921 0.05 322093761

$775,000 454 Oakwood Circle Fairfield 4 3/0 2,144 0.23 322100491

$799,000 505 East Meadows Lane Fairfield 5 3/0 2,549 0.14 322092262

$824,999 3032 Muse Wy Fairfield 4 3/0 2841 0.135 322078149

$908,000 5181 Palace Ct Fairfield 5 3/0 3007 0.168 322082111

$1,099,900 3404 Black Mountain Ct Fairfield 5 3/1 4003 0.215 322100196

$1,149,000 1098 Skywest Ct Fairfield 3 2 /1 2709 24455sf 322098903

$1,247,500 4 427 Glencannon Dr Fairfield 3 3/0 2,409 2.5 322092157

$1,495,000 1106 Skywest Ct Fairfield 5 3/0 3414 0.804 322068078

$1,499,000 5270 Oakridge Dr Fairfield 4 3/0 4,034 0.3 322069250

$2,599,888 5324 Boulder Ridge Ct Fairfield 5 6/0 5,325 0.91 322099213

$420,000 101 Cedar Ridge Dr Rio Vista 2 2 /0 1671 0.129 322064595

$500,000 420 Canvasback Dr Suisun City 4 2 /0 1440 0.13 322096457

$509,000 411 Avalon Wy Suisun City 3 2 /0 2152 0.23 322067943

$519,900 211 Leafwood Ct Suisun City 3 2 /0 1,427 0.08 322095282

$534,000 719 Capistrano Dr Suisun City 4 2 /0 1620 0.170 322095047

$550,000 906 Anderson Dr Suisun City 3 2 /1 1759 0.116 322096978

$608,899 1709 Carswell Ln Suisun City 4 3/0 2,061 0.08 322095129

$624,997 429 Dobbins Ct Suisun City 5 3/0 2,338 0.14 322079187

$630,000 330 Engell Ct Suisun City 3 2 /1 2206 0.160 322070250

$949,997 406 Kings Way Suisun City 4 4 /0 3,228 0.89 322095606

$325,000 648 Arcadia Drive Vacaville 2 1/0 954 0.02 322097587

$399,000 116 Mckinley Cir Vacaville 2 2 /0 1,043 0.13 322086513

$434,000 101 Isle Royale Cir Vacaville 2 2 /0 1152 0.15 322080839

$434,000 135 Maple St Vacaville 3 1/0 1040 0.11 322093532

$444,000 105 Rainier Cir Vacaville 2 2 /0 1152 0.13 322078018

$460,000 125 Christine Dr Vacaville 3 2 /0 1,062 0.11 322080818

$519,000 424 Mandarin Cir Vacaville 2 2 /0 1323 0.116 322066345

$525,000 4 84 Manchester Wy Vacaville 3 2 /0 1602 0.13 322083162

$539,000 686 Mashall Rd Vacaville 3 2 /0 1402 0.18 322059279

$547,000 600 Fox Pointe Rd Vacaville 3 2 /0 1320 0.160 322089563

$567,500 801 S Orchard Ave Vacaville 3 2 /0 1230 0.12 322073187

$569,000 304 Kendrick Ln Vacaville 3 2 /0 1276 0.138 322100653

$574,999 296 Plantation Way Vacaville 4 2 /1 1840 0.13 322062209

$575,000 107 Colony Way Vacaville 4 3/0 1,887 0.07 322068608

$589,900 1116 Amber Ridge Ln Vacaville 3 2 /1 1990 0.100 32209946

$589,999 332 Plantation Court Vacaville 5 2 /1 2043 0.16 322094970

$590,000 512 Florence Dr Vacaville 4 2 /0 1785 0.21 322090024

$595,000 148 Shefield Dr Vacaville 4 2 /1 1799 0.14 322089957

$597,777 231 Kildare Ln Vacaville 3 2 /1 1988 0.209 322091198

$610,000 667 Laurelwood Cir Vacaville 3 2 /0 1,750 0.14 322080908

$625,000 130 La Paz St Vacaville 3 2 /0 1381 0.18 322101320

$629,999 107 Diablo Creek Way Vacaville 3 3/0 1728 0.15 322092111

$665,000 643 Dahlia Dr Vacaville 3 3/0 1,728 0.08 322095268

$675,000 324 Crow Canyon Ct Vacaville 4 3/0 2003 0.191 322100614

$690,000 764 Shannon Dr Vacaville 3 2 /1 2262 0.147 322099214

$710,000 754 Arabian Cir Vacaville 3 2 /0 2,066 0.26 322067856

$719,000 307 Epic St Vacaville 5 3/0 2,219 0.11 322094278

$750,000 201 Wrentham Dr Vacaville 5 3/0 2286 0.22 322099300

$759,000 901 Cedarcrest Dr Vacaville 5 3/0 3014 0.207 322061115

$775,000 8024 Claret Court Vacaville 4 3/1 2941 0.16 322074811

$874,999 857 Atchison Drive Vacaville 4 4 /0 4,087 0.21 322098624 $899,000 1000 Brighton Ct Vacaville 5 3/0 3,431 0.21 322090634

$899,500 155 Foothill Dr Vacaville 3 3/0 1,919 0.60 322068886 $989,000 7885 N Locke Rd Vacaville 3 2 /0 1,493 3.95 322095123

$1,100,000 896 Granada Ln. Vacaville 4 3.5 3395 16860 32203670

$1,475,000 4117 Cricket Trail Rd Vacaville 5 2 /0 2,328 5.35 322097504 $460,000 2940 Georgia St Vallejo 3 2 /0 876 0.13 322087029 $500,000 1728 Napa St Vallejo 3 2 /0 1530 0.106 322037217

$559,000 184 Smokey Hills Dr Vallejo 3 2 /0 1532 10890sf 322084742 $595,000 40 Sandy Beach Vallejo 2 1/0 1,124 0.19 322093840 $630,000 701 Keats Dr Vallejo 4 2 /0 10500 10018sf 322091636 $1,029,000 2643 Marshfield Road Vallejo 4 3/0 3,179 0.27 322100261 $875,000 8 457 Plesants Valley Rd Winters 2 1/0 22.16 321006700 $1,500,000 9211 Boyce Road Winters 3 1/1 1500 31.00 322099831

LOTS & LAND

PRICE A DDRESS CITY LOT/AC SUB TYPE MLS#

$850,000 Gaddini Road Vacaville 14.89 AGRI 322085720 $4,500,000 6156 Clark Rd Dixon 78.98 AGRI 322049465 $500,000 360 Butcher Rd Vacaville 1.10 COMM 321098151 $1,250,000 8 362 Auction Ln Dixon 2.16 COMM 322014651 $1,870,000 2300-11 E Monte Vista Ave Vacaville 3.66 COMM 321102156

$225,000 2060 Pinecrest Ct Vacaville 1.15 RESA 322048328

$359,950 Gibson Canyon Vacaville 1.55 RESA 22029146 $384,500 3757 Wild Oak Trl Vacaville 4.96 RESA 322061715 $399,000 English Hills Rd Vacaville 6.09 RESA 322096839 $499,500 3745 Wild Oak Trl Vacaville 5 RESA 322061705 $875,000 8 457 Plesants Valley Rd Winters 22.16 RESA 321000406

$15,000,000 Mankas Fairfield RESA 21825708

MOBILE/FLOATING

PRICE ADDRESS CITY BEDS BA(F/H) SQ. FT MLS #

$45,000 9 Dali Ct Fairfield 0 0 800 322100984 $175,000 161 Lemon Tree Cir Vacaville 3 2 /0 1440 322093675

COMMERCIAL

PRICE ADDRESS CITY T YPE MLS #

$350,000 424 Davis St Vacaville Mixed 322095434 $625,000 120 E Tabor Ave Fairfield Retail 322088826

Gifts

From Page 15

Plant Kween: Terracotta Tabletop Planters

$39-$49 (small and medium) | These handsome handmade terracotta planters would make a state ment in any home. And they have a drainage hole and plate to capture excess water.

MoMA: Curtain Cake Stand & Serving Bowl

$58 | The simple elegance of this white magnesium porcelain cake stand will elevate any baked goods. Flip it over for a serving bowl. It’s also micro wave – and dishwasher-safe.

Filtrum Home: Mushroom Self Watering Glass

$19.99 | Take the guesswork out of watering for your plant-loving friends with this lead-free glass mushroom that works in any planter. Pair it with a green friend, such as a holiday cactus.

JojoByJoda: Pink Wave Acrylic Vase

$42.99 | This whimsical vase will add a touch of Barbiecore to any home. Or, if hot pink isn’t your cup of tea, try another color. Toss in fresh flowers for the perfect hostess gift.

Williams Sonoma: Coffee Scoop with Clip

$14.95 | This stainless steel bag clip in a matte black finish doubles as a scoop to measure grounds. Pair it with a favorite bag of coffee for a more personal gift.

S’well: Ice Bucket and Tongs

$49.99 | We love the warm wood grain finish on this 68-ounce condensation-free ice bucket with a stainless steel lid and matching tongs. It can also be used to chill champagne or wine.

Winter

From Page 10

with the Summerific colors that immediately tell you it is a hardy hibiscus. Get one thing in your mind: Hardy hibiscus is a good thing. It’s not cheap, but it's a wonderful partner for your other annuals and perenni als. They are cold-hardy from zones 4-9, meaning just about everyone can grow them.

Take for instance the award-win ning Summerific Cherry Choco Latte. Not for a nanosecond will you think tropical, but the white light pink

flowers that look drizzled with dark cherry from the center outward will take your breath away. In my garden I have Summerific Berry Awesome combined with Heart to Heart Bottle Rocket caladiums and Summeri fic Spinderella with Heart to Heart Tickle Me Pink caladiums, Shad owland Etched Glass hostas and the green leaf texture of Dandy Man Color Wheel rhododendrons that bloomed early in the season.

The Summerfic series of hardy hibiscus are put together with native DNA. While you may struggle with creating the perfect garden soil with most other plants, these could also be classified as suitable for bogs. But

you don’t need a bog, a mountain or a compost pile, and I am proving you can be happy under sunlight chal lenges. In the South I am finding the 4-foot-tall and 4-foot-wide structure to be just perfect. Prior to spring shoots, the plants will be cut back to almost ground level.

If your garden center doesn’t take bribes I mentioned, use this time before spring to source your plants elsewhere, including online. A few years ago, I got some Summerific plants that were bareroot. I potted them up, and by planting season they looked like full-grown 2-gallon nursery plants. I promise you can do it too, if this is your only option.

NORMAN WINTER/TNS

This lush tropical setting features bananas, elephant ears, hydrangeas, and Heart to Heart Burning Heart caladiums with Summerfic Holy Grail hibiscus.