Ever since the introduction of Airbnb in 2008, homeowners don’t have to be serial landlords or own second homes to earn rental income. If you have an in-law apartment or a spare bedroom, you can put those extra square feet to work. Preparing your home to rent will require effort on your part, but the extra income may well be worth it. Read more

Above all else, a home should be a safe place. However, there are many basic safety measures most homeowners haven’t even considered. To help you improve safety in your home, we asked six Diamond Certified Expert contributors to share their tips. Read more

More and more applications are going digital in the 21st century, and home security locks are no exception. Today’s sophisticated digital lock technology offers several benefits, including the following: Read more

If you’re planning to travel and stay with family or friends during the holidays, it’s important to take proactive steps to safeguard your home in your absence. Consider the following tips: Read more

In just a few days, we’ll all be turning back our clocks to coincide with the end of another daylight saving time (DST). Regardless of your sentiments toward this annual ritual, it’s important to be prepared for the time change. In particular, with the extended hours of darkness, you should take measures to maximize visibility during the end of DST. Here are a few to consider: Read more

If you’re a homeowner, you know there’s no greater priority than security—after all, it’s not only your valuables that are at stake, it’s the safety of yourself and your family. However, like many Bay Area homes, yours may contain unknown deficiencies that pose an increased vulnerability to break-ins. To help you avoid this, we’ve asked four Diamond Certified Expert Contributors to provide some helpful hints for home security.

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Your home may have a high-end alarm system, but if your doors are second-rate, you’re running an unnecessary security risk. Exteriors doors are a home’s first line of defense, which is why a weak one represents a major point of vulnerability. Use the following checklist to make sure your doors have what it takes.

Door
Door hardening starts with the door itself. While interior doors are typically 1 3/8-inch thick, exterior doors should be 1 3/4 inches of solid wood. Read more