My brothers and I are fortunate to still have our 95-year-old mother in our lives, but we do have a lot of responsibility for her physical and financial well-being. We’ve helped her with estate planning, medical directives and investments, and we manage her bills, doctors’ appointments, medications, and caregivers. My older brother, a certified public accountant, has power of attorney. Like most families, we have a lot going on and it can be overwhelming at times.

Despite our collective efforts to keep things organized and do advance planning, we’ve had some glitches. Read more

Guest Post By Ron Smith, owner of J. Hettinger Interiors

Ready for a makeover? Whether your old sofa needs a facelift or you’re redecorating your entire home, selecting fabrics will be a key part of the design process. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

First, when it’s time to select a fabric for your furniture, cost should be just one of the many factors you consider. A design professional can help you choose fabrics that wear well, clean easily and keep their color over time. Read more

My book club just finished reading and discussing a book called I Do Not Come to You by Chance, which is set in Nigeria and written by Nigerian author Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani. What’s fascinating about the story is that it takes the reader inside the world of Nigerian 419 scammers (419 refers to the Nigerian Criminal Code section that deals with fraud, charges and penalties for offenders). Such advance fee scams are simply a confidence trick: the victim is promised a share of a large sum of money in return for a small upfront payment, which the fraudulent operator says is needed to obtain the large sum. More fees may be requested after the first payment, Read more

When it comes time to choose the material for your new roof, Paul Proctor, CEO of R E Roofing and Construction, Inc. recommends looking past what is currently fashionable.

“A lot of people will look at what their neighbors are doing and figure those must be the best roofing products, but that’s not necessarily true,” says Mr. Proctor. “This ‘follow the leader’ mentality is the reason more people install asphalt shingles today than 20 years ago. Asphalt may look nice and be easier to walk on, but it’s not a good insulator, and most homeowners fail to take that into account. That’s why it’s important to learn about all the different roofing options so you can make an informed decision.” Read more

As I mentioned in last month’s newsletter, I’ve been busy having three bedrooms and a bathroom painted, which forced me to clean out my closets. The project was time-consuming, but I’m happy to say I didn’t spend a lot of money. It made our home more aesthetically pleasing and I’m looking forward to having houseguests again.

That got me thinking about other little things my husband and I could do to spruce things up that wouldn’t cost an arm and a leg. Read more

The massive distribution of the 2016 Diamond Certified Directory has begun, with more than 800,000 copies reaching homes and businesses throughout the Greater Bay Area. Your FREE copy should be arriving very soon (if it hasn’t already), so keep your eyes on your mailbox!

If you’re new to the Diamond Certified Directory and would like to receive a free copy for your local area, simply visit www.diamondcertified.info/directory and fill out the required information. Read more

People scrambling to find apartments and rental houses often pay for rental listings. Sadly, some of them find that the lists they buy are worthless. One man paid more than $200 for a list of homes to rent, and when he visited three of the addresses, he discovered they were occupied. Applying for a refund was equally frustrating. The agency said the agreement he signed allowed them to take up to 90 days to issue a refund. Three months later, their phone was disconnected and the company disappeared with his money.

Another common scam is to require people who respond to a phony rental ad to pay for a credit report. The con artists collect a commission or simply keep the fee. Read more