These fan-favorite blooms are bigger, bolder, and generally more beautiful this year. Boston Globe via Getty Images / Getty Images All across the Northeast, hydrangeas are in full bloom. In fact, this year they’re having one of the most beautiful seasons we've seen in recent years—a phenomenon that’s drawing tourists, gardeners, and plant-lovers alike to visit the Northeast and New England...

Learn how to make the most of these eco-friendly and inexpensive laundry essentials. Getty Images / Helin Loik-Tomson Making the switch from dryer sheets to dryer balls is a wise choice, not just for your wallet but also for the environment. Wool dryer balls can help your clothes dry faster, producing less energy and, therefore, a lower electricity bill. Plus, unlike sheets, they’re reusable, so...

Follow our easy steps for growing shiitake mushrooms on logs. Kritsada Panichgul You might be surprised to hear that growing shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes) is easier than growing most crops, although there is unique up-front work you won’t encounter elsewhere. The process involves gathering appropriate logs, inoculating them with shiitake spawn (a fungus), and sealing them so they don’t...

From outdoor dining sets to hammocks. Better Homes & Gardens / Madison Woiten Prime Day is just around the corner, but you don’t have to wait until July 16 to enjoy massive deals on the best patio furniture. If you’ve been on the hunt for stylish patio furniture that’s as functional (and long-lasting!) as it is cute, now’s the time to buy. From a boho-chic outdoor dining table set that...

Learn how to use items like postcards, handwritten notes, and other memorabilia to create custom (and affordable) artwork for your home. Dylan Chandler It's no secret that art prints and custom canvases can get expensive quickly. Luckily, you can turn photos, postcards, florals, and trinkets you have lying around your home into custom artwork that looks much more expensive than it really...

A major renovation to this Toronto family’s home had opened up expansive views of the back garden as well as access to it. Unfortunately, the overgrown state of the backyard was not in keeping with the style and quality of the new architecture. Also, the existing design didn’t forge any...

Being a good host is something of a lost art. Balancing the roles of tour guide, innkeeper, cook and friend (while still managing to have fun yourself) can be challenging, to say the least. Make visiting friends and family feel at home, and ease the burden on yourself, this summer with a little...

The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., on Friday denied a request from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) for a rehearing of the court’s previous ruling that the Department of Justice (DOJ) can reopen an investigation into the trade organization. The legal back-and-forth on DOJ reopening its investigation has been bouncing through courts dating back to the Trump administration....

Vetted by HousingWire  |  Our editors independently review the products we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Whether you live in the bucolic pastures of western Massachusetts, downtown Boston or the shores of Cape Cod, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts offers lucrative opportunities to buy and sell unique properties. If you want to learn how to get a Massachusetts...

Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase and Citi opened the second-quarter earnings season in the mortgage space on Friday by showing strong increases in sales volumes from April to June compared to the previous quarter. But it was not enough to bring home loan originations to year-ago levels.  Among the three depositories, JPMorgan was the leader in mortgage production with $10.7 billion volume in Q2 2024, up 62%...