Your Valuable Home

In our final interview about ProVia products for the exterior of a home, Chris Baker, ProVia®’s Director of Sales for Windows, walks us through when to replace old windows, and the many reasons why you should choose ProVia vinyl windows, including an outstanding limited, lifetime warranty. In the Bad Guy Bulletin today, Marc Furber from the Bucks County Pennsylvania DA’s office shares the good news of a Digital Forgery Bill that was just signed by Josh Shapiro, Governor of Pennsylvania. PA now becomes one of a few states in the country to protect it residents from AI-inspired scams. In the Feature today, Ron Melk, Producer and Host, extends a heart-felt “thank you” to the listeners, sponsors, contributors, engineers and distributors who have enabled us to produce nearly 600 episodes of Your Valuable Home over 11 and ½ years. THANK YOU!!!

Caroline Blazovsky, America’s Healthy Home Expert, shares her thoughts and expertise on all aspects of the odorless killer, carbon monoxide: what it is, what produces it, how it affects the human body and the technology you can need to protect you and your family at home and when you travel.This in-depth focus on carbon monoxide, was prompted by the untimely death of a famous actress at her daughter and son-in-law’s home in Bucks County, Pennsylvania over the 2025 winter holidays. We originally posted the episode on 5/16/25. Because of the importance of the subject to so many of our listeners, we felt compelled to re-run it now.

The Your Valuable Home Podcast presents a two-part interview with Mehdi Seyedmahmoudian, Professor of Engineering in the School of Engineering at Australia’s Swinburne University of Technology. Parts 1 and 2 center on the professor’s hypothesis about a weather-related phenomenon called “induced atmospheric vibration” being the root cause of tens of millions of people in Spain, Portugal and southern France experiencing a massive blackout in the spring of 2025. We also discuss, a significant, little-publicized blackout the professor personally experienced in Indonesia about the same time. In these two broad-ranging interviews, Professor Seyedmahmoudian also pinpoints factors that are straining grid capacities around the world and possible solutions that need not strain the budgets of central governments. Will the U.S. and other countries heed the call to address the shortcomings of their electric grids. We can only hope. In this episode, Ron also completes the explanation of why he decided to drop American Home Shield.

In our best practices segment, the well-known landscape architect, Carter van Dyke, explains the plight of certain species of trees in the U.S. The Ash, for example, is in danger of extinction. Dead Ash trees become brittle and break from the top down, posing to hazard that can be very expensive to deal with. In our Bad Guy Bulletin today, Marc Furber from the Bucks County DA’s office is back with a warning about a scam about Bad Guys posing as law enforcement officials to separate you from your money. Our Feature today concludes a series on Americans who have rental properties in other countries. This interview involves a rental in London.

If you can get overwhelmed by product choices... especially when it comes to a major exterior home re-do, you need to check out ProVia windows, doors, vinyl siding, manufactured stone and metal roofing, using the company’s incredible, online Design Center. You can even scan in photos of your home’s current exterior to see how it looks with a ProVia Perfect Exterior makeover. Jerome Zenoby, ProVia’s Director of Creative and Design, explains this wonderful online tool that he participated in developing. In our Bad Guy Bulletin today, Marc Furber from the Bucks County PA DA’s office gets into the clever ploys that keep income tax scammers busy long after taxes have been filed. Our Feature today is with Josip Rupena, CEO and Founder of Milo in Miami. This mortgage firm simplifies the process of qualifying for a jumbo mortgage by allowing Bitcoin as collateral. Amazing!!

In our best practices segment today, Chris Baker joins us to cover all the high points – and there are many – of ProVia® exceptional roofing products. Our Horror story today, involves Ron’s struggle to get the home appliance insurer American Home Shield to live up to its coverage. This time the hassle was over a DOA dishwasher in Ron’s rental unit. The last time, the hassle involved a clothes dryer in Ron’s house. After four visits from American Home Shield appliance repair people, the dryer still took two hours to dry clothes. In our Feature today, Amos Fisher, head of Vintage Millwork and Restoration, a sister company to Mid-Atlantic Timberframes, who we had on last week, walks us through the company’s exquisite products – from interior doors to custom staircases.

In our Best Practices segment today, Rebecca Edawards, Staff Writer for SafeWise.com, covers water filtration systems for faucets and for the whole house. Yes, some systems do filter out troublesome PFAS – “Forever Chemicals.” In our Feature, Mike Banta of Mid-Atlantic Timberframes fills us in on this very appealing method of home construction.

Caroline Blazovsky, America’s Healthy Home Expert, shares her thoughts and expertise on all aspects of the odorless killer, carbon monoxide: what it is, what produces it, how it affects the human body and the technology you can need to protect you and your family at home and when you travel.Don’t dismiss carbon monoxide. Listen to this episode at least twice.

In our continuing series focused on products that make for the ProVia®-perfect exterior, ProVia’s Product Manager for Manufactured Stone talks about the eco-friendly way the product is made, it’s many exterior and interior uses and its value compared to natural stone. In our Feature today, Michael Gifford, CEO and Founder of Splitero, talks about his company’s fresh approach to joint real estate ownership. Spliterocan turn the equity in your home or rental property into cash for college tuition, a new car or a solution to credit card debt.

In our Best Practices segment today we discover how rejuvenating versus replacing kitchen cabinets can save thousands of dollars in kitchen renovation cost. Cabinet rejuvenation doesn’t mean simply painting the cabinets. It’s a process that includes new doors, drawers and hardware and spray painting the cabinet bases. Our Horror Story today is about an Apple Pay shakedown that involved Ron. He got an email stating that his Apple account had been charged $139 at 3:00 a.m. that morning. That alone was odd. There was a number to call for more information. After calling the number and asking a few questions, Ron reported the incident to Bucks County Consumer Protect Weights and Measures. As it turned out, the number was for a “burner” phone. Don’t get caught in this trap. In today’s Feature, we talk with Dan Townsley about the difference a family run home care company can make. The Townsley’s Living Care Home Services offers compassionate home care across a broad swath of Pennsylvania.

In our best practices segment today, Ron and Mike from one of the two companies that manage Ron’s rentals discuss the value of hiring a management company to procure tenants, collect rent, supervise repairs and do all of the other things that many landlords simply don’t have the time to do. If you have rentals that you self-manage, this interview could change your mind. In our feature today Donna Hoffman briefs us on the move away from off-whites and greys and the introduction of darker colors. The good news: you inexpensively stay on trend with simple, darker accent pieces.

In our opening segment today ProVia’s product manager for vinyl siding provides a 101 course in residential cladding systems, best practices and the finer points of ProVia siding with Super Polymer Siding Technology. Then Marc Furber from the Bucks County, PA DA’s office briefs us on one of the latest cyber scams. Our Feature today is a fascinating discussion of Intergenerational Living, a concept that took shape recently at a symposium hosted by Washington, D.C.-based Generations United at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design.

Our guest for our Best Practices segment today is Joelle Longo, newly promoted Product Manager for ProVia entry and storm doors. We talk about the curb appeal of ProVia entry doors and the painstaking process of how they are manufactured. We also get into the compatible design of ProVia storm doors and how they can be matched with any ProVia entry door. In our Horror Story, Ron draws attention to the page after page of cyber and other scams identified in the latest issue of the AARP Bulletin. AARP members can still access this issue of the online Bulletin. In our Feature, the second in a series on offshore rental properties that are owned by U.S. residents, we focus on Costa Rica. This residence in Costa Rica was creatively purchased with a self-directed IRA. Interesting!

Planning an addition to your home or a companion structure for your property? There are many steps involved, and getting the job done right requires following those steps and super coordination. In our Best Practices segment for this episode of Your Valuable Home, Jon Jacob, VP of Business Development for Hamilton Supply in Hamilton, New Jersey, walks us through the process of planning and constructing an addition or companion structure. If you’re a weekend DIYer, you probably want to leave a project of this scope to the pros. Feel free to take notes. Today, Jon also shares a Horror Story about what can happen when a large project of this type goes off the rails. Our Feature today is the first in a Your Valuable Home exclusive series about people in the U. S. who own rental properties in other countries of the world – and use them for vacations from time to time. First stop, a rental/vacation home in Fermoy, an idyllic, river town in East County Cork, Ireland.

John Perna, President and CEO of Hamilton Building Supply in Hamilton, New Jersey, provides an eye-opening tutorial on framing lumber and why his company sells only the best. If you’re planning any home project that requires framing lumber, you should consider John’s advice a “Best Practice” for specifying framing lumber. In our second segment today, John offers an example of what can happen with sub-par framing lumber. In today’s Feature, we speak with the developer and one of the first buyers in Lighthouse Row, a stunning collection of new homes in the comeback town, Atlantic City, New Jersey.

In our Best Practices segment today, Mike McColgan, an accomplished masonry pro, provides a tutorial on the different materials available to create patios, walkways and driveways. Pavers are by far today’s material of choice for such projects. In the case of walkways and patios, pavers are often combined with natural bluestone. Mike also runs down the different brands and styles of pavers. In The Bad Guy Bulletin, Mike Bannon from Bucks County Consumer Protection, Weights and Measures returns to fill us in on some scams dujour. In our Feature today, we learn about the early stages of a project to reconnect the people of Trenton, New Jersey with the Delaware River. For many years, the River was rendered inaccessible to Trentonians by a major highway that serves New Jersey’s capital city.

Marc from ABE Doors and Windows is back to offer expert advice on the proper way to install entry doors. ProVia® entry doorscome with a level built right into each door to aid foolproof installation. Marc also contributes to Our Horror Story today. Often his company is called in to replace entry doors that were improperly installed. Don’t let that happen to you. In today’s Feature, Steve Tybor, President and Founder of Eight Days of Hope, offers examples of his organization’s multi-level approach to victims of floods, fires....virtually any natural disaster that may come their way. A helping hand from Eight Days of Hope can take the form of rapid response to clear debris after a disaster, to feeding volunteers, to rebuilding homes and more. You should know about Eight Days..., in case a natural disaster ever comesyour way.

For our Best Practices segment today, Marc Rapchak, General Manager of ABE Doors and Windows in northeastern Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, explains why his company sells the ProVia® brand of windows. Then in our Horror Story, Marc recounts some of the troubling situations his crews find, when they’re called in to replace old, tired or improperly installed windows with new ProVia windows. In our Feature of the week, we catch the current owner of the one-of-a-kind Buttermilk Falls shovel-ready home site in the car on his way to take the family skiing. He explains why he bought Buttermilk and why he’s selling. This is the perfect follow-up to the interview we did last week with Jim Rogers, the architect responsible for a an incredible home designed to bridge the base of Buttermilk Falls. Listen to both.

This episode of Your Valuable Home opens with Architect James Rogers explaining the science that made it possible for him to design a 3,000-square foot-home on a “bridge” spanning the base of a waterfall. This could be one of the most enchanting and coveted building sites in the Northeastern U.S. It beckons the visionary buyer eager to create a signature home on this spot. In our Horror Story today, Nancy explains why it’s so important to scrutinize the work of an electrician called to install a 220 line in your house. In our Feature, Cameron Jaggard from the PEW Charitable Trusts provides an update on the massive initiative to save 1,000,000 acres of salt marsh on the U.S. Atlantic Coast. Pew is one of the organizations guiding this initiative to enlist nature’s help in saving coastal towns, recreation areas and a number of military installations from rising seas.

Whether you’re buying or selling residential real estate today, it is so very important to work with the right real estate pro. How do you know which one is the right one? That’s the topic for the first segment in this week’s Your Valuable Home, and we’re going to get right into it with Joe Bonacci, a realtor in New York City and a good friend of Your Valuable Home. Joe has great advice about getting to know the person, their experience, their knowledge of the local market and much more. Then it’s Bad Guy Bulletin time with Mark Furber from the Bucks County PA DA’s office. Marc talks about a colleague’s mother’s brush with one of the scammers who seize control of your computer to get your personal info and your money. In our Feature, Matt Troiani, Senior Counsel and Director of Legal Affairs for the National Association of Realtors, breaks down a relatively new scam that targets owners of raw land. If you own raw land, a scammer can access your title, sell your land and get away with the money. After a certain point, a landowner is powerless to do anything about it.

In our first segment today, Ron speaks with architect Matt Piotrowski about the viability of first-time buyers stymied by a tight real estate market building versus buying. We get into a couple of scenarios where it might be viable to build, especially if the decision includes a plan for expansion. The Horror Story today involves an electrician’s mistake that could have resulted in disaster, had it not been for the diligence of the homeowner. There’s sound advice at the end of this segment. In our Feature, we discuss with a firefight what would happen if just some of the many publicized issues with the recent LA wildfires were introduced to a small wildfire that could easily have been controlled. This ‘is something to take to heart, if your home is near an area filled with trees or brush.

We’re going straight to our weekly Horror story in this episode. During the recent presidential election cycle, seniors who weren’t on their toes, failed to uncheck the recurring donation box. Both parties were guilty of this “oversight.” Our Feature today is Part two of the story of the 20-year renovation of a historic Philadelphia mansion. This is the inside story of the work done to the home’s four magnificent stories. One of the best parts of the story is the kitchen and adjoining sunroom that, combined, equal the size of an expansive apartment. Every square foot of this home is amazing. You’ve got to hear this, and see the pictures on this week’s Your Valuable Home Instagram and Facebook posts.

Welcome to the first release to kick off the 12th year of Your Valuable Home with the story of the 20+ year renovation of a magnificent mansion in the historic district of Philadelphia. But first, our popular Homeowner Horror Story. This one involves a member of a popular hotel rewards program. This could also involve you and cause you to part with a substantial amount of money. Apparently, bad actors accessed the rewards program database. Our feature is part 1 of a 2-part interview with the current owner of a historic 12,000-square-foot Philadelphia mansion. Designed in part by one of the most famous architects of the time, Frank Furness, the home was built in 1874, by prominent Philadelphian, George Thomas. It’s situated mid-way between two of Philadelphia’s famous squares, which were designed by William Penn. The current owners, a well-known orthopedic surgeon and his wife, are restoring the 7-bedroom home with subterranean garage to its 19th century grandeur in a “mission” that’s spanned 20 years and counting. If you have a historic renovation in your future or simply enjoy stories like this, this will make your day.

In the Replay today, Mike talks about the final stages of his Kitchen/Laundry Room reno.In our Feature today Matthew Carletti, who monitors the homeowner’sinsurance industry for Citizens JMP Securities, explains the science andrational behind the setting of homeowner’s insurance ratees. Surprisingly,two families who live on the same street and are covered by the sameinsurer can be paying two very dffferent rates. Not so surprisingly, bothnational and regional insurers who have suffered huge losses because ofnatural and man-made disasters spread their losses across their entirebook of business. This interview brings real clarity to the cost andcoverage offered by homeowner’s insurance providers.

Our Replay today is all about ProVia® metal roofing, the appeal, thechoices (cedar, slate and barrel tile configurations), the 50-year, limitedwarranty. For anyone building a home or doing a major renovation orroofing project, ProVia metal roofing is a one-and-done. In our secondsegment today, we remember those who perished in the four coordinatedterrorist attacks of 9/11/2001. We also encourage visits to the 9/11 memorial and museum in Lower Manhattan and the memorial and park near Shanksville, PA where the brave passengers and crew of Flight 93 took the plane down. Our Feature today is all about PFAS...” forever chemicals” that cause many types of diseases and are most likely in yourdrinking water. A subject expert from NSF, an organization that certifies water filtration systems and many other types of products, briefs us on the type of water filtration system you need to mitigate the risk caused by PFAS to you and your family.

In the Replay today, Mike is estatic about his all-ProVia® exteriormakeover. It’s Bad Guy Bulletin time again. Makes you wonder how muchbetter off we’d be, if the people who concoct this stuff devoted their timeand talent to pursuits that actually benefit people besides themselves. In today’s Feature – the notable architect, Illya Azaroff, talks about safe rooms in a home that stay intact in a tornado or hurricane to keep families out of harm’s way. The concept actually comes from the Caribbean. Illya will be back again next week with a way of building back better and stronger when homes get decimated by tornadoes and hurricanes. Don’t miss these two shows. In fact, subscribe so you never miss a single episode of Your Valuable Home.

Here’s a big THANK YOU to RawVoice, the parent company of Blubrry.com for naming me, Ron Melk, podcaster of the month for January 2025. The timing couldn’t be better, because the third week of January we’ll introduce a brand refresh for the Your Valuable Home podcast, including a new segment featuring Caroline Blazovsky, America’s Healthy Home Expert. Subscribe, and you won’t miss an episode.--The Your Valuable Home Podcast will close out 2024 with a huge thank to everyone in our audience for listening this year. Starting with last week’s release – and continuing through the third week of January - we’ll replay four listener favorites from 2024. Then, with our podcast release on January 24, we’ll begin a milestone 12th year of Your Valuable Home. You’ll never miss a single episode if you subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you listen to podcasts.--In the Replay today, Caroline joins us for an update on the majorrenovation of her family’s farmhouse, one of the oldest homes in America.Fascinating!In today’s Horror Story, Kevin tips us off to the Siding InstallerGroup’s Facebook page, where there’s no shortage of incredible photos ofjobs that went off the rails.In our feature, Jessica Lautz, Deputy Chief Economist and Vice President of Research at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), again joins us with the results of recent research into who is likely to be buying homes in 2024. Number one is families. Listen and learn who numbers two and three are. Jessica’s interview also contains important information on Black, Hispanic and Asian buyers. Don’t miss this, if you’re planning to put your house on the market in 2024!!!!

The Your Valuable Home Podcast will close out 2024 with a huge thank to everyone in our audience for listening this year. Starting with this week’s release – and continuing through the third week of January - we’ll replay four listener favorites from 2024. Then, with our podcast release on January 24, we’ll begin a milestone 12th year of Your Valuable Home. You’ll never miss a single episode if yousubscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you listen to podcasts.--In the Replay today, Mike talks about his kitchen project in progress.The Horror Story has to do with another roofing job gone bad. This is vividproof of the need to have a roofer document his work with photos everystep of the way.With so many people on Medicare Advantage today,chances are many of our listeners have it – those 65 and over and otherswhose parents are 65 and over. How can Medicare Advantage plans offerZERO monthly premiums, along with lots of FREEBIES? Can you keepyour current doctors? Are you covered when you travel? Today we talkwith an expert on the subject about everything they don’t mention in the tvcommercials.

In the Replay today, Mike talks about his kitchen project in progress.In the Bad Guy Bulletin, Mike Bannon is back to warn you about interent scams, gift cards, and a useful tip to cut down on robo calls.We’re joined today by Caroline Blazovsky, America’s well-known healthy home expert. Caroline answers questions about products in your home – like cleaning products and appliances – that could be detrimental to your health and the health of your family. Take natural gas-powered stoves and furnaces, for example Theseappliances emit benzene, even when they’re not in operation. In this segment, we’ll talk about how to mitigate the release of benzene, a known cause of AML leukemia. We’ll also cover the downside of common household cleaners

In the Replay today, Caroline walks us through the many updates Kevinand crew have brought about in her house, one of the oldest in America.In today’s Horror Story, Kevin shares on bad window installations.Our Feature today is an inspirational story about a residential realestate entrepreneur who seized on the opportunity to turn ahistoric commercial building in downtown Philadelphia into a 20-unit, mixed-use apartment building. Candace was very familiarwith the building, because of having maintained an office there forher internet-based travel business. She loved the building, sowhen it came up for sale, she jumped at the opportunity. Today,19 units are practically continuously occupied, with one serving asCandace’s private residence. There are two restaurants on theground floor. If you’re into residential rentals as a business, don’tmiss this interesting and very inspirational interview.

Our podcast today begins with an explanation of ProVia’s commitment toquality installation as a means of assuring that their high-performancemetal roofing system performs as advertised. So many of the Horrorstories we tell on Your Valuable Home result from a lack of training andunderstanding on the part of those in the home improvement trades. Not sowith ProVia. Case in point: they encourage all who install the innovativeProVia Metal Roofing System to enroll in a certification program to assurethat installation is flawless. In the Horror Story today, Ed takes us throughthe case of the missing community water. As the new head of hisdevelopment’s HOA, Ed is astounded to learn that the community has noclue why their water usage is totally out of control. Today’s Feature, withMedicare expert, Ed Mitchell, is loaded with good news for seniors withMedicare. For 2025, Part D has a pay-over-time feature to help seniorscope with the high cost of many essential drugs. The zero monthlypayment feature is also welcome. If you or someone in your household ison classic Medicare, you need to here this.

In our first segment today, you’ll learn why the ProVia® Metal Roofing System makes a lot of sense for homeowners who are building or re-roofing in an area prone to high winds. ProVia metal Slate, Shake and Barrel Tile profiles stand up to almost anything mother nature can muster, and they save on energy expense, too. ProVia Metal Roofing adds a bunch of curb appeal. And the best part...it comes with a non-prorated 50-year warranty. In our Horror Story, you know scammers are active when you power company sends out a billing insert with this warning, “When temperatures drop, scam attempts increase.” You need to hear which scams they’re referring to. In our Feature today, Brandi Snowdon, Director of Member and Consumer Research at the National Association of Realtors, shares the results of NAR’s annual Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers...some of them quite startling.

In the Replay today, Mike phones in an update on the installation of his new ProViawindows and doors.Marc Furber from the Bucks County DA’s office joins us with a heads up on the scam du jour...an elaborate scheme designed to separate you from your hard-earned money. Then, Scott Abernathy, the voice of experience in real estate rentals, offers his perspective on the market for rental real estate in 2024 and going forward. Scott’s company, PMI Professionals, manages all types of residential rental properties.

In the Replay today, we interview Sean about his choice of new ProVia® windows. The look and the limited lifetime warranty, in particular, stood out in Sean’s mind.In the Horror Story, if you’re considering an HVAC split system, make sure the installer strings the tubes inside – not outside – the house. Wow!! Then, the Your Valuable Home 2024 Real Estate Roundup continues with realtor, Suzi Farajiani providing a look back at the market in LA and Ventura Counties in California in 2024, her thoughts on what’s ahead for 2025 – and intel on where value properties can be found outside of LA.

THIS IS WORTH REPEATING: IF YOU’RE HAVING AN ISSUE FINDINGYOUR VALUABLE HOME ON APPLE PODCASTS,All of our releases for September and October 2024 – as well as new releases – are on Apple Podcasts. Here’s how to access them:If you have been following Your Valuable Home, un-follow it (remove theshow from your library), search for it and follow it again by going to this linkto subscribe - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-valuable-home/id1561159361If you are currently not subscribed to Your Valuable Home, simply searchfor it in the podcast app on your IOS device, and subscribe using the link -https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-valuable-home/id1561159361In the Replay today, Ron questions Kevin about the appeal of ProVia®products including windows, doors, and siding, among his customers. Threefactors stand out: the ProVia warranty, appearance, and durability. In the Horror Story today, Ron explains how some seniors have lost much of their life savings contributing to campaigns in the 2024 election cycle. Seniors with cognitive issue unwittingly give, give, give, especially when the sender checks the box for recurring donations. Be mindful of anyone soliciting money this way for any cause. It can get out of hand very quickly!!In the next stop on our Real Estate Roundup 2024, we get a short course in San Diego real estate from realtor Gabe Mendez. Gabe identifies where the values are in the San Diego area for young families and seniors, although there are also high-end communities like La Jolla, Coronado and Rancho Santa-Fe. Oher appealing features of the area are less traffic than LA and reasonable proximity to Palm Springs and neighboring towns like Tuscon and Scottsdale in Arizona.

WE APOLOGIZE IF YOU’RE HAVING AN ISSUE FINDING YOURVALUABLE HOME ON APPLE PODCASTS. All of our releases for September and October 2024 are on Apple Podcasts. Here’s how to access themIf you have been following Your Valuable Home, un-follow it (remove theshow from your library), search for it and follow it again by going to this linkto subscribe - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-valuable-home/id1561159361If you are currently not subscribed to Your Valuable Home, simply searchfor it in the podcast app on your IOS device, and subscribe using the link -https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-valuable-home/id1561159361In the Replay today, Kevin reports on a window BOGO that is a definiteNOGO. Our Horror Story today became a nightmare that went on and on, with lots of twists and turns. It’ a about a surgeon who had a luxe city townhouse just about sold, until the prospective buyers complained about the low water pressure. The choice of a plumber who should have been qualified to boost the pressure resulted in the house turning into an aquarium and a battle between the general contractor, his recommended plumber and the surgeon. Needless to say, the sale went by the wayside. This offers a valuable lesson in what to avoid when hiring contractors.Continuing on with another week of our Real Estate Roundup 2024, we talk today with Sarah Wagner about two popular beach markets in North Carolina...Wilmington and Carolina Beach. Both areas escaped relatively unscathed by Hurricane Milton. According to Sarah, both areas are attractive to people seeking vacation homes, as well as retirees. She also reports that nearby areas can be quite affordable. With interest rates down a bit and more rate reductions anticipated, she expects a robust 2025.

In our first segment today, Kim Everett, Executive Director of the BucksCounty Health Improvement Partnership, and vaccine expert, Dr. NealSmoller, provide our listeners with a healthy dose of information aboutvaccines and their importance to the senior population.In the horror story, we'll meet a homeowner named Mike. Today, he shares a story of a siding job gone bad.Then, continuing on with our Real Estate Round Up 2024, we talk with Taylor Oldham, head of Taylor Oldham Residential, brokered by Choice Residential, about the Research Triangle area of North Carolina. Sales here were strong in 2024, with the same expected in 2025, based on a couple of additional, anticipated mortgagerate reductions. The Triangle area’s tech firms attract people to the area, which, according to Taylor, is also a great place to retire.

We’re Back on Apple PodcastsWorking with Apple Podcasts, our distributor, blubrry.com and a podcast consultant, we have resolved an issue that caused the Your Valuable Home show listing to temporarily be disconnected from Apple Podcasts. For a brief period, our listeners who pick up Your Valuable Home on Apple Podcasts did not have access to our newest episodes. From the internet chatter among podcasters who distribute to Apple, it appears that other podcasters had the same issue. ISSUE RESOLVED. To avoid any future glitches, we encourage you to subscribe to Your Valuable Home.In the Replay today, Mike is estatic about his all-ProVia® exterior makeover.It’s Bad Guy Bulletin time again, and Marc Furber from the Bucks CountyDA’s Office has a story that will send shivers down your spine. In this multi-layered scam, the scammers actually arrive at your house. Multiple casesof this are currently being prosecuted by the Bucks DA’s office. Thanks forthe headsup, Marc.In our Featured segment, Jake Maisner and colleague from the Jac Smith Group/Keller Williams brief us on the real estate market in St. Petersburg, Florida in 2024. They also hint at a robust market in 2025, given anticipated additional mortgage rate decreases. We conducted this interview pre-hurricane Milton. We’ll check back with the Jac Smith Group at the end of October..

To all Your Valuable Home, subscribers and other listeners, our sincere apologies if you’ve been having trouble accessing Your Valuable Home. In recent weeks there was a glitch with Apple Podcasts, which we believe we have resolved. If your preference is Apple podcasts, you can find us there once again. And again, we apologize for the inconvenience.-----In the replay today, we get Michele's take on her recently completed total ProVia exterior makeover.In the horror story, Ron got a package dropped on his front step. It was a new set up box and the message on the box was “it’s easy as 1,2,3..” Well, 123 turned into an epic seven-hour installation nightmare that involved his significant other, a friend who’s got a degree in electrical engineering and two Company reps. Since Ron was recovering from a total hip replacement, all he could do was observe the spectacle. The second Company rep who came out in person actually got everything working properly. This just underscores the Your Valuable Home contention that customer service has been passed on to the customer…not just not just by the telecom companies, but buy companies across the United States.In today’s feature, we continue with the Your Valuable Home real estate round up. Today we’re moving across the Chesapeake Bay directly across from Annapolis to Talbot County on the Eastern shore of Maryland. We’re getting a sense of the real estate market in towns like Easton, Saint Michaels and Oxford, Maryland on the beautiful Eastern shore from Chuck Mangold partner in and Mangold in Easton. Chuck reports that sales are strong in Talbot County, an area that’s perfect for retirees and executives who can work offsite, but who have offices in the Washington DC area. This is a very interesting segment about a very interesting and wonderful part of the country.

In the Replay today, Kevin and Ron raise awareness of roofing companies promoting new roofs and citing hail and wind damage. They’ll even represent you in talks with your insurance carrier. Think twice before you fall for this.If you have a home with multiple acres of property in a rural area, be on your guard. A large company may own the mineral and oil rights to your property and can legally extract what lies beneath your property. But for a call from an alert neighbor, Frank, our engineer and editor, could have lost his 16-acre property in upstate PA this way.In our Feature, we move along with the 2024 real estate roundup. We get into an engaging discussion with supersuccessful realtor, Wendy Oliver. Wendy’s office is around the corner from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, the Capital of Maryland and the crown jewel of Anne Arundel County. Besides the location on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay, Anne Arundel offers easy access to some of the most acclaimed healthcare institutions in the U.S.– including Johns Hopkins – and to Washington, DC If any seniors in our audience are looking for an incredible place to retire, this could be it...particularly if you’re into boating.

In the Replay today, Kevin and Ron reveal the scams, lies, and shaky salespitches some contractors employ to get jobs.In the Horror Story, we cite a bad roofing job that led to a bad siding job.The Real Estate Roundup continues with Loretta Starck of the REMAXElite Bograd Team, with offices in Philadelphia, Margate, an exclusive townarea on the Jersey Shore, and Miami. Loretta briefs us on the performanceof these three very different markets in the first nine months of 2024, andoffers her views on what’s to come in 2025.

Afraid of bats? Stephanie Stronsick, head of a non-profit dedicated to nursing sick and injured bats back to health, conducts BAT 101. She explains bats’ important role in the ecosystem, their mostly docile nature and habits and a disease that ravages bat populations. You’ll also learn what to do about a sick or injured bat or a bat colony that you find in or near your home. In the Bad Guy Bulletin today, Marc Furber from the Bucks County DA’s office alerts us to SMISHING that employs fake text messages to get you to part with your money and/or sensitive information. WHAT NEXT? You need to hear this. Then, we begin the Your Valuable Home Real Estate Round Up 2024 with Joe Bonacci, an agent for Corcoran in New York. Joe explains new rules that govern the relationships between buyers, sellers and agents, the market for buyers and sellers in the five boroughs of New York City and rural areas north of the city and what hesees happening in his markets in 2025.

SPECIAL EPISODE!!!Host Karin Murphy puts her Co-Host "Jeopardy" Jack Cutrone from LI Pariot Radio interview Ron Melk (Your Valauble Home co-host) about the hard-hitting issues facing Americans today—from the squatter crisis and skyrocketing insurance costs to the fight for affordable housing.

After listening to today’s replay, it would be a good idea to determine if your house is properly insulated.In the Horror Story, Ron and his friend, Master Plumber, John, set out to change the cartridge in the shower of Ron’s rental condo. They were surprised to discover that the only shut-off valve for the condo - and all other condos in the building - was in a locked room in the building’s basement. Multiple phone calls later they got the combination to the lock and completed the job. A simple plumbing job became a multiple-hour ordeal. In today’s feature, New York State Senator Mario Mattera explains the resistance to Governor Kathy Hochul’s planned ban on natural gas usage in new residences. A suit has been filed to prevent the ban from happening. According to Senator Mattera, who has been acknowledged for his support of environmental protections, “what we need is a plan…not a ban.”

In the Replay today, we interview Sean about his choice of newProVia® windows. The look and the limited lifetime warranty, inparticular, stood out in Sean’s mind.It's the 3rd Friday of the month and it's time for the Bad Guy Bulletin, Marc Fuber from the Bucks County, PA District Attorney’s Office, shares the latest in scams and shakedowns to be on the lookout for.In our Feature, Senator Mattera explains the four related billshe’s put forward to give homeowners in his state control over squatters. Some horrific squatting incidents triggered the timing. Don’t miss this.

In our Replay, Joanne shares the early stages of what it’s like to build multi-generational living accommodations in her son’s house.In the Horror Story is a must-listen. If you have a timeshare offshore U.S., and someone offers you a bundle for it, think twice.In our Feature, Eric Dunn, Director of Litigation for the NationalHousing Law Project, defines squatters, the type of residences they preyon and how prevalent squatting is in the U.S. You’ll want to hear this,especially if you have rentals or a vacation property.

In our Replay today, with the help of New Pod City's Frank Sasso, we scam a scammer who is eager to flip off an estimate for a roofing job sight unseen and take a credit card number over the phone. You’ve got to hear this!In our Horror Story, we warn of a timeshare shakedown that could cost youdearly. If you have a timeshare out of the country, you could be particularlyvulnerable. Time to take notes.In last week’s Feature, we learned from the PEW Family Trusts why housing in the U.S. is becoming less and less affordable. This week, our Featured interview will be with the famous international researcher, Wendell Cox. Wendell, who is the author of the annual study, the Demographia International Housing Affordability Report,proves that the U.S. is not alone when it comes to unaffordable housingand the reasons behind it. In fact, the U.S. has plenty of company in sevenother countries around.

In this week's replay, Donna Butts, Executive Director of the DC non-profit Generations United, reports on that organization’s recently released survey of multigenerational homes, and our own Kevin Kennedy and his family are applauded for their multigenerational lifestyle.Our Horror Story today is about the case of the lost house, as told by KimSledge, legendary singer, songwriter and longtime friend. Kim endured athree-month ordeal after selling her home, and learning that her new homewas sold to another buyer. Kim also fills us in on her latest project. In ourFeature today, Tara Roche, the co-head of the Housing Policy Initiative atthe renowned PEW Charitable Trusts, briefs us on the key factors PEWsees contributing to the unaffordability of American housing...especially forfirst-time buyers. AND IN NEXT WEEK’S FEATURE we’ll learn from thefamous researcher, Wendell Cox, that the U.S. is not alone when it comesto unaffordable housing and the reasons behind it. In fact, we have plentyof company in countries around the world.

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