Mike McElwee’s Post

From being able to play music with just your voice to having your lights turn on as you open the garage, the best smart home devices can change the way you interact with your home. Some accessories you may just need one of, while others you may want to have in every room of your home, like the Echo Dot, which is our jack-of-all-trades top pick.

When it comes to moving to a new state to reduce state tax liability, the nine states without their own individual income taxes often draw the most attention.

If you’re in the market to purchase a home, you’re probably aware of the various dos and don’ts — for example, don’t make any other major purchases, don’t waive a home inspection, and do factor in home maintenance costs.

Across all industries, organizations are rapidly embracing generative AI. Among them, makers of home appliances like fridges and ovens. Generative AI in your oven? Why not? Ater all, AI has been creeping into our homes for years (think smart lightbulbs and Alexa) – but thanks to generative AI, these interactions will become even more human and more personal.

Inheriting a house can bring about a range of emotions. You might feel sad because it likely means you’ve lost a loved one. It can also be overwhelming to know what steps you should take next and what the financial implications are. It can also be exciting because a house can be a huge asset.

In 2021, Liz White was visiting her parents — retirees who spend the winters in Naples, Florida — when an apartment became available in their building and she decided to move in.

A designated home office setup gives you the freedom to tackle all those never-ending deadlines efficiently and comfortably under your own roof.

The best air purifiers for pets help you and your furry friends breathe cleaner air indoors. After careful consideration, our home and kitchen team’s top pick for 2024 is the Levoit’s Core P350 Pet Air Purifier, an updated model with a custom filter that deodorizes the air while effectively trapping dander.

The beginnings of Daylight Saving Time are sometimes credited to Benjamin Franklin. The idea appeared in his 1784 essay, “An Economical Project,” though many are quick to point out that it was considered to be satire. In the essay, Franklin calculates the hours spent burning candles and declared: "An immense sum! that the city of Paris might save every year, by the economy of using sunshine instead of candles." Whether Franklin actually inspired DST in the U.S. may be a matter of debate, but it’s clear that the underlying concept is what drives DST today. It’s all about energy policy and money.

When you’re buying a home, you’ll need two types of inspections—one is the actual inspection, and the other is the appraisal. They seem similar at first glance because both, as you might guess, involve a walkthrough of the property. They have different purposes, however. The information obtained is also reported to different parties.