The Porch

The backyard barbecue is the hallmark of Americana. Grown-ups at the grill, kids on the swing set, and a four-legged little buddy running...

Have you heard of bike-sharing and car-sharing? These aren’t taxi rides and they’re not even crowd-sourced rides like Uber. Bike sharing...

You are likely paying for your city and county trail systems – many are maintained with tax dollars – so why not USE them? Multi-use trail...

The urban lifestyle puts a premium on space. We urbanites tend to drive smaller cars, grow smaller gardens, and cook in smaller kitchens....

The term “urban living” has a nice ring to it. It could be the name of a punk album or a conceptual art exhibition. Ironically, many home...

If you’re reading this, you probably like the idea of owning a lake home. Ruoff Home Mortgage, also likes the idea of you owning a lake...

Some of the parenting books will tell you that intrinsic motivation is all that kids need to get their chores done. Just give them a list...

That’s a BIG question we hear often at Ruoff Home Mortgage. When is it time to stop renting and buy? Taking the plunge too soon could mean...

There's nothing worse than making a major purchase only to regret it later. Your home may be the biggest investment you ever make and...

Selling a home is a big deal. Just making the decision to sell is a big deal. Now that you’re moving on to greener pastures, it’s time to...