A Napa plant nursery won the right to move this summer after surviving a neighbor’s attempt to block the relocation. But its victory will apparently be short-lived.

Mortgage giant Freddie Mac says the average for the benchmark 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was 3.46 percent, up from 3.43 percent last week. The average rate is down from 3.89 percent a year ago, and is close to its all-time low of 3.31 percent in November 2012.

The Standard & Poor's CoreLogic Case-Shiller 20-city home price index, released Tuesday, increased 5.1 percent in June compared with a year ago. That's down from a 5.3 percent annual gain in May and is the slowest year-over-year pace since last August.

Your home’s front door is a great place to make a lasting first impression. It can be serviceable but forgettable, or it can make an exciting statement guests and neighbors will notice. If you feel like your door is in serious need of a spruce, here are five simple projects you can take on over the weekend to make your front door stand out.

When it's time for kids to go back to school, smart parents know that in addition to buying school supplies and lunch ingredients, they need to prepare a dedicated study space in their home. Once a nook is claimed for studying, though, the challenge comes in making it a place a child wants t…

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Overall, teenagers today do stupid things a lot less frequently than teenagers in the past, but good behavior hasn't caught on everywhere. The following states have the highest number of irresponsible teenagers.

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Patti Cowger is an interior designer who opened her first design studio in San Francisco in 1989. Back in her hometown of Napa and owner of PLC Interiors, Patti writes Demystifying Design every other Saturday. She invites you to visit her website, plcinteriors.com, call (707) 322-6522, or email plcinteriors@sbcglobal.net.

Angela Hoxsey is a professional organizer based in the Napa Valley. For information about her services, go to www.houseinorder.com or call 707-738-4346. 

Deborah Macdonald is the principal designer for Textured Design Napa, (formerly known as Napa At Home). Macdonald believes in modern livability and creates elegant interior design with a practical purpose. For more info, visit  textureddesignnapa.com.

Master Gardeners are trained, non-paid teaching staff certified to extend practical horticultural information to Napa County residents. These volunteers receive an intensive 88-hour training program over a 3-month period to become certified.

Bill Pramuk is an independent Registered Consulting Arborist, professionally dedicated to helping people with tree care issues. Visit his website: www.billpramuk.com.

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