Run very hot tap water through the drain after each use. This is one way to keep a drain free of odors. Avoid getting vegetable matter or grease in a kitchen drain, soak up grease and oil with paper towels and toss the towel into the trash.

Try to avoid letting hhair accumulate in bathroom drains. Treat any partially clogged drain promptly to prevent larger clogs.

If you decide to use a chemical drain cleaner, be very careful. Follow the directions and react immediately if you get the drain cleaner on your skin, eyes or even clothes. Follow the flushing instructions on the container.

Call a licensed plumber for anything beyond regular drain cleaning and simple unclogging of drains. For example, if tree roots grow into your house drains, you will need a professional service such as Roto-Rooter.

Pour a strong salt brine down the kitchen sink drain regularly to eliminate odors and to keep grease from building up.

Use a drain cleaner solution (like Drano). Be sure to read the label regarding its safety for your type of pipes. Make sure the solution is safe for plastic pipes or a garbage disposal, if that's what you have. The solution can eat away at the grease, food, hair, soap film and organic wastes that tend to clog drains. Usually, treatment with solution once a month will be enough for proper maintenance of your drains, traps and pipes. Be sure to follow the drain cleaner instructions.

Help keep tree roots from growing into house drains by flushing 2 cups of rock salt or copper sulfate down the toilet during the last flush of the night. You may have to flush a few times to get the material down. Don't use both products at the same time. Do the same procedure two weeks later and then wait six months before doing it again.

Once a month, pour a gallon of bleach in every drain. That's how to keep your drain clear for years. After the last flush of the morning, as you leave the house, allow it to stand all day. you (or they) will have had no problems with hair or other stuff.

Most clogs can be cleared with Draino or similar plumbing clog removal products. Be sure to check the label for compatibility with your sink and drain type (i.e. enamel or stainless steel, copper or aluminum pipes).

For stubborn clogs, drain cleaner may not work. In that case grab the plunger. If there isn't any standing water in the sink already, fill the basin with about two or three inches of water; you need the liquid to help push the clog through the pipes. Next remove the drain stopper or strainer. Note: Bathroom sinks and tubs usually have overflow holes near the top of the basin. If your sink has overflow holes, and standing water is more than a few inches, be sure to block the holes with a wet rag.

In the kitchen, the most obvious clogger is food - leftovers and during food preparation. The obvious (although not often used) solution is to use a good quality strainer to prevent large things from going down the drain. Scrape food off plates and pots before washing them.

Cooking oil and the most deadly bacon fat is the silent sink choker. Oil, when warm, is a liquid. Cool it down and oil becomes a thick sludge. Test it for yourself the next time you cook bacon, cool a small pot by holding it under cold tap water, dry it off and pour some of the warm bacon grease into it. Swirl the pot around, you will see the fat harden as it cools, leaving a slimy coating on the pot.

Use the plunger. Stand over the plunger and use two hands to push it down and up several times (rubber gloves are optional). You're building up a pressurized force, so don't let the cup come off the drain. After six or seven repetitions, pull the plunger off. If the water drains away, the clog has moved on down the pipes. If it doesn't, repeat until it does.

If this still does not work, you can try opening the P trap under the sink with a plumbers wrench. Place a bucket below to catch the water (and whatever material is stuck in the pipe) when you open the trap. Use a straightened wire coat hangar to dislodge any crud in the pipes. Before closing the P trap, you will need to use plumbing tape or gel to seal the thread on the cap. Tighten well but don't crack the sink.

To get rid of oil and grease, soak it up from the pot/pan with a paper towel, then toss the towel into the trash. Wipe away as much of the grease before washing the pot or pan.

In the bathroom, hair is usually the drain choker. Avoid getting hair in your bathroom sink, and use a fine screen on the bathtub drain to catch departing hair. Remove hair and discard in the trash (or save for that weave you probably will need if you hair is falling off in those quantites) before flushing down the tub.

Buying homes is something almost every person will do at least once in their lifetime. The home buying process is neither simple nor easy, especially for first time home buyers. Choosing the right home (as in home, sweet home) from the myraid of choices in homes for sale can be nerve wracking. Home purchase loans are something every person will have to deal with - unless your last name is TRUMP (or you hit the lottery). After going through the home buying process (suffering would be a better way to put it); I have decided to put together this website with information on buying homes. Click on buying homes for more information.

The information on this home buying website is written for US residents, if you are in another country you may still find the buying homes information useful. This information is a collection of my experiences with home buying and opinions on buying homes, use it at your own risk. There are many factors to consider when you are thinking of buying a home. Some are obvious (can you afford the mortgage?); others can provide nasty surprises during or after the home buying experience. This website offers information on everything that like the author encountered during the home buying process, some opinions may be borderline insane - but hey, they worked for me.

• Plan your budget, check/improve your credit
• Decide on location(s) for buying home
• Check out homes for sale listings
• View your selected homes
• Negotiate price, sign a binder to show interest
• Inspect home for possible problems Sign a contract
• Close on the real estate deal
• Move in to your new home

Getting a mortgage is simpler than getting a personal loan, there is a whole section on credit and home purchase loans with more detailed information. Property is a chunk of land and it (usually) doesn't wander away - so banks always have a way to reclaim (repossess) the property in case of default on the mortgage. This makes it easier for the banks to take a risk and offer you a home purchase loan. However, your creditworthiness is an important issue to get the best loan rates. See home purchase loans for details.

There is some contention between choosing a NEW home (just built, or custom built); versus a USED home. Opinions vary, and tempers flare - both camps swear by their choice. Personally, I bought a 40 year old home (could be a house or apartment) - in my opinion they don't build things like they used to. Then again some friends own brand new custom homes they had built, and damn, they are good homes. New homes tend to be more expensive, materials cost more today than they did 40 years ago. Some of the new materials are better, some you just can't get anymore (like natural oak wood floors). Used homes can be cheaper but they will require more maintenance. The end result is usually the same - you either spend more money up front for a new home; or spend less buying the home and then spend on home improvement and repairs. So if you have the means, a new home may make sense - if budgets are tight, an older home will be cheaper to buy, but anticipate that you will be spending money on it in the future.

A tavern next door!

A schoolyard behind the house!

A fire hydrant IN the driveway!

A pack of roaming dogs (from a neighbors yard)!

A firehouse across the street!

His job is 110 miles away!

And I used to consider these to be intelligent people.

So before buying a home, read about homes for sale and think about all the little things mentioned on this site. Then go out and buy your dream home! And yes, owning a home is definitely worth enduring the home buying process!