(StatePoint) The number of U.S. renters has expanded significantly since the burst of the housing bubble, and renters now represent 34 percent of all households, according to government statistics. Meanwhile, rents climbed 3.2 percent last year.

Now that the rental market has gotten more crowded, the better prepared you are, the more likely you are to secure the property you desire. The real estate experts at Homes.com, along with partner ForRent.com, have created a comprehensive checklist for stress-free renting:

Warm days are calling, as summer traditionally kicks off the outdoor entertaining season. But this year, tradition takes a new direction. More hosts are breaking the boundaries of indoor versus outdoor entertaining. Gone are the paper plates and plastic cups. Instead, people are daring to take their dinnerware outside.

(NAPS)—Be warned: Dirt, allergens and pollutants may be lurking in the cleanest home, hidden away where you can't see them—but you can get help getting rid of them.

(NewsUSA) - With remodeling season in full swing, homeowners looking to re-side their homes are increasingly deciding between vinyl siding and fiber cement. While both products can look great, there are significant differences in the more pragmatic issues of durability, ease of maintenance and cost of ownership.