Diamond Certified Blog

Whether it’s an investment property or a family home, selling real estate is no simple undertaking. Besides the high stakes involved, there are several aspects to address, from perfecting the property’s visual presentation to strategizing a marketing campaign. To help you make the most of your property sale, we’ve asked six Diamond Certified Expert Contributors in the real estate field to provide their insights. Read more

One of the most challenging aspects of raising children is caring for their health. In this article, we answer some frequently asked questions about children’s dental, vision and hearing care. Read more

Pollen is relentless in the spring throughout the Bay Area. If you suffer from seasonal allergies, you’re probably familiar with the discomfort that arrives with the warmer weather. While there’s little you can do to control the presence of pollen outdoors, you do have options for limiting your exposure to allergens indoors. In this article, we’ll explore how you can improve your home’s air quality to alleviate allergy symptoms.  Read more

Welcome Aboard!

We’re pleased to announce that the following companies have recently been awarded Diamond Certified. That means they’ve passed our rigorous 12-step rating process and scored Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise®. Read more

For reasons I won’t go into here, my husband and I recently found ourselves in possession and taking care of five automobiles. For a while, my nickname in the family was “Fleet Manager.” One of the vehicles was sent to the East Coast by transport to our son, but that still left us with two extra used cars. We decided it was time to sell my 2015 Honda Fit and my husband’s beloved ’69 Volkswagen Beetle. (He was the original owner!) Read more

A few weeks ago, I was walking down my street and stopped to talk with a neighbor. She was deeply worried. She just learned she was being sued by someone claiming they had been injured after tripping on a cracked portion of the sidewalk in front of her home. I looked at the sidewalk and saw that the county had placed some orange markers on either side of the cracked portion. This news was puzzling to me. The crack wasn’t especially large and had been there for years. It also made me think about all the cracked concrete in my backyard where someone could easily trip. I decided to learn more about homeowner liability regarding sidewalks and what options exist for concrete repair.  Read more

Since the beginning of April, the 2021 Diamond Certified Directory has been arriving at the homes and businesses of consumers throughout the Greater Bay Area. We mailed more than 800,000 directories and we’ve been thrilled with the response! (If you didn’t get your FREE copy, click here.) Read more

Spring is in full swing and summer is just around the corner. If you want to be ready for fun in the sun, you’ll need to get the ball rolling on your backyard building projects. Whether you’re installing a patio or a pool, you can benefit from Helpful Expertise® provided by industry professionals. We talked to six Diamond Certified Expert Contributors to gain insight on various aspects of backyard building. Read more

Earlier this month, we published the 2021 Diamond Certified Directory. Issued in nine regional editions, it features full-page profiles of Diamond Certified companies throughout the Greater Bay Area. In addition, each directory includes a section that features helpful consumer tips provided by owners and managers of local Diamond Certified companies. To give you a sample, we’ve assembled the following compilation of expert tips gathered from the different directory editions in print. Read more

When it comes to spring cleaning, few homeowners think about their plumbing systems. However, along with repainting, carpet cleaning and window washing, this is a good time to inspect and maintain the crucial plumbing fixtures in your home. Fortunately, all these tasks are relatively quick and easy to perform. Here’s your plumbing system “spring cleaning” list. Read more