The following is a list of vendors, shops, restaurants, service people, etc., with whom I personally have had good experiences. With a nod to Angie’s List and Craigslist, this is my own little corner of the world, recommendation-wise….

Home Repair & Improvement:Durango Home Repair Only the best, that’s all. And this is a vendor I REALLY love. He’s my cute husband!

Home Inspector: Walt Schnabel with “A Closer Look Home Inspections” is a stand up guy who is thorough, documents everything scrupulously, files his reports and photos online and lets prospective home buyers what is in need of repair, what is going to need maintenance going forward and what is a normal house keeping issue. What you want when investigating a house is an inspector who gives you facts you can use more than giving you evasions meant to cover his/her rear end. Walt is a great choice.

Mortgage Lender: Very simply, if you’re getting a mortgage in Greensboro, NC, or anywhere near here, Christie Caldwell of Elm Street Mortgage is the best there is. No question. She is a mortgage banker, not a broker. She doesn’t make cheesy loans. She has been doing this exact thing for over 25 years. If that’s not enough to convince you, I sent my own wonderful son to her when he was buying his first house in Raleigh. When she says you’re good to go. This is no time to mess around. She’s the only lender to use. Period.

Auto Repair:Webster’s Imports Owner Roger Webster seems a bit grumpy (really just an aridly dry sense of humor) but he runs an impeccably clean shop and stands by the work done there.

Appliance Repair : A & B Appliance Repair. They show up when they say and have always found a way to make things work in the least expensive way possible. They’ve repaired my fancy-shmancy fridge, my old dryer and my high-efficiency washer. We’ll probably start the rotation over soon!