A mild winter should provide energy savings for consumers, but could be tough on the companies providing the heat.
By AnnaMaria Andriotis of SmartMoney
Residents in the coldest parts of the country may soon notice some good news in their mailboxes: lower heating bills.
The drop comes in part because the temperatures this winter are expected to be warmer than last year, which in turn ...
Now is a great time to upgrade your house to use less energy — and maybe even generate your own.
By Jessica L. Anderson and Pat Mertz Esswein of Kiplinger's
If Uncle Sam ran an infomercial plugging its new energy programs for homeowners, it might sound something like this: For a limited time only, get federal aid for home improvements that can help you reduce your tax and energy ...
Now's the time to get your home and yard ready for winter.
By Anne Erickson of MSN Real Estate
By the end of this month, most of your winterization should be completed. Falling leaves and dwindling daylight signal a final opportunity to do some outdoor organizing before winter settles in.
Repair roof shinglesTry to do this on a warm day if you have asphalt shingles on your roof, ...
by M. Anthony Carr
With all the stimulus packages being floated out there at costs of up to $5,000 per tax payer (per program), the question comes begging about the Homebuyer Tax Credit.
"At $8,000 for each first-time homebuyer and now $6,500 for move-up buyers - how much is that going to cost the American taxpayers?" Good question. Not knowing how many people will be able to take advantage ...
The Multiple Listing Service
MLS stands for Multiple Listing Service.
Basically, the MLS is a big property warehouse - sort of like a "home depot." When property is available for sale, it goes in the warehouse. When it is sold, it gets taken out of the warehouse.
Since real estate cannot actually be stored in a warehouse, the MLS only contains information.
So the MLS is actually a database - an ...
Mold - What You Need to Know By Lauren Spencer
Mold growth is all about moisture, so it stands to reason, if you live in an area prone to high humidity, then the chances of your home developing a mold problem are much higher. Anything over a 55% RH level promotes mold and fungi growth. Often, heating and cooling systems will mask that there is a humidity problem, and it's ...
President Obama reups popular tax credit through June 2010 and expands it to include people with higher incomes and some who want to trade up into new homes.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- President Obama signed an extension and expansion of the first-time homebuyers tax credit on Friday.
The $8,000 credit was scheduled to lapse on Dec. 1 but will now be in effect through the end of June. Homebuyers ...
Buying a House?
Time to consider insurance implications By Michele Dawson
Would-be buyers get pre-approved for mortgages, research school districts, and look at their share of houses in their quest to find a perfect home. But one thing that should be added to the to-do list is to consider the insurance implications of buying a specific house.
When consumers are house hunting, the Insurance Information ...
20 Small House Dos & Don'ts
By Better Homes and Gardens
Short on square footage? Don't despair. Follow this advice for maximizing a minimal space.
Small space dos Homeowner Sheila York knows you don't have to live in a palace-size place to reap the benefits of good design. In fact, smart space-stretching ideas abound in her 1,200-square-foot Michigan home, from room-expanding paint treatments ...
This Month in Real Estate - November