Beyond colorful flowers and tidy lawns, today’s homeowners appreciate properties with casual, maintenance-free outdoor spaces

With so many homeowners eager to spend time outdoors, the wish list for buyers is about more than attractive trees, lawns and flowering shrubs. Atop their requirements are outdoor living spaces that mirror the size and style of their interior rooms.

Volatile weather, energy credits and buyer expectations are changing the role that air conditioning plays in for-sale homes

The sweltering summer in parts of the country has pushed efficient, quiet central air-conditioning systems to the top of many buyers’ wish lists, according to real estate experts across the nation.

You might hear that America is urbanizing again, but a new study shows that some urban parents regret their choice to move to the city

If it’s really true that we’re only as happy as our unhappiest kid, then it’s important to find the best location for a happy childhood, too. So what does that mean for the classic city-versus-suburb conundrum?

As fewer homeowners plan to sell, remodeling focuses on personal preference, not return on investment

Before real estate prices plummeted in many markets, homeowners typically remodeled to increase house value. Improving aesthetics and livability was important, but not the top priority.

Eco-focused, factory-built homes offer low-waste, high-efficiency options for new construction

Over the past two decades, the percentage of homebuilders using factory-finished homes or home components (not including manufactured or mobile homes) has remained steady – ranging from 4 percent to 7 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Combining homes isn't easy. Here's how to make it work

You've got your stuff, your partner or spouse has more stuff, and the home you've started to share simply doesn't have enough room to accommodate all the merged belongings.

Nearly all pre-retirees want to age in place in their homes, and they're relying on home-health tech to do so

For baby boomers who have come to expect the best, they’re now thinking about making their older years the healthiest. Many have or will design or remodel their existing homes with universal design principals to make aging in them more practical and safe, such as lower countertops, wider ent…

Before you open your door to potential buyers, it pays to take a few extra steps to make your home stand out

It's not just the overall average size of the new American homes that are shrinking - down to 2,377 square feet last year from 2,438 square feet the year before, according to the National Association of Home Builders - but the stuff that goes in it, too.

With More homeowners staying put, the new focus in on projects that add value for them, not the next owner

In the pre-economic meltdown days before 2008 or so, homeowners often didn't worry about how much money they spent on remodeling projects. Many thought there would always be another buyer, and one eager for their chef's kitchen and spa bathroom.

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Combining homes isn't easy. Here's how to make it work.

You've got your stuff, your partner or spouse has more stuff, and the home you've started to share simply doesn't have enough room to accommodate all the merged belongings.

Whether it’s a too-big empty nest or too-high utilities, cutting square footage presents many ways to pare costs

The economic downturn has made many reassess every dollar they spend, from vacations to wardrobes, gym memberships, food budgets and even how much they allot to java. But one big-ticket item many now are re-evaluating is their family home or apartment - pare square footage and they pare thei…

Serving on a Homeowner's association is more than just meetings. Here's what good board members should know

Group living - whether in a condo or co-op building or home community - often involves delegating responsibility to a board. Under ideal conditions, members take their leadership seriously and oversee the physical and financial safety of the structure and people living in it within - during …

Some homes have them. Some don’t. How much does it matter when it comes time to buy or sell a home?

In recent years, great attention has been paid to how to remodel a garage to fit many homeowners' storage needs - for cars but also for other items like seasonal clothing and holiday decorations.

A low price only is a good start, but sellers and agents are gilding listings with more incentives to help close the deal

Heard the joke about an iPad, luxury car or vacation being offered to buyers or salespeople to cinch a deal? Well, those possibilities aren't just jokes.

Don't silently steam on your side of the fence. Here's how to handle issues that may arise next door

Most everybody knows some of the cardinal rules of being a good neighbor: Keep your yard, garage and sidewalks neat; don't trespass on a neighbor's property; and certainly don't let anyone in your household - two- or four-legged - make too much noise, especially early in the morning or late …

With a little help from some pros, it's easier to transition to a smaller, more efficient living situation

Going smaller may not take a village, but when there is no family nearby, a few skilled experts certainly smooth the transition:

Who’ll Stop The Rain? Gutters and Downspouts

After Hurricane Katrina pounded New Orleans, homeowner Mary A. Huff, who works from her home running her communications business, had new gutters and guards installed on her 1970s split-level ranch house in suburban Atlanta. Her goal was to get water to flow better off the roof and to the gr…

Severe weather has become a common occurrence. Here’s how to make sure your home is safe before the next storm hits

No longer is Kansas - or any other Midwestern state, for that matter - the only place where tornadoes touch down, as those living in western Massachusetts found this past June when two twisters left widespread damage and took four lives. Though there are times when there's little, sometimes …

Reclaimed, repurposed, reused and recycled materials and design choices are making today’s homes more stylish, eco-friendly places to live

One of the easiest and best ways for homeowners to go green is to tap into the growing array of furnishings, systems and home-related products that incorporate recycled materials rather than see them end up in a landfill.

A Roofing Material with Real Mettle

Because of affordability and ease of installation, asphalt shingles have long been the No. 1 residential roof choice. However, metal roofs have slowly become a closer contender.

Forget the fixer-upper. Today’s buyers know what they want: homes that are move-in ready – no remodeling required

Despite regional differences, one thing is certain nationwide: Today's buyers are pickier than those of a few years back, mandating their new homes be in "move-in" condition. Buyers want everything to look pristine and new so they don't have to change anything upon moving in.

Forget the nosy neighbors on the hunt for freshly baked cookies. Today’s open houses have one goal: attracting buyers

Many view open houses as essential to help promote a listing, attract buyers and appease sellers, many of whom still consider open houses critical to a well-conceived marketing plan. "They give buyers an opportunity to see a lot of inventory and compare similarly-priced properties and neighb…

Holmes, Sweet Holmes

From the time he was very young, Mike Holmes, who grew up in Toronto's East End neighborhood, watched his engineer father work on their home and learned the tricks of the trade. Even when the younger Holmes was just 6 he rewired their house under his dad's supervision. When he wasn't working…

Holmes on Homeowners

Home inspections are a vital part to the homebuying process, but finding a qualified home inspector isn't always easy. Here, building pro Mike Holmes, host of HGTV's "Holmes Inspection," building pro offers these insights to help would-be buyers know if a potential inspector is up to snuff:

eco-friendly features continue to pop up, even if their value can be tough to see

A gorgeous local-quarried granite countertop. Bamboo floors that didn't destroy a tropical forest. A xeriscape of drought-tolerant plants that don't guzzle water. All are green-home features that don't just offer visual appeal but should be among the tipping points for sellers to sway potent…

Combining homes isn’t easy. Here’s how to make it work.

You've got your stuff, your partner or spouse has more stuff, and the home you've started to share simply doesn't have enough room to accommodate all the merged belongings.

Know the best lighting options for everyone room in your home

The right lighting often remains an afterthought once furniture, counters and storage are in place. But it's an important, early decision to make in every home, since the level and placement affect how much a room is used, enjoyed and performs. The best illumination reflects a layered combin…

Bye-Bye, Big

It's not just the overall average size of the new American homes that are shrinking - down to 2,377 square feet last year from 2,438 square feet the year before, according to the National Association of Home Builders - but the stuff that goes in it, too.

Cool Ranch: The one-story home makes a real estate comeback

Ranch-style houses, sometimes referred to as ramblers or ranchers, are considered a native architectural genre.

What are the current big ideas for home?

With the economy more precarious and housing starts and sales sluggish, homeowners are wise to consider hot trends to differentiate their home from others on the block.

What to look for in the cold-weather inspection

A home inspector will point out obvious concerns to a prospective buyer, such as how well the furnace performs.

New home trends for the new year

With the economy more precarious and housing starts and sales sluggish, homeowners are wise to consider hot trends to differentiate their home from others on the block.

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Home Improvement Winter Re-Dos

Stuck inside and nowhere to go when it's freezing, snowing or sleeting? Some simple home-related projects are perfect for those indoor days:

Verdant Value

A green home is good, and housing pros are trying to make it easier to pinpoint how much that eco-mindedness pays off

Find the right house by not sweating the small stuff

Concession Stand No house is perfect. But by focusing on the features that really matter and not sweating the small stuff, buyers can find the right house – whether it meets their wish-list requirements or not

Back 2 Schoo:l Buying in a College Town

Most parents of college-age students know the tuition package is just part of their sticker shock. Dorms and meal plans represent another steep rite of passage.

Curb Appeal

Walk this Way 6 steps for improving your home's walkway

The Greening of the Garage

Garage makeovers have been in vogue for years, as homeowners and remodeling professionals have recognized that it's often the largest "room" in a house and capable of being used for more than just parking cars, housing lawn and garden equipment and stashing holiday decorations. "It's fast be…