Recent Articles

Gale C. Steves, home industries consultant and former editor of Home Magazine, spent some time with us recently outlining ways to make the best of the home you have rather than downsizing or upsizing. Steves calls it "right-sizing," which is also the title of her new book, "Right-Sizing Your...

Kitchens with appliances carefully concealed from view, bathrooms that look like art galleries equipped with sinks that could be artwork -- these are among the alter-ego transformations of the two workhorse rooms that caught the eye of judges in the National Kitchen & Bath Association's 2010...

As the housing market continues to flounder, a growing number of homeowners are ditching their mortgage for a lease. And many renters who once thought about buying homes, have decided to hold off. For now, the market is on renters' side, but that could soon change. Negotiating a cheaper rent now...

Sometimes truth so closely imitates fiction that you aren't sure what to believe. That's the case with Jeff Pedelty, purportedly one of the newest residents of a bike-friendly condo development in Boulder, Colo. aptly named "The Peleton." It's not enough that Mr. Pedel - ty (get it?) also seems...

A recent survey of American adults by Trulia.com and RealtyTrac found that almost everyone believes foreclosed properties offer deep discounts, as well as giant repair bills -- and many assume they are very risky deals, as well. Trulia's consumer advocate, Tara-Nicholle Nelson, tells WalletPop...

Wine enthusiasts have launched an all-out war on legislation under consideration in Washington, D.C., to limit their direct access to wineries' offerings. The goal of HR5034 is ostensibly to allow states to control whether alcohol -- including wine -- can be shipped into or out of state, and to...

With mortgage rates down for the third week running, the temptation to jump back into the market is undeniable -- and perhaps advisable. But industry observers warn to proceed with caution, watching for scams and sham operations and bracing for tougher requirements. The new Good Faith Estimate...

Sometimes living in suburbia feels like just one insult after another. First we're blamed for global warming (commutes, SUVs, all that) and then we're the shame of modern urban planners (dun-colored sameness, roads that go nowhere, mini-malls and minuscule pocket parks). Now it turns out even our...

Loan modification scams just won't go away, with new reports daily. But now a coalition of nonprofits has come together to make it easier to report the scams to authorities via a new electronic form. The form adds to an already robust effort by one of the partners, NeighborWorks -- detailed...

Much is being written about Demi Moore's return to the screen in a major role in the neighbor-envy flick "The Joneses," but apparently the real star of the show is a toilet named "Toto" -- presumably not for Dorothy's little dog but meaning "everything" since it does most everything for you but,...