This tool allows you to enter your workplace and other places you frequent to determine the best central location to buy a house.  Your budget may have a different idea, but its worth a try!

http://optimalhomelocation.com/RealEstateTool.html 

This article details that damage that was caused recently by an exploding hot water heater - it looks like it nearly destroyed a house.  Fortunately, nobody was hurt, but they could have been.
If water heaters are improperly set up, this can happen.  Every tank-based hot water heater should have an unobstructed temperature-pressure relief valve, with only an open tube on it diverting steam or water to within 4 inches of the floor.

Otherwise, pressure in the tank can build up so high that it eventually blows out the bottom of the tank and rockets upwards.  The explosion that happened in this story is not the first time this has happened.

Story here:
http://www.kpho.com/news/17189420/detail.html#-

The NY Times published this article about radon gas being emitted from granite countertops…

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/garden/24granite.html?ex=1374638400&en=60959de
77427e35c&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink 

I’ve had a couple of calls lately from clients with questions about Aluminum wiring.  I thought I’d write a summary of the issue:

1)  Most houses have some aluminum wiring.  This can usually be found on your main service entry cable that comes into your panel box from the outside.  This cable is usually STRANDED ALUMINUM and is not a problem.

2)  Some houses have branch circuits (outlets and light switches) that are aluminum.  Aluminum branch wiring can be a problem.  Aluminum expands and contracts more that copper wiring, and this expansion and contraction can loosen up aluminum contacts with the outlets.  This has caused fire in the past.

The solution to this problem is to use custom outlets and switches made for aluminum so they will not become loose.  These outlets and switches should have a CO/ALR designation stamped on them.  So if you notice that you have aluminum branch wiring, make sure your outlets and switches are made for it.

Remember, the “big” stranded aluminum wires are not a problem.  This is likely because the space between the strands provides a space for the aluminum to expand and contract without damage.

Here is an article that features a space-saving idea - making a staircase double as a bookshelf.

http://gizmodo.com/358636/stairs-bookcase-actually-makes-me-want-to-move-to-london

During freeze and thaw cycles in the winter, ice dams and icicles form on most houses in upstate new york. They can cause damage to roofs and gutters, and have the potential for injuring people as they brake off.

Ice on a roof can be reduced by having proper ventilation in your attic space and proper insulation in your house.

Ideal roof ventilation allows air to flow in under the eaves and out near the ridge of the house. This flow of air helps to prevent temperature differentials on the roof that lead to ice formation.

And the insulation above your living space should be at least a foot deep. If yours is lower, consider rolling out some more or having some blown in. (Be sure that ventilation doesn’t get obstructed.)

Even the best insulated and ventilated roof will have ice problems when conditions are right. So a last line of defense is heating cables that melt off ice as it forms. They don’t always look great, but they look better than gutters hanging off or roof buckling up.

As the weather gets colder, frozen pipes will begin to become a problem. Sometimes they are just a nuisance, but when frozen pipes crack, thousands of dollars of property damage can occur!

An ounce of prevention is always best. Pipes freeze when they are in the path of drafts or when they are near a poorly insulated outside wall. So consider replacing basement windows with glass-block windows to cut down on drafts. Make sure there is insulation all around the top of your basement walls in the cavities (along the rim joist.) Feel for air coming in around utility penetrations and dryer vents and insulate accordingly.

A second line of defense is to insulate your pipes themselves. Home stores sell foam sleeves that can be put over pipes.

When the pipes do freeze, try to thaw them using a hair dryer set on hot. To do this, you’ll have to try to trace out where the ice clog is. If there is a long stretch of pipe where the clog could be, start by warming up joints and turns in the pipe.

I do not recommend using a flame to thaw pipes, as their proximity to dry structural wood in the house could cause a bigger problem. And if you accidentally find yourself heating a gas pipe, you could be in a dangerous situation (although, you would probably end up with thawed-out water pipes.)

With the current glut of foreclosed houses hitting the market and with the real estate market slowing down, many houses are sitting empty for long periods of time before being sold.  There are several items to check for on a house that has been abandoned for a significant period of time that could mean costly repairs:

Structural Damage

Water that accumulates in the basement and stays there for months can wreak havoc on the structure of the house.  Check steel posts for excessive rust near the floor.  A good home inspector can help you analyze the seriousness of cracks in brick and concrete basement walls that could be major repairs.

Damage to Utilities

If water has accumulated in the basement, the furnace, hot water heater, washer and dryer, and electrical panel may have been seriously rusted, possibly beyond repair.

Damage from Humidity

An abandoned house can trap humidity.  An excessively humid house can lead to rusting out of the heating and air conditioning ducts, rust to electrical wiring, warping of dry-wall causing nail-pops and curved walls.

Plumbing Problems

Pipes can break during the winter making a huge mess if nobody’s home to turn off the water.  In addition, toilets that are not used regularly will tend to have mechanics that rot out and the toilets could run constantly.  Sinks may leak and not function properly.

Break-ins

Abandoned houses are playgrounds for teenagers.  Windows may have the locks or glass broken, doors may have had jams broken, garage doors could have broken mechanics from being forced open.

Pests

Bees, rodents, and more will make a house their home if they’re not actively kept out.

Just remember that everything deteriorates unless maintained, and while the bargain you get in purchasing an abandoned house could be significant, make sure you have a home inspector tell you how much really needs to be done for you to reclaim that property.

This article from Money magazine has tips to increase the value of your home through landscaping.

http://money.cnn.com/2007/06/01/real_estate/landscapingtips_
juneissue.moneymag/index.htm?postversion=2007060410

If you’re thinking about remodeling a kitchen, this gallery from cnn.com may give you some ideas:

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/real_estate/0703/
gallery.favorite_kitchens.toh/index.html