"Spread of Housing Boom"
Christian Science Monitor (07/06/98) P. 1; Knickerbocker, Brad

Florida has two of the least expensive housing markets in the country, according to the annual study of housing market affordability by the National Association of Home Builders. Melbourne-Titusville, Fla., was ranked the eighth most affordable housing market in the country, and Lakeland-Winterhaven, Fla., was ranked ninth. Meanwhile, the most affordable housing market in the country was Kokomo, Ind.; followed by Muncie, Ind.; Davenport, Iowa-Moline, Ill.; Duluth, Minn.-Superior, Wis.; and Rockford, Ill. In fact, 13 of the 25 most affordable housing markets are located in the Midwest. On the other hand, the West had 19 of the 25 least affordable housing markets in the country. Among the 10 most expensive housing markets, five are in California, three are in Oregon, and one is in Washington.

"Tips to Avoid Remuddling While Remodeling"
Philadelphia Inquirer (07/05/98) P. R13; Harder, Nick

According to the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, kitchens are a favorite remodeling project of homeowners, followed by bathrooms, interior rooms, and room additions which were ranked next-highest on the list. However, homeowners should exercise caution when remodeling in order to avoid common mistakes that can be expensive to repair. The Top 10 remodeling blunders include hiring the wrong contractor; selecting inferior products to save money; overextending yourself on part of the remodel; improper planning; not considering enough remodeling options; initiating a project during the wrong season; budget mismanagement, including adding more jobs to the existing remodeling project; over-remodeling or over-improving and risking a low resale return; and lastly, not knowing your consumer rights when entering a job contract. For more remodeling tips, contact the National Association of the Remodeling Industry at 1-800-440-6274.

"In the Cards"
Better Homes and Gardens (07/98) Vol. 76, No. 7; P. 48

Picking out paint shades can be tricky. Painted walls pick up adjacent colors, so once paint is applied in a particular room, it may not resemble the chip on the paint card. Colors intensify when they stand alone, and appear more subtle when next to others. To detect the actual color, try cutting away white spaces on the paint card and checking the paint choice against other colors that will be used at home. Try placing a hand over the chips on the card and holding the card against the wall, try squinting. Keep in mind that dark colors appear lighter in small amounts, as on a paint card. Grayed-down versions of bold colors also look softer. Pale neutrals may look faded, particularly in a well-lit room, so take it up a hue or two. Since paint can dry to a darker shade, do a color test on nonabsorbent white paper first, allowing it to dry. Flat, matte finishes look darker than shiny, glossy finishes, and smooth surfaces reflect more light than textured ones.

"Second Opinion: Pick Agent With...Good Team Spirit"
Washington Times (07/03/98) P. F9; Cowan, Oliver; Rush, Ron

Most real estate agents agree that home sellers should hire an agent with a strong support team rather than an agent who operates individually. The transaction is very important and attention must be paid to all the details of the transaction. Oliver Cowan of Long & Foster Real Estate advises choosing an agent who has a knowledge of the market, experience, dedication, a support team, and strong negotiating skills. Realtor Ron Rush, another Long & Foster agent, also stresses the importance of an agent with a strong team. Many Realtors realized a long time ago that they could serve their customers better by hiring a full team. These teams include different people with different responsibilities, such as negotiating contracts, preparing and marketing a listing, maintaining the listing, and finding buyers.

"Ready To Get Your Feet Wet?"
Los Angeles Times--Washington Edition (07/05/98) P. K5; Sena, Kathy

There are a number of tips homeowners should follow when they hire someone to build a swimming pool. The first thing they should know is to choose the contractor carefully. They should get referrals from friends and interview at least three builders with at least three years of experience in building swimming pools. During the interview, homeowners should ask many questions dealing with project time, price and budget, and the staff of the contractor. All paperwork from the builder--including the license, permit, and insurance--should be verified and copied. The homeowner should also make sure they know who will actually be doing the work and who will be responsible for any problems. All bids should be received in writing, and the bid should include all necessary costs. Finally, homeowners should never pay cash and should delay the final payment until the project has been completed and approved.

"Energy Efficiency in a House Need Not Mean a Reduction in Comfort"
Philadelphia Inquirer (07/05/98) P. R2; Heavens, Alan J.

Many homeowners assume that making their homes more energy-efficient is too expensive. But an energy-efficient house actually saves money in the long run. Energy efficiency can be beneficial because it reduces utility costs, increases comfort, and reduces pollution. According to the Alliance to Save Energy consumer group, energy production accounts for 80 percent of all air pollution, but there are ways to furnish a home with energy-efficient products that maintain the same level of comfort as typical home furnishings. Fluorescent light bulbs use about 25 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs, and even halogen can be effective when used properly. In the kitchen, refrigerators often use a lot of energy. However, newer models use much less energy than older ones. Some clothes washers and dryers are also built to provide more energy efficiency. Homeowners can contact the Alliance to find more information about energy efficiency.

"National Homeownership Surge"
Washington Times (07/05/98) P. B1; Retsinas, Nicolas

Today's homeownership market is surging across the nation. The national homeownership rate is currently 66 percent, and 43 percent of the people who became homeowners between 1994 and 1997 were minorities. In addition, the number of loans in minority neighborhoods increased 28 percent between 1993 and 1996. The boom in homeownership has helped stabilize many communities and families and has also created more jobs in the construction industry. Low mortgage rates have also allowed homeowners to pay less money on their homes, allowing them to put more money into the economy. Rising employment and increased affordable housing have also helped many home buyers, in addition to new mortgage products with lower down payments. But there is still some bad news concerning the current homeownership boom. Many groups of minorities still have very low homeownership rates, and much of the homeownership growth has taken place in the suburbs rather than in the cities. The market is expected to decline in the next few months, which could hurt minorities and immigrants with lower incomes looking to purchase their first home.

"A Model of Flexibility for the New Millennium"
Chicago Tribune (07/04/98) P. 4-1; Umberger, Mary

Chicago metropolitan area-based Cambridge Homes has its House of the New Millennium on display in Gurnee, Ill. Among other things, the 3,450-square-foot home features a "quiet room," which can be used as the traditional living room or formal dining room; and a "cabana," a separate guest room and bath unit with its own entrance that is completely away from the other living areas of the home. But of all of its features, high-tech wiring is most likely to be commonplace in homes built in the next century. Homeowners have a connection for TV, faxes, and Internet service in every room of the home built by Cambridge Home. The House of the New Millennium is listed at $479,990.

"Home Plans: Custom or Canned?"
Chicago Tribune (07/04/98) P. 4-3; Gellner, Arrol

Prospective homeowners should keep in mind that they do not always have to hire an architect--which carries an average cost of $40,000--to design their new home, especially if the site for the most part is flat and if there is enough space for proper orientation. In this case, consumers will be able to use stock plans. At an excellent bargain of $300 to $600, stock plans come in blueline or reproducible form and are well designed. Some of the better stock plans even list the materials needed to construct the home. However, consumers looking to modify their stock plans are likely to run into some difficulty. Stock plans are not known for customization. Instead, they tend to consist of a more general home design that is currently popular in the market.

"A Desk at Home"
American Demographics (06/98) Vol. 20, No. 6; P. 34; Mogelonsky, Marcia

The growing number of Americans working at home has also caused an increased need for office furniture. The market for home-office furniture grew 10 percent in 1996 to a total of $1.2 billion in revenue, according to Packaged Facts. Packaged Facts also predicts the market for home office furniture will grow 10 percent annually over the next few years. The growth in the market is attributed to the need expressed by many home employees for better office materials and upgraded furniture. The leading type of furniture in the home-office market is ready-to-assemble products, which accounted for 56 percent of shipments in 1996. Two important household lifestyle trends also indicate a strong future for the home office furniture market. The first is the rising number of homes with computers, which is currently at 40 percent but is expected to rise to 53 percent by 2001. The other trend is the number of home-office workers, including telecommuters and self-employed people.

"Do This Now... Lets Make a Deal"
Worth (06/98) Vol. 7, No. 6; P. 100; Armbruster, Elif S.

HSH Associates is offering a service that allows homeowners and prospective homeowners to find the best rates and terms for a home loan. For just $11, the Butler, N.J.-based publisher of mortgage information will produce a detailed list of the banks that consumers are interested in borrowing from, their rates and terms of the loans of the lenders, the down payment amounts, and the points that the mortgage companies want. Reports for consumers living in most large markets will be delivered by mail or e-mail, and will be updated each week. Homeowners and prospective homeowners who live in smaller markets will have their reports updated on a monthly basis. "Residential-Mortgage Update" can be ordered by dialing 800-873-2837.