In many ways, the landscape looks bleak for large homes. (Photo: iStockphoto)

How big of a house do people really want? There was an interesting blog post on WallStreetJournal.com asking whether large houses are headed for obsolescence. I wouldn’t be surprised if they are because historically, they haven’t been the norm. I had a conversation with a builder not too long ago about what kind of houses are selling in today’s market, and he told me that until the advent of easy financing, their sweet spot was in the 1,200- to 1,500-square-foot range. When buyers started getting approved for bigger mortgages, the square footage jumped accordingly. Now, as loan approvals are tighter, people are looking once again at smaller homes …Full Story

The 2010 Farmers' Alamanc predicts that about three-quarters of the U.S. will experience below-average temperatures this winter. (Photo: farmersalmanac.com)

Fall really seems to have arrived in my neck of the woods, the northeast. Today, it's downright chilly and the skies are already looking bleak and gray. It makes me wonder how high my home's heating bills will be this winter, and whether I should think about getting some weatherizing done on my home or at least stock up on some long johns before those cold winter days hit.  …Full Story

Cutting your own lawn is one way to trim home costs. (Photo: iStockphoto)

With Americans' personal incomes down sharply, many of us will be looking to reduce expenses at home. Here are a few tips on how you can spend less on your house and save more: iwuhs29m37 …Full Story

Green guru and Cyberhomes contributor James Glave

Have you seen "The Big Guide to Going Green at Home" on Cyberhomes.com?  With videos from green guru James Glave, the how-to is packed with information on ways to consume less and conserve more, from using energy-conserving appliances to introducing fewer toxic materials in your home and backyard. Here's a Q&A with Glave: …Full Story

If you are thinking of boosting the energy efficiency of your home, this is the year to do it.

The federal government is offering rebates for energy-saving home improvements like solar panels, insulation, energy-efficient windows and insulation. And now, with President Obama's $787 billion economic stimulus package, local and state governments are stepping up to make such home improvements even more affordable for homeowners, writes Cyberhomes contributor Stephanie Pearson.

For instance, Berkeley, Calif., has an innovative program in which the city will finance installation of home solar energy systems by city-approved installers -- homeowners will then pay off the installation through a property-tax assessment over 20 years, she says. Other cities are likely to follow Berkeley's lead …Full Story

Green improvement: Going solar to convert the sun's warming rays into clean, green electricity for your home.

How to go green: Installing photovoltaic solar panels on your roof.

Cost: About $42,000 (before tax incentives and rebates), installed, for the average home, says Lee Devlin, of Devlin Consulting Inc., of Greeley, Colo. Devlin writes for Solar Power Authority on energy related topics …Full Story

Green improvement: Adding energy efficient windows to your home to help prevent heat loss in the winter and unwanted heat gain in the summer.

How to go green: To make sure you're getting quality energy-efficient windows, check the product for labels from Energy Star and the National Fenestration Rating Council. You also want to look at the U-Factor and the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient on the windows -- the lower the U-Factor, the better the insulation properties of the window. A rating of 0.30 or lower is recommended in colder climates …Full Story

Earth Week day 3 -- Insulation

Green improvement: Adding better insulation to your home to prevent energy loss.

How to go green: Try tackling your attic first. Poorly insulated attics are a leading source of energy loss, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Attics are also one of the simplest places in your home to insulate, the DOE says. Insulation used in attics include "loose fill" insulation or "batt" insulation rolls. Loose fill is less costly, but is more difficult to install. For pointers on how to install insulation, read the DOE's tips on attic insulation and the Baltimore Gas & Electric Company's guide to installing insulation (the guide includes detailed how-to photos) …Full Story

Green improvement: Converting your home's landscape into a "greenscape" by switching out a resource-and water-hogging lawn and plants with native or low-maintenance vegetation and natural materials. If you pick plants that suit your property's soil type, climate and sun exposure, they'll thrive and will require fewer resources and work. The Environmental Protection Agency offers a helpful guide to get you started: "Green Scaping, the Easy way to a Greener, Healthier Yard." …Full Story

Green improvement: Unplugging or shutting off appliances, computers and electronics when they're not in use.

How to go green: You may think your coffee maker doesn't draw power when it's switched off, but not so. Many home devices and small electronics eat up energy when "off" to keep clock displays, remote controls and timers running. Chargers for cell phones, IPods, etc., eat up energy -- and your cash -- even when they're not charging.

You can save money and energy -- and stop these stealthy energy "vampires" -- by manually unplugging these devices after use, or by plugging them into a centralized power strip or surge protector so they can be manually shut off at once. Or, you can purchase power strips that sense when a computer, etc., is off and automatically shut down peripherals like printers, modems, scanners, etc …Full Story