Green Goes Mainstream for New Homes
By: CECILIE ROHWEDDER David and Martha Gurzick bought their new home for its historic neighborhood and closeness to the cafes and antique stores of downtown Frederick, Md. The Gurzicks live
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After the Remodel, It’s Payback Time
‘Sexy’ renovations like gourmet kitchens rarely recoup the construction costs when it comes time to sell the home, a report finds By SANETTE TANAKA A home renovation typically comes with clouds
Are Two Home Loans Cheaper Than One?
By ANYA MARTIN To buy a house, some people are going through double the trouble—getting two conventional loans instead of one jumbo mortgage. Called “piggybacking,” the practice helps buyers avoid the
When First-Timers Look Risky to Lenders
By ANYA MARTIN  Getting a home loan is hard enough, but first-time buyers who want a jumbo mortgage have even higher hurdles to clear. In the San Francisco Bay area, where
Before Becoming a Landlord, Add Up Costs
ANYA MARTIN One of life’s luxuries is being able to afford a vacation home. But don’t underestimate its true cost—especially if you plan to rent it out… Doug Lebda, chief
Londoners Who Live at the Office
By RUTH BLOOMFIELD The pressure to create new housing in London has become so intense that office buildings across the city are being transformed into apartments… Despite concerns about the loss
Homeowners name your price
By SANETTE TANAKA If someone offered you $1 million for your home, would you sell? Real-estate listings company Zillow wanted to find out. In 2006, the company created a feature called
U.S. Cracks Down on ‘Forced’ Insurance
By ALAN ZIBEL And LESLIE SCISM WASHINGTON—A U.S. housing regulator is cracking down on a little-known practice that has hit millions of struggling borrowers with high-price homeowners’ insurance policies arranged by
Using smell to make a sale
By SANETTE TANAKA …”They always tell you to take a bunch of cookie dough and shove it in the oven, so long as it doesn’t burn,” says Adorna Occhialini Carroll,
Pare Down the House Payments
Borrowers are turning to interest-only mortgages so they can invest the cash elsewhere By ANNAMARIA ANDRIOTIS Affluent borrowers are signing up for the same type of mortgage that pushed many homeowners
