Guy Adams's (guyadams) Blog

Want to help home owners cut energy costs? Start by sharing a tip on saving energy in the living room — reconsidering a plasma TV. The three biggest energy hogs in the family room are the plasma television, DVR/Tivo box, and digital cable box, says the nonprofit American Council for an Energy Ef...

Pessimists are implying that the housing market will never get any better and housing will always be a lousy investment. Are they right? Of course not, say experts at the Motley Fool finance Web site. In fact, the Fools predict that pretty soon housing will be a great investment because prices w...

The water temperature may be just right, but the cost of buying and operating a pool is scalding. Anyone who contemplates owning a pool should expect it to cost at least $3,000 a year, or $5,000 if they turn the job of maintaining it over to a pool service, estimates Susan Elser, a certified fin...

U.S. housing starts in July rose 1.7 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 546,000 units, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday. This is lower than analysts had predicted and down 7 percent compared to July of last year. Starts of new single-family homes declined by 4.2 percent to 4...

Using software like Photoshop to spruce up a property can misrepresent it in a way that many real estate professionals believe is unethical. Greg Nino, an agent with RE/MAX West Houston Professionals in Texas, was caught in the middle of one of these situations when his client fell in love with ...

Mortgage applications to purchase homes declined 3.4 percent last week compared to the previous week on an unadjusted basis, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association weekly survey. On an unadjusted basis, purchases declined 4.6 percent compared with the previous week and were down 38.6 perc...

At least 22 U.S. cities are at risk of slipping back into recession, Moody’s Economy.com said in a report Tuesday. "With chances of a national double-dip recession now estimated at about one in four, several metro areas will probably experience their own downturns in the first half of 2011," sai...

Is the buyer's agent who works "out of area" really out of his mind?. What about an agent working "out of her comfort zone"? Most buyers first pick an area and than pick a house while relying on their buyer's agent to help them learn about their different choices. What role does the listing agent...

Even the most cursory viewing of home improvement shows, has reinforced the mantra; kitchens and bathrooms sell homes. What the shows don't tell you, is how to get the most bang for your buck. Too often, the homes featured, showcase budget busting kitchen improvements. Sure, the kitchen is arguab...

 The trade magazine Builder has identified 50 ways that builders waste money. The Wall Street Journal picked five of those that it says also turn off buyers:1. Reducing sales office hours. How do you sell houses if the sales office is closed?2. Failing to give buyers enough choices. If buyers wan...