Far too many of today’s homes and communities lack character, says urban designer and author Marianne Cusato, a featured speaker at this week’s Sustainable Development & Restoration Summit in Newport, R.I.

Urban sprawl is largely responsible for poorly constructed communities popping up across the country, Cusato says. It’s resulting in homes that lack energy efficiency, cities with poor layouts, and long, congested commutes.

So how do you avoid the cookie-cutter look and create a sense of identity for your house? Start by using older homes as a model, Cusato suggested.

Use four-sided architecture. Many home designs focus exclusively on the front, but the side of the home can be just as important and prominent. For example, windows on the side of a home are not only aesthetically pleasing but they also are functional – they offer cross-ventilation for cooling the home during the summer months to curb air conditioning costs and they allow more light to enter the home.

Use color. Think beyond beige. Color can add more identity to a house. For example, if all the homes on the block have the same architecture, the color of the exterior can be one way to differentiate and add more character to the home.

Less is more. Don’t overdo it on design elements to the exterior of a home; Too many details can make a home lose character. Focus on creating a hierarchy of most important elements. For example, the entryway and the side windows are prominent areas.

Be functional, not just stylish. Shutters along a window of a home that aren’t functional and don’t close, don’t make much sense. The towering, grandiose entryways on many McMansions won’t provide much covering when it’s raining outside. One aspect of good design is that it’s functional, Cusato said.

Connect with the outdoors. The home doesn’t have to be as big inside if it offers livable outdoor space. For example, a side private garden, front porch, and a public area near the house can connect home owners more to the outdoors.

By Melissa Dittmann Tracey for REALTOR® magazine online

It isn’t just mortgage costs that are going up. Must-haves like insurance and utilities have skyrocketed in the last decade, too, according to a report by the Center for Housing Policy, an advocacy organization

While incomes rose only 36 percent, utilities increased 43 percent, property taxes rose 66 percent, and homeowners insurance went up 83 percent, the report calculated.

On average, housing expenses – including rent or mortgage payments and the cost of utilities, property taxes, insurance and maintenance – went up by $5,314, or 65 percent, during the 10 years examined in the study.

Source: MarketWatch, Amy Hoak (10/08/2008)

Gen Y, which will be 30 percent of homeowners by 2015, are forcing home builders to look differently at what they design, build, and sell.

The genreation born between 1976 and 1982 wants high-tech convenience and communication, walkability, green building standards, and diversity. They’ll sacrifice space, and some will even pay more, to incorporate those qualities into their lives, real estate experts told an audience at a recent forum on developing real estate for Gen Y, sponsored by the Urban Land Institute.

“In-town areas and inner suburbs will really remain on an upward trajectory” when the housing market turns around, said Sarah Kirsch, senior principal at research firm Robert Charles Lesser, who conducted a study on Gen Y attitudes about real estate.

Gen Y’s favorite neighborhood amenity is a library, followed by a restaurant or cafe, a main street village, a recycling center, and a fitness center, the Robert Charles Lesser study concluded.

Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Kevin Duffy (10/08/2008)

Staying warm doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Here are some ideas from the U.S. Department of Energy for conserving heat and saving money.

By Kelly Quigley  | October 2008

When the leaves start falling, you know that the heating bills are about to start rising. But keeping your home warm and cozy on chilly autumn nights doesn’t have to break the bank.

The U.S. Department of Energy offers these simple tips and relatively inexpensive home improvements that will help ensure cold gusts stay out and your furnace doesn’t have to work harder than it should.

The goal: Conserve energy and keep more of your hard-earned dollars in your pocket.

Share these ideas with customers and use them for your own house. After all, who doesn’t need to save a little money these days?

1. Plug air leaks with caulking, sealing, or weather stripping. Save 10 percent ($190 per year) or more on energy bills. Focus on windows, doors, outlets or switch plates on exterior walls.

2. Properly maintain the heating system. Heating accounts for half the average family’s energy bill (approximately $950 per year). Make sure the furnace or heat pump receives professional maintenance each year. The small cost (about $75-100 for most service calls) will pay back in better performance all year long.

3. Install a programmable thermostat. Programming the thermostat from 72ºF to 65ºF for eight hours a day while no one is home, or everyone is tucked in bed, will cut the heating bill up to 10 percent ($90 per year), paying for a basic unit in less than a year.

4. Seal and insulate heating ducts. A system can lose up to 60 percent of its warmed air before it reaches the register (wasting $570 in warmed air per year) if ducts are not properly insulated in unheated areas such as attics and crawlspaces.

5. Insulate, insulate, insulate. Adequate insulation in the attic, ceilings, exterior and basement walls, floors, and crawlspaces can save up to 30 percent on home energy bills ($630 per year).  Focus on the attic. (Heat rises.) Most homes should have between R-30 and R-49 insulation in the attic. Learn more at www.eere.energy.gov/consumer.  

6. Close fireplace dampers when not in use.  When in use, reduce heat loss by opening dampers in the bottom of the firebox (if provided) or open the nearest window about an inch, close doors to the room, and lower thermostat setting to 50-55ºF.

7. Let the sun shine in. Open curtains on south facing windows during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat the home, and close them at night to reduce the chill from cold windows.

8. Stay out of hot water. Water heating accounts for 15 percent of household energy use. Reduce water heating costs by lowering the water heater’s thermostat setting. Each 10ºF reduction can save between 3-5 percent in energy costs. Also insulate the hot water heater and hot water pipes.

9. Install storm windows over single-pane windows or replace them with Energy Star qualified windows. Storm windows reduce heat loss by 25 to 50 percent, and storm windows with low-e coating that reflect heat back into the room during the winter months save even more energy.  Look for the Energy Star label to maximize savings. Energy Star qualified windows reduce heating and cooling bills by an average of $345, but could be higher in cold and hot climates, compared with uncoated, single-pane windows. Can’t afford new windows just now? Tape clear plastic sheeting to the inside of window frames if drafts, water condensation, or frost are present.

10. Net big savings with a little label. When replacing appliances, light bulbs, electronics, or heating and cooling systems, cut energy bills by up to 30 percent ($600 per year) with Energy Star labeled products. Use compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) in place of comparable incandescent bulbs. Find retailers at www.energystar.gov.

These and other improvements that impact the energy efficiency of a home can save home owners money in the short term and serve as a selling point to potential buyers later. Be sure to save receipts, documentation, and manufacturer’s information.

Not sure where to begin? Try the Department of Energy’s online energy audit tool at www.hes.lbl.gov. In the long run, a whole-house energy audit is a fool proof way to make a plan to address wasted energy and make a home operate efficiently for years to come. Visit www.natresnet.org to find a qualified auditor in your neck of the woods.

 Kelly Quigley is online editor of REALTOR® magazine.

Beginning on Jan. 1, 2011, fire sprinklers will be required in new one- and two-family homes and townhouses under a rule approved recently by the International Code Council that will be published in the 2009 International Residential Code.

The mandate’s supporters say it will give residents more time to exit during a fire, but the National Association of Home Builders is concerned about the higher home prices and maintenance costs that will result.

Though costs vary by community, the Fire Protection Research Foundation says sprinkler systems run an average of $1.61 per square foot of space covered.

Wall Street Journal, Anjali Athavaley (09/23/08)

Good landscaping can increase a home’s value by 5 percent to 11 percent, according to a Michigan State University study.

Don’t give the lawn a buzz cut, urges John Stier, professor of horticulture at the University of Wisconsin. Cutting a lawn short makes it grow faster and weakens its roots. Stier says keep the grass no shorter than 2 ½ inches.

Stier thinks hiring a lawn service to cut, water and fertilize isn’t necessary for right approach most homeowners. He says they can do just as good a job themselves and save more than $1,000 a year.

Source: Money Magazine, Josh Garskof (09/04/2008)

Simple fixes and staging practices can focus buyers’ attention in the right places and keep them from getting sidetracked by personal items in the home.

Here are some staging suggestions from Deborah Ehrlich-Layne of Staging Plus in Tampa, Fla., Handyman Matters, and HGTV’s The Stagers.

• Eliminate countertop clutter. A countertop covered with small appliances and utensils looks crowded, not spacious.
• Pack up the too-personal. Don’t leave toiletries on the counter. Stash family photos.
• Be prepared for snoops. Prospective buyers pull open drawers, look in closets and peek behind the shower curtain.
• Make sure things work. Dripping faucets, burned-out light bulbs, and squeaking hinges detract from the home’s appeal.
• Think “white-glove clean.” Mop, dust, vacuum, clean baseboards, wash windows. Make sure the house looks fresh and smells neutral.
• Make sure the front door is clean and the hardware polished. Power-wash walkways.
• Store furniture that makes rooms feel crowded.
• Show every room for the kind of room it is. Maybe you’ve turned your formal dining room into a home office. Get rid of the desk and computer, and bring back the dining table and chairs.

Source: The Dallas Morning News (09/05/2008)

As more people are staying put in their homes, rather than selling and moving to a bigger place, the basement is becoming a more important living area.

A recent survey says more people are remodeling this part of the home to make the most of every square inch of living space.

ServiceMagic.com, a company that connects home owners with pre-screened contractors, commissioned the survey. Results revealed that nationwide basement remodels rose 10 percent in the first six month of 2008 compared with the same period last year.

The most popular uses for the space are spa-like bathroom retreats, children’s playrooms, workout areas, billiard rooms, and home offices.

With an average cost of $40 to $60 per square foot – or a base price of about $35,000 – basement remodels are far more economical than an addition, says Laura Sanchez, director of internal operations at McStain Neighborhoods, a home builder in Colorado.

Source: The Denver Post, Sheba R. Wheeler (07/17/2008)

As more people are staying put in their homes, rather than selling and moving to a bigger place, the basement is becoming a more important living area.

A recent survey says more people are remodeling this part of the home to make the most of every square inch of living space.

ServiceMagic.com, a company that connects home owners with pre-screened contractors, commissioned the survey. Results revealed that nationwide basement remodels rose 10 percent in the first six month of 2008 compared with the same period last year.

The most popular uses for the space are spa-like bathroom retreats, children’s playrooms, workout areas, billiard rooms, and home offices.

With an average cost of $40 to $60 per square foot – or a base price of about $35,000 – basement remodels are far more economical than an addition, says Laura Sanchez, director of internal operations at McStain Neighborhoods, a home builder in Colorado.

Source: The Denver Post, Sheba R. Wheeler (07/17/2008)

In Las Vegas, where thousands of empty homes await buyers, many real estate practitioners are turning to professional stagers to prepare homes for sale and potentially generate more offers. But now there adapting a human twist.

Beyond just highlighting décor, some staging companies find house sitters, who pay anywhere from 25 percent to 50 percent of the monthly mortgage payment in exchange for temporary housing.

The presumption is that an occupied home is more likely to generate offers than a vacant property, say real estate professionals.

The staging company covers the costs of relocating the sitter, who must undergo criminal background checks and cannot smoke or have pets.

Source: KTNV 13 Las Vegas (07/05/2008)