The house that needs work - it's not for everyone. But then, the secret of real estate success, for both a professional like me and a potential customer like yourself, is finding the one home that's right for you. And a fixer-upper even offers the opportunity to have your dream house not be found, but made.

It's important to keep in mind the balance of challenges and chances that a fixer-upper presents. For buyers with cost as a concern, a house needing work will definitely be more affordable - though the discount can stem from some major problems, and the price savings go hand-in-hand with later renovation expenses.

Even so, at the initial bargain price some families find a fixer-upper comfortable enough to live in while saving for renovation. This kind of at-home pioneering makes fixer-uppers not the best idea for first-timers. However, experienced homeowners have an edge, being more familiar with renovations in previous houses and knowing what to expect in both inconvenience and rewards.

In any case, the standard rules for all home purchases apply to fixer-uppers - and often more so. Getting a thorough home inspection, for instance, is crucial, to learn all you need to about homes whose history and condition can be unknown (or in some cases undisclosed). But once again remember that turning up problems can also identify economic breaks; since the purchase price for an "as is" home will be lower, so will related costs such as transfer taxes, and property taxes might be too.

If the fixer-upper is just your kind of challenge, then you have the chance to shape your space to just your type of taste - and that of potential future residents. The fix-up can enhance the possibility of appreciating the home's resale value. As with any home, you'll want to think carefully about which improvements will make up their cost, but with a fixer-upper the benefits can be reaped not just from the house but its location - older neighborhoods can be preferred by many buyers to newer housing developments, so getting a like-new home you prepared in a more old-fashioned area can be a strong attraction.

One resource you may want in your fix-up tool kit is the services of a qualified real estate professional. Not only can we advise you on financing options (like the extensive alternatives available through ERA Mortgage), but we also often have fixer-uppers we'd love to find the right buyer for, and can call you about as soon as they're available. If you're ready for the challenges and rewards, your neighborhood agent may be ready to "fix you up" with your future dream house.

Sometimes the house that was once your dream home is challenged by the changing realities in your life. Then it's time to decide whether to change the house you're in, or just change houses.

Your family may not be the same one that originally moved in - kids arrive, or people start to work more at home, and the house suddenly seems smaller or unsuited to new needs. Or maybe your new-home search has just been taking too long, and you've decided to try and make your current one "new" instead.

This is a major undertaking that calls for serious consideration before moving forward. Are you so happy with your current neighborhood that you'd like to do as much as possible to avoid moving, or are you ready for a change of area? Can your family take the strain, and your business the disruption, of a project that will demand a significant shift of routine and even displacement of living arrangements?

There are practical considerations to add to these emotional and financial ones. You'll want to find out if the changes you have in mind are compatible with local planning, zoning and building rules. And you'll want to consult with designers and architects as to the feasibility - and approximate cost - of those changes. A related and crucial consideration is the future value of your house for resale if you remodel but still later wish to move. This is important because increasing your home's resale value through renovation is not necessarily a given.

The reason is not just that remodeling can compromise a home's aesthetics and efficiency - though this is a significant concern; rather than buying another home to suit new needs, remaking one forces you to work around existing systems (such as plumbing) and can lead to eccentric and unwieldy spaces. The consequences of the renovation working "too well" could be equally disadvantageous to you: a house that is much bigger than others near it, or otherwise uncommon in its neighborhood, can disrupt its location and be priced beyond what anyone looking in that area is willing to pay.

To make sure all of your domestic dreams are good ones, do some planning and consider consulting a real estate professional (who can help with everything from architect referrals to advice on what renovations are right for your market). This will make all the difference between building to a problem and modeling homeownership happiness.

The energy-efficient home is moving from the horizons of futuristic planners to the agenda of current homeowners.

It's not so much a matter of newer technologies - though alternate energy sources like solar and geothermal are making considerable inroads in the modern home. It's more a matter of improvements on very familiar furnishings and appliances. Put simply, these options save by losing less.

It may be well worth it to give your home an efficiency upgrade. First, you'll want to figure out what needs fixing. To identify problem areas, contact a qualified professional and get an energy audit of your home. Some upgrades are simple and less expensive. For example, one common problem is insulation. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that proper ceiling insulation alone can reduce your heating bill by as much as 20 percent. Other energy draining can be solved by replacing old fixtures with more modern and efficient models. Windows, doors and skylights equipped with sealed double or triple panes also reduce heating and cooling costs, and are features for which utility companies often offer rebates. 

The EPA notes that air leakage from gaps in your home's structure - holes for plumbing and wiring, for instance - accounts for 25 to 40 percent of the energy a common home uses for heating and cooling. Similar troubles come from inadequately sealed duct joints and otherwise inefficient, older heating and cooling systems. All can be repaired or replaced.

Even conventional systems such as ventilation can release enough heat from your home to cost a fortune in unnecessary bills. Upgrading these systems can pay for itself - and later pay off as an attractive resale value when possible buyers of your home want to benefit from this form of savings. 

And when you're ready to go from finding the problem to fixing it, the government doesn't just supply the bad news - it provides some solutions, as well. The EPA's "Energy Star" rating has appeared on numerous products, identifying efficient appliances and other home furnishings that enable vast savings. Energy Star central air conditioners can save 20 percent on cooling bills. 

Studies have shown the resale advantages of homes with lower energy costs. Look for such solutions, and buyers will be more likely to look into your home. Your utility bills, Energy Star fact sheets and other documentation can be attractive proof to present to prospective buyers.

In the short term, you can save on some of these improvements even as they enhance your home's value. In addition to offering expert advice and home-selling solutions, real estate brands such as ERA Real Estate, feature the ERA® Select Services® network of national and local vendors with leading household products, often at a discount.

Consult a local ERA Real Estate professional on how to navigate the options and opportunities available for the energy-conscious homeowner. Your investment in the future can have many returns right in the present.

The American family is ever-changing, and its primary space, the home, has always changed with it. The present day is no exception: The largest segment of the American public, the baby boom generation, is entering retirement age in high numbers, and confronting "empty nests" when the kids go off to college or marry and move out permanently, presenting the challenge of what to do with the sudden extra space (since most "boomers" prefer to "age in place" rather than leave their long-time homes).

There is also the perennial family responsibility of caring for older relatives as their health needs require them to move back in with their grown children and in-laws. Extended families (including grandparents raising their grandchildren) have also become more commonplace. Situations like these can pose the challenge not of how to deal with extra space, but how best to add more.

Changes which only affect the inside of a house can be the simpler type, but are not necessarily any easier a decision. However, there are a number of inviting options to consider. Mature baby boomers who are ready to enjoy the fruits of a lifetime of work and have the funds to invest in doing so, are converting the extra space vacated by the kids into everything from "wine cellars" to libraries.

Home offices are popular, and tap into a growing trend. They come in handy for organization and privacy, whether you've got a business or merely need a space to keep your bills and personal files straight.

Hobbies are big with boomers, so a hobby room for sewing and other crafts makes sense. A small home gym, with treadmill, weights and a TV to pass the time, is also a good investment for both fun and health.

On the other hand, many of today's homeowners are opting to add that extra room - or rooms - if they don't already have one, for entertaining guests, housing returning relatives, or setting up a separate but accessible space for an elderly parent or in-law. Before you do this, there are a number of questions to address, including what local zoning ordinances will allow for additions, and how the aesthetics and size of the addition will affect resale value. 

There are also family matters to make sure everyone understands. While some younger families move grandma in with them, some older ones sell the house to a son or daughter and move into the addition themselves.; In all such situations, it's important to agree beforehand who owns what part of the house, whether rent will be charged, who will pay for any extra utility or property-tax costs, and other sensitive issues that don't have to become divisive ones.

The right real estate professional can give expert guidance. Programs like the SRES ("Seniors Real Estate Specialist") designation available to ERA Real Estate professionals are one guarantee of expertise in senior concerns, and programs like ERA^® Select Services are one great way of finding reliable contractors and possible discounts. Consult with your local real estate office, and no matter how your house may change, it will remain a place where everyone feels at home.

Anyone who has ever moved knows that there are seemingly a million and one tasks to remember, from selecting a moving company to switching off utilities. All of the adjustments and changes involved in moving to a new home can be even more challenging when you have a pet. But there are ways to prepare to minimize the stress to your furred, feathered and finned friends.

The preparation process can be as crucial a stage as the move itself - familiar settings are disrupted as furniture gets moved and belongings packed away. A cat or dog will wonder who all these strangers are (potential buyers, inspectors, movers, etc.) and what's happening to the pet's familiar "territory" (changed location of litter boxes, favorite sleeping places, etc.) - which is how an animal sees your home.

For that reason, it's actually a good idea to change the "landscape" a little more - on the animal's behalf. Designate a room to remain just for your pet while the move proceeds around them, with their familiar toys, food and water bowls, sandbox (for cats), and so forth. This way they'll have a reassuring (if rearranged) space to spend the moving process in. It will also minimize the chance of escape by anxious animals while people are coming and going from your house more than usual, and reduce the danger of a scared cat hiding itself in the moving boxes with potentially tragic results.

Such precautions help calm your pet for the developments ahead - the move itself is stressful for pets and people alike, though this too can be minimized. If you're flying, check ahead to see which airlines allow pets as "carry-ons." The cargo bay is a possibility, but will isolate and possibly frighten your pet. In either case, anxiety and exposure to the elements will be lessened if you can book a direct flight.

If you drive, make sure you know where to find hotels that allow pets rather than leaving them in the vehicle (never a good idea in terms of safety or exposure to changing temperatures), and, especially with a dog, schedule frequent "rest stops" for both animal and owner. For birds, rodents and fish, "homes away from home" can work well - transport your bird or hamster in its cage, and your fish in a plastic container of water, roomy enough for the number of fish and changed regularly for long trips.

It's always a useful idea to consult a veterinarian for all the fine points, and a qualified real estate professional to help with all the questions a house-move poses; pet-compatible services are one of many matters a real estate sales associate can look into for you. With some advance planning and help from local experts, Fido's longest walk can have a happy destination.

Indoors is where Americans spend 90 percent of their lives - 25 percent at work and 65 percent at home, and the latter is increasing as home offices become more common. So it's important to take a look at how healthy the home environment is.

Mold is one concern that has gotten a good deal of attention recently, involving possible problems with allergies, the brain and the circulatory system. Wherever there is a leak, condensation or flooding inside a house, causing housing material to stay damp for more than a few days, mold begins to grow. So it's important to clean and repair roof gutters regularly, grade your land away from the house foundation to keep water from running toward the house, keep air-conditioning pans clean, and keep household humidity low.

Radon is another naturally-occurring challenge that has become a common concern of potential homeowners. Radon is a gas that can cause lung cancer; it is present in soil and rock and can enter a home through basement walls and floors. Some states are more at risk than others, but the only way to be sure about levels of this colorless, odorless gas is to get a qualified radon inspection. When you have set this up (and decided with the current homeowner who will pay for the inspection and any abatement), make sure the test is conducted without interference, and that systems to disperse the gas from a high-radon house - such as a pipe-and-fan apparatus that can vent the gas before it enters the home - are arranged for before you move in. 

Proper ventilation in general is important for any home - an adequate exchange of air from within and without, to minimize humidity and disperse possible toxins, is needed even in the most energy-efficient of structures. And you should always make sure that fireplaces, stoves, furnaces and dryers are not venting any particles, gases or other unhealthy substances into your house.

You should also be careful of everyday materials which can contain toxins (such as formaldehyde in carpets, to which alternatives are increasing), and, if your current or new home gets its water from a well, be sure to have it tested regularly. Consult a local real estate professional for help in honing in on how to make the house you seek the safest one for you.

It's only natural for buying a home to be a stressful prospect at first. But you shouldn't have to feel anything but confidence once you are living there. With a qualified real estate professional and the right advice, both phases of homeownership can be cause for celebration rather than concern. 

We all need a helping hand from time to time, but prefer to remain as independent as possible. Accessible features in a home are a way of lending ourselves a hand, and staying in our own house for much longer than we otherwise might.

As more members of the baby boom generation - which comprises the largest segment of America's population - reach retirement age, many of them show a preference for "aging in place" in their own homes rather than moving to traditional elderly communities and facilities. This trend has created more interest than ever in the designing and retrofitting of homes for maximum ease of use. Heightened awareness of the needs of disabled people of all ages, and increased legislative attention to their rights, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), have also helped drive a trend which can benefit all homebuyers. 

What has come to be called "Universal Design" is a set of standards for making every house a welcoming home for inhabitants of all ability levels. These include placing light switches and thermostats low enough, and electrical outlets high enough, for anyone to reach; outfitting hallways with railings and showers with grab-bars and stools; replacing doorknobs with levers; offering ramps as well as stairs, and doorways that can accommodate wheelchairs; and minimizing falling risks through secure, low-pile carpeting. 

Though there was a time when accessibility was considered an obstacle to resale value and desirability, attitudes - and demographics - have changed, and Universal Design is now considered a resale advantage. This potential extra salability can be achieved through minimal effort and expense. For instance, in many cases a room can be made wheelchair-accessible simply by changing the direction of a swinging door.

The simplicity of such measures - and their popularity with potential homebuyers - makes it equally desirable to build a new home with these considerations in mind, or to retrofit an existing home with them. No one has to feel they've turned their home into a medical facility -you can avoid this with some smart and simple methods that enhance convenience and are common sense for all homeowners, while maintaining the more intangible comforts of home, like independence and familiar communities.

In addition to the convenience offered by making these types of upgrades to a home, there are government loan programs that can help subsidize accessibility modifications. Talk to a local real estate professional about accessible-home options in any area where you may be interested in buying; he or she can also find out about financing opportunities and other ways to keep your path to satisfying and secure homeownership a clear one.

Energy costs are on everyone's mind, and alternatives are a hot property - though many homebuyers aren't sure how to find and evaluate them. There are a number of technologies to choose from which can help make your next house the home of the future.

Alternative energy gives new meaning to the real estate mantra of "location, location, location" - what works in sunny California may be different from what works on the windy plains. But just as there are many styles of homes for buyers' diverse tastes, there are varied options in energy systems - with more than one sometimes working hand-in-hand for the same house.

Wind power - an ancient energy source now seen in high-tech "windmill farms" with tall propeller-like turbines - has come down in the cost for generating electricity by over 80 percent since 1981. Geothermal energy - home heating powered by underground steam warmed up by the temperature of the earth itself - is a source getting more attention in the American West.

Relocating homeowners can choose to move to areas where wind generation is lowering electricity costs, while geothermal energy has applications for both large-scale power plants and individual homes. There has also been progress in residential settings with fuel cells, power systems that convert natural gas fuel to electricity through a chemical reaction with hydrogen, producing just water as a byproduct. 

Perhaps the most familiar and popular source of renewable alternative energy remains the sun itself. Photovoltaic (PV) systems, which convert sunlight to electricity, have shown great energy-bill savings and homeowner satisfaction. These systems, which have been likened to a car that makes its own gas, are now available in the form of roof tiles that can integrate attractively with regular roofing.

Households that use roof tiles have found some 80 percent of their electricity needs supplied by them  The homes can remain on the conventional power grid for the rest; at sunnier times when the home produces more energy than it can use, it goes back into the grid and credits the homeowners' account, literally turning back their electric meter. Across the country rebates from utility companies and tax credits from government are available for such setups. It's a way of contributing not only to the global community by using up less nonrenewable energy, but also to your own neighbors by freeing up conventional power.

Solar tiles are growing in popularity with home-development builders, and are seen as paying for themselves in savings and simplicity of maintenance. The savings increase considerably in combination with energy-efficient appliances. For example, in Sylmar, California's Village Green complex, this mix is a standard feature and the average resident has been shown to pay one-tenth in monthly utility bills what other town residents pay.  

Your local real estate professional can help advise you on what energy alternatives are most available and may work best in your area. A little shopping around may shed light on options that make yesterday's technological dreams today's homeowner dream-come-true.

I ask for all your prayers for a friend and local colleage's daughter.  Linda Alvarado, a REALTOR in Enterprise, AL is spending most of her time right now with her daugther, Clare Faulkner, who has cancer.  She is 35 and has an eight year old son.  She has been battling cancer in her lungs, liver and kidneys for some time now.  Her doctors don't think she will be here long.  If I understand correctly she is undergoing a non conventional treatment that is not covered by her insurance and costs $2300 a month.  This family is in great need of a miracle, I ask that all of you out there in AR land please add this family to your prayer list and if you can help finacially an account has been set up at CB & T bank, Enterprise, AL.  Just call the bank and ask for the account and routing number for Clare Faulkner Fund.

or mail checks or money orders to (make out to Clare Faulkner Fund)

Linda Alvarado

307 Wellston Drive, Enterprise, AL 36330, or call Linda at  334-447-9163.

Thank you all!

I recently blogged that I am new to ActiveRain and asked for guidance on how to get started blogging.  I received a tremendous amount of responses.  Thank you all.  More importantly I must ask where and how do you find the time to blog.  I haven't had time to read all the responses and actually work on blogging.  How do you keep from feeling overwhelmed.  I just can't seem to get into it.