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8 Tips to Make Your Remodel More Energy Efficient and Your Home Healthier As long as you’re remodeling, why not cut your utility bill and make your home a bit healthier?   Read                         How to Get Kids to Save Energy                         Want your kids to pitch in and help save energy? Green parenting bloggers weigh in on getting kids to flip the switch and stop wasting energy. Read                                                                                                                                                 How to Get Rid of Stuff and Declutter Your Life                         You can get that warm, fuzzy holiday feeling and make a few bucks by responsibly ditching all the excess stuff you accumulate, particularly at this time of year. Read                                                                                      

Michele Lerner, author of Homebuying: Tough Times, First Time, Any Time, offers reasons why real estate is likely to improve in 2011. Here are five reasons she thinks consumers should consider a home purchase next year: ▪ Mortgage rates will stay low. Even with rates climbing — maybe to as high as 6 percent by 2012 — they are still well below where they have been historically. ▪ Tax cuts could help. Extending the tax cuts could encourage a more rapid recovery for the economy. ▪ Americans want to be home owners. A recent Fannie Mae survey showed that Americans still believe a home is a safe and desirable investment. ▪ Builders are about to begin building. Home builders have been sitting on the sidelines. This year, they think pent-up demand will create an appetite for new homes. ▪ Homes are shrinking. Homes are getting smaller, which has made them more affordable. Source: Investopedia, Michele Lerner (12/24/2010)