When you're trying to nail down a budget for your brand new house, "what's 1 percent in the grand scheme of things?" asks Newark, Ohio, custom home builder Vince Ghiloni. The dollar amount is not much, but, as Ghiloni tells his clients, the purpose is significant. He calls this 1 percent "insurance for the future."

During this down economy it is common to see numerous vacant properties in various stages of decay. The real estate meltdown has provided pathway for the current economic mess we find ourselves in today.

Learn how to protect your home, whether you are buying or selling, from excessive moisture. Excessive moisture in structures has been estimated to lead to 75 % of the concerns/damage in homes. Moisture is a vital element in our personal lives, but can have disastrous results if found in excessive levels in homes. Excessive moisture in homes generally results from improper drainage and ventilation conditions, the two most overlooked and abused systems in homes.