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Welcome!

Our Mission.

You care about your home. The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® cares about homeownership. To help you become the best, most responsible homeowner you aspire to be, we want to provide you with free information and tools you can use to make smart and timely decisions about your home.

From time to time, we may reach out to you to help us support legislation and/or policies that may have an impact on you, the homeowner. You can choose to join our cause. Or you can choose not to. Regardless, your privacy is safe with us.

We'll never share or sell your email address or other personal information you may provide us in the course of using the site with anyone without your explicit consent.

Author Profiles

Karin Beuerlein

has covered home improvement and green living topics for HGTV.com, FineLiving.com, and FrontDoor.com. She has also written for dozens of national and regional publications in more than a decade of freelancing.

BY THIS AUTHOR

Light bulbs in a hardware store

Do You Know Which Light Bulb to Buy?

In the brave new world of light bulb choices, let your fixture be your guide. Read More

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Understanding Energy Ratings Door And Window Energy Ratings

Understanding Energy Ratings for Windows and Doors

Qualifying for the $200-$500 federal tax credit on new windows and doors depends on two measurements, U-factor and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient. Read More

Progress H $ E K
Save Money Med $126-$465/yr (in energy)
Value Added Med $6,961*
Effort Med 3-5 days (install)
Investment High $9,770 (nat'l avg, vinyl)*
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Choosing the Best Bulbs for Beautiful Light

To get the look you want and still save energy, which light bulbs are the right bulbs? Read More

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Family room with low or no-VOC paint on ceiling and walls

About Low-VOC and Zero-VOC Paints

The words “zero-” or “low-VOC” on a paint can sound great, right? Like any claim, you’ll need to look deeper if you want to minimize your exposure to harmful chemicals. Read More

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Organic label on homemade sign

Green or Not? 10 Green Facts to Test Your Eco-Smarts

Can you separate the green facts from fiction when it comes to eco-friendly claims? We give our verdict on 10 home products and practices. What’s yours? Read More

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Shopping for LEDs

LEDs Aren’t Cheap: Here’s How to Get the Most for Your Money

Light bulbs are no longer a no-brainer. So here’s your strategy for buying and using LEDs. Read More

Progress $ K
Save Money Low $100/yr (40 sockets)
Investment Low $800–$1,600 (40 sockets)
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Box of cleaning product with the term natural

6 Green Terms: Which Ones Can You Trust?

Does “natural” mean organic? Should you buy anything labeled “non-toxic”? Here are the truth and eco-facts about many of the green terms you find on product labels. Read More

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How to Be Energy Efficient at Home: It’s Not What You Do, But …

It’s not just which energy efficiency projects you implement at home that will make a dent in your bills — it’s how many. Read More

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Going to extreme measures for home energy savings

Are You Looking for Energy Savings in All the Wrong Places?

Ack! Our energy costs are going up because too many of us are making the wrong judgment calls about how to save energy. Here’s why we’re having a disconnect. Read More

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CFL light bulb in desk lamp

Burned Out on CFLs? We Address the Real Issues and Solutions

If you’re having trouble with CFLs, you’re not alone by a long shot. We chatted with an expert about the issues, how you can use CFLs successfully, and your alternatives. Read More

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