Mike Magner

They might be cute, or they might be big and ugly, but their incessant need to chew is not helping your home. Rodents can do serious damage to your woodwork, wallboard, insulation and siding. The mess they leave in your kitchen cupboard is frustrating, sure, and with the costs of food going up you can't afford to fork out for your furry friends' dinners as well as your own.

Before jumping into the purchase of a duplex, there are some legal issues that you'll want to consider. Many are unaware that duplex living is akin to living in a condo, and there are certain agreements that should jointly agreed upon, and on paper, before you sign the dotted line.

Americans have always loved a good Cape Cod home. In 1938 when Life magazine asked families to choose their ideal place to live, the Cape Cod design was among those few selected, even when compared to an original modern home by renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

Saltbox homes can convey years of American colonial history in a single glance. With distinctive high pitched asymmetrical roofs, and flat, unadorned exteriors, these homes show how people lived in the nation's earliest days, between the early 16th and late 17th centuries, adjusting their homes as needed to make things easier. Because of their unique features, Saltbox homes are also instantly recognizable, and among the iconic residences of the Northeast coast.