• According to the National Consumer Law Center (NCLC), many home-improvement scams target the elderly. The NCLC suggests dealing with only local tradespeople recommended by friends or reputable building-supply stores. Never deal with door-to-door contractors. Always get references from a contractor and ask to see prior jobs. If written documents are different from oral promises, don't sign them. Always get a second estimate from another contractor.

• Insurance companies have traditionally charged their higher premiums if you have a dog breed that has shown a propensity for biting. Breeds that find themselves on the wrong side of the tracks include American Pit Bulls, German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers and even Siberian Huskies, who are primarily on the list for their tendency to roam. Detractors of these policies claim these dogs should earn them discounts, as many of the dogs are known to deter break-ins and crime.

• In a recent study released by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies (HJCHS), researches reported that there are about 120 million homes throughout the United States, a number that increases by about 1.5 million each year. With the average American home being 32 years of age, the recent boom in home improvement should come as no surprise. Combine age with the growing popularity of home improvement television shows as well as the increasingly prevalent presence of such home improvement chains as Home Depot and Lowes and therein lies a key reason why the home improvement market rose to a $233 billion industry in 2003, an $80 billion increase from 1995. Though some might suggest the bulk of home improvements are to rental properties with a constantly changing roster of tenets, the HJCHS reported that only 25% or $57 billion, of the home improvement dollars were spent on rental properties. In addition, a significant portion of home improvement dollars were spent on home improvement dollars were spent on improving interior space, such as kitchen or bathroom renovations. The Midwest and the Northeast continue to be the areas where the bulk of renovating dollars are spent, due in part to land scarcity and older homes.