The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star, Norfolk, VA

The Great Thermostat Debate

My husband and I disagree on the right way to set our thermostat, with the result that our house is never comfortable. It's always either too hot or too cold. Should we keep adjusting it to the best setting or just leave it at one level? Though most people have had thermostats on their walls all their lives and don't think too much about these simple-to-use, easy-to- adjust little gadgets .

Westport Commons

MATT WASHKO felt it was a lucky day when he happened upon the new WestPort Commons . "It was a chance drive-by during my three-month search for a new house," said the Navy submarine officer, who moved into the Newport Avenue condominium community near Talbot Park in April. The Richmond native lived in an apartment on nearby Granby Street for 15 months before beginning his home search.

Sweet Treats and Comfort Food Take Cake at Homearama

Cupcakes for breakfast, lunch and dinner? Indulgent sweets won over visitors - but comfort food with a twist took top honors from the judges at the Taste of Chesapeake on Oct. 5. Seven local eateries served up samples from their menus in competition for the Critic's Choice and People's Choice awards in seven of the Homearama homes at Culpepper Landing in Chesapeake.

Awash with Ideas

VIRGINIA BEACH When preparing for life with his new bride, Brad Boyette wanted to make sure everything was perfect.

Tips On Selling a Home As Cold Weather Nears

SELLING A HOME during the fall and winter months can be a challenge. Dreary, cold weather and the end-of-the-year holidays can keep buyers away and heighten fears of one's home staying on the market longer than expected. However, there are a few things you can do . For example, if your home has been on the market for more than six months, it's probably time to change the sales approach.

A Bright Idea!

the supplies A lampshade in need of a pick-me-up Free

Home's Important, but Comfort of Those Within It Matters More

Sixteen years ago, movers toted a lifetime worth of memories to mom's new condo. For several years following dad's passing, she'd stuck it out in the Edgewater house that had been her home for decades. Knowing she wouldn't have to pull a vacuum up steps and tend the yard on hot days was a relief to both of us. She deserved a break. Still, the selfish side of me didn't want her to sell the place that had been my childhood haven.

A New Beginning

After her father died in 2006, Eileen Vernon of Virginia Beach grew concerned for her mom, Eileen Davis. Davis, now 87, had lived in her Linkhorn Bay home since 1963. She'd raised three children, been a master gardener and pursued an active social life. But by summer 2008, though Davis' son and his family had been living with her, Vernon noticed a change in her mother's quality of life.

Realty Sales

chesapeake Sept. 21 to 24

The Show's Almost Over, but You Can Get a Piece of Homearama '09

Chesapeake The houses featured at Homearama 2009 took months to create and endless hours to perfect, but now the showcase of homes is almost over.