I realize that some people might object to Halloween decorations being regarded as a home renovation topic.  But it's not your parents' Halloween anymore where you carve a pumpkin, hang a cardboard skeleton on the front door and wait for the candy grovelers to show up.   Technology, marketing and plain ol' show biz have made Halloween a neighborhood DIY competition worthy of at least a little notice from the home ...

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When This Old House recently featured "Best Old House Neighborhoods" -- spotlighting one great neighborhood from each state -- I first looked to see if where I live made the list (it didn't). But I couldn't stop there. The magazine organized the list in a number of ways, including the best places to buy an old house if you … want to live in a college town, are seeking a fixer-upper, ...

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Last week, a neighbor stopped me in the street and asked me if I could recommend a carpenter who could build her some custom cabinets for her sun room. I'm always a little nervous when I'm asked a question like this because it's often followed with "... or maybe you would be interested in doing it." But there was no hint of ulterior motive on her face so ...

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