Question: Joyce, the decision to buy a larger home is making me very anxious. I know that I should be looking at energy efficiency and a smaller place but those homes just do not appeal to me. Am I out of line with the trend?

Answer: Despite rising price for heating and cooling, size still matters to home buyers. The size of new homes last year climbed to 2,433 square feet on average from 2,349 square feet in 2004, according to the National Association of Home Builders. That’s up from 2,095 square feet in 1995, 1,905 square feet in 1987 and a mere 1,660 in 1973.

“I don’t think the average home buyer is considering [heating and cooling costs],” says Marshall Eames, assistant professor of environmental science at DePaul University in Chicago. “ They’re more worried about does it have a deck or an island in the kitchen.”

The home builders asked potential cus­tomers how much extra they’d be willing to pay upfront in the purchase price of a home to save $1,000 every year in utility costs. 62 percent said they pay between $5,000 and $10,000. But 27 percent weren’t so frugal.

They told surveyors they wouldn’t pay more than $4,999 above the purchase price to save themselves $1,000 per year Buying Property Abroad Easier But It’s No Slam Dunk
Question: Allison, My husband and I are interested in buying property in Mexico but we are a little uneasy about the process. Where can we get some advice so that we don’t get in over our heads?

Answer: It’s getting easier and more popular for U.S. citizens to buy homes on foreign soil, where dollars often go further.

But while buying abroad is getting easier, it can still trip you up if you’re not careful. “We have seen substantial increases in investment purchases and residential development in foreign jurisdictions over the past five years,” says Mitch Creekmore, senior vice president of Houston based Stewart International, which guarantees title in 35 countries.

But buyers shouldn’t leave home without cash. Even if they can get a mortgage, lenders in many countries won’t accept the property as collateral.

And they should go prepared to accept the premise that things may not go all that smoothly. “A hundred different things could jump up, from bad title to bad contractors stealing your money or not getting proper permits,” says John Fair of Fair Enterprises, a Denver based developer building in Mexico.

Anyone still determined to be an international buyer could turn to the National Association of REALTORS ® , which has a directory of 1,500 brokers worldwide who have received its designation, Certified International Property Specialist. Global realty specialists also are listed on the Web sites at http://www.fiabci.com International Real Estate Federation in Paris, and on the website http://www.worldproperties.com International Consortium of Real Estate Associations.

How to Take Full Advantage of a Buyer’s Market
Question: I want to buy some property on the east coast and understand that the market is a little soft there. What kind of approach can I use to make sure that I get the best deal?

Answer: Although the Summit County real estate market in especially strong, there are some segments of the US market where the market favors buyers. Home buyers are getting the big breaks in an increasing number of U. S. markets, says Tom Early, president of the National Association of Exclusive Buyers Agents.

But even as the market shifts to favor buyers, to get the best deal, buyers must take the right approach. Some advice from Early: Stifle the guilt. Some buyers feel guilty about pressing their advantage. Remind them, if the shoe were on the other foot, the seller would show no mercy.

Be patient. In slow moving markets, it is sometimes a good bet to simply wait until a stubborn seller sees the light and drops his price.

A price drop may be just the beginning.

When a seller drops the price, it may be a signal that he is facing a deadline and will negotiate still more.

Take full advantage of a buyer’s right to a home inspection. The buyer may find an issue that can be used to his advantage in gaining concessions.

Insults don’t work. Wounding the sellers’ pride in their home is never a good tactic. Also making a ridiculously below market bid may shock the owners into refusing to talk anymore

Mortgage Options for Tricky Situations

Question: Our home is on the market and I think it should sell soon but it hasn’t sold yet. Here’s t­he problem we found another property that will be a perfect replacement. What financing options would be available to us if we decide to buy before our old home sells?

Answer: When you want to close on a new home but your current home hasn’t sold yet, there are a number of financing arrangements that can help bridge the gap.

The odds of such a situation occurring is higher when the real estate market cools.

The most common interim financing tool for buyers is a a short-term bridge loan, which finances the down payment and closing costs for a new home. When buyers sell, they repay the bridge loan. While it provides lots of flexibility, this type of loan usually carries high interest rates.

A better alternative for some is a bridge loan with deferred interest payments. It pays off the first mortgage, eliminating one set of mortgage payments, plus it covers the down payment and closing costs on the new home. The seller often doesn’t pay anything until he sells his home.

A third possibility is 100 percent financ­ing on the new mortgage. With no down payment needed, the buyer can manage until his old home is sold. However, the buyer must be approved to hold two mortgages.

Don’t Let Ugly Wallpaper Scare Off Buyers

Question: My townhome in Dillon has been on the market for a long time. My Realtor says that buyers don’t like the wallpaper. I don’t have the time or money to replace it. Any suggestions?
Answer: The house is nice, but the wallpaper is such a disaster that it scares off potential buyers. Here are a few ideas from Lori Matzke, a Minneapolis designer, for neutralizing strongly patterned wallpaper that the seller can’t or won’t remove.

Downplay the wallpaper by painting any contrasting walls or woodwork a neutral (not a dark) color.

Take down artwork that adds to the busy feeling and replace it with simple mirrors.

Decrease the amount of color in the room by boxing up knickknacks and covering overly bright carpet with beige or other neutral color area rug.

Replace high-wattage light bulbs with low-watt ones, and open the blinds or shutters to let in natural light.

Draw visitors’ eyes away from the wallpaper with bouquets of simple flowers.

Oversize Homes Meet Community Resistance

Question: I am amazed at the size of some of the homes I see in Colorado mountain communities. Is anyone doing anything to control the sprawl of these mansions?

Answer: Concerned that huge homes clash with neighborhood surroundings and pose land use problems, an increasing number of communities across the country are imposing bans on McMansions.

For example, homes that encompass more than 15,000 square feet soon may be outlawed in Pitkin County, Colo., where Aspen is located. The county is running out of vacant land for homes and the roads are getting too crowded, says Pitkin County community development director Cindy Houben.

In Arlington County, Va., meanwhile, the amount of lot space that can be devoted to a house has been dropped to 30 percent from 56 percent due to concerns that super­size homes do not mesh with existing dwellings.

Growth restrictions also have been implemented in Alamo, Calif., which prohibits homes of more than 10,000 square feet.