Obama proposes $3,000 home energy rebates
Reuters
President Barack Obama on Tuesday shared the details of his proposed “cash for caulkers” energy efficiency rebate plan. Reuters reports: “The efficiency plan, which must be passed by Congress, is intended to prompt Americans to invest in everything from insulation or new windows to overarching energy upgrades of their homes, creating construction and manufacturing jobs and boosting energy efficiency.

“Consumers would be eligible for between $1,000 and $1,500 for simple home upgrades such as insulation, duct sealing, water heaters, air conditioning units, windows, roofing and doors. Homeowners looking for more comprehensive energy retrofits would be eligible for a $3,000 rebate if the efficiency measures lead to a 20 percent energy savings.”

Obama Sets Aside $3.4 billion Stimulus to Jump Start “Power Grid 2.0″ in US
Inhabitat
In other presidential energy-related news, Inhabitat reports: “As part of the infamous American Reinvestment and Recovery Act — or Stimulus — Obama smartly set aside 3.4 billion dollars to invest in smart grid technology in 2010 and beyond. That block of funding was matched by industry money and private investment to total over $8 billion in funding for everything from installation of smart meters to funding for manufacturing processes.”

Home Improvement Retailers See Glints of Rebound
New York Times
“After more than a year of not spending money on their homes, consumers began refurbishing their kitchens and painting their living rooms in what appears to be the early stages of a comeback for the home improvement industry. Home Depot and Lowe’s, the nation’s largest home improvement retailers, posted better-than-expected earnings this week.”

But: “Home Depot’s professional business — merchandise typically bought by builders and contractors — was weak, though the rate of decline was not as bad as in previous months. The company’s worst-performing categories included lumber, hardware, electrical goods and other high-priced construction-related categories. Lowe’s, too, said sales to its commercial business customers were soft.”

Take Three: Will Congress Extend the Home Buyer Tax Credit?
WSJ.com Developments blog
“The National Association of Realtors and other industry groups are beginning to make the rounds on Capitol Hill to press their case, which goes something like this: We know you’ve extended the tax credit two times already, but the housing market is still fragile, the tax credit is working, and don’t forget: you’re up for re-election soon. In other words, do you really want to own the next leg down in home prices?”