What’s the right size for a home? Mine tries to hit mark
Green House blog by USA Today
“Our goal in building an ultra-efficient home was to rightsize our life. As some readers may recall, we sold a 5,000 square house in Dec. 2008, because it was too big and too suburban. Has the new home earned the “rightsize” moniker?”

Detroit turnaround
Architect Magazine
“Talk to enough people in the Motor City, and you start to believe the buzz about a comeback. There’s a renewed sense of purpose in Detroit, ushered in by the return of beloved Mayor Dave Bing and a new City Council. … Developers are using tax credits—for preservation, green renovations, workforce housing, and more—to leverage Detroit’s incredible stock of architecture. And over the past 10 years, more than $15 billion has been invested in the city.”

Consumer confidence rises in May
Builder Online
“Americans are feeling better about their job prospects, pushing consumer confidence higher in May. But signs that shoppers are slowing their spending as stocks fall could pose a roadblock on the path to recovery.”

Credit Suisse Analyst: Tax-Credit Hangover Is Here
Developments blog by WSJ
“Buyer interest in real-estate seems to have evaporated along with the expiration of the home buyer tax credit on April 30. Since then, traffic has plunged to the lowest level since January 2009, says Dan Oppenheim, Credit Suisse’s builder analyst.”