As old as dirt, the sturdy brick is. Long before fairy tales with pigs and wolves came along, ancient peoples knew the strength, fire resistance and durability of the humble clay brick. Modern people know that it adds value and the aura of prestige to a home.

Business – Construction and Maintenance – Materials and Supplies – Masonry Units – Masonry and Stone

Tina Lambert and her husband wanted an investment that would help them pay for their kids’ college tuition someday. When he insisted on paying $49,000 for a condominium in Ocean City in 1997, she worried. But by the middle of this decade, when housing markets were in full boom, the condo’s value …

Business – United States – Travel and Tourism – Lodging – Caribbean

It was just the kind of building site that Frank Lloyd Wright loved to tackle: The steep piece of land in a heavily treed corner of Bethesda was generally thought to be unbuildable. The driveway, a nearly straight drop from the wooded road above, was daunting. In addition, the only flat area was …

franklloydwright – Arts – Architecture – Building Types – Photography

Eventually, the 17 steps became too much for Karl Schwengel.

Recreation – Shopping – Toy – Organizations – Robot

Melissa Danielson doesn’t mind hearing the occasional dog barking on the other side of the wall. She enjoys the chance to bump into neighbors as they come and go. And she laughs when little ones toddle up to the wrong house because they all look alike.

Housing – Property – United States – Business and Economy – Housing Associations

The financial reform bill signed into law by President Obama might look like a cornucopia of helpful changes for homebuyers and loan applicants — not the least of which will be the creation of a powerful Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to ride herd on the mortgage lending industry. But how …

Law – United States – Politics – Business – Health Care Reform

The housing bust isn’t over, but the worst is past, according to economists participating in a U.S. Chamber of Commerce panel this week.

Housing – Real estate – Business and Economy – Affordable and Low Income Housing – Property

“It’s the first time in our lives we’ve been hip. And it came to us — we didn’t go to it,” said Melissa Talley, 51, winner of The Post’s Mad Men Look contest.

Washington Post – United States – Maryland – Silver Spring – Washington

Drive on River Road in Potomac, and you’ll see them on both sides: the McMansions, the faux chateaux and other oversize revisions of one architectural style or another.

United States – Architecture – Arts – River – Potomac

When you buy something with an Energy Star label on it, are you getting ripped off for trying to be green?

Energy Star – Business – Electronics and Electrical – Energy – Technology