How one neighborhood got a sidewalkA few months ago, my old neighborhood got its first sidewalk. Years after I tried and failed to get walks for that neighborhood, I wanted to shout hallelujah.

Are your neighbors in foreclosure? How to tellThey aren't saying a word, but the neighbors seem to be moving. And not in a good way. How to tell if their home is going into foreclosure.

'Vague' danger threatens landmarksA current lawsuit over landmark preservation is like a break-up quarrel, though there never has been any love lost between the two sides.

The best place in townGreat public spaces are the key to great neighborhoods. Sometimes the places are famous; other times they are just spots you and your neighbors know about, like that Italian ice stand where you can sit under a tree with your treat and people watch.

Small is the new beautifulHouses have grown steadily larger over the past 25 years, but it has taken a housing and financial crisis to get many to agree that bigger is not necessarily better. Poll: How much space do you need?

How healthy is your 'hood? You may have carefully checked out your neighborhood before you moved, but did you find out if it is good for your health?

Flop this house - Risky businessA few years ago, house flipping was a fast way to make a buck. Today, it's too risky for all but the most experienced investors.

Chasing the American Dream in ManhattanThis book about a middle-class couple's quixotic chase to find a home they could afford in New York City will leave you breathless and maybe a little happier you live in the Chicago area. But for this author and her family of four, there's no place like their 800-square-foot co-op.

Co-housing: it's what's for dinner If you have ever had smelly, dangerous or unusual neighbors, or simply wish your neighborhood or building had friendlier residents, you might be a candidate for co-housing.

DuPage towns, buyers to get helpColumn: A nasty rash of foreclosures has hit some towns worse than others.

In the down-payment dumps? No money down loans have all but disappeared. How are buyers finding the cash now?

Can 'active adults' shake a leg and save the market?

As a baby boomer, I knew I was supposed to save the world, but I never expected that we would also be responsible for saving the housing market.