Your house is so beautiful. You've painted and decorated and created exactly the space you envisioned, filled with decor that delights your senses. The art work and memorabilia on your tables and shelves awakens memories and makes you feel, well, at home.

For some home owners, the downturn in the real estate market presents an opportunity they may not have enjoyed during the boom time. Home owners with some equity in their homes and adequate income may want to invest in a rental home.

"After some consideration, I think I'll choose the Modern Home No. 146. The Saratoga has a lovely wide front porch and the redwood siding should endure for many decades."

You've decided to sell your home. In the current real estate market where there is a veritable glut of listings in many regions of the country, there are some simple things that you, as a seller, can do to enhance the chances your home will sell within a reasonable period of time.

Among the pioneers and luminaries named to the California Hall of Fame in 2008 is a woman whose vision and skill make her a giant of architectural genius, though she stood but five feet tall. Julia Morgan's work adorns California from the Bay area and far beyond, crowned by her most famous work, the design and construction of Hearst Castle that hovers over San Simeon Bay.

You're a new home buyer. You recognize there is an opportunity to purchase a home that was once out of reach for you and your family and you're scouting the raft of foreclosures in your price range.

Thus went the chorus of "Our Bungalow of Dreams," a song written in 1927 that reflects widespread affection for a building style that swept across America as the 20th century was born. Today these distinctive Arts and Crafts homes still grace cities from California to Cape Cod, retaining the elegance and grace of an aesthetic, social and industrial movement.

There is no doubt that opportunities for home buyers are more abundant than they have been in decades, particularly in urban markets where real estate prices soared to record heights. Suddenly, the idea of home ownership is not longer unrealistic for average income families.