NOTE: Today begins a new periodic feature where I will link to and briefly comment about articles I found interesting and think readers might as well. This feature is called “Article Links” under the Directory.

Real estate is ruled by the Moon, and with the Moon in its “home” sign Cancer today and tomorrow, it’s most appropriate that today’s Wall Street Journal in “This Old House, Better Than New” examines ways to “green and future proof” older homes. (The article also provides a list of resources.) According to a recent McGraw-Hill study, one third of home buyers are willing to pay a premium of $20,000+ for a green home. This is a sea change from listening to a Toll Brothers (TOL) conference call a couple years ago when CEO Bob Toll commented that buyers were willing to pay more for crown moldings and other cosmetic touches than for energy efficient features.

Saturn in Virgo (2007-2010) is behind the trend toward scaling back the glitz in favor of more green and energy efficient homes. Pluto’s movement from Jupiter-ruled Sagittarius (1995-2008) when bigger was better, to Saturn-ruled Pluto in Capricorn (2008-2024) which puts the focus on a home’s structural elements and living in smaller spaces. As part of the earth element,* Virgo and Capricorn emphasize use of natural materials and recycled components to greatly reduce or eliminate the toxicity (Pluto) in homes. Pluto represents extremes, and it’s hard to go more extreme than the 140 ft sq ft home described in “Small but perfectly formed” (Financial Times), part of an article about the “small house movement.”

Back in January I wrote a post (“Toxic Fallout From The Homebuilding Boom”) about the problems that drywall from China was causing in homes mostly built in Florida during the latter part of the housing boom.