I visited the Cincinnati Home and garden Show today at the Duke Energy Center. There were many great booths and new products this year, but the booth that really caught my attention was that of Jeff Mosby. Jeff is an artist and has done some incredible murals and portraits that everyone should see. Visit Jeff’s website for more information or visit his booth at the show.

Saturday we got this forecast from the Oracle of Omaha.

[Within] a year or so residential housing problems should largely be behind us, the exceptions being only high-value houses and those in certain localities where overbuilding was particularly egregious. Prices will remain far below “bubble” levels, of course, but for every seller (or lender) hurt by this there will be a buyer who benefits. Indeed, many families that couldn’t afford to buy an appropriate home a few years ago now find it well within their means because the bubble burst.

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Builders know from sales history which of their homes buyers prefer. They can access databases to find out which of their competitors’ homes buyers prefer. But that kind of analysis only reveals what buyers may choose from what’s available.

When consumers buy house plans, like Hanley Wood’s 10 best sellers shown on the following pages, they act out a dream. They betray a longing for timeless elevations, informal living, and luxurious master suites. They dream strongly enough that they pay money to buy the plan.

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A recent White House statement on the home buyer tax credit was music to the ears of home builders and buyers who believe this valuable incentive should be extended beyond its Nov. 30 expiration date. On Oct. 5, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs acknowledged that “there has been quite a bit of success” with the $8,000 tax credit, and added that President Obama is considering extending it to help strengthen the economy and create jobs.

Is this a good idea? The National Association of Home Builders thinks so in this statement. “The tax credit has clearly had a positive effect on housing demand and in the job market,” said NAHB Chairman Joe Robson, a home builder from Tulsa, Okla. “We stand ready to work with President Obama and the Congress to extend and enhance the tax credit to help reduce foreclosures and excess housing inventories, to stabilize home values and to push housing and the economy on a glide path to recovery.”

I want to share one of my favorite new houseblogs, San Fran Vic. The homeowners have chronicled the ongoing restoration of their 1890′s Victorian home in San Francisco. The post that really caught my attention was the restoration of the Victorian staircase.

I’m going to continue to follow their progress. If your a fan of Victorian restorations you should follow them too.

This home was built on Gun Lake in Western Michigan. The windows are Jeldwen vinyl and the siding is Crane in the clay color.

Think you need to be rich to build a Leed Certified Home? This manufactured home built in Cobb County, Georgia is the first home of it’s type to get a platinum LEED certification. The builder New World Home has shown us that even manufactured homes can be built with the environment in mind.

Now this is a Parade of Homes I would love to attend. I’m a big fan of Frank Lloyd Wright homes and would enjoy attending this tour some day. For now I will continue to enjoy the beauty of these homes through photo’s on websites. If anyone every gets a chance to see these homes in person dont’ miss the opportunity.

I’m not going to try and tell you I know all about the green movement, but I do believe we should try and recycle everything we possible can, to prolong the existence of planet Earth.

I ran across this blog post from The Daily Green (Funny Name) the other day that I wanted to share with everyone. These are 11 really cool green building projects I think you’ll enjoy.

Heated floors, glass tile and on demand hot water heaters are all things to consider in your next home. See all 10 in this interesting article.