Q: My husband and I are trying to decide between two houses to buy.

The first one is small but it's an old cottage that we could fix up really cute. The other is a larger, newer house but it's just so plain and boring that I can't imagine living there. The first house is too small for our family, but it looks so sweet. The second house has room to spare but it's ugly. In our price range there really hasn't been anything else for a long while so we think that we should settle on one of these. Any ideas?

A: I support remodeling an older house as a way to save the resources required to build new and to make older housing stock more energy-efficient. But, particularly since you have a limited budget, I say go for the ugly, newer house! An older home may be "cute" but it probably needs major infrastructure repairs and upgrades. An older house can easily need new double-pane windows, more insulation, an upgraded furnace or water heater, roof or foundation work, and new appliances. All this will cost a lot without giving you the extra space you need.

Ugly is easier! Paint can go a surprisingly long way to making a house attractive. You can add decorative exterior trim, upgrade the interior finish work, add new appliances, and create a nicer landscape. You can do this over time as you can afford it. I've seen many an "ugly duckling" turned into a "swan" with a little imagination and some sweat equity.

Don't forget that a newer house will probably have decent insulation, double-pane windows, and other energy saving features to start with. I recommend that you do the work yourselves to get more "bang for your buck", and also, keep to a budget. When you are finished, you will not only make it a nicer home to live in for yourselves, but you will greatly increase the home's value.

Remember to look for "green" products to make your home more energy efficient and a safer environment. I have a list of resources for "green" building, so please don't hesitate to contact me for this information.