We know we've been "spoiled" by low gas prices as compared to Europe. We need to get our public transportation back to being a priority. In Germany I visited: Dortmund (Buffalo, NY's sister city)I lived with a family for a month when I was 18, we visited all over the area close to Dortmund, Berlin in 1977, Hamburg - been there 3 times, Munich (took the train from Munich to Hamburg), Frankfurt ... I think that's it. It's been many years, I need to visit again. It's one of my favorite countries. I'll need to look at a map to see where you are.

It's funny. Yesterday my wife and I were figuring out how many shows we've done in our craft show career. 30 years at an averagte of 35 shows per year, and that's over 1,000 shows. And I can say I've seen both priced, and non priced items. Usually the high end shows are the ones where some will put out their prices. But you know the work is expensive, and sometimes they'll haggle. High end jewelers don't display their prices, because you KNOW that's a real ruby and not a bead. But everybody else has their prices right out there. Your friend admits to not selling very much. And if she's happy not selling, who are we to argue? There is the theory about underpricing. But today, with people not having much money to spend at the shows, you ask what you think is a fair price, and she asks what she thinks is fair. The customer will decide. There are two schools of thought in this business. "Quick nickels" or "slow dimes". You are in the first camp, and your friend is in the second camp. Here is a link that might be useful: Shady Pine Studios

Mike, Stick to the facts. The builder said 3.5 tons was enough. He used a 4-ton condenser and a 5-ton furnace. Check the specs. The 4-5 ton furnaces may only use a different motor size. If this is the case, the builder probably sized the ducts for 3.5 tons, and stuck the larger furnace in, because he questioned the accuracy of his installer. As I said, use a man J to verify btu sizing. I should have included a man D for duct sizing, but I expected the reader to read between the lines a little. This would tell the owner if the system was designed for a larger blower. In all probability it was not. If this is the case, then the few ducts from a floor could be closed to improve the cooling of the remaining areas. The remaining area could be a new system. In Texas, ducts are usually flex, or round metal duct. You can place them just about anywhere, after the fact. If you have to route the duct thru difficult areas, a flex duct is easily routed. As to design, I would imagine that the system was thrown in place with hopes it would stick. Using a 5-ton furnace, with a 4-ton coil, does not sound like any planning was attempted. When the builder said the design required a 3.5 ton cooling system and installed a 5-ton furnace, tells me that he was not very accurate. This would mean that some work may be needed to reduce the furnace blower cfm. A 4-ton coil in a 5-ton furnace does not sound very efficient anyway. To the owner, donÂt take no from the installer about a system separate for the second floor. You could maybe use a closet that can open from the hall or common area. Get a framer to give you an estimate about supporting the rafters where the HVAC will be placed. You may be surprised at how little the cost will be.

>Smart potential buyers will do their research in public records to determine how much was owed when the house was foreclosed on to figure out how much wiggle room there is between asking price and what the bank needs to get to break even. Sorry, but I don't follow this. In my area, there is no correlation between previous sale price and what the bank is willing to take. For instance, I've been looking mostly at townhouses in a specific complex. The last short sale that went through, the previous owner had paid 230K and the bank had it listed at 59K, which is about right. Currently there are two short sales: one where the last sale was 130K and the bank has it listed at 75K (been languishing for months at that price), and a newly listed one where the last sale was 235K and the bank has it listed at 90K. Actual REO/Foreclosure prices have nothing to do with previous sale prices, as far as I can see. I've also been looking at a little cottage that is currently on the market for 40K, foreclosed owner paid 499K at the height of the frenzy. So, for the OP, around here short sale prices tend to be optimistically high-ish, partly because the current owner could be on the hook for the difference between the loan balance and the sale price, but once they get into foreclosure the price is whatever whoever decides it should be to unload it quick. I don't think the realtors have much to say about this--it appears to be set from some corporate central office. Now that we're in the valley of fewer listings due to the robo-signing thing last year, everyone is asking much more. I expect that once the units held up by that start flooding back into the market, prices will drop again. But if you're looking for pricing logic, well, at least around here there isn't much.