A foreclosure in your neighborhood can be a stressful time -- not just for the family losing its house, but for the whole block. The ramifications are both personal and practical: As friends move out, property values will probably take a hit. The Center for Responsible Lending estimated a few years ago that foreclosures would cost neighbors hundreds of billions of dollars.

But you can ease the transition for both your neighbor and your neighborhood -- and you might prevent worst-case scenarios. Here are a few ways you might be able to help, and a couple of ways not to:

We're at the intersection of some major generational shifts. The huge Generation Y -- ages 18 to 34 -- is entering the traditional home-buying years. Meanwhile, their parents and grandparents -- the baby boomers, who inspired Millennials' other nickname, "echo boomers" -- have started to retire.

As you might imagine, real estate professionals are keeping close tabs on these demographic shifts.

What do they foresee? At a recent conference of the National Association of Realtors, panelists opened their briefcases and pulled out their crystal balls.

By Carole Moore

Mortgage rates recently hit all-time record lows, giving consumers plenty of incentive to buy a first home or sell the present one and move up. Cash-strapped buyers often shop for the best value -- but should they do it all themselves, or spring for the services of a real estate pro?

Although commissions can add up, real estate professionals say their services routinely extend far beyond what the public expects. Real estate agents can:

Determine the value of your home. A real estate agent will tell you even if you're not a client. Realtor David Welch of RE/MAX 200 Realty in Orlando, Fla., says he's happy to help homeowners figure out how much their homes are really worth. He prepared a comparative market assessment for one couple that purchased their home during the peak of the overheated market a few years ago, he says. "They were convinced the assessment on their home was overstated, since values had started to decline." They were able to use Welch's assessment as

Depending on where you live, your old electro-mechanical meter may soon be replaced by a smart energy meter. Combined with the right software, smart meters can provide detailed information about your energy use to help you manage and lower your energy bill.

But across the country, some consumers — worried about their health and privacy — are asking to opt out of smart meter programs. Consumer advocates argue that smart meters also make it easier to disconnect service and may lead to higher bills.

Smart meters (also called AMI for automated meter infrastructure) are one component of the so-called smart grid. Utilities worldwide are upgrading transmission lines, generation plants and other infrastructure to make the grid more reliable and reduce the need for additional generation plants. Yet will all this technology ultimately benefit consumers or simply touch off more privacy concerns?

Let's look at the controversy surrounding this major shift in approach and hear what both sides are saying. Here are seven things you need to know about smart meters:

So you've finally moved into your new rental apartment. It's gleaming, it's shiny, it's yours (kind of).

And it's bland, bland, bland, bland. The walls are toothpaste white. "Architectural detailing" means you get light fixtures instead of bare bulbs (lucky!). The bathroom reminds you of a school locker room.

The place has all the character of, well, the blank box that it is.

What's a renter to do?

Do it yourself, undo it yourself

The truth is, you probably have plenty of remodeling options, even as a renter. Check your rental contract -- Realtor.com has some good advice -- but you'll want to satisfy a few basic requirements:

Your remodeling projects must be reversible. You need to be able to restore the place to its original condition, in case your landlord doesn't appreciate the results. (Or in case you don't want your landlord to know you'd ever done them in the first place. Don't worry, we won't tell.)

The improvements should be reasonably cheap, because they're temporary …

… Or

We're told the LS4 loudspeakers are the best money can buy, and for $40,000 each, we certainly hope that's true. Why the high price tag? "Most people have never had the opportunity to experience such low distortion and accurate reproduction," says Mark Glazier, president of Wisdom Audio. "But it is analogous to comparing standard definition video with  high definition video."

In tech-speak, these speakers feature planar magnetic thin-film technology in place of old-school cone midranges and tweeters. We didn't have the chance to listen in person, but they say it feels like you're sitting courtside at the game. But for $80,000, shouldn't you at least feel a little sweat fly off LeBron James as he runs by your seats?

Through improving medical services and healthier lifestyles seniors are living longer than ever. Yet the longer seniors reside in homes that aren't properly suited to their particular safety requirements, the greater is their risk of suffering a personal injury.

Savvy homeowners with seniors as residents are embracing the practice of "elder proofing" a home. While in some cases this may require extensive remodeling, there are many things homeowners can do with just a toolbox, some smart ideas and a weekend.

Here are seven handy tips to pursue:

Let There Be Light--As we age our eyesight tends to deteriorate, which means that a home with dark shadows and gloomy hallways can become a safety hazard. If the problem can occur night or day, install low voltage track or recessed lighting that can remain on. You can also illuminate the path from the bedroom to the bathroom with nightlights. Connect them to outlets with timers so they'll turn on at sunset, or consider a motion-activated

That magical season is here. No, not Christmas. But that special time when the weather is nice and some lucky homeowners with tax refunds jingling in their checking accounts may be thinking about splurging on some long-delayed home-improvement projects.

And of course, the scammers who want that money are buzzing around as well. The Better Business Bureau says they fielded nearly 30,000 consumer complaints against various home contractors in 2011, just a drop considering many people who get scammed either contact the police or are too embarrassed to report the incident. Here are five of the most common scams hitting our neighborhoods today:

1. The Cash Deal: He might say it's because of taxes or he's got a special arrangement with his paint wholesaler, but one day you may have a painter in your kitchen telling you he'll cut 35 percent off his estimate if you pay in cash. "It might sound like a great deal, because we all want to believe we should get a discount if we're paying for