Today's average homebuyers are demanding more than ever in the houses they are buying. Common requests are kids' own rooms, playrooms, hobby rooms, home offices, larger laundry rooms, kitchens with all the bells and whistles, and luxurious master bedrooms. And then there's the obsession with improving and decorating, fueled by a string of TV shows like Trading Spaces and the swelling number of decorating and design magazines.
       With perfectly decorated rooms sealed with designers' touches increasingly in the back of our minds, would-be buyers could be more impressed when the houses they are viewing look like -- or close to -- the houses they see in magazines and home decorating shows.
       First one word of caution: Because everyone's tastes are so different, don't do anything extreme. Try to stay mainstream and conservative.
      Curb Appeal
       As with any style house, curb appeal -- the first impression -- is crucial. Even if your house is on the small side, if

     If you've recently gotten married or divorced, have improved your kitchen, or made your home safer, then the insurance industry says you should review your homeowners policy. You might be eligible for lower premiums, or you may need to increase your coverage so you're not underinsured.
       The start of the new year is a good time to reexamine your coverage, according to California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi. The state was hit hard by the Southern California firestorms, which devastated some 3,600 homes. The resulting mudslides in the San Bernardino area and the San Simeon earthquake also caused insurance nightmares for many.
       "Financial trauma can be reduced or even eliminated if we all just take the time to update our homeowners policies ..." he said.
       As many as one-third of the victims of the Southern California fire victims didn't have homeowners insurance; another one-third was underinsured, The Kansas City Star reported on Dec. 25, 2003.
       Laman and Carmen Sadler, 73 and 69, had insurance, but not enough to replace the two-bedroom house where they had lived for 27 years.
       "Our homes, our modes of transportation, our jobs, and our entire lives are constantly changing," Garamendi said. "Our insurance