City Room

Big Deal | Luxury Market Shows Signs of Improvement

By SARAH KERSHAW

Sales for apartments and town houses listed for more than $4 million were reported to be strong in February.

MERS? It May Have Swallowed Your Loan

By MICHAEL POWELL and GRETCHEN MORGENSON

An obscure company claims to hold title to roughly half of the home mortgages in the nation — 60 million loans.

Without Loan Giants, 30-Year Mortgage May Fade Away

By BINYAMIN APPELBAUM

If Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac shut down, interest rates would rise for most borrowers, but urban and rural residents could see sharper increases than customers in the suburbs.

Mortgages

A Plan to Phase Out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

By LYNNLEY BROWNING

A government proposal is currently in draft form, but industry experts say it will most likely affect borrowers even before it is finalized.

• More Mortgages Columns

Streetscapes | Mansard Roofs

The Heyday of Mansard Roofs

By CHRISTOPHER GRAY

New York City was peppered with mansard roofs between 1868 and 1873. A few spectacular examples survive.

• Slide Show | More Streetscapes Columns
• 

Q & A

By JAY ROMANO

Backing out of a lease; protecting a toddler with window guards; when an apartment goes market-rate.

• Submit a Question

In the Region | Long Island

Betting on a Spring Housing Market Rebound

By MARCELLE S. FISCHLER

Brokers are expecting home sales to pick up as the weather improves, with at least one predicting “a smooth market, stable, but not a strong market.”

In the Region | Connecticut

Co-Housing Group Plans for Shared Future

By LISA PREVOST

After five years of planning, Connecticut’s first co-housing community, Green Haven, is at the land-buying stage.

In the Region | New Jersey

In Some Places, Multicar Garages Are Standard

By ANTOINETTE MARTIN

In more affluent communities, where people have larger homes and more expensive cars, garages for four or more are embedded in the culture.

Square Feet | The 30-Minute Interview

Carl Galioto

Mr. Galioto is the managing principal of the New York office of HOK, one of the world’s largest architecture firms.

House Tour: Clinton Corners, N.Y.

By BETHANY LYTTLE

It took two years to make a Hudson Valley getaway livable for a couple that was used to weekends in the Hamptons.

• Slide Show: A Fixer-Upper

Remodeling Now to Avoid Accessibility Problems Later

By ELIZABETH POPE

Many homeowners over 50 have seen their parents struggle with an ill-conceived house and are resolved to creating a home with universal design for “aging in place.”

One Secret to Clocking Out May Be a Moving Van

By PHYLLIS KORKKI

Deciding to sell a longtime home and move away from friends and family can be wrenching, but it might be better than trying to rebuild decimated retirement savings.

Battle Erupts Over City Contract Costs

By DAVID W. CHEN

New York City’s fiscal watchdog issued a scathing critique of the Bloomberg administration’s oversight practices.

House Hunting in ... Montreal

By VIRGINIA C. McGUIRE

In a market that still favors sellers, a property in sought-after Old Montreal, near cafes, boutiques and art galleries.

• Slide Show

On Location

Rich in History and Colorful Designs

By GISELA WILLIAMS

The home was created from a former one-room nursery school, which included a bathroom set up in an out building in the backyard.

• Slide Show: A Home on the Yucatán

From Tired Buildings to Slick New Offices

By ANTOINETTE MARTIN

Recycling old buildings is one of the few options for developers wanting to create commercial space in Montclair, which is nearly built out.

Square Feet

Born of 9/11, an Effort to Rebuild Shattered Haiti

By JULIE SATOW

Students at New York University are helping plan a response to Haiti’s devastating lack of housing after last year’s earthquake.

The Appraisal

Behind the Scenes at the Dakota

By CHRISTINE HAUGHNEY

Court documents connected to a lawsuit offer an inside look at a famous yet secretive Manhattan apartment building.