When homeowners hear the words "renovate" or "remodel", most will have visions of granite countertops and hardwood floors dancing in their heads. But, according to experts, you should be thinking structure over style; the outside of your home provides protection from the elements and should be your top priority when you're deciding where to invest your renovation dollar. Ask yourself these questions. If you answer "yes," it's time to consider making some repairs.

Is your roof sagging? Tackle your roof first: Look for sagging areas, cracked or worn shingles, mold or rot, and dangling gutters and downspouts. Unless you're experienced, don't walk on an old roof yourself to look for damage - hire a professional. If your roof is in need of repair, don't give in to the temptation to save money with a cheap fix; invest in high-quality shingles and installation.

Brick flaking? Examine your home's exterior for signs of wear and tear. Chipping, peeling, and bubbling are symptoms of siding that may need repair or replacement. When it comes to brick, flaking, cracking or crumbling mortar may signal the need for TLC.

Basement leaking? Your basement is another area of the home that should be top-of-mind when deciding what to fix. Don't ignore leaks, even small ones. Make sure that water isn't getting in from outside. By fixing cracks in the foundation and properly insulating the basement, you'll conquer "damp basement syndrome."

Energy costs skyrocketing? Any renovation that improves efficiency is worthwhile. Greening your home can provide a recovery rate of up to 60 percent of the cost of the renovation. In old homes, windows, doors and skylights can be a big source of heat loss. To keep heat in and cold out, windows need to be double- or triple-glazed. Consider upgrading old windows and exterior doors to models that qualify as energy efficient.

Granite countertops can wait; these repairs can't.

As lead guitarist for the band Korn, people worshipped his music. He made all the money, had all the cars, houses and women he could handle, but still found himself with a crippling addiction to Meth. "I couldn't stay sober. I didn't know how. I hit rock bottom."

There's a point when you finally look in the mirror at an image that you're simply tired of seeing. Brian wanted to quit, but what if quitting required complete surrender?

After watching yet another pet trick on YouTube, you might think the dog population is divided into dumb dogs (yours) and smart dogs (theirs); but according to Brian Hare, associate anthropology professor and founder of the Canine Cognition Center at Duke University, you'd be wrong. Hare believes all dogs are geniuses in their own way. People can often underestimate the intelligence of their best friend," Hare told Scientific American earlier this year. He says it's all about figuring out what your dog does well, because "different dogs use different strategies to solve problems."

One impressive canine skill is the ability to follow human gestures. For example, if you point in the direction of a toy, your dog can follow your point.

But perhaps a dog's most intelligent feature is its capacity for cross-species bonding and empathy. Like most humans, dogs who have bonded well with their owners will find that owner's yawn just as contagious as humans will.

Studies also have shown that, like their owners (the "petters"), dogs (the "pettees") experience a boost in a "love" hormone during petting - an experience obviously enjoyed by both petters and pettees.

Research shows professional photos and videos can increase the amount you receive for your house

Here are some tips on readying your home for the camera:

• Your home's curb appeal will tempt buyers to view it. Stand across the street from your home. Is it welcoming or unkempt? Tidy, de-clutter and fluff your front yard. Add seasonal planters.
• Highlight your home's "story" with photos and videos. Ensure that the pictures capture special architectural features.
• Photos should feature key rooms such as the kitchen and bathrooms. If you have lots of natural light, let the sun shine in.
• Most important, depersonalize and eliminate clutter. A blank canvas will encourage potential buyers to imagine themselves in your home, and ultimately, that's what will sell it.

At issue are those mysterious "best before" dates. It seems almost everyone is throwing out edible food once it reaches its best before date, assuming it's no longer safe to consume.

While it is an environmental concern - experts are anxious to turn this around with consumer education - it's also a question of dollars and cents. Throwing away good food is costing the average family hundreds of dollars a year.

In fact, there's wiggle room here: Most best before dates indicate that food may lose some flavor, freshness or nutritional value after that date. Not that it should be thrown out.

The answer: Try a sniff test. Chances are you'll taste the savings

Contributing factors include insufficiently high aspirations, a lack of engagement within the organization, and insufficient investment in building capabilities across the organization to sustain the change, among others. Learn more from senior partner Harry Robinson, a global leader of our Transformation Practice. .

Lenders rely on appraisals. So, if the appraisal on your dream home comes in lower than expected, it may kill your deal. But there are solutions.

Low appraisals happen for many reasons. A low appraisal may have nothing to do with your property - it may be all about the market: In a buyers' market, a low appraisal may reflect high inventories due to market conditions; in a sellers' market, particularly in hot areas with low inventory, multiple offers may push up prices artificially. Both can skew the data used by the appraiser to value the property.

Whatever the reason, you'd be wise to consult with your lender, who really does want your business, and your local real estate agent, to request a second appraisal. Even though you have to pay for it, the second appraisal often does come in higher; this may happen if the appraiser is inexperienced or not local and may have made the appraisal based on incorrect sales data.

Here are other options:

• As the buyer, you can make up the difference between the low appraisal and the selling price in cash to the seller.
• If you're the seller, you can lower the price to be consistent with the appraisal.
• The seller also can offer to hold a second mortgage on the property.
• As the buyer, you can walk away from the transaction.

That said, if this is your dream house, chances are you'll find it worth the effort and extra cost to make your deal work.

Pending home sales rose on a year-over-year basis in June, the first time in 17 months.

Yes, we have an on-line store to help our members promote Dorothy.com. You can purchase signs, business cards, clothing, marketing materials, license plate brackets, etc. When you purchase through our store you earn 1 brick for every dollar spent.