Government and corporate investigations of stock-option granting practices have accelerated, with many companies reporting regulatory or internal probes. Home Depot is in such a position.

A study released by professors at Harvard University, Cornell University and French business school Insead found that about 850 U.S. chief executives received backdated or otherwise manipulated stock option grants that boosted their annual pay by at least 10%, on average. The Securities and Exchange Commission is currently investigating about 140 companies in its expanding probe with more charges expected in the coming weeks, The Wall Street Journal reported. The Journal has also reported that there have been few enforcement actions because SEC commissioners are divided over penalties for backdating, though the SEC Chairman has denied it.

KB Home (KBH) on Feb. 23 said the Department of Justice notified the company it isn’t a target of the agency’s stock option grant investigation. In a regulatory filing last month, the Los Angeles company said the SEC was formally investigating its stock-option granting practices.
Earlier Friday, The Wall Street Journal reported Federal prosecutors are scrutinized options backdating at KB Home by several former executives.

A buyer’s first impression is love a quick walk through and that’s about it. Errors and shoddy workmanship (if noticed) ends the toor immediately — as it should!

As a buyer this is the approach you MUST take — poor quality remodeling (as done in some flips by unscrupulous contractors) should BE AVOIDED. With all the “flip a house” shows on TV now, everybody and their brother is getting into the flip game.

On the selling side be aware that the buyer may know this and run from any shoddy work you have done as a seller trying to unload a house.

Errors are especially obvious in rooms such as kitchens and baths. Even minor issues can have (like sloppy painting) can have a negative effect on a buyer. This may come hard to do-it-yourselfers who tend to have pride in their somewhat overrated work. The tinest of glitches in tile work can be a big deal and cause buyers “run” to the next property. If they find even one thing wrong is is natural for them to suspect MORE!

Smart agents use these mistakes as negotiation point to shave thousands off the listed price, so if you are aware and willing to fight it they might (MIGHT) work in your favor. Problem is … what problems did you not see?

There are other risks missing these mistakes too — a homeowner doing a flip may bypass local permit requirements. This means a new owner could have building inspectors “nix” a project months or even years after it is completed and asked that the work be redone up to code. Who pays? The current home owner of course.

Bottom line is this:
Homeowners remodeling to sell should do good work or have qualified contracots do it.
Home buyers should check closely and be suspicious of any subpar remodeling work.

When it comes to controlling the home thermostat, it’s clearly a battle of the sexes — and the guys are losing! As temperatures dropped across most of the country in February, advertising agency MARC USA surveyed men and women in 800 households to find out who controls the inside temperature. The survey was conducted by OpinionZone(TM), the agency’s online research panel.

When asked about adjusting the thermostat at home, 62% said that one partner is in control. However, who controls the dial depends in some degree on whom you ask, explains Karen Leitze, SVP/ Director of Research and Strategic Planning. While 70% of women report that they control the home thermostat, 56% of men say they are in charge. “Control may be a matter of perception,” Leitze adds.

To find out what control actually means, respondents were asked what they would do if their partner/spouse made it too warm or too cold. While 89% of all respondents said they would take some action, more than one-third of men (35%) said they would suggest a change or ask permission of their spouse/partner before touching the dial. Temperature control is more clear-cut with women as 80% report they would just change the temperature without consulting their spouse/partner. It’s no wonder some men think they’re in control, but their spouses/partners think differently.

How important is thermostat control? More than two-thirds of respondents (67%) say they and their spouse/partner differ on a comfortable home temperature. When spouses/partners have differing temperature preferences, who is more likely to raise the thermostat? Gender and age are both factors in who likes it hotter or cooler. Read the rest of this entry  

Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) , the world’s second largest home improvement retailer, has recently reported net earnings of $613 million for the 13-week period ended February 2, 2007, an 11.5 percent decline versus the 14-week period ended February 3, 2006. Diluted earnings per share declined 7.0 percent to $0.40 from $0.43 in the fourth quarter of 2005. For fiscal 2006, a 52-week year, net earnings grew 12.3 percent to $3.1 billion versus fiscal 2005, a 53-week year. Diluted earnings per share increased 15.0 percent to $1.99 in fiscal 2006. Read the rest of this entry  

Home Depot, the world’s largest home improvement retailer, has recently announced that its board of directors approved a fourth quarter cash dividend of 22.5 cents per share. This is the 80th consecutive quarter the Company has paid a cash dividend. The dividend is payable on March 22, 2007 to shareholders of record on the close of business on March 8, 2007. Read the rest of this entry  

Rebuilding Together, the United States’ largest volunteer home rehabilitation organization, is providing modifications and repairs at the home of Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran Christopher Edwards through its Serving Those Who Serve(SM) program today. Countrywide(R) Financial Corporation, America’s #1 home loan lender*, has contributed more than $1.2 million as the founding sponsor of a nationwide program that provides free home modifications to severely-injured soldiers and veterans returning from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Read the rest of this entry