Undoubtedly the wood is arriving from a super dry warehouse somewhere in SE Calgary, not exactly a climate controlled environment.

Louis at the same time, the low cost of living and manageable climate plus proximity to many US business destinations (4 hours by car to Chicago, Indy, Nashville, KC, Memphis, etc. or 2 hours by plane to Dallas, Denver, Atlanta, etc.) should keep a stable base population in the metro area.

@Elizabeth Colegrove:"Where we are there have been a ton of short sales and foreclosures because of the circumstances in the area and bank".Excellent point, but the "economic"climate of an area affects both renters and buyers especially if they work in similar industries and have access to the same pool of jobs.

The auto industry’s resurgence has been a key factor in that turnaround, but also key is Michigan’s improving economic climate as Gov.

In northern climates, unless your attic is part of the conditioned living space, placing your furnace or even ductwork there is not a good plan.As Pat mentioned, your utility bill will be higher as the furnace will need to work harder to get heat to the living space as it will be heating the attic as well.

A covered deck is nice in such a hot climate like Houston.  

The key to overall success though seems to be seeding the right season for your climate.

I wonder what the HML climate is like.

In this interest rate climate, you want to discuss fixed rate loans only.  

@Kyle H.For an unvented roof assembly, the amount of hardboard insulation you should install on the topside of the roof assemble is dependant upon the amount of insulation applied to the underside of the roof deck and your climate zone.