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5 Infamous American Murder Houses

Would you buy a house that was the scene of a grisly murder? Truth is, you might never come to know your home's dark history, since only about half of the states in the U.S. have formal seller disclosure laws. That means agents don't have to fill you in on a property's past unless you ask outright. Why? Well, selling houses is hard enough these days. But don't worry. TOH has your back with another list of what the National Board of Realtors calls "stigmatized properties."

Meantime, if you're in the market for a new home and you'd rather not live where someone once died, do your homework. Make sure you explore the neighborhood and chat with locals—and ask your agent about the house's history, especially if the property is particularly grand with a suspiciously low price tag. (Amityville 101, people!) See ALL of TOH's American Murder Houses II

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The Best 2011 Pumpkin Carvings

Our 4th annual TOH Pumpkin Carving Contest has brought us our best harvest of ghoulish gourds yet! Check out five of our favorites here, then see all the finalists—24 runners up and some of the best carvings we've ever seen—and the Grand Prize Winner at thisoldhous.com! Have a safe and happy Halloween. Plus, see all 200-plus amazing pumpkin entries from this year's contest, or check out the crazy jack-o'-lanterns from years past.

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Top 10 Spooky Halloween Decorations

Sure candy and costumes are fun, but Halloween just isn't complete until you trick out your house with some truly frightening decorations. But where to find 6-foot spiders or a lawn full of ghosts? Don't fret, little ghouls. This Old House has scoured the shops to bring you these truly terrifying decorations that'll make your Halloween haunt the scariest on the block. -Karen Ziga, This Old House online. See all the creepy ways to decorate your home this Halloween at thisoldhouse.com!

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Top 5 Disasters That Can Hit Your House While You're On Vacation

A summer getaway is supposed to be a time for rest and relaxation. But if your heart is on vacation while your head is worrying about home, you won't get much out of your time off. That's why we've brought you this handy guide of the top 5 bad things that can befall your house when you leave it alone. Don't fret—we also share with you expert advice on how to avoid these pitfalls. That way, you can take off worry-free, and know that there will still be a house standing when you pull back into the drive. See all these disasters threatening to ruin our vacations on thisoldhouse.com.

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5 Weirdest Home News Stories

Ever read a headline and find yourself checking the front page of your newspaper to make sure you didn't accidentally pick up The Onion? From freak accidents to manmade muck-ups, sometimes the strangest stories are the ones we read in good old black and white. We proudly offer you a compilation of exactly those types of stories—the home improvement edition. Enjoy—and take heed. See all our weird home news stories on thisoldhouse.com!

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World's Wildest Houses: Vacation Edition

Would You Live in Any of These Wild Houses? Over the years, we've shown you houses shaped like elephants, toilets, pickle barrels, dogs, and UFOs, to name a few. You've seen cave houses, tree houses, and floating houses. There were houses made of bottles, beer cans, tea cups—you name it!

 Here's our latest top 5 round up of the world's wildest houses! Who needs an expensive family vacation to see the new wonders of the world when you can see them all right here? -Karen Ziga and Tabitha Sukhai Don't miss the all our picks for the world's wild houses on thisoldhouse.com!

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DIY Lessons We Learned at the Movies

Who says you can't learn anything at the movies? Oscars aren't handed out at the Academy Awards for best bathroom renovation or best converted barn, which is too bad, since over the years many silver-screen houses have outshone the stars. In fact, these dwellings offer the house-wise viewer the kind of life lessons you can learn from a statue-winning character. -C.J. Hughes See all the movies we learned DIY lessons from at thisoldhouse.com.

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Top 3 Home Break-In Hot Spots

Before you head out for that hard-earned vacation to the shore or mountains, take a moment to batten down the hatches at home. Summertime is peak season for house thefts, according to the Burglary Prevention Council, which keeps statistics on where intruders break in. The good news: You don't need an expensive high-tech alarm system. A few well-placed (and well-priced) locks and security devices will do the trick. See ALL of our tips for protecting your home from break-ins at THISOLDHOUSE.COM

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5 Hollywood Handymen

Whether it was a part-time job in between auditions for Hollywood movies or a passion indulged once the millions began to roll in, many of TV and Movies' biggest stars have a history of home improvement. Check out the five stars below, and what home-improvement activities they're known for--or have managed to keep unknown for most of their careers. For even more DIY-minded actors, check out thisoldhouse.com

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Laws You Didn't Know You Were Breaking

You’d be amazed at some of the wacky ordinances still on the books around the country. We went looking for some of the strangest laws that affect homeowners, and here’s what we found. Read 'em and learn 'emor risk the clink.Linda Gallant See all these outlandish homeowner laws on THISOLDHOUSE.COM!

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Is Your Adult Child Moving Home?

Boomerang Kids Saying goodbye to older children who are fleeing the nest can be hard, but saying hello again a few years later—after you've turned their old room into a home gym and are accustomed to spending 20 uninterrupted minutes in the bathroom—can be even harder. As the economy continues to worsen, many adult children, from twenty-somethings to middle-aged sons and daughters with children and spouses of their own, are returning home. In fact, the AARP recently surveyed more than 1,000 adults over the age of 18 and found 33 percent of respondents ages 18 to 49 live with their parents or in-laws. The most common reason cited for those who were likely to move back home was loss of income, followed by a change in job status. If you find yourself welcoming back your son or daughter, you'll have to make sure your home is ready. Even small upgrades can make this transition easier—you may even find yourself enjoying seeing Junior more often. Also see: Have Your Kid Sign a Lease

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