HotPads Daily :: The Official Blog of HotPads.com

Happy Leap Day from HotPads!

Today is February 29th, also known as Leap Day.  It only comes around once every four years, so by our calculations that makes it more special than Groundhog Day, Arbor Day and even (dare I say it?) No Pants Day.

Because this is an "extra" day, some companies give their workers the day off.  But we'll be hard at work serving our home buyers, renters, property managers, real estate agents and advertisers.

And like leap day, there is one piece of prime Washington real estate that's only available once every four years.  It's located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, and it's one of the few properties in Washington, DC that's not listed on HotPads.

Heating Prices Hit Homeowners Where it Hurts

Global warming can't come fast enough for some Americans as they reach that time of year when they head down to the basement and turn on the furnace for the first time.  But instead of toasty toes on cold nights, their thoughts are of energy bill en fuego.

Oil prices hit a record close yesterday, with $100 a barrel prices looming and fears of tight supply with the entire northern hemisphere heading into winter.  This does not bode well for homes heated by oil or natural gas.  Even electric bills won't be pretty as energy prices move in concert with each other.

Homeowners in Boston have the dubious distinction of paying the highest heating prices in the nation, according to Forbes' list of the most expensive places to heat a home.

But HotPads is here to help. The following online resources can help you save real cash on your home or rental apartment's heating bills.  Check out this guide from the EPA, these tips from the California Energy Commission and plans from eHow.com.