The Federal Housing Administration has announced that most of the country will see an increase to loan limits in the new year. The loan limit for lower-cost areas will be set at $314,827—or 65 percent of the national conforming loan limit of $484,350. In high-cost areas, the new FHA limit for 2019 will increase to $726,525, up from $679,650. The new loan limits will take effect Jan. 1.

The FHA sets single-family forward loan limits at 115 percent of median home prices, which is subject to a ceiling on limits. For the past few years, the FHA has been increasing loan limits in a greater number of counties. In 2016, the FHA raised loan limits for 188 counties. In 2019, 3,053 counties will see an uptick in FHA loan limits. View the FHA’s letter on 2019 forward mortgage limits.

The biggest pest of 2018? Bedbugs.

The second annual Terminix Entomologists’ Almanac took a look at the biggest pest trends from the past year based on social media chatter and internet queries. Bedbugs clinched the title for the second year in a row.

Americans searched for information about bedbugs more than 6.7 million times this year—more so than any other pest. Terminix, a national pest control company, says it has seen a steady increase in bedbug infestations since the 1990s.

Terminix revealed the following as 2018’s biggest pests of the year:

1. Bedbug

2. Opossum

3. Scorpion

4. Spider

5. Hornet

6. Mosquito

7. Silverfish

8. Squirrel

9. Centipede

10. Cockroach

Terminix also released findings of the pest-laden places in 2018, based on search data per capita.
The states with the most pest problems and searches in 2018 are:

1. District of Columbia

2. North Carolina

3. Massachusetts

4. Ohio

5. Washington

6. New Hampshire

7. Rhode Island

8. Oregon

9. New York

10. Indiana

Net-zero homes—those that make as much energy as they put out—may cost more up front to build, but they can save homeowners money on their energy bills. Eventually, that savings adds up and the home can pay for itself, no matter where you live, a new study shows.

Net-zero energy homes usually are outfitted with rooftop solar panels, energy-efficient insulation, triple-pane windows, energy-savvy appliances, LED lighting, and smart thermostats. Builders will take the home’s design and natural lighting into account too, such as the position of windows and overhangs that could supply additional solar heating in the winter or shade in the summer months.

The Rocky Mountain Institute, a research nonprofit focusing on clean energy, looked at how long it takes for the savings on a net-zero home to cover the initial costs of a 2,200-square-foot home in the 30 largest U.S. cities. Here are the top cities where you can pay off a net-zero home in the fastest amount of time:

1. San Francisco: 7.8 years
2. Detroit: 9.1 years
3. Baltimore: 9.2 years
4. Columbus, Ohio: 9.7 years
5. New York: 10.1 years
6. Phoenix: 10.7 years
7. Jacksonville, Fla.: 10.9 years
8. Los Angeles: 11 years
9. Washington, D.C.: 11 years
10. Chicago: 11.4 years
11. Sacramento, Calif.: 11.7 years
12. Indianapolis: 12.3 years
13. Portland, Ore.: 12.3 years
14. Seattle: 12.4 years
15. Dallas: 12.5 years
16. Oakland, Calif.: 12.5 years
17. Wichita, Kan.: 12.5 years

The costs of building net-zero homes can vary widely geographically. The biggest savings tend to be in locales with high electricity rates and older building codes, according to the Rocky Mountain Institute.

“Zero-energy homes are actually affordable,” Jacob Corvidae, principal at the Rocky Mountain Institute, told InsideClimate News. Corvidae stresses this it is important to note because consumers, builders, and policymakers may be reluctant to encourage net-zero building over perceptions that it isn’t affordable.

But even in places like Detroit—not known for its year-round sunshine that would make solar as attractive—net-zero homes can be paid off in less than a decade, one of the fastest regions in the country. A 2,200-square-foot net-zero energy home in Detroit would cost $19,753 more to build than the same house without any solar or standard efficiency. But that home’s energy bill savings would be $2,508 in the first year. The solar and efficiency costs would pay for themselves in about 9 years, according to the Rocky Mountain Institute study.

Some of the nation’s largest home builders, like PulteGroup and Meritage Homes, are offering more net-zero energy options to consumers. Pearl Homes in Cortez, Fla., is building a zero-energy community that uses energy storage and electric vehicle chargers.

“We’re starting to see the tip of that iceberg, and when it really hits, it’s going to be huge,” says Ann Edminster, a consultant and architect who works with the Net-Zero Energy Coalition.