No matter which direction you turn, something disturbing is happening regarding extreme weather. Tales of droughts, hurricanes, heat waves, wildfires, earthquakes, and tornadoes headline the news. The damage from these disasters is impossible to ignore.

When you enter the room where your grown child will live for at least a year (if not longer), it’s a blank slate. You can’t imagine the sensory deprivation those cinder block walls might cause. But remember — it’s not YOU who will be occupying this space. And it’s definitely NOT home to your child. It’s simply a place where he or she sleeps, studies, and learns a bit about being an adult.

When you hear the word “agent,” it’s assumed that it is a person who acts on your behalf. Travel agents, insurance agents, and, of course, real estate agents are trained to represent your interests, offering you pertinent information before making some of the big decisions.

You’ve been looking in earnest at resale homes, but on a tour of the outskirts of town, you see something off in the distance. A series of signs and banners are everywhere, leading Hansel-and-Gretel style to a brand spanking new set of stunning, lit-up model homes. The curiosity is killing you, so you take all the requisite turns to reach the model home sales office. There, you are greeted by a friendly salesperson (usually a licensed real estate agent) who works exclusively on behalf of the builder.