[Times photo: Carrie Pratt] The lumber industry is pulling arsenic-treated wood off the market, but what should homeowners do with decks, playsets and other items already in their back yards? Story

A castle with a view . . . of Italy
Local real estate agent gets a rare listing -- a fifth-century castle in Italy with 37 rooms, a separate cottage, vineyards and a $12-million price tag.

The facts on CCA wood
Q: What does the voluntary ban on CCA wood mean?

The Home Front
Yard sales: They're a good thing

The glue comes first when you install carpet
Question: When installing indoor-outdoor carpet, should I trim, then glue to concrete or glue, then trim?

They are short a board member
Question: The covenants of our association call for a minimum of three members on the board of directors. Since January there have been only two board members because of an apparent lack of interest on the part of the owners. Can a board operate with only two members when the covenants specifically call for a minimum of three? Are the actions of the two boardmembers legal?

Homebuyer U
Find buying a home complicated and confusing? Attend "Insider Home-buying Strategies," a free seminar presented by Realtors Janice Lockridge-Williams and Nancy Burridge of Keller Williams Landmark Realty of St. Petersburg, at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Gladden Park Recreation Center, 3901 30th Ave. N., St. Petersburg. Learn how lenders determine what kind of loan will be offered, how to determine your credit worthiness, how to determine layout and furnishing needs and other topics. Handouts and notebook provided; to reserve, call: (727) 422-7169 or (727) 894-1600, ext. 122 during business hours.

House Values
St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg Times real estate classified ads:

Regional real estate links:
Tampa Bay Homes - Search local MLS listings, a service of Tampabay.com.
Florida Home Builders - features Florida developers with Web sites.

Other real estate links:
Cost of Living calculator: compares the cost of living in any two cities. Also includes links to Salary Calculator and Moving Calculator among other tools.
Home Buyer and Renter Consumer Information: From the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Home Buying Tips: from the U.S. Government General Services Administration.
Realtor.com: includes info on buying and selling real estate, allows you to browse property ads in the U.S. and locate realtors.