Building a Home of Your Own by Lee McIntyre
If you have ever dreamed of building your own home, some New Englanders are here to tell you that it can be done. All it takes is land, preparation, and patience. Just don’t count on saving a lot of money in the process.

EllisIsland.Com? by Miriam Wasserman
The recent tight labor market for high-tech workers has once again raised questions about U.S. immigration policies. Should we consider educational attainment and skill level when we decide who is allowed entrance into the United States?

Observations
In Boston, a tight market for office space sends some firms shopping; New England’s love affair with the internal combustion engine

Letters from Readers
Professors Kotlikoff and Sharpe get the last word on their respective financial planning products

Issues in Economics by Joanna Stavins
The late 1990s saw a marked increase in personal bankruptcies. Are credit card issuers or borrowers to blame?

Letter from Berlin, New Hampshire by Burt Feintuch