Non-Farm Payrolls is the official name of the government’s monthly jobs report and, given the fragile state of the U.S. economy, Wall Street will be watching it closely. Mortgage rates could spike come Friday morning.

According to the the National Association of Realtors®, “distressed homes” represented nearly 2 of every fifth home sold in January 2010. Clearly, real estate investors are taking advantage of good deals on cheap property. But there’s risk involved.

Anecdotal evidence is showing sales activity higher through February and into March. And, although it’s unlikely we’ll see a spike through April like we did last November, buy-side demand for homes should remain strong. The good news of the sagging sales reports is that today’s buyers may find home prices are lower and sellers are more willing to negotiate.

Using the Color This! tool at the Better Homes and Gardens website, visitors can mix-and-match swatch colors, then apply them to a room’s walls, floors, trim, cabinets and accessories.