• Glass with built-in UV screen that reflects summer rays and lets in warming winter rays
• Multi-point locking systems with single lever controls
• "Hidden" or retractable hardware that's less obtrusive to the eye
• Smooth, finger-easy operation
• Availability of in-house service department
• Manufacturer's warrantees covering the glass and mechanical components

As with most, things, Baumgarten said you get what you pay for when purchasing windows. "While it wouldn't make sense to put a high-end window in a $100,000 home you're only going to live in for a few years, new construction worth $350,000 or more is something else. You'd want the best window you can buy." Similarly, he said, you want to buy the best window you can afford when remodeling.

" Marvin windows, for example, are made to fit whatever opening you have. It's worth spending an extra $150 on a window if it means saving $1,000 in construction costs trying to make the wall fit the window."

To make sure you get the best windows for your next new construction or remodeling project, Baumgarten suggests consulting the experts. "Perhaps the best advice I can offer is to warn against buying stock windows off the shelf. You're almost always better off going to a dealer with special expertise in windows," concluded Baumgarten.