>>I've started fixing some of the insulation issues on the house here, and I was shocked that the assortment of insulating materials in retail is actually shorter than what we had in Yugoslavia in 80s and 90s. Two or three forms of polystyrene slabs, glass wool and bubble sheets in aluminIum foil, period. They do come in various sizes and formats, so the aisle is full. Don't know whether I can't believe my eyes or is it a trick of light.
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>Perhaps the houses in Virginia Beach were built in a southern style, even though it isn't that far south. Were you looking at any newer houses?

I was looking at whatever I could afford :). Of course, I opted for a fixer-upper as soon as I could get my hands on one. I don't trust the houses which are spruced up for sale - who knows what degree of rot is there behind the new paint.

> I don't like most new construction in my area, but I think that it is at least better insulated.

Probably is now, but doesn't come even close to our old house - which has foot thick outer walls made of concrete foam block (retail name "siporex" there), which is already an insulator per se. Plus all the windows and doors were airtight, vacuumised, outer rims sealed with soft rubber. Here, the windows were OK, vacuumised as well, but there's some draft on the edges. And we replaced the doors.

This house is actually OK, compared to the last place we were.

>What insulating materials were you looking for and didn't find? What store weren't they in?

Stone wool comes to mind - it's pretty much like glass wool, but tougher, and packed in slabs (0.5 by 1 m) which you can just lay. Doesn't itch either. Then, sandwich polystyrene with two layers of some fiber (probably wood shaving stripes pressed with glue) on both sides. And, having been home for a few weeks now, I've heard there's even more choice now. Since my time was limited, didn't really feel like using it for a walk through lumber yards.