I've been gone for a few years-- things have changed.
Several years ago, a user wrote a series of very good posts on the twelve houses. It appeared before the 3.5ed book on the houses, and in many ways was better than that book. It was later compiled into a pdf book by the author (I wish I could remember his name). Does anyone know where I can find it now?
Cheers.
I believe the author was Fireballed Mage.
There seems to be a saved version of it here: http://earthbinder.myfreeforum.org/archive/the-houses-by-fireballed-mage-wotc-thread__o_t__t_109.html
I could not locate the pdf version, though, and cannot remember whether this was the latest version either.
P.S. Welcome back. 