It is that time again!

It seems like only a few weeks ago since the 2008 Parade of Homes. This year promises to be even more exciting. With gorgeous weather upon us, and two full weekends of open houses, what are you waiting for. Come Check out the 2009 Tallahassee Parade of Homes!

This year's Parade of Homes has some spectacular entries. Many of this year's entries have gone green and received certifications for their energy-efficiency or sustainable building practices. Great examples exist of both affordable (BrackenChase) and high-end (GBGH Construction) examples of energy efficient ENERGY STAR buildings.

Builder's or homeowners wishing to build or remodel green: LEED, ENERGY STAR, Florida Green Building Coalition, or NAHB Green Certifications should contact North Florida's leading green professionals at EarthSTEPS.

For more information:

What are your ideas on how a Sustainable City should look?

How does your own city rank on the Sustainability scale?

What are the simplest, or most pressing changes that can/should be made in your area to move toward a better, more economically, socially, environmentally, and aesthetically viable city?

If sustainability and smarth growth are ideas that get you so excited they keep you up at night, or even if you simply envision improving your own neighborhood, the following video link will be something you do not want to miss (please excuse the limited commercial break - about 25 seconds at the start of the video).

A recent article in the NY Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/09/garden/09greenhome.html?emc=eta1) does a fantastic job of highlighting the new and improved tax incentives for 'greening' your home.

Given the state of the economy and a near-universal need to save money, these incentives could not come at a better time. With up to 30% of some improvements covered with a dollar-for-dollar tax credit, and hundreds to thousands of dollars in savings each year on your utility bills, these improvements simply make sense.

As advised by the NYTimes writer, the best place to start if you are considering an improvement of your home, is to get an Energy Audit. These are often available free or low cost from local utilities or governements. Here in Tallahassee, energy audits are available free from the City of Tallahassee, and provide access to some awesome energy-efficiency programs.

If you have taken advantage of the free audit, are interested in a more in-depth Energy Audit, and you would like guidance on the most cost-effective improvements that you can make, that is when it becomes worth it to employ the services of a Energy-Efficiency Company such as EarthSTEPS. Here in Tallahassee and the surrounding area, we provide energy audits with both residential and commercial clients to help them locate the most cost-effective improvements. For more info, please send a request to info@earthsteps.org or call 850.325.6505

I recently stumbled across a really great opportunity for developers, remodelers, house-flippers and homeowners to save some money, go green and avoid filling up our landfills: http://www.planetreuse.com/

This service offers - for free - the ability to either post offers of building materials, or to request specific building materials.

Skimming through the site, it is obvious that it is quickly gaining popularity. Listings covered free materials that were both high quality and offered all around the country.

This is definitely worth checking out, and a much better substitute than trashing those removed or excess building materials from your projects.

President Obama recently signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax Act of 2009. One of the many changes of this bill is to extend and modify available tax credits for windows, doors and skylights.The modifications effectively:

• extend the length of availability of the tax credits                  - through 2010
• triple the available limits                                                     - from $500.00 through $1500.00
• increase the available credit                                                - to 30% of the total cost of the windows

As of February 17, 2009 tax credits are now eligible for new windows with a U-factor and solar heat gain coefficient of 0.30 or less.

[this information cannot be relied on for tax purposes... please contact a tax professional for your specific project]

Serving Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississipi. Contact us to obtain ENERGY STAR, LEED, NAHB, FGBC, or additional GREEN certifications on your multi or single family residence.

I recently started a newsletter for the EarthSTEPS Green Building Division. As part of that newsletter, I am going to be highlighting a green builder in every issue. Here's a copy of the first Green Builder Spotlight. A copy of the entire newsletter can be found here.

I would love to get feedback on the newsletter... what kind of information do you want to hear about green building in Florida!?

If you would like to sign up to receive news on green building in Florida, please register here.

Green Builder Spotlight

LD Callaghan, Inc. of Crawfordville, FL, build their homes to FGBC Green Home standards. Now, they have recently added ENERGY STAR to their list of certifications, and will soon complete their first ENERGY STAR certified home.

LD Callaghan homes incorporate simple, practical, green building practices with stunning custom touches such as made-to-order stained glass windows. While relatively new to the green building world, they have quickly earned a reputation for building high quality, energy efficient homes. An example of a recent and stunning green spec home (sold!!!) can be found here.

----For each newsletter, we aim to highlight a different green builder. The intent of this section is to inform and connect builders, and to highlight the different scales and approaches to green building - from custom single-family builders to production-scale developers. From focusing entirely on energy-efficient practices, to the most eco-friendly products and techniques available. If you or someone you know would be interested in being spotlighted in a future issue, please contact us.

EarthSTEPS Green Building Division looks forward to working with you. Together, we can help to shape the built environment of Florida.

Sincerely,

Earth Cents

Gulf Power has recently created the new Earth Cents program to help their customers lower their utility bills and increase comfort and value of the home.

This new program encompasses many different energy saving practices compiled into one set of guidelines for building or remodeling an energy-efficient home. According to Gulf Power "Earth Cents Homes offer superior quality and performance while addressing the need to preserve our natural resources."

To see the detailed requirements for the program, please follow this link

For more information on the program, or to get started contact a HERS rater and green building consultant.

Alex Mordas, LEED AP
EcoBroker® & REALTOR®
www.tallahassee-ecobroker.com
alexmordas@kw.com
(850) 559-4976

Referrals are an important part of my business. If you or someone you know is in need of real estate services, please give me a call.  Thank you.

Florida’s  HOP program

For a brief overview of the program, please see my first posting

Homebuyer Loan Process:

Keeping it simple, keeps you happy!

1.    Contact a HOP educated REALTOR and Lender to assist you with your homebuying process

2.    Once construction on the Unit has begun, Members (HOP builders) will reserve your homebuyer financing (provided on a loan-by-loan basis) by providing the required date of foundation inspection on the HOP Homebuyer Reservation (“HOPRES201 (5/01/08”) - for more information, please see http://www.floridahousing.org/Home/Developers/HomeownershipPrograms/HOP.

3.    Within fourteen (14) Calendar Days of making the reservation, Members (HOP Builders) must submit a copy of the building permit and the completed Environmental Checklist (“HOPENV301 (5/1/08”) must be approved (which is available here) or the reservation will be cancelled.

4.    Available funds can only be reserved for a maximum of one hundred eighty (180) Calendar Days. If funds are not drawn within that period, they will be cancelled and the Builder must submit a new reservation.

5.     For more information on the process, please go to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation Website.

Introduction to HOP Program:

Requirements for Building Eligibility:

Additional Building Requirements:

Eligible Homebuyer Requirements:

Homebuyer Loan Process:

Become a HOP Builder:

Florida’s  HOP program

For a brief overview of the program, please see my first posting

Eligible Homebuyer Requirements:

1. In order to receive a HOP Loan under the HOP program, the Eligible Homebuyer must:

     (1)     Have an Adjusted Income that does not exceed eighty

     percent (80%) AMI

     (2)     Qualify as an Eligible Homebuyer at the time of the

     execution of the purchase contract

     (3)     Occupy the Unit as their principal residence

     (4)     Provide a minimum down payment of $500, except when participating in a Self-Help program

     (5)     Not have Personal Assets in excess of $30,000 and Retirement Assets in excess of $100,000,

     excluding equity contributions toward the Unit

     (6)     Complete a HUD approved or SHIP approved face to face homebuyer education course

     (7)     Comply with the HOP Homebuyer Underwriting Guidelines (5/1/08), which are adopted and

     incorporated herein by reference and available at:

     http://www.floridahousing.org/Home/Developers/HomeownershipPrograms/HOP.

2. The Eligible Homebuyer must maintain the following types of insurance, naming the Corporation as an additional insured:

     (1)     Replacement cost hazard insurance

     (2)     Title insurance in the amount of the HOP Loan

     (3)     Flood insurance if the Unit is located within the 100-Year Floodplain.

3.  Repayment of principal on the HOP Loan shall be deferred until maturity or if the homebuyer sells, transfers or disposes of the Unit either voluntarily or involuntarily, or ceases to occupy the Unit as a principal residence pursuant to 24 CFR § 92.254(4) or 420.5088, F.S.

4. The Corporation will consider resubordinating its HOP Loan to a first mortgage loan when a refinancing occurs. In making a determination, the Corporation will review the following terms of the new transaction: loan type; term of the loan; fixed interest rate percentage; principal balance of the loan; reason for the request and whether or not the terms of the new loan are beneficial to the homebuyer. The homebuyer is subject to the following:

     (1)     The homebuyer must have resided in the property for at least one year

     (2)     No additional debt can be refinanced into the new first mortgage, with the exception of

     Unit repairs or improvements which require that these funds be escrowed

     (3)     The homebuyer cannot receive any cash out as a result of the refinancing

     (4)     The homebuyer is limited to a single approved resubordination prior to repayment of the

     mortgage

     (5)     The homebuyer is subject to a processing fee not to exceed $50. In the event it is determined

     that the homebuyer is not eligible, fifty percent (50%) of the processing fee will be returned.

Introduction to HOP Program:

Requirements for Building Eligibility:

Additional Building Requirements:

Eligible Homebuyer Requirements:

Homebuyer Loan Process:

Become a HOP Builder: