Before you comment on this post you may want to read it all the way through first. Chances are, you will either strongly agree or strongly disagree. But if you are in Real Estate you need to consider all of the different sides before you make your decision on exactly how you feel about all of this.
First, if you read Katerina's post regarding Cap and Trade - Or if you are reading any other article for that matter - I want you to do me a favor for the sake of this post. Completely take out the words Greenhouse Gases, Climate Change, Carbon Footprint and any other word that can be related to Environmental Topics.
What you have left is verbiage regarding creating jobs, energy efficiency and Building Code. As a Certified EcoBroker and CGP - I have closely followed proposed Legislation regarding these same exact topics regardless of where they have been proposed.
These topics are not new by any stretch. State and City Legislation have been battling these very topics heavily for a few years now. Everything from Energy Ratings, requiring homes to be X% more efficient by X year, raising the Building Code, etc.
Certain areas, for example, Texas (specifically Houston) that thrive on Affordable Housing have expressed their concern over strict guidelines because it raises the cost of construction. Some people can not afford to make these changes. For every $1,000 that you raise the cost of a home, it takes X number of buyers completely out of the equation in being able to afford the home.
It's all been talked about time and time again.
However, I am a little concerned about the people that are adamantly against making homes more affordable to LIVE in.
'To LIVE in' - This is the part of all of this that in my opinion is completely overlooked. While I'm not a Fan of much of the recent Legislation for the most part - This particular one I think deserves a little more consideration from the Consumer side of things. I don't think we should rule it out as completely negative yet. Here are just a few of my reasons:
Homes really DO need to be more Energy Efficient. How about the First Time Homebuyer that is excited to move in to their First Home - They spend money on getting some new furniture, lawn equipment, etc. THEN, they get their first electric bill to find that it is Quadruple the cost of what it was in an Apartment. The cost of actually LIVING in a home just became a realization.
With the cost to LIVE in a home at top of mind, how about the home that put $100,000 in to putting Granite Countertops, a pool in the yard, Hardwood Floors and made it look pretty - Then went and sold it at the Top of Market Value for the new homeowners to realize that the home Sucks Energy like crazy. Was the home REALLY worth it?
Over the past 2 years many have realized that we need to consider how much home we need vs. how much home we want. With disclosures on Utility Costs required, do you think that people would reconsider buying that home they can't afford?
Now, the part of the Bill that discusses existing homes being brought up to Today's Energy Codes - I have a question to propose. Are there even enough items manufactured to bring every single home on the market up to Today's Energy Code?
The next thing to consider is the Cost of Building a home vs. who can afford it. Most people believe that only the people who CAN afford it will get an Energy Efficient home. Is that right? It is the people who CAN'T afford it that need Energy Efficient homes the most. Would a stricter Energy Code - Regardless of it being passed at a Federal or State Level - Would that really be a bad thing?
Quite honestly, I am offended when I see 'Affordable Homes' that I know will have an extremely high Utility Bill. I personally think it is an injustice to the people that need it.
Truly Energy Efficient Products - There need to be more of them. Supply and Demand. Who makes the products? People. Jobs.
The Real Estate Industry, and I have mentioned this before, we need to Grasp these changes and accept them. It will not make our lives and jobs more difficult. It will help our clients choose what home is really the best for them. It will help them choose a home that is the most affordable for them.
As an industry we need to look in to learning more about Energy Efficient Mortgages, Renovation Loans, Energy Efficiency Legislation (not just at a Federal Level), Energy Audits and Ratings. We need to Network more with the Folks that do this as their chosen Profession.
The cost to make a home 30% more energy efficient can be as little as about $300 - That $300 could have a 500% return in a lot of homes over a year or two. Many States offer programs to do this to existing homes for FREE.
Let's take a different look at all of this. Without the words Greenhouse Gases, Climate Change, Climate Initiative, Carbon Footprint. Oh, and sorry for not having any pictures. Just got a new laptop and have not transferred over any of my data.
What do you usually think of when you hear the words "ECO" and "Green"? For many, the first things that would come to mind are saving the trees, light bulbs, plastics, and overall, our environment to include electric cars and waste. Just in the last year or so, many more have been looking into ECO friendly buildings and homes. I know that we have many faults from the past, that we really need to pay attention to this now. I believe that it starts with the land around us and global warning. We must understand this first, as we venture out into own cities, towns, and local neighborhoods with ECO friendly homes. I wrote about the land around us 2 years ago and this has become more prevalent now than ever before. Please read :
So how can we push this forward into 2009 and using concepts such as those by Brad Pitt and others?
Hey Clavin.... that would be Cliff Claven from Cheers, the guy that knew everything. But I wonder if he knew this.... Did you know that the nation's first "green" residential high-rise was built in lower Manhattan, called the Solaire. In the Battery Park City development, located in Manhattan, the city instituted mandatory guidelines for all new residential buildings. The Solaire was built and then completed in 2003.
Which brings me to my next point. Part of this contest is to establish Brad Pitt's fundamentals and dreams of what he is trying to do in New Orleans, specifically in the 9th Ward. If any of you never saw what Hurricane Katrina did in its devastation, then you must research this. But here is Brad's mission statement regarding the 9th Ward :
"Make It Right is clear: it is to be a catalyst for redevelopment of the Lower 9th Ward, by building a neighborhood comprised of safe and healthy homes that are inspired by Cradle to Cradle thinking, with an emphasis on a high quality of design, while preserving the spirit of the community's culture."
Here is the challenge. I applaud Mr. Pitt's efforts, sweat, and courage to get something started, that the government has pledge to help in its efforts. Let's take it one step further. HUD, U.S. Department Housing and Urban Development, with the help of President Bush, pledge millions of dollars in grants and in mortgages because of Katrina. But here lies the problem. You... us... me... myself... If the general public is not made aware of the availability of the current programs designed to correct the issue, then what leverage does the industry have in making the public aware that there is a very viable solution to the crisis we are facing. ----- At the President's request, he got Congress to approve over 16 billion in recovery monies, in which the funds were provided through HUD's Community Development Block Grants.
Hey, I am all for the government, for grants, charities, etc, etc. But again, let's take this even a step further. How about utilizing the tools that we have right now, at our fingertips. Let's not wait for government intervention, or ideas that Brad Pitt has. Not knocking his "Make it right is helping rebuild the lower 9th ward" efforts. He has some great sponsors helping in his efforts and dreams. read on....
Here is my take on the whole situation about the ECO friendly environment and how we can educate ourselves and at the same time, make our living space not even more environmentally friendly, but more pleasant to live in.
I feel that we don't have to build new, but rebuild. In the last 2 years or so, we have had record foreclosures. We have had homes deteriorate because we as American Workers can't save what we want. We first need to worry about our families, that it's all about their health & wealth fare. So moving forward, how can we do this.
2 things that I would consider our arsenal of tools, while waiting for the gov't and others as I mentioned above.
The FHA 203-k loan. There are 2 versions of this.... the 203-k loan and the 203-k streamline loan. I am not going to bore you with details, you can read about it through the links. This type of mortgage allows you to incorporate all kinds of different rehab costs. Even if you want to add solar panels, new heating, new windows, etc,etc.
A type of mortgage that allows for additional costs from $4,000 to $8,000 to be financed into the new mortgage, no matter if it's a purchase or a refinance. This type of loan allows for specific improvements to cover, electric, heat, gas, and anything to do with improving your home as an ECO friendly home.
Summary : Overall, I am all about government, yet I don't want this to be political or that we jump up and down when a celebrity gets involved.
So, Brad Pitt, this is how we can make it more affordable now and not worry about help from outside groups. Let's get back to the basics and fundamentals. "EDUCATION"... When it comes to mortgages, there are still some programs that are very worthy. And not to sound negative, but I would bet that 50% of all loan officers out there don't have a clue about either program. This is where I think the problem starts and where we need to make sure that we are dealing with a true mortgage professional. Someone that has all of the options, yet that they can explain each one with ease. The same people that care as much as Brad Pitt, but have more than followers and their stardom. These programs mentioned have been at our finger tips for decades and we need to use them to the best of our ability while we wait for funding for such disasters mentioned above. But wait... why do we have to wait for such disasters, when the same programs mentioned above... such as the 203-K loan and the Energy Efficient Mortgage programs are readily accessible now, to help those fix up their homes that they live in. Or just for the fact that when buying a home, you can use these same programs. Please read the links supplied to give you more information on how these programs work. Thanks
- FHA Loans - USDA Loans - Conventional Loans - VA Loans - Mortgages - - ENERGY EFFICIENT Mortgages -
I stumbled across a pretty amazing tool yesterday! It is the Optimal Home Location finder which is an wonderful Real Estate Tool. Beats Walk Score all to heck, IMHO and it would work really well if you combined it with Walk Score.
Unique Relocation Tool for all Your Family needs.
Find your family's specific Optimal Home Location that minimizes your combined commute. Save on gas and avoid traffic frustration.
Preview and compare your commutes from a number of alternative locations.
Compare town demographics (real estate taxes, % of homes with kids).
Map neighborhood attractions (schools, supermarkets, libraries, Starbucks, churches and temples).
Explore how to live green: walkable neighborhoods and smaller carbon footprint.
Print summary report to discuss with family and friends.
With more and more people wanting to save money, time and gas and finding that more valuable than living out in the middle of the suburbs, this site could be mana from heaven. All you do is simply input your work locations, school locations, daycare locations, friends locations and a couple of other frequently visited places and then notate how you commute between them. The program then uses mathmatic alogorithms and google maps to tell you where you should live for an optimal location. It also provides you with neighborhood demographics and current real estate values using Zillow (Zillow values are not accurate yet in Utah).
I already know that my home is pretty central to all of these things and when I plugged in my locations it placed my home smack in the middle of my own neighborhood. So it really seems to work well. As a realtor, I am going to suggest that all my clients check it out.
This Holiday season the folks at 350.org gave me a gift of carbon offsets. As a gift to you this season, I'd like to pass to 25 of my readers one day of carbon neutrality as well. If you claim this gift, Brighter Planet will donate 136 pounds of carbon offsets in your name. These offsets help fund renewable energy projects and are an important part of fighting climate change. All that is asked in return is that you consider conserving where you can during the holidays. For conservation recommendations follow this link.
Once you claim your free gift, you'll be able to pay it forward to your friends, family and colleagues.
Best wishes!
Hurry and click the picture below before the 25 are gone! Happy Holidays!
The One Day campaign is a small way to show your support to fight climate change. For every participant, Brighter Planet will donate 136 pounds of offsets -- the equivalent of one day's worth of CO2 emissions (based on the estimated average American footprint of 24.78 tons). The more people that give the gift of carbon neutrality for one day, the better. Thousands of gift recipients and givers will know that the climate movement is spreading far beyond the typical “environmental” realm and into the norm.
I have always been of the opinion that the best thing you can do before you do anything else is ensure that your home is as energy efficient as possible before you go an install more solar panels or wind turbines than you may need. Before you install a high efficiency furnace or air conditioning don't you think it would be better to ensure that your windows are tight and your attic is insualted?
Well, the Christian Sicence Monitor published an excellent story on this over the weekend. A must read, in my opinion, for anyone considering renewable energy or energy efficient appliances.
From the article:
When Ted and Astrid Olsson set out to cut their home electricity bill, they had three strong incentives to buy solar panels: federal, state, and city subsidies. But they shelved the idea in favor of insulating the attic of their San Francisco Victorian.
Sure, you aren't showing off your panels and turbines to your neighbors and the upgrades aren't usually visible to the naked eye, but they are better upgrades. What good is it to generate electricity for your furnace if all the heat you make is going out the roof and the windows?
Along the lines of this topic I also did a post back in February on just how much insulation you really need. It is a link to a podcast that you should also listen to prior to tightening up your home.
The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) is back this year with an amazing deal once again. If you jump over to Amazon.com to purchase the OLPC for $399 another OLPC will be donated to a needy child somewhere in the world. Or you may also just purchase one to be donated for $199. Remember that $199.00 of your donation is also tax deductible.
Mission Statement: To create educational opportunities for the world's poorest children by providing each child with a rugged, low-cost, low-power, connected laptop with content and software designed for collaborative, joyful, self-empowered learning. When children have access to this type of tool they get engaged in their own education. They learn, share, create, and collaborate. They become connected to each other, to the world and to a brighter future.
While I wouldn't say that this fits with the green focused topics of my blog, I feel that this is a very worthwhile program that is worthy of support. The opportunities that they can bring children throughout the world are amazing.
It is critically important to adequately educate all the children of the emerging world. Simply doing more of the same is no longer enough, if it ever was. If their citizens are to benefit—as they should—from the spread of the technology-based global information economy, these nations must rethink the old top-down classroom paradigm, and replace it with a dynamic learning model that leverages the children themselves, turning them into “teachers” as well as “learners.” The tool with which to unlock their enormous potential is the XO. Put this ultra-low-cost, powerful, rugged, and versatile laptop in their hands, and the kids will do the rest.
Hello everyone! I am doing a giveaway over at my other blog and I thought I would invite my active rain readers to pop in, check it out and enter to win. So head over to EcoZebra and check it out. You will be entering to win a Rickshaw "Zero" Messenger Bag.
A while back I let you all know about 350.org. It was a great post and has been read over 800 times between my two blogs. Sadly, I offered a prize if I could get 350 people to comment and commit to helping to spread the word of 350.org and It didn't happen, I didn't get 350 comments. Between two blogs I got about 15 comments. Over 800 read it and only 15 were willing to commit to helping spread the word of 350.org. Made me sad. so I am trying again. This time I only want 35 comments. 35 on EACH blog. As soon as I get 35 individual comments from 35 different people who are going to send an invitation to both presidential candidates I will enter those 35 names into a drawing for a copy of Deep Economy by Bill McKibben.! That is potentially two winners if I get 35 comments on both blogs!
So what is this invitation to the candidates? Read below and find out.
Here's the idea: The United States has historically contributed the most to global warming, and over the past eight years, it's done the least to stop it. Whoever takes office as U.S. President next year has a lot of work to do to bring the U.S. back to the table and commit the country to taking a strong leadership position on confronting global warming. In December, leaders from all around the world will gather in Poznan, Poland to discuss the next international climate treaty. It's important that citizens from around the globe put pressure on Obama and McCain to ensure they attend the meeting and play their part in getting the U.S. to be a leader on global warming. Please visit www.350.org/invite to send your personal invitation.
Well, I am in Utah and I have a fair amount of Utah readers, so here is a little update for all of you. On November 8th, The Park City Board of Realtors, Recycle Utah and the Canyons Resort will be hosting the Green Building Consumer Tradeshow in Park City at the Summit Hotel. The event will be from 10am to 3pm and there is a $1.00 admission fee. Parking is free. There will be over 40 vendors showcasing; Solar power, photovoltaic panels, solar hot water, tankless water heaters, reclaimed and sustainable hardwoods, alternative energy cars, Energy Star® windows, smart home light controls, “dark skies” lighting, green builders & architects, green mortgages, incentives & rebates and more. Several Speakers will be covering various topic throughout the day.
The Canyons – Green Initiatives, 10:20 am
Mayor Dana Williams — Park City Sustainability, 10:30 am
Green Building Center — Indoor Air Quality, 11 am
Rocky Mountain Power & Questar Incentives, 11:45 am
Renewable Energy Options, 12 noon
Alternative Fuel Vehicles, 1 pm Recycle Utah Q & A, 1:30 pm
Green Home Loan Options, 2 pm
Ice Dams: Park City’s Biggest Problem, 2:15 pm
It is a worthwhile event and I will be there at the Green Built Communities booth so stop by and say Hi.
Andrew Stone | Windermere Real Estate | 801.201.8681
8381 Powell Ave., Magna, UT
Comfortable Living Away From The Crowds.
3BR/2BA Single Family House
offered at $215,000
Year Built
1955
Sq Footage
2,052
Bedrooms
3
Bathrooms
2 full, 0 partial
Floors
Unspecified
Parking
1
Lot Size
.15 acres
HOA/Maint
$0 per month
DESCRIPTION
Enjoy life in this wonderfully updated Magna home. This home features many fabulous updates along with a spacious yard and space for a vegetable garden. The main floor features 2 bedrooms, 1 full bath and a large kitchen along with a large living room and semi-formal dining room that are enhanced by the beautiful stone fireplace.
The basement has been completely finished and features 1 bedroom and a 3/4 bath. It can be easily closed off and quickly converted to a wonderful 1 bedroom mother-in-law apartment with a separate entrance. Or, with the large family room, fireplace and separate kitchen it is the perfect space for entertaining friends and family and provides a quiet, out of the way, guest room or kids room.
The home features energy efficient upgrades as well and with double pane windows, a Rinnai tankless water heater, Energy Star Appliances and gas dryer connections you will live in warmth and comfort without high utility bills.
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
. Remember that $199.00 of your donation is also tax deductible.
Central A/C
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