Brittney's Blog

Free Clock Hours Class in Seattle - "Selling Green Homes" - Thurs. August 7th

2008-07-28T13:36:35Z

Magnolia's First Horizon Home Loans Presents...

Selling Green Homes:

How to Turn Green Features into Assets that Sell Homes

Please join us for a FREE Clock Hours Class held at the Q Café.

Real Estate agents will earn 3 clock hours upon completion of the class.

Green Homes are becoming the hottest new trend in homebuilding today, but what does that mean to a Realtor, and how can you capitalize on it?

Come learn how green features, including site development, resource utilization (energy, water and waste reduction), light, indoor air quality and the aesthetic benefits of green features can be translated into assets that sell. The instructor, Brenda Nunes, is the developer of an award winning Built Green ^TM Home at Suncadia, a member of the Master Builders of King and Snohomish County Built Green^TM Executive Committee, as well as a member and supporter of several other Built Green^TM programs and committees.

Coffee, sparkling beverages, tasty treats, ambiance and artwork will be provided for your personal enjoyment.

~Please R.S.V.P. by August 4th^th~

Want to R.S.V.P? Have questions? Need more information? Please contact Robert Bergeron at (206) 378-4354 or email rbergeron@firsthorizon.com.

Hosted by Magnolia's First Horizon Home Loans
3300 W. McGraw St. #240
Seattle, WA 98199
(206) 378-4340
magnolia@firsthorizon.com
www.MagnoliaMortgages.net

Robert Bergeron, CMPS®
Direct: (206) 378-4354
Cell: (206) 849-8039
rbergeron@firsthorizon.com
www.RobertBergeron.biz

"Green Homes" Clock Hours Class - A Question For Real Estate Agents

2008-06-09T12:30:51Z

A question for real estate agents:

What would YOU like to learn about in a green homes clock hours course? What questions do you have pertaining to LEED Certification, BuiltGreen, green home architecture, sustainable design, etc? What would it take to get you turned on, tuned in and green savvy?

I've been asked to help organize a "Green Homes 101" clock hours class for agents, and I'd like to make sure it's tailored to meet a real estate agent's needs, so what better way than to go straight to the source?

Comments, suggestions, questions and poetry are highly encouraged!

Thanks a bundle,

Britt

Etsy.com: The Crafty Person's Dream Come True!

2008-04-17T18:30:24Z

For all you creative, crafty, project-loving people out there, http://www.etsy.com/ is a must! It is "Your place to buy & sell all things handmade."

Etsy is like ebay for creative people and artists who like to make stuff.

Along with the fact that everything on the site is beautifully unique and handmade, one of the best parts is that your money is going directly to the artist--there are no middlemen, sweatshops or massive corporations involved.

Your money goes directly to the creative genius behind the product. And if you're a creative type yourself, here's your chance to see if other people want to buy those quirky purses you made for your friends out of old cigar boxes that they still can't stop raving about!

Need a unique present for someone? Want to order a handmade, one-of-a-kind skirt? Want to design and sell scarves you made yourself in your spare time?Etsy is sooooo cool. (The creative geek in me can't help but jump up and down right now!)

One of my favorite items to give to clients is this adorable Butterfly House--it's $25 and makes a great housewarming gift for people with children. (http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=11097496) It's a lot like a bird house, except that kids can put cocoons they find outside in it and then watch butterflies develop! I also think this welcome sign makes a lovely gift to a new homeowner: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10925567.

If you haven't already seen it, you MUST go to this website. You will not regret it, I promise!

~Brittney

A Response to a Blog on Prefab Green Homes

2008-04-17T17:22:25Z

Hi folks,

I started to respond to a blog posted by Andrew Stone regarding prefab green homes and ended up writing a lot more than I expected to, so I figure'd I'd post my response here as well. He proposes that it's possible that prefab homes may become a much more acceptable practice in the future.

If you'd like to read the original Active Rain post that I'm responding to, check it out at: http://activerain.com/blogsview/454261/Is-Green-Prefab-the

Just some food for thought. Enjoy!

~Brittney

Andrew,

I actually saw this same prefab home featured in an article a while ago, and I really love the design! I think it was on lowimpactliving.com.

Personally, I really like the idea of prefab green homes but, in my experience, the people who are interested in a truly innovative and forward-thinking green home tend to like to have a lot of control over the various design and function elements of their home. I find that a large part of the pleasure in knowing that your way of living has a minimal impact to you and your environment is derived from the learning process that goes into making conscious, informed decisions regarding what kind of an "imprint" you leave on the world and people around you.

In some ways, these prefab homes can actually clash with certain "green" (or eco-friendly) values/philosophies because the bottom line is that a new, prefab green home uses more resources and creating more waste when instead we could be improving upon homes that already exist and building "recycled homes" out of materials from old homes (Re-Store is a great example of how old building materials can be re-used to create "new/recycled homes." Check it out at: http://www.re-store.org/)

The most likely application I see for these homes is as a superb economical vacation home. I myself have been toying with the idea of buying land on one of the San Juan islands here in Washington state and putting a small prefab green home like the one above on the property.

Another way in which these homes could be useful is through some sort of government sponsorship. Suppose FEMA had used prefab green homes (which would be, admittedly, quite expensive) instead of trailers to house Katrina survivors? What if we had given them housing that was well designed, void of harmful chemicals, and liveable for several generations? Unfortunately, the law currently prohibits FEMA from paying for "permanent" housing. (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5313007) These green prefab homes could also be used for any new low-income and senior housing that government agencies decide to create. Just a thought.

All in all, I like the innovative approach builders are taking by designing green prefab homes, and time will tell whether or not they are going to become a norm in the real estate market.

Cheers,

Brittney Williams

Seattle's 2008 Built Green Conference/Expo

2008-04-03T12:53:57Z

On Friday, March 14^th, I stepped out of the Built Green Conference/Expo 2008 in Seattle and found a cozy writing nook at Bauhaus. Armed with a spicy cup of chai and my laptop, I was ready to start writing my next blog article about what I learned all afternoon after talking to a slew of builders, energy conservationists, and company representatives about green building products and practices.

What is Green Building? It is the practice of creating a space that uses resources in an extremely efficient manner. Using innovative new ideas, the ideal green room/house/building should be as environmentally sound and sustainable as possible, healthier for its inhabitants and for the environment around it than the average home. Here’s a list of some of my favorite “green resources” that were shared at the expo:

Seattle Public Utilities offers a comprehensive series of Green Home Remodeling Guides which provide a variety of comparable green materials and prices for every room in the house. Their website is www.seattle.gov/dpd/GreenBuilding/.

Built Green Home Remodeler’s Checklist created by the Master Builder’s Association (MBA), you can learn about the criteria green builders use to make a home “green” and rate your own home from 1-5 stars. You can access it at www.builtgreen.net/checklists.html.

EnergyStar Rebates offered by local utility companies allow you to “Save Now and Save Later” by getting rebates of up to $200 on energy-efficient home appliances such as refrigerators and freezers that use substantially less energy than typical appliances. You can get more info at www.energystar.gov.

Natural Choice Directory (www.naturalchoice.net) is Seattle’s guide to healthy service providers, a “Healthy Yellow Pages,” that lists businesses and resources that are dedicated to healthy living.

Honestly, I have so much information I hardly know what to do with it all yet, but hopefully I’ll keep finding ways to share as much as possible. I’m collecting information and attending “green-centric” home events because I’d like to become a knowledgeable resource for anyone who is interested in sustainable, environmentally friendly living options.

If you have any questions or would like me to email you more information, I’d be more than happy to help. Anything that can be done to make our homes healthier and more sustainable is always worth a closer look.

~Brittney Williams

Holiday "Green Tips"

2007-12-10T21:02:35Z

Most Decembers in the Seattle area are decidedly green, not white (despite how much we may pine for a snowy holiday). This year, I've made a commitment to myself to "go green" and find some simple ways to minimize the damage done to our environment by our cheerful holiday consumerism. The following are some useful tips I've gathered to lessen the impact of holiday habits while enhancing the caring, gift-giving spirit we enjoy so dearly.

Buy a live, locally-grown, Christmas tree that is planted in a pot. You can transplant it in your yard after Christmas, or you can put it in a large pot to keep in your backyard to enjoy and reuse for years to come. Alpine Farms in Port Orchard (phone: 360.674.2540) specializes in Pacific Northwest native species of potted trees that will grow well in our climate.
Spread the Christmas cheer by giving to those in need while reducing clutter-take time to drop off old clothes and toys at your local Salvation Army. The clothes and toys will be reused instead of ending up in a landfill, and money from their resale goes to good causes.
Give a gift that doesn't need to be wrapped-create a special experience or make your gift instead, take a trip to the movies together, make someone a "coupon" for a date to their favorite restaurant, donate money to his/her favorite charity, buy yearly pass to the zoo or a national park, or give a fancy bottle of wine (the glass can be recycled afterward) and enjoy a glass of it while you read that special someone poems. Use comics, last year's gift bags or recycled paper if something does need to be wrapped. My parents used to hide unwrapped Christmas gifts around the house with our names written on them, creating an exciting and memorable "treasure hunt" from Santa.
Bring your own bags with you while you are shopping: Keep a few cloth bags in your car and pull them out at the market, grocery store...whenever you're out shopping. The handles never break off and you'll never find yourself walking to your door with a gaping hole in the bag and a trail of groceries scattered behind.
LED Christmas lights: They're super-cool, last forever and use one-tenth as much electricity. The best part? The modern technology means no more fiddling around with broken or burnt out bulbs! They're also easy to find--almost every local hardware store has them.

No matter what you do or give this holiday season, there are always a few small changes you can make in the way you give and live that will make a big impact on our environment in the course of time. I always find that the gift with the biggest impact on a person is a heartfelt hug and a few simple, honest words telling them that they are loved.

Feel free to share this with anyone and everyone!

Shades of Green: An Eco-Friendly Blog For Anyone Interested

2007-12-10T20:46:01Z

Have you stopped to consider the changing face of consumerism and the shades of green that are gradually becoming a driving economic force in a consumer's decision-making process? Slowly but surely, people are starting to realize that every choice they make as a consumer has a direct impact on the world around them. These eco-friendly values are beginning to play an integral part in home design and what a potential homeowner looks for in a house.

Recently, home builders and interior designers have taken recycling to the next level--why only recycle plastic containers and paper scraps when one can recycle an entire home? Why buy new furniture when we can have a beautiful vintage couch that's custom decorated with non-toxic, eco-friendly fabric? It is logical, practical and stylish to gradually change the way we live to be more conscious of how our environment affects our health and quality of living, as well as how we affect the environment around us.

Savvy real estate agents understand that, in order to provide the best possible service for their clients, they must keep current with their knowledge of the numerous driving forces behind the real estate market. The gradual shift of consumers who desire to "live green" is one which I firmly believe will only continue to become more significant as time passes. Thus, it is prudent for anyone involved in real estate or home lending to learn about what is being done to "green" our homes and why customers will care about "living green."

In my blog, I hope to provide anyone interested with information and resources on "all things green" that pertain to home construction, design, decoration, purchase/sale, lending and, most importantly, living. I'm rather new to the mortgage industry and find that by writing this blog to educate others, I'm giving myself the gift of continuous education. For a while, I struggled to figure out how I could directly apply my own personal philosophies and way of living to the seemingly daunting "big business" of home lending, but I think I've found my niche-sharing what I know with you. Allrighty then, I'd better giddyup and start sharing!