green homes: THREE TOP PROBLEMS GETTING AN APPRAISAL FOR GREEN BUILDING - 04/20/10 05:12 PM
 
THE THREE TOP PROBLEMS GETTING AN APPRAISAL FOR GREEN BUILDING Green-building pays off when annual utility cost savings offset the somewhat higher initial cost.  However, getting an appraiser to help you secure a home loan for Rapid City real estate that includes green-building features, may be difficult for three reasons: 1. Lack of education by appraisers about how to estimate future utility cost savings 2. Lack of verifiable data for appraisers to consider in "comparables" 3. Lack of sophistication of MLS' and local realty boards to know how (or want to) value green building. According to Kevin Morrow, senior program manager … (0 comments)

green homes: Homestar Energy Efficiency Retrofit Program - 03/05/10 04:45 PM
From the White House:  President Obama has announced the initiatives for HOMESTAR, a program that offers incentives for people to make their homes more energy-efficient.  According to Jetson Green, "The HOMESTAR program, first and foremost, has been designed to help three groups at the same time.  It'll help homeowners improve their real property and use less energy.  It'll help construction workers find projects and employment.  It'll help manufacturers and vendors sell green products. 
Here's more, from President Obama's web site.  Homeowners who make investments for energy-efficiency in their homes will be eligible to receive: Direct rebates for energy-saving investments 50 … (3 comments)

green homes: MORE "GREENWASHING" IN THE NEWS - 12/08/09 06:06 PM

"Greenwashing" refers to the rampant and exagerated loose advertising claims about anything "green."  Oddly, in today's world of heightened legitimate interest in green homes, green living and green products, no Federal or industry group enforces rules against "greenwashing."  Caveat Emptor.  We're on our own.  Until now.  ABC News recently ran a fine background story on the topic of greenwashing and where to find help identifying it, and thereby how to hold manufacturers and homebuilders to meaningful facts instead of puffery.  Scot Case of TerraChoice did a fine job of providing solid facts and helpful tips for us consumers on how to detect, … (0 comments)

green homes: AWASH IN GREENWASH - 09/25/09 11:25 PM
 
 
Consumers, beware! The rising tide of "greenwash" is about to drown the minority of homes and household furnishings that are, in fact, "green." When you buy "pure" orange juice, the Federal Trade Commission requires certain criteria be met to use "pure." Same with EPA-certified automobile mileage claims, FDA-certified drug claims, and FCC-certified safety claims. But any one can stand in the street and claim " I have a green__(you name it)___". Truth in product labelling is critical to the healthy diffusion of new technological products that truly do meet public expectations. However, media advertisers, many hapless real estate agents, … (1 comments)

green homes: SPECIAL FINANCIAL INCENTIVES FOR GOING GREEN - 09/25/09 11:22 PM
 


We have an annual Electro-Technology Expo for real estate and home building people, sponsored by Black Hills Power and my Black Hills Home Builders Association. I went, expecting to get a lot of work done in the backs of the rooms on my wifi-connected PC. After all, how engrossing would a session on "Modern Water Heaters" be? Well that was a mistake. Session after session played the same refrain. It goes like this. The home is no longer a thing. It is many inter-dependent dynamically operating systems. While we sleep at night, or leave for work by day, … (0 comments)

green homes: GREEN STIMULUS PACKAGE - 09/25/09 11:17 PM

So. We're hearing a lot about how the great white Stimulus Package will stimulate green living and green buildings. Let's get down to specifics. What provisions, exactly is this Stimulus Package going to include for true green spending and investments? (See my prior post on "Green-washing".) I have been tracking a lot of different parts of it. But CNN/News has done a fine job of summarizing. Here are some of the excerpts from CNN's synopsis:
Conservation programs: ($24 billion House, $15 billion Senate) -Conservation is the biggest single part of the green plan. ...For example, $12 billion would go toward … (0 comments)

green homes: THE ABC’s of VOC’s: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW - 09/25/09 10:39 PM
 
Surely you've heard the increased advertising lately about low-VOC household paints. Are they exaggerated warnings? Are there other household products besides paint to be concerned with? (Yes.) What is a "VOC?" How can it affect your family health and home value? Without any hype, how do you know your true risk level? As one of the Black Hills' only real estate licensees with national certification in green homes, and backed up with a Ph.D. in engineering, maybe I can help.
First, why should you care? Simple. VOC's are dangerous, at high enough levels. They are everywhere, at some level, and … (1 comments)

green homes: WILL FEDERAL GREEN-HOME STANDARDS AFFECT YOUR HOME’S VALUE? - 09/24/09 10:47 PM
 

Will the Federal "GREEN Act" require you to spend money to refurbish your home? Will it create "Green Standards" that your home may not meet when you try to sell it? This legislation is getting lost on page-2, but it could impact us all. Here are the facts, according to the National Association of Realtors.
The bill's Fannie/Freddie provisions are limited to:
Provides credit toward GSE housing goals for encouraging use of energy- and location-efficient mortgages. Adds a new duty to serve for underserved markets for energy-efficient and location-efficient mortgages. There are however, a range of financial incentive programs … (0 comments)

green homes: HOW TO HOLD YOUR BUILDER ACCOUNTABLE FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY - 09/24/09 10:16 PM
 
Regarding rampant greenwashing by home builders, South Dakota's 2009 Senate Bill 64 requires: (1) builders to "disclose to the ...prospective buyer ... the energy efficiency of the residential building," and (2) adopts the International Energy Conservation Code as our standard.The 'teeth' in the bill is a State-required form you should request from your builder: "Builder's Energy Efficiency Disclosure Statement." The form asks the builder quite simply, "Has this new residential building been built ...to meet the energy efficiency standards of the IECC". This South Dakota Legislature-mandated form then goes on to ask the builder to fill in R-values of various … (0 comments)

green homes: AWASH IN "GREENWASH" - 09/03/09 09:49 PM
Consumers, beware! The rising tide of "greenwash" is about to drown the minority of homes and household furnishings that are, in fact, "green." When you buy "pure" orange juice, the Federal Trade Commission requires certain criteria be met to use "pure." Same with EPA-certified automobile mileage claims, FDA-certified drug claims, and FCC-certified safety claims. But any one can stand in the street and claim " I have a green__(you name it)___". Truth in product labelling is critical to the healthy diffusion of new technological products that truly do meet public expectations. However, media advertisers, many hapless real estate agents, and a … (1 comments)

 
Lee Alley, Rapid City Area Communities (Senior Friendly Living, LLC) Rainmaker_large

Lee Alley

Rapid City Area Communities

Rapid City, SD

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Senior Friendly Living, LLC

Address: 550 N. 5th Street, Rapid City, SD, 57701

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