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SMART MOVES

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In real property investing as in nature, the shades of green-to-blue are many.
Arrays of choices on the colorful Investment Spectrum could work (or not work)
to your benefit. For the 1031 investor, land investor, second or first home investor,
it pays to know about the "hues and tones" of the landscape.

Tonight I'm writing about smart moves inspired by an investor-client of mine.
In a recent conversation, he allowed as how he wanted to combine his eco-friendly dreams with "reality".

"Reality?" I exclaimed. "What's more real than a triple win? " I then opined , "That's what ya' get when you
a) invest wisely in an appreciating market, b) know what to look for in terms of healthy-built possibilities, and
c) add something positive to a community...." OK, OK--I'll admit --I am one person with lots of opinions and advice.

My first piece of advice is: Check out the trend-watchers if you want to make smart moves within that vast landscape I mentioned. I have a list of 100 Smart Moves. ...I'll post the next batch if you're interested, but let's start with these:

5 Smart from the Start "Smart Moves"

Familiarize yourself with the "sense of place" in a community in which you plan to invest. It's important to see properties of interest in context. For example, my eco-friendly client is an avid hiker and bicyclist. A smart move for him is to take into consideration bike paths, and hiking distances. One of the first questions he had for me concerned trails, and outdoor gathering places. More and more, such amenities are showing up in developers' marketing literature. Why? Because more and more smart movers are looking for value-added points that a sustainable community racks up with today's buyers.
Learn how to recognize value-added features. AR's own Kevin Caldwell, ecologist,gives you an excellent summary of what happens in land planning before ground is broken proving that smart moves are not only about interior features. They include exterior amenities. Ask about native vegetation. Ask AR's David Britt about rain gardens. Discover green ways, and water-wise systems.
Find out all you can about energy efficiencymortgages,(EEMs). AR's Mary Bigelow knows all about them. Get really clued-in on high performance buildings, , Energy Star-rated appliances and energy efficient interiors.
Consult with an Eco savvy REALTOR®. When you get this person on your team, you benefit from her in-depth education on important matters including those indoor and outdoor features I just mentioned. Smart moves for today and tomorrow mean taking into account sustainable design and construction. Sustainability means increased value.
Review the following Resources Links for a rapid overview from "A" to "Z" on everything from asbestos to Energy Star guidelines, LEED certification, Healthy-Built homes, Home Energy Ratings, "Low-E" windows, Low VOC paints, water management, and zero waste.

Resources Links:
http://www.energystarloans.com/
http://www.greenlightloans.com/
http://www.healthhouse.org/
Green Building, THE Active Rainer's Conversation

LET ME KNOW if you want to get another 5 or so "Smart Moves.

"Subscribe to Your Favorite BLOGS, Comment & Bring Your 'Energy' to the Posts You Read"
~ Green-o-Lina

Posted by janeAnne, Asheville's "Green-o-Lina" NAR GREEN Real Estate Consultant on 06/26/2007 01:18 AM

Comments (35)

eco topics, asheville green real estate, 1031, greenolina

Originally posted at: Asheville ECO-GREEN Real Estate: SMART MOVES

35 Comments on SMART MOVES

JUN

2007

Everyone~

I'd welcome reading your additions to my List.

JUN

2007

janeAnne:Thank you for some xcellent suggestions! Keep adding to the list(s). We all need as many "Smart Moves" as we can find!

I'm beginning to just plain get smart with all this great info on things I had no clue of. Thanks to you and all the wealth of info on AR I have got a gold mine of a memory bank...thanks!

Landscaping is an often forgotten area of concern. In Hawaii we have many beautiful native plants. Also how you landscape can effect things like termite attraction and water run off from rain. It can also effect the direct sun and cooling costs.

JaneAnne, great advice. I can't think of anything else to add. Land only purchases are tricky, here we sometimes recommend Environmental Assessment's to see if there is any polluted land or Endangered Species. Consumers definitely need a Pro when buying land. I love the picture! Gorgeous!

Hi JaneAnne - you think (think being the key word) you're starting to learn all (or some) of the questions you want to help your clients ask or find out more about, then you write this and throw another angle at us for the GREENIES. Thanks for keeping us on our toes. Love the picture, btw. Where'd you take it?

Roberta~

It just seems a good idea to stay on top of the trends. I'll be sure to add to the list here at AR. Look for an update in just a week or so...One "Smart Move" on behalf of all of us on this amazing network is to keep in touch and share our stories and experiences, as you do. That's why I subscribe to your BLOG!

Nice Post Janeanne, this creates a new perspective on land/value purchases with a twist.

Sally~

Hang on~ From the way things are looking with this network, you may have to take a ride in a sky-writer to keep up with all the news, stories and empowering info. Though I'm no "sky-writer" I do like to keep an eye out for trends. ..it's just a "smart move" as someone said. . .

Randy~

Good Points!

I am not sure how often folks notice the positive impact native landscaping can have on their environment and their wallets. Since I met Kevin (see above) I have become acutely aware of the importance of taking native landscaping into consideration. It's great to have an ecologist on board at Active Rain, eh?

Steph~

Thanks for noticing the photo. I was kind of happy with it, myself, especially since I remember how it felt when I took it! When you have this as your backyard, you really pay attention to the "shades of green".

Like you in Texas, here in the Asheville area more and more we are seeing environmental assessments as contingencies on contracts. One of our clients , an eco-wise developer, offers land adjacent to an old apple orchard. There, when an environmental assessment showed that contamination from the chemicals used throughout the years was a problem, our clients designed their 2000 + AC tract to take that into account, then remedied the problem as prescribed.

Ed~

Oh! I am so glad you like my photo! I took it on the Blue Ridge Parkway from an overlook...on Mother's Day. It reminds me of that day, a picnic, and the message written between the lines the scene seemed to say..."Take Good Care of Your Mama!!" ... There are so many shades of TLC. Stewardship comes easy when scenes like this surround you.

janeAnne..even here in the"Live Free or Die" State they are reviewing their policys. Especially those pertaining to shoreline protection and lake and stream pollution! Can't just plop down a shack with an outhouse any more!

Good Advise> I have learned a lot and will keep all this info handy in my search for land etc.Thank you

I see you've been playing in photoshop again...nice pic.

Well I wouldn't mind investing in a place similar to your photo! Could you imagine a building there? I can't. Some things need to be left untouched.

Hi janeAnne - what a gorgeous picture you used in this post !!! Beautiful! Is that your view every day? ;-)

Gary~

I like the idea of a "twist" as you suggest. Just so long as it's not twisted(I'm just kidding!)

There are so many ways to look at real property. Everyone seems to see a different view. Maybe that's because ...although we are the "same" in so many ways...each one is different. What do you think?

The "sense of place" to the fisherman on the lake is totally different form the "sense of place" to a toddler just learning to paddle in the water...but that "sense of place" is what drives much of the decision -making process when it comes to clients/buyers/sellers...

Joni~

I can relate to your comment. that you can't just.."...plop down a shack with an outhouse..." in your neighborhood anymore.

Just about 10 years ago,the Madison County N.C.. Health and Sanitation Department began addressing the straight piping. issue through a grant from the NCClean Water Management. The Buncombe County (Asheville area) N.C.

Straight Pipe Elimination and Septic Repair Program began in a little later
Goal: Eliminate straight piping and repair failing septic systems. Since then, field teams have surveyed wastewater conditions of households in the Ivy River Watershed, and offered face-to-face education on septic systems, maintenance, and repair requirements

Renate~

As I read your comment, I felt very gratified. It makes me happy to know that someone out there is getting some good info that can work in a decision-making process. As an old schoolteacher, I feel as if i've earned my "apple"...

Jeff~

Glad you liked my "shades of green" effort. I took this photo on a very overcast day...Across the way is a picnic area. At this time of year, the "hills are alive" with the sound of family laughter and gentle breezes...

Karen~

TOTALLY! I mean... I totally agree with you. People and developers come and go, but THIS gem of many shades is for all to share, in perpetuity...IMHO. . I took this photo from a view-turn-out on the Blue Ridge Parkway. This scenic byway is protected from development.

#1 is my motto- we can find the right house but lets focus on finding the right community that fits your lifestyle first...

GREAT compilation of info here janeAnn, always first class!

Michele~

Three happy bows and a big smile of appreciation for your kind comment.

I love the idea of taking time to "feel" a residential neighborhood...or an acreage...
Wherever you will make your Home, almost needs to be understood in the morning, afternoon and by moonlight.

Over the-years, I've found that the real estate professional who respects that notion is one to whom clients will return.

janeAnne,

it is such an added benefit to have a Realtor working for you who is intuitive to the clients inner pulse.With that we can economize on the time and toil it takes to find their best place.

Beautiful photo as always!

Ginger

JUN

2007

Wow JaneAnne! I haven't even read anything yet but I had to drop in and tell you how that picture caught my eyes as I was scanning through your blog. You have such a great knack at capturing beauty! Thanks for the photo!

Great start but I know you are just warming up.

JUN

2007

Ginger~

You hit the nail on the head. Shades, hues and tones of any circumstance often require intuition to come into play. I love the idea that a person who is on my team has that special "spark"...and I suspect most of our clients will appreciate that as well.

Mary~

I took that photo with my digital camera...I took it on a Sunday Drive on the Blueridge Parkway. I don't know if you have ever had the good fortune to enjoy this scenic road, but if you haven't be sure to schedule it into your plans...and then you, too, will be able to share photos like this =)

Arlene~

Thanks for your comment...and encouragement, I think(??) just warming up, eh? WELL...you may be right...now let's see what else I have to say on the shades of color in nature...(I'm smiling)

JUL

2007

No JaneAnne, I have not been there yet but dream of a gorgeous drive like that! The coloring is specatucular..it nearly looks hand painted! How wonderful the memories you have of capturing the photo!

Regarding your writing ... I, for one, would like you to continue your list of 100. I also had not read your TREND article before. I am glad you linked to it. The 5 you highlighted today are very important. It is important that the clients align themselves with professionals who truly understand and continually learn about the finer points. I would love to hear more from Kevin Caldwell. As he has said before, each area of the country, even within states, is different and these differences need to be taken into consideration.

Familiarize yourself with the "sense of place" in a community in which you plan to invest. This is a great point. In addition to "life style" a person will want to be within distance of employment AND enjoyment. All of this will have a positive effect on sustainability and energy savings. I also believe that it will create "communities" again, something we are sorely missing at times --

Give us 5 more!!!!

JUL

2007

Great post. The straw bale houses have mortgage challenges -- I'm going to tell Richard about EEMs.

Mary~

First of all, thanks for your comments and for subscribing to my BLOG. Knowing I have readers like you makes me feel the energy I put into my posts is worth it...in the broad sense. Here we are celebrating the Fourth of July this week, and I am thinking of that special sense of community to can be like the fireworks...can light up the darkness and inspire communities to BE INVOLVED...

JudyAnn~

Glad that you enjoyed this post and even happier that you may have found some valuable information. Let me know what you discover, OK?

Good analogy - this community has certainly brightened my life!

Hard to believe we have passed the 1/2 way point of 2007. Have an awesome 4th -

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