Eco Friendly Real Estate Blog

There's a lot of attention being given these days to building "green" homes, and to renovating existing homes to be more green.  This is a Very Good Thing, in my opinion, for many reasons, not the least of which is, these homes cost less to run.

But how many think about something very basic, the thing that makes any home "greener than thou", when it comes right down to it? 

What is it?  Do you think you know?  Ponder it for a moment, then read on.

The answer is TIME.

Not the time it takes to build the house.  Not the time it takes to pay for the house.

No, the time the house is built to last.  If a house is built to last for 10 years, then must be replaced, it has a certain environmental cost made up not only of the materials used to build it, but the materials used to build the replacement home, as well.  If the house is built to last for 50 years, the environmental cost is much less, over time.  If the house is built to last for generations (as some houses in Europe have), the environmental cost is dramatically less, even taking into consideration repairs and renovations that are made over those generations.Houses that are designed with additions in mind, if they should become necessary in future, houses that are designed to be living things, to "grow" with the families that inhabit them over time, houses that are built to work well in the environment in which they find themselves, are the greenest of the green.

As a culture, we have a tendency to disdain the old and insist on the new.  That's not the environmentally friendly way to think, however.  If a house is sound, if it was built to last forever, the last thing that needs to be done, if you want to be truly "green", is to tear it down and build a new house in its place. 

Without that very basic approach, we're hampered in building green homes, and in treading gently on the earth.  And yet I never hear this mentioned in all of the talk of "green building", of how the quality of the house and its ability to last over time is, with how it's oriented on the lot, the very foundation of building green. 

Wonder why that is? 

‘On October 3, 2008, President Bush signed into law the "Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008." This bill extended tax credits for energy efficient home improvements (windows, doors, roofs, insulation, HVAC, and non-solar water heaters). Tax credits for these residential products, which had expired at the end of 2007, will now be available for improvements made during 2009. However, improvements made during 2008 are not eligible for a tax credit.'

‘The bill also extended tax credits for solar energy systems and fuel cells to 2016. New tax credits were established for small wind energy systems and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Tax credits for builders of new energy efficient homes and tax deductions for owners and designers of energy efficient commercial buildings were also extended.' From the energystar.gov website.

Okay, so what can you do for the year 2008? And how do you plan for 2009.

Well, for 2008, you can check your State's tax incentive programs at the Department of Energy's website to see if your state offers any tax incentive for home or business improvements. (http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/states/alternatives/tax_incentives.cfm)

They have a link to a database which lists each individual State's incentives. If the link on that page doesn't work for you, (as it didn't for me) you can get there by clicking on this one: http://www.dsireusa.org/

Also, check the manufacturer's website for a rebate offer. I'm afraid there is not much more you can do than this.

For 2009, however, you can prepare now. Go to the Energy Star website and print out their chart for Federal Tax credits for Consumers, Home Builders and for Commercial Buildings. This will help you in determining which products to buy for the best value.

Lots of great information here. For example, did you know that there is a tax credit for builders of Manufactured Homes if they are built to increase energy efficiency of the heating and cooling system by 30%? Or that there is a tax credit available for purchasing a Biomass Stove (stove which burns biomass fuel to heat a home or heat water)?

Obviously, this isn't a complete offering for what might be out there, but it's a place to start.

I wish you all smart planning for a renewable New Year!

Frances Sanderson, Franklin, NH  REALTOR®, Certified EcoBroker^®

I feel that educating our youth on energy savings and protecting the environment is part of my service as a Certified EcoBroker^®, and I'd like to share some of my favorites. They range in age appropriateness and levels of difficulty. Hopefully, your children will find them as stimulating as their Nintendo^®, Playstation^® and WII^® games.

Please feel free to add your favorites to the list. (Be sure to scroll through the comments as the list keepas growing.)

http://www.touchstoneenergykids.com/ Touchstone Energy Kid Zone

http://www.eere.energy.gov/kids/ US Department of Energy

http://www.eere.energy.gov/education/lessonplans/ US Department of Energy

http://sciencespot.net/Pages/kidzone.html The Science Spot Kid Zone

http://www.iknowthat.com/com/Search?Search=Environment Learning Skills for Life

http://www.agclassroom.org/kids/ Agriculture in the Classroom

http://content.fsa.usda.gov/FSAKIDS/ Farm Service Agency

www.eia.doe.gov/kids/ Energy Information Administration

http://www.energyhog.org/childrens.htm Alliance to Save Energy

These links are presented as a service only. I do not endorse or warranty this information.

NEW ON ENERGYSTAR.GOV WEBSITE...ENERGY STAR KIDS 

www.energystar.gov/kids

Fran Sanderson, Franklin, NH, REALTOR^®, Certified EcoBroker^®

Just in the past year and a half we have gone from the majority of people not ever hearing about Green Building/Green Homes- To the majority of people wanting to go Green in their homes in one way or another.  What I find fascinating about this movement is that it is truly a Consumer Driven market right now. 

I mean, who would NOT want a more Energy Efficient, Healthier home right?

Now, I can't speak for all areas of the Nation, but in Houston, this has created some what of a...Frustration.  There are more people looking for a 'Green' New Construction Home (key word New Construction) than there really are homes on the ground.  We can find Energy Efficient, not a problem.  But when we start adding in the Low/No VOC Paints, Caulks, Products- Recycled Content- Renewable Energy and so forth...it is few and far between sometimes.

Then if someone really wants to build, we take in to consideration the cost of New Construction for a TRUE 'Green' built home, LEED for example, this is right now in Houston- quite high compared to what most people are looking for when you take the size of home desired, features that they want IN the home...we are looking at about $200 per square foot NOT counting the cost of land vs. $80-$120 for resales or just Energy Efficient or minimally Green.  That is a pretty big leap.

Not taking in to consideration the cost, part of this is a numbers game.  How many buyers are there vs. New Construction Inventory homes right now?  Probably quite a few more buyers. 

But what if we change that scenario to How many buyers are there vs. Homes on the Market right now?  Now we are talking! 

On my other blog I have just finished a series called the 'Hypothetical Remodel' where myself and some of the Green Building Experts around town decided to put something together on how exactly Homebuyers can Purchase and existing Home with the Floorplan, Location and other features desired, use a Conventional 30 Year Fixed Renovation Loan to 'Green' up the house.

Remember how the cost difference was between $80 and $120 per sq ft?  That is a lot of room in many cases to be able to Renovate about any home out there to YOUR desire.  It would have the Cosmetic features such as tile, countertops, etc that you want in a home with everything else to fit the Buyers needs.

Here is a basic breakdown of how it works:

• Make sure that you qualify for a Conventional Loan for a desired purchase amount
• Find the home you want..with a great imagination of course of what the home COULD look like
• Once we get the contract written, call out some contractors and designers!
• An Energy Audit is Essential here also to get it more Energy Efficient
• Get the bids for the work, the home will be appraised for AFTER Renovation Value
• Once you close on the home, the work should be complete in no more than 60 Days

Personally, I forsee a lot of interest in these kind of loans over the next couple of years.  I think we will start seeing more and more banks offering them.  For now, I have only found ONE in the entire State of Texas.  Why? Because this is still a 5% down Conventional Mortgage and you do not have to pay Home Improvement Loan like Interest Rates..5.5% as of last Friday!

This is all just another way to Go Green when buying a home.  If you would like to read the Entire Series on how we went about doing this, Master Bathroom Designs and ALL- You can find it in the link below.  I put all 7 parts of the Series in one PDF E-Book for Convenience. Just click below:

How To Buy a Home and Renovate it GREEN

Also, keep your eyes out for some exciting information about what is coming in 2009 through TurningHoustonGreen!  An 8 Part Series of Webinars starting at the end of January with myself and Houston's very own Michael Strong with Brothers Strong going in to detail about how to Green up the Existing Home!

If you are thinking about Buying a home to Green Up, or just thinking about 'Greening UP' the home you already own, you may want to tune in!