By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine
If a buyer asks for homes with green, eco-friendly features, you might sometimes find it a time-consuming search to find that perfect “green” match. But a new online tool kit is offering guidance to local multiple listing services on how to create searchable fields so that those “green” homes can be found in just a few clicks.
The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, along with a team of other associations and groups with green expertise, recently created the Green MLS Tool Kit (www.GreentheMLS.org) aimed at showing local MLSs how to add a green initiative to their MLS.
The request from buyers for “green” features in a home is growing. More buyers are looking to not only curtail high utility bills but also save the planet. Bringing a home’s green assets to the forefront can be an attractive selling point in today’s market, and many real estate professionals are even getting specialized training through the GREEN designation on green real estate issues.
By Erica Christoffer, Web Producer, REALTOR® Magazine
Happy Birthday, Earth Day!
On April 22, Earth Day celebrates its 40th anniversary of bringing eco-friendly education to the world. And what better segue to start talking with your clients about energy efficiency and sustainable living?
Here are some quick facts that are good for the home, and often for the pocketbook:
Energy Use & ENERGY STAR
- Upgrading single-pane windows to ENERGY STAR windows can save a home owner between $126 and $465 in energy costs per year.
- If just one 60-watt incandescent light bulb were replaced with an ENERGY STAR CFL bulb in every American home, it would save 6 billion kWh per year. That’s enough energy to light almost 3 million homes (and save $600 million in annual energy costs for home owners).
- An ENERGY STAR washing machine can help save 6,700 gallons of water per year.
- Remember to turn off power strips and unplug electronics (TVs, computers, printers, and charging devices) because stand-by power can account for as much as 5 to 10 percent of a home’s energy use.
- Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved enough energy in 2009 alone to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 30 million cars — all while saving nearly $17 billion on their utility bills. Continue reading »
By Erica Christoffer, Web Producer, REALTOR® Magazine
Tomorrow is Tax Day. For procrastinators who are scrambling to meet the filing deadline — good luck. For those who have long since finished their taxes and are expecting a refund, now is a good time to consider the best use of those dollars.
HouseLogic, the National Association of REALTORS’® consumer Web site, has posted some great tips for investing tax refunds in a home. Their articles outline maintenance, upgrades, and investments at different price points – and how those projects will pay off in the long-run. Here are a few examples:
Projects under $500: Upgrade the bathroom with low-flow showerheads to improve efficiency and save on the water bill.
Projects under $1,000: Replace the front exterior door to cut down on energy costs and improve curb appeal. Continue reading »
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine
Fancy, upscale home projects are getting scaled back on TV’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” the hit show on ABC that transforms modest homes into dream homes for struggling families.
The downsize in the dream has come after several recipients of the show’s homes have struggled to afford the house post-makeover, due to higher utility bills and tax assessments, The Wall Street Journal recently reported. Some home owners also are finding it difficult to sell the top-notched homes, since the homes tend to be in working-class and rural neighborhoods. Continue reading »
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine
Colors in bathrooms this year are taking a neutral stance. Beiges and bone colors are the most popular choices when it comes to bathroom color choices, followed by whites and off-whites, according to the National Kitchen & Bath Association’s trends report for 2010.
Here are other popular options for bathrooms in 2010, according to NKBA.
Design style: Traditional styles dominate, followed by contemporary (a distant second).
Flooring materials: Ceramic and porcelain tile are the most popular selections. Continue reading »
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