… and other property auctions, courtesy of The HooK . (is this advertising ?)
you searched for earthcraft
Building a home in Belvedere
But I am convinced of their integrity and am joining them to make their dream (and mine) come true.I’ve written before that Belvedere is one of the only new developments in the region about which I am excited by what they are doing…. And a lot of great stuff that you can walk to….EarthCraft certified homes, LEED certified buildings, A walkable neighborhood…. It’s a wonderful thing to be a part of.(and I expect they will, with input from great clients such as mine) – it should be a great place to live.More on Belvedere here. Developments couldn’t pay for better marketing and exposure than what they are getting from Home at Belvedere.Disclosure – the author of the blog is a client of mine, and I am invested in their having a great experience today, tomorrow and for their time in the Charlottesville area; I am truly grateful for all that I have learned from them so far.
Seriously, green homes make sense
Sent to me by a client, this article is outstanding on a number of levels:”I’ve lived through seven cycles in the housing industry, and this is one of the worst…. They don’t want the house they went into the cycle with,” said Charles Shinn, a Littleton, Colo., home-building consultant.This is what I am telling my clients – buy a better house now…. You will thank yourself in five years when you’re either a) still living in the house and your house is more comparable to the inevitable competing new construction or b) you’re still paying lower utility bills and c) your house is just more comfortable.I tell ya, this “green home” thing might catch on – and it’s not necessarily because people care about the environment or global warming or natural resources – it’s because buying a smarter home makes sense. Despite what the WSJ says, I don’t advise clients to “go green to get your cash” – I do it because it’s a common sense approach to living.As an aside, I’d love to see our MLS have an option to search for green homes.
Tracking local politics that affect the real estate market
Politics influence the real estate market – Things like impact fees on developments, qualifications of assessors and appraisers, tax credits for energy efficient or Earthcraft houses, exemptions for wells on properties under three acres, limitations of property tax rates, suspending water hook-ups during certain emergencies (the potential for abuse on this one seems particularly likely, and would definitely impact the real estate market), not to mention the Dillon Rule, and also whether or not you could use your fireplace if you lived in a densely-populated area, or whether you can give your 17 year old kid a glass of wine.Simply put, knowing that there may be a tax credit for energy efficient houses makes me better able to represent my clients. Knowledge and information are power; being able to efficiently manage that information is equally powerful.If you scroll down, you will see this new sidebar addition, showing the bills in the Virginia General Assembly that I am watching. Courtesy of Richmond Sunlight, you too can track bills that affect you in the General Assembly; go to the new Photosynthesis page here.I do wish there was a way to filter out all the commendations and celebrations, and I wonder how much each one of these costs taxpayers…. (please note the sarcasm)I wonder if this could develop into a social network of people tracking bills, maybe even become a Facebook widget.If we leave politics up to “everyone else,” we are doing ourselves a disservice.
The greening continues
“What started as a fringe movement of environmental activists and hippie entrepreneurs three decades ago is now largely mainstream for companies, investors and consumers.” So says CNBC.Realtor Magazine notes:* The market for green homes is expected to rise from $2 billion to up to $20 billion over the next five years.* Standard homes are becoming increasingly green, with home owners using green products for 40 percent of their remodeling work.* Most Americans find out about green homes through word-of-mouth, followed by television and the Internet.In the Charlottesville area, there are more “green” homes everyday, but the MLS hasn’t caught up yet. For example, to find green properties in the Central Virginia area, I have to search the remarks for the words sustainable, LEED or EarthCraft. Surely this will improve over time.
10 Easy green tips for Charlottesville
Adding simple green components to your home can add immediate value not only for you, but from a resale value perspective as well. Hint: buyers are asking about green features in homes.1 – Rain recapture/harvesting systems and at the Rivanna Store2 – Small Solar arrays3 – Upgrade insulation and weather stripping4 – Avoid toxic cleaners whenever possible; use green products.5 – Visit the Charlottesville Habitat Store6 – Join a CSA7 – Green building resource guide8 – Go green today9 – Green your air conditioning10 – Educate yourself. Read green blogs (here are some of the green blogs I read)* several of the links above were found at Move’s Green blogWhat are some of the easy green tips that you have found for your home?
Market demand for green building in Charlottesville
The Real Estate Weekly, newcomer House and Home, the Green Matters series being run by Habitat for Humanity,(their links page is here) … Right now there are 17 properties on the market here with the term “EarthCraft” in the remarks, and 3 with “Earth Craft;” (Large PDFs are here as the links expire in 10 days) Charlottesville is consistently rated as one of the top “green” places in the country…. Many buyers note that windows and insulation will be among the first upgrades they made after they purchase…. Building and renovating green are more long-term decisions that many in the market – buyers, builders, Realtors, lenders – are not yet used to.