Posts tagged green homes make sense

Curious whether any Charlottesville HOAs restrict solar panels

Except to the extent provided in the condominium instruments, declaration, or rules and regulations duly adopted pursuant thereto, no community association shall enact any provisions restricting solar power or as provided in subsection D, any restrictive covenant included in an instrument affecting the title to real or leasehold property, that restricts the installation or use of any solar energy collection device on units or lots that are part of the development real property in the Commonwealth is declared to be void and contrary to the public policy of the Commonwealth . … The A community association may prohibit or restrict shall not enforce any provision of a restrictive covenant that became effective on or after July 1, 2008, that restricts the installation and use of such solar energy collection devices on the common elements or common areas of real estate that the community association owns or has under its care, custody, or control .

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Charlottesville Earthcraft Homes tour – and a brief riff on “is blogging advertising?”

EarthCraft standards and options are factored into every aspect of home building – site planning, building orientation, low-impact construction techniques and materials, energy efficiency – for a constant effort to lower the environmental impact of building an EarthCraft home and lower the energy costs and water usage for its future occupants. … … After a long conversation yesterday with an attorney, about real estate blogs and the perception by the Vir ginia Real Estate Board that any writing that could “induce business” is considered “advertising” … here is my disclosure .

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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.

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