Greenovation Saves You Money Now and Later

We ve all heard often enough that it s time to start thinking and acting green. We re depleting the Earth s resources in record amounts, and it s becoming more and more clear that we need to start thinking in terms of protecting and preserving the Earth and her resources when we build. Despite all the public knowledge about the importance of sustainable and renewable building practices, there s still a lot of resistance to the idea of going green . One of the biggest reasons the notion that it s more expensive to use sustainable materials and consider environmental issues.
Obviously, it s not financially feasible for most of us to completely gut our homes and replace them with totally green and environmentally responsible buildings, but that s not the only way to accomplish the goal of living a greener life. There are a lot of things that you can do on a shoestring budget (see my article from last week for some ideas) that don t require any major investment of either time or energy. You can take bigger steps toward living a greener life when you re ready to make major renovations to your home. While there s a general belief that choosing greener products and alternatives will cost you more money, that s not always true. In many cases, the greener alternative costs no more than or even less than the traditional option. In nearly all cases, you ll make up any additional cost over the course of a few years. Take a look at what it will cost you to choose green in some of these popular home renovations: Repainting/Re-siding.
Going to repaint or reside your house? Choose a light color. Light colored paint costs no more than any other color, but it can significantly reduce the amount of energy you ll use to cool your home because it reflects heat instead of absorbing it.
Additional cost: $0
Savings: Lots on your electric bill
The same applies to indoor spaces, by the way. If you re repainting bedrooms, living rooms and other living spaces, consider light colors with at least 50% reflectance. Upgrading Kitchen/Laundry Appliances.
Is it time for a new look in your kitchen? Look for the Energy Star whenever you buy appliances. According to the Department of Energy, you can save up to $600 a year in energy costs by replacing your current appliances with Energy Star rated appliances. You ll also see a bonus when it s time to sell kitchen upgrades and new, energy efficient appliances are a huge selling point with home buyers.
Additional cost: depends on appliances and styles chosen
Savings: Up to $600 annually
Buying a new clothes dryer? One that uses a sensor to time drying rather than a timer can save you up to 15% in energy costs by reducing the amount of time your dryer runs. Added bonus you ll reduce the wear and tear on your clothes from over-drying. Bathroom Renovations
Multiple shower heads at different levels may be temptingly luxurious, but you get points as a greener home if each shower in your home has one shower head. Make it a low flow shower head to reduce water usage, and add a low flow toilet to reduce water use even further. According to the EPA, toilet flushing accounts for 30-40% of in home water use.
Additional Cost: comparable to conventional fixtures
Savings: Thousands of gallons of water annually New roof or roof repairs.
A light-colored roof will serve the same effect as light colored exterior walls. In Florida, you can get a code credit if you replace your current roof with a white tile or white metal roof. In addition, there are other things you can do when replacing a roof that will cut energy use and conserve resources. Those include adding skylights, installing a rainwater collection system and retrofitting struts for hurricane protection.
Additional cost: Depends on the materials chosen.
Savings: Hundreds in energy savings and thousands of gallons of water Landscaping and Outdoors.
If you re redesigning your outdoor space, you ll find some surprising ways to reduce your use of energy and increase the efficiency of your home. For instance, the shade from a pair of trees on the south side of your house can reduce your cooling costs during the warmer months. If you choose deciduous trees, you ll have shade in the summer months and sunlight during the winter months. Xeriscaping can save you the cost of a sprinkler system since native plants are designed to flourish on Nature s sprinkling with no assistance from manmade irrigation. Adding a pool or spa.
If you re planning to add a pool or spa to your property, be sure you include an installed cover that is easy to use. The greatest water loss from pools and spas is through evaporation, so an installed, convenient and easy to use cover can help reduce your water use. In addition, the Florida Green Home Standard from the Florida Green Building Association suggests that you install a sanitation system that reduces the need for chlorine and other chemicals. A solar pool heating system can virtually eliminate the $500-$1,500 per year that it costs to heat an outdoor swimming pool in Florida. Replacing Hot Water Heater
When it s time to replace your hot water heater, there are a number of energy-friendly alternatives to traditional hot water tank heaters. Solar hot water heaters can reduce your utility costs by $150-$500 a year, depending on whether you use them as a complement to regular heaters or on their own. In addition, many Florida utility companies offer incentive programs to encourage the use of solar hot water heaters. Depending on the program, you could receive a credit of up to $450 on your electric bill to offset the original purchase and installation costs, and then an ongoing energy credit when you sign up for special programs, as well as federal and state tax credits and rebates that can total as much as $2,500. When you add that to ongoing savings of up to 85% per year, you ll see that going solar really makes sense.
If you re not ready to make the plunge to solar, there are low energy electric and gas alternatives. Like any other appliance, if you shop for the Energy Star, you ll be buying a hot water heater that is highly rated for efficiency. New Floors and Room Additions.
Choose sustainable materials for new room additions and floors. Bamboo floors are one alternative, though some question any product that has to be shipped from across the world. Other options include using reclaimed wood for floors and building, often available at less than the cost of new wood. Check with salvage companies nearby to find out what s available.
No matter what renovations you re doing, you ll find that there are green alternatives that aren t much more expensive than the traditional alternatives, and many that cost even less. When you factor in the ongoing savings and the added value to your home, green is the best way to go.
Calum MacKenzie is Broker/Owner of Real Living Southern Homes, a leading residential real estate brokerage located in Wesley Chapel, Florida. He has lived and worked in New Tampa for twelve years and has extensive knowledge of New Tampa communities including Tampa Palms and Arbor Greene.



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Retirement Property Options in the UK

There has never been a better time to enjoy retirement in Britain. We are spoilt for choice when it comes to housing options generally, and the retirement property market is no exception, while today s retirees are more affluent, savvy, healthy and independent than they have ever been. You can continue to live at home with the help of adaptation and support; you can move in with friends or family; house-hunt for a retirement apartment; look for a park home in the country, opt for a bolthole by the sea; or choose to stay closer to home in sheltered housing. You can rent; buy off-plan or re-sale; or build your own home. And if you need personal care you can retain your independence in assisted living accommodation - where domestic assistance is available, plus additional care and nursing is at hand, should the need arise.
Worldwide, the number of people 65 or older is increasing faster than ever before as we live longer, healthier lives. By 2050, one in five people will be over 60. In Europe, where people live longest on average, one out of every five people is already sixty-plus and by 2020 a fifth of the UK population will be pensioners. While some people work on past the traditional retirement age, others are deciding to retire younger, taking advantage of recent rises in property values to enjoy a lifestyle change in the UK or abroad. Modern retirees range from 50 to 90, and the array of property choices available reflects their diversity. For example, early retirement may result in downsizing at 55 to a swish city apartment, while later in life a property with a house manager and extra security for complete peace of mind is more suitable.
During our lives we move home an average of seven times. Even so, we need to apply the same common sense when buying retirement housing in the UK or abroad, as we do when making other major purchases. As with any investment decision it is important to thoroughly assess the market and your options. There is no substitute for research, plenty of homework and, of course, legal advice is paramount. Making decisions requires a clearly defined set of objectives and an accurate assessment of your situation. Being honest about your budget and lifestyle aspirations as well as a host of practical considerations is key to achieving happiness when moving house in retirement. Involving friends and family in the planning process can be very helpful, giving you a fresh perspective and a different point of view. A large number of charity organisations also offer free help and advice on all manner of housing matters - from where key retirement developers are building in the UK and which local authorities have rural rentals, to where to find park home sites and assisted living facilities.
The retirement property sector has many specialist developers, building a variety of property types specifically for retirees. Some mainstream developers also have retirement divisions creating developments aimed at older buyers. Very few estate agents specialise in retirement property, but a growing number do handle re-sales. Most developers prefer to re-sell their own portfolio, so it is often better to contact them directly.
Find out more about retirement property. From the publishers of the Buying in Property Guides, www.buyinginguides.info



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In Danger of Losing Your Home? Don t

It happens sometimes: hard times fall on even the best of people and financial obligations can not always be met. Spouses become unemployed, family members become ill and money is spent on hospital bills and medication, and other unavoidable hardships creep their way into the lives of people all over America.
If hard times have fallen on you, and you can t always make your mortgage payment, understand that there are options to consider in order not to lose your home. There are actions you can take that will save you from losing your home so you can get back on your feet and meet those financial obligations once again.
Foreclosure can occur when you miss your mortgage payments and are not able to pay back the loan in a timely manner. The bank or lender you chose to borrow the funds to buy the house may repossess it by taking ownership of it, and basically make you leave the property. If you owe more than the house is worth you could be served with a deficiency judgment which can greatly affect your ability to apply for credit or other housing in the future. You want to avoid both foreclosure and a deficiency judgment at all cost! They will make your life extremely difficult.
The following are 5 tips that can help you to avoid foreclosure so you can stay safe and warm in your home, and not have to deal with the difficulties of losing your home.
1. Contact the Lender
If you know you are delinquent on a payment, or are getting letters or phone calls from the lender, do not let them go unacknowledged! If anything, be the first to call or write the lender apprising them of your situation. They may ask for financial documentation of your income and expenses to evaluate your problem. They may be able to help you with this information.
Do not abandon the property because you may not qualify for assistance if you leave. Stay in your home, speak with the lender, and see what options they might have resolving your situation. Avoiding the lender will just make matters worse because they may assume you are purposely not paying them back, and this is exactly what you don t want to happen.
2. Partial Claim
The lender may be able to assist you in getting a one-time loan to bring your mortgage payment current, especially if your financial distress is temporary. This way, the mortgage payment will be satisfied until you can get things under control again, and you will not lose your home.
3. Modify your Mortgage Terms
If the monthly payment is too large, you may be able to refinance or extend the term of the loan allowing you to have smaller monthly payments and a longer time to pay back the loan. You will probably have a higher interest rate and end up paying more money to the lender however, you will not go into foreclosure and lose your home! By changing the terms of the mortgage, you may be able to catch up on what is due and make the monthly payments more manageable so that you will not be delinquent. The lender should be open to this option as long as you are upfront and let them know what is going on.
4. Special Forbearance
The lender may be able to look at your financial situation, and depending on what is the cause for your delinquency, the lender could temporarily suspend the payments or adjust the monthly payment to a lower amount. This new payment plan must be supported by evidence that you could afford the new monthly payments.
5. Sell the Property
In order to avoid foreclosure, you could sell the property. There are investors who will buy pre-foreclosure homes quickly and give cash up front. They often will assume the debt and simply rid you of the problem. This can be a great option if you can sell your house quickly and cash out, and find housing that is more affordable. Also, your responsibility too the mortgage would be relinquished. If you are in big trouble, this can be the answer to not going into foreclosure. You will lose the home, but it will be voluntary and you are avoiding all financial problems that come along with foreclosures and deficiency judgments.
Hopefully these tips will aid you in your financial troubles and save you from either losing your home or going into foreclosure. Analyze your options with your lender and see if you can negotiate a new plan. Always remember to be in contact with your lender if troubles arise so they will be more willing to work with you and not take back your home.
John R Blakefield is a mortgage and real estate specialist. For more information, articles, news, tools and valuable resources on home mortgages or investment loans, refinancing, debt solutions, visit this site: http://www.scourtheweb.com/mortgage/.



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Make Money With Real Estate Articles

Writing real estate investing or home buying articles, or any articles related to real estate is a great way to invest a little or nothing and make a lot of money. You have to know how to write decently, or be willing to learn. But you do not need to sell your articles.
You don t have to be a marketer to write about real estate and make money. I make well over $1,000 per month with one of my real estate sites - without having to sell any real estate books or courses of my own. All I do is write, put up pages and promote the site.
It costs $8.50 per year for the domain name, or about 75 cents per month. The server has 20 of my web sites on it and costs me $25 per month, or about $1.25 per month per site. I would have my internet provider in any case, but if I divide the 30 dollar cost among the sites, it runs about $1.50 per month per site.I spend nothing at all on advertising. If you just did the math, you can see that my total expenses for the web site run $3.50 per month (yes you read that correctly).
I don t have to sell anything of my own (although I do that on other web sites) because there are so many good programs that pay per click for ads on my site, or pay a commission for referred sales. I put the links up and let them do the selling. I just have to get visitors to the web site and keep them interested.
Getting traffic to a website is a subject of its own, but I use one primary strategy. I write articles and distribute them through article directories. They are read there, and taken for free by other web site owners who wish to use them. In all cases, the "about the author" box at the end has an active link to my web site for readers who want more. This is a powerful way to bring in the traffic. There are now thousands of links out there that point to my web site.
What Kind Of Real Estate Articles Should You Write?
The more important issue is probably how you make that writing generate income for you, but it does matter what you have to say. Look for a new angle on some aspect of real estate. The site I refer to above is HousesUnderFiftyThousand.com, and it arose from our experience exploring the country for cheap towns, and eventually buying a nice home for $17,500 a few years ago.
You might have real estate stories to tell if you are a real estate agent. People love stories - especially true stories. If you have a lot of experience investing in real estate, you can write about your own investments - both the good and the bad. A good story with a lesson will always be a hit with those who are interested in real estate investing.
You could concentrate on a niche, like fixer-uppers, if that is where your experience is. If you have invested in a few such projects, you should have enough to say to fill a couple dozen articles or pages on a web site. If you specialize in buying and selling land, write about that.
What if you have no real estate investing experience, but you love to read about real estate? You can write reviews of real estate investing books. You ll have links to the books on your site, of course, and get a commission when they sell.
What if you have an interest in real estate, but mostly just like to write? You can interview real estate investors, real estate sales agents, appraisers and others, and put those interviews on your web site. You can also write short biographies and stories about investors and others that are involved in real estate in some way.
Bottom line? If you already have a computer and internet access, you can even start with one of those free web sites. That means you can invest nothing but your time and still make money writing real estate articles.
Copyright Steve Gillman. This article was an excerpt from 69 Ways To Make Money In Real Estate. Want to know the other 68 ways? Visit http://www.99reports.com/make-money-in-real-estate.html



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