HAPPY EARTH DAY! and HOME VALUES BY NEIGHBORHOOD
Happy Earth Day!
In case you haven't noticed, GREEN is in! Fortunately, it seems everywhere you turn, people are starting to take serious steps to REDUCE, REUSE, and RECYCLE to help sustain our planet. It's amazing to think what a huge difference even small changes, like changing to CFLs (compact florescent lamps), bringing your own bags to the grocery store, adjusting your thermostat by a few degrees, and turning off lights and appliances (including your computers and various chargers) made by each of us can make.
On a larger scale, it's impressive to see that In 1998, the City of Scottsdale established Arizona's first Green Building Program. According to the City's website, "The residential home program was developed to encourage environmentally responsible building in the Sonoran Desert region by incorporating healthy, resource- and energy-efficient materials and methods in the design and construction of homes. The program's goals are to reduce the environmental impact of building; achieve both short and long-term savings of energy, water and other natural resources; and encourage a healthier indoor environment." Additionally, on March 22, 2005 the City of Scottsdale became the first city in the nation to adopt a LEED™(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold policy, requiring all new, occupied city buildings, of any size, to be designed, contracted, and built to achieve certification at the Gold certification level. Scottsdale's Green Building Program "encourages a whole-systems approach through design and building techniques to minimize environmental impact and reduce the energy consumption of buildings while contributing to the health of its occupants."
At the state level, a new Solar Energy Law became effective on September 19, 2007. It stipulates that a Homeowner Association shall not prohibit the installation or use of energy devices (panels and associated devices). An association may adopt reasonable rules regarding the placement of a solar device so long as those rules do not prevent the installation of the device; impair the functioning of the device; restrict its use; or adversely affect the cost or efficiency of the device. The bill also requires that the court award reasonable attorney fees and costs to any party who substantially prevails in litigation against an association's Board of Directors as it relates to the provisions.
For those of you who may be contemplating a remodeling project, here is a link to some information on the value (to you and to the environment) of making it Green:
Remodel While Helping the Environment -- Getting your home remodeled offers opportunities to increase its resale value -- and decrease its impact on the environment.
On a larger scale, it's impressive to see that In 1998, the City of Scottsdale established Arizona's first Green Building Program. According to the City's website, "The residential home program was developed to encourage environmentally responsible building in the Sonoran Desert region by incorporating healthy, resource- and energy-efficient materials and methods in the design and construction of homes. The program's goals are to reduce the environmental impact of building; achieve both short and long-term savings of energy, water and other natural resources; and encourage a healthier indoor environment." Additionally, on March 22, 2005 the City of Scottsdale became the first city in the nation to adopt a LEED™(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold policy, requiring all new, occupied city buildings, of any size, to be designed, contracted, and built to achieve certification at the Gold certification level. Scottsdale's Green Building Program "encourages a whole-systems approach through design and building techniques to minimize environmental impact and reduce the energy consumption of buildings while contributing to the health of its occupants."
At the state level, a new Solar Energy Law became effective on September 19, 2007. It stipulates that a Homeowner Association shall not prohibit the installation or use of energy devices (panels and associated devices). An association may adopt reasonable rules regarding the placement of a solar device so long as those rules do not prevent the installation of the device; impair the functioning of the device; restrict its use; or adversely affect the cost or efficiency of the device. The bill also requires that the court award reasonable attorney fees and costs to any party who substantially prevails in litigation against an association's Board of Directors as it relates to the provisions.
For those of you who may be contemplating a remodeling project, here is a link to some information on the value (to you and to the environment) of making it Green:
Remodel While Helping the Environment -- Getting your home remodeled offers opportunities to increase its resale value -- and decrease its impact on the environment.
On another topic, for those of you who live in the Phoenix metro area and want to learn about home values in your neighborhood, have I got a site for you! This is not general information about a particular city, but information on median home prices in specific neighborhoods. It's really quite easy to get the information, but, before going to the site below, do yourself a favor and copy the following instructions and keep them next to you as you begin.
- Link to: http://www.azcentral.com
/realestate/homevalues/homevalu es.php - Enter your zip code and click SEARCH.
- Scroll down to see information based on total zip code.
- Scroll down further, between the 2 charts, to get sales prices for your neighborhood. In the second to the last line, click on "U.S. Postal Service Site."
- Enter your address and SUBMIT.
- Click on "Mailing Industry Information."
- See "Carrier Route" line to get your specific mail route and take note of your route number.
- Close window.
- Go back to the AZ Central tab and scroll down to your carrier route number. This is the specific data for your neighborhood. Now you can compare the median (not average) price for 2007, the % of change in the last 5 years, and the median price in 2002.
Before closing, I have a couple of great topics for you to read about:
Tax Rebate Winners and Losers - Capitol Hill maneuvering added millions of lower income folks to the rebate rolls. But some folks will not be getting Treasury checks in their mailboxes, including parents of college kids.
15 Money Moves for Tough Times -- With a possible recession around the corner, here are some ways to prepare your finances.
15 Money Moves for Tough Times -- With a possible recession around the corner, here are some ways to prepare your finances.
Pook
