Madison, MS

There is no doubt about it. Green is hot! It's everywhere! But, with respect to housing, what's the difference in "Green Verified" and "Green Certified"?

If you talk to 10 different people you'll most likely get 10 different answers to the "What does green mean?" question.

Everything from "Yes, we've gone green at my office, we've started buying recycled copy paper!" to "Green?, sure I bought one of GM's new SUVs, they're environmentally friendly. Don't you see how the commercials place their vehicles in a forest setting?" Actually, (according to www.greenwashing.com) General Motors is a member of the Coalition of Vehicle Choice, an organization that opposes clean air legislation and laws directed at reducing auto emissions.

So, when you purchase a home and the builder makes a green declaration how can you tell if he's done the right thing or just blowing smoke to ride a wave of hype!?!

There are two basic types of Green Certification programs in America today. The builder or owner verified program and the unbiased 3rd party verification.

The NAHB Green Building Standard, LEED-H, Energy Star, Earth Craft and Green Built are some of the more promenant certifying bodies in the US. Certifications for green construction are awarded upon successfully adhereing to the particular specifications of their respective programs. Typically, points are awarded for specific energy or resource efficient principles that are followed. Other areas of note are water efficiency, indoor air quality and home owner education.

The verification process is typically an indepth technical visual inspection process that confirms program adherence and includes performance testing. This test is provided by highly trained "energy raters" who deterime, amoung other readings, how air tight the building is and how well the heating and air conditioning system operates.

For more info about green building contact me toll free 1-877-809-6139 or online at http://www.greenbuildinginspector.com.

Find Green Verified Homes in America and Canada at http://www.greenverifiedhomes.com

Home Inspections in Central Mississippi at http://www.garynsmith.net

If you are a first time home buyer, or haven't owned a home in three years, now is an EXCELLENT time to buy a home. My first post on the subject, Credit for First Time Homebuyers in MS depicts the differences between the old and the new stimulus packages.

If you purchased a home on or after April 9, 2008 but before January 1, 2009, you are entitled to a maximum tax credit of $7500. After January 1, the credit was increased to either 10% of the price or a maximum of $8,000, whichever is less.

What could you do with an extra $8,000?

Before January 1, 2009, the tax "credit" was actually an interest-free loan, to be repaid over 15 years through your annual tax return, beginning in 2010. Should you sell your home before the 15 years elapse, then the remaining credit would be repaid (in full) when the sale closes.

For homes purchased between January 1 and December 1, 2009, you must live in the home for three years without having to repay any portion of the credit. If you have not owned a home for three years, although you are not a "first-time buyer", you are still eligible for the tax credit.

The attached tax form, Form 5405, will explain how to file for the credit, whether you purchased a home in 2008 or 2009.

Rates are lower than ever. If you haven't purchased a home since January 1, 2006, with the additional tax credit available through December 1, can you think of a BETTER TIME TO BUY?

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Pat Starnes, a Realtor since 1988, specializes in Mississippi Residential Real Estate and can assist you with buying or selling in the Jackson MS Metro area.

Search homes for sale in Brandon, Pearl, Flowood, Madison, Ridgeland, Florence, Bryam, or Jackson, MS.

Written and Published by Pat Starnes REALTOR

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The last month I've been a busy bee with the housing market, but what can I attribute this to? Interest Rates, or Stimulus Package? Maybe and Maybe!

I've got a good idea though my sellers are helping me price their listings at fair market value and that my friend is what is moving this market!

And, as we know, price is king when buyers are looking for homes.

Remember, your results may vary depending on the home condition and the part of the country you are located in. But, the next time you’re ready to list a home, explore the option of pricing strategies. A listing price can be your most powerful marketing tool...

Closing March 20th!

Closing February 27th!

Short Sale Closing Pending!

If your looking to sell your home in the Metro Jackson Area be sure to call me before you do for your home selling consultation.

Contact Jeffrey Dillon

Herrington Realty Company

601.502.4693

Yesterday I shared information about the new MLS system adopted by the Jackson Association of Realtors. Today I've learned how to implement one of the features I've seen agents from other regions utilize, and I wondered "How'd They Do That?"

Now I know!

For one, they had a quality MLS. Second, the agents spent a little time learning the enhancements, the bells and whistles, if you will.

Want to see what I learned? I knew you would.

I can now prepare a search, for instance, for waterfront homes for sale and paste the code into my website or blog, like I've done here. So whenever a consumer wants to look specifically for waterfront properties, the information will be up to date, as I've selected only active listings to appear in my search criteria.

Awesome!

How about homes located in golf communities? Yep. Done.

Homes in BOTH waterfront and golf communities? I can do that, too.

The really cool part is that as an IDX subscriber, my contact information is highly visible.

I'm so excited about this new feature and I'm sure buyers and sellers will love it, too.

(I should remind everyone as a caveat that the system is new and some data was "misplaced" during the transfer of information. Some homes for sale may inadvertently be omitted from the search due to the MLS conversion. There are bound to be glitches with an undertaking of this size.)

If you are looking for a specific home you think should be listed, but isn't on my search report, contact me and we'll try to figure out the problem.

Isn't this cool? Being able to save and post specific searches onto your website has a lot of possibilities.

What do you think? Can you see the value?

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Pat Starnes, a Realtor since 1988, specializes in Mississippi Residential Real Estate and can assist you with buying or selling in the Jackson MS Metro area.

Search homes for sale in Brandon, Pearl, Flowood, Madison, Ridgeland, Florence, Bryam, or Jackson, MS.

Written and Published by Pat Starnes REALTOR

Want to save a couple of bucks and continue saving into the future? Take advantage of one of the many energy savings tax credits available this year from Uncle Sam.

Home improvement insulation tax credits are available...let's look at how you qualify.

The insulation's primary purpose must be to insulate. That means siding does not qualify, but a vapor retarder does.

A vapor retarder is a specially treated paper, thin plastic sheeting, or low permeance paint that prevents condensation of water vapor inside wall or ceiling materials. This trapped moisture can cause damage to the wallboard and paint as well as structural deterioration.

The product you use must be expected to last for at least 5 years or have a 2 year warranty. The cost of installation (your labor) cannot be included in the total. A manufacturer's Certification Statement is required. Remember, for tax purposes its a good idea that you save your receipt and the Manufacturer's Cert.

A Manufacturer’s Certification is a signed statement from the manufacturer certifying that the product or component qualifies for the tax credit. The IRS encourages manufacturers to provide these Certifications on their website to facilitate identification of qualified products. Taxpayers must keep a copy of the certification statement for their records, but do not have to submit a copy with their tax return.

You must insulate between Jan. 1 - Dec. 31, 2009 and use IRS Tax Form 5695 (version 2009) when filing for the credit.

How much of a tax credit do you receive? You'll get 10% of the cost of the insulation, up to $500.00.

For more information about saving energy and saving your hard earned dollars contact Gary N Smith toll free at 1-877-809-6139 or find him online: www.GaryNSmith.net