Changes might be coming... and they aren't good.
Buried in the 1500 page bill is a very long section on the Retrofit for Energy and Environmental Performance program, REEP for short.
It calls for varied provisions such as "Green Guidelines" for new and existing homes, Federal Code Inspectors for those provisions, nationally cohesive building codes and a slew of programs around those items.
It doesn't seem that bad... right?
The guidelines aren't mandatory, but it only takes a stroke of the pen to make the guidelines into requirements for any home that is going to have a federal guaranteed loan. So, while a seller wouldn't HAVE to make the upgrades... they would be locked away from the majority of mortgage programs for the buyer of their home unless they did...
And nationally cohesive building codes don't sound that bad... until you start thinking about the wide variety of local conditions that building codes are specialized for... like deserts in Arizona, hurricanes along the southern coasts, the cold of Minnesota and earthquakes of California. Should homes in Hawaii be insulated like those in North Dakota or Florida? Is that a justifiable expense. What about hurricane-proofing homes in West Virginia? Earthquakes in Rhode Island?
But the biggest problem with the bill is that legislators didn't have time to read the 1500+ pages before the voted on it... most STILL don't know what is in it.
from LaneBailey.com
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Specializing in properties in Lilburn, Gwinnett County, Lake Lanier, cool garage properties, and "hobby" properties. Twitter: @LaneBailey or @Lilburn LaneBaileyCarGuy on FaceBook
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Hi Lane! This should be a huge concern to SELLERS--and you're SO right, there's NO way that even ONE of the legislators read all 1500 pages--I'd be willing to be the same person didn't type them all either!
SO frustrating...
Lane,
This is the point, "but it only takes a stroke of the pen to make the guidelines into requirements for any home that is going to have a federal guaranteed loan".
Once legislation like this is passed, it is a lot easier to "amend" it than it is to repeal it.
Lane - it's just another one size fits all from the fed, or perhaps more of a one size screws all. It does only take a stroke of the pen, and what's worse, it can be the stroke of a pen from an unelected regulator.
Debe - That none of them read it is enough of a reason for it to not be passed... But, since they don't seem to agree, we need to point out the other reasons.
Mark - Complication is the normal progression of government. They like to have loopholes, and special circumstances... This is no different. After a few years 1500 pages will be a distant memory. Remember that the tax code is 66,000 pages.
Mike - Yep.
I can't begin to express my disgust at Madam Speaker calling for a vote on a bill that no one has read. No wonder those folks keep spending more than their income.
Tammy - If people had time to read it, do you think it would have passed?
Badly need your help. Our deeds determine us, as much as we determine our deeds.
I am from Ukraine and know bad English, tell me right I wrote the following sentence: "Fall activities and seasonal activities for preschool children that are fun and educational."
Waiting for a reply :D, Jorgen.