Guy Adams

Median prices for single-family homes in California have risen for the third straight month, reaching $267,570, up 4 percent from April, according to a report from the California Association of REALTORS®.

The inventory of homes continues to drop, falling a 4.2-month supply in May, compared to 8.7 month supply in May 2008.

California's real estate market always has been seen as a leading indicator for the rest of the country. What is happening in California bodes well for the rest of the nation, observers say.

Source: The Wall Street Journal, Stu Woo (06/26/2009)

What's LEED certification? If you've never heard of this acronym, it may be time to familiarize yourself wit

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. As a third-party, green building Rating System, LEED has become a nationally accepted standard for environmentally friendly buildings. While LEED certified buildings promote an overall eco-conscious mindset, the focus is on five areas in particular-sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

LEED certification is taking off with residential homes. According to the EPA, "indoor air quality is now two to five times worse than outdoor air quality." This knowledge is prompting individuals to come to terms with indoor air pollution as a major health concern. To create healthier residential living spaces, consider investing your time and money in LEED certification. There are four levels of LEED certification for homes-certified, silver, gold and platinum-all of which are based on a point scale with a maximum of 136 points. Certification can be attained by application through the United States Green Building Council.

The LEED home checklist covers everything from air quality to appliance efficiency. Here are some standards LEED lays out for those interested in becoming certified:

· Reduced demand for irrigation

· Drought-tolerant vegetation

· High-efficiency fixtures and fittings

· ENERGY STAR appliances

· Radon-resistant construction

· Effective insulation

Having your home LEED certified drastically cuts down on energy and water bills. It adds resale value to your home and helps the environment. Some individuals are apprehensive about financing such an expensive undertaking. But over time, the initial costs are balanced out by the money saved in utilities and resale.

For more information on how to "green" your home, check out Real Living's Green Program or investigate USGBC's Green Home Guide.

To become LEED certified, there's a small fee for registration and another nominal fee for certification. To access these rates and additional information, check out the U.S. Green Building Council's Web site or contact your local agent!

Alright, so you recycle paper and plastic, limit your water usage and conserve gas. You're taking strides for the environment, but maybe you're ready for a more progressive leap. Try incorporating these principles into the foundation of your home by using eco-friendly building materials to spruce-up your space and add value. Here are some "green" products to blend into the interior and exterior of your home:

Accoya^TM
Accoya^TM has recently gained a reputation for its durability and resourcefulness. A process called acetylation gives Accoya^TM its competitive advantage-resistance. Accoya^TM withstands water deterioration and UV damage for long periods of time. In fact, it has even been used to line canals. The self-sustainable nature of this product classifies it as an eco-friendly, renewable resource. If you're looking for a great environmentally-friendly building material for boat decks, patio furniture, sheds or tree houses, Accoya^TM is a great candidate for the job.

Bamboo
Consider using a dynamic and versatile material like bamboo to create an eastern aesthetic that works well in urban spaces. As a great organic alternative to plastics and carpets with high VOCs and toxic adhesives, bamboo is being used more frequently as an alternative to wood. It quickly regenerates after the stalk is cut, and provides a sturdy frame for sleek furniture and rugs. It can also be spun into yarn for bedding and drapery. Small urban spaces are an ideal setting for the clean, contemporary lines of bamboo furnishings.

Ekobe®
Looking for an eco-friendly, yet exotic flair? Look no further than Ekobe® tiles. These tiles add an organic feel to sleek, contemporary spaces as they provide the utmost durability. The texture of a coconut shell can provide an array of eclectic designs and subtle style. Bring the tropics to your home through Ekobe® tiles.

Teak
From the forests of South Asia, teak is one material you don't want to overlook. It's durable, eco-friendly and in high demand. Purchase new teak or search for old pieces to refurbish. Either way, teak is a great choice for living room furniture or backyard patio displays.

X-Board
It's used in aerospace engineering, packaging and automotives, but it can also be an eco-friendly addition to your home. This extreme building material boasts a core composed of 100% recycled paper and 100% natural fibers. X-board's light, but durable composition makes it a great candidate for tables, benches, partitions and countertops. Look no further if you want durable shelves or a cutting-edge side table.

If you have the option, try and reupholster furniture and reuse old materials. This is a simple, but effective way to promote eco-friendly living. It will also increase resale value. For more information on eco-friendly building materials, check out Real Living's Green Program or contact your local agent today!

When the recovery in housing finally comes, some housing markets will rebound sooner than others. Real estate forecasting service Local Market Monitor, which covers the nation's 300 largest markets, has identified 13 markets where it predicts home prices will rise in the coming months and 11 markets where it expects home prices will continue to decline significantly.

To make these picks, Local Market Monitor uses a proprietary formula. Here are the 13 markets where it expects prices to rise:

1. Baton Rouge, La.
2. Buffalo-Niagara Falls
3. Dallas-Plano-Irving
4. Fort Worth-Arlington
5. Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown
6. Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, Ark.
7. McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Texas
8. Oklahoma City
9. Rochester, N.Y.
10. San Antonio
11. Syracuse, N.Y.
12. Tulsa
13. Wichita, Kan.

Here are the 11 markets where it believes home prices will continue to decline:

1. Bakersfield, Calif.
2. Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach, Fla.
3. Fresno, Calif.
4. Las Vegas-Paradise
5. Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall
6. Orlando-Kissimmee
7. Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, Calif.
8. Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale
9. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif.
10. Stockton, Calif.
11. West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Boynton Beach, Fla.

Source: Local Market Monitor (06/23/2009)

Are you looking for a new home, but don't want to spend all weekend walking around neighborhoods? Well now you don't have to. Many REALTORS® have joined in on the Web 2.0 movement.

Blogs- There are now hundreds of ways to search for a home online. One of the newer methods is through blogging. Updated about once a week with content ranging from listing information, marketing and more general real estate topics, blogs have become another great way for REALTORS® to highlight incredible listings. Blog sites like Active Rain allow REALTORS® to communicate and network with one another.

Podcasts- Agents have also turned to podcasts to increase listing visibility. Web sites like MLbroadcast allow REALTORS® to post audio and video podcasts of the homes they are selling. There are also hundreds of podcasts on iTunes about the real estate market, investments, mortgages, real estate talk radio and much more. Even the President of Real Living, Kaira Sturdivant Rouda, has an iTunes podcast feed.

Social Networks- Jumping into the Web 2.0 movement also means REALTORS® have started creating Facebook and Myspace profiles. This allows them to easily reach out to Generation X and Y, who are traditionally first-time home buyers and don't always know how or where to look for an agent. Using social media sites allows agents to communicate instantly with their clients in a user-friendly manner. Clients are also able to see if that particular agent is a good match for them by viewing his/her profile. Facebook, Myspace and many others allow clients and agents to connect on a real and personal level.

Online Videos- The use of online videos is also popular right now. Sites that allow you to post video content, like YouTube, Facebook, and MySpace are slowly enhancing the real estate industry because agents are able to post virtual video tours of homes. Clients can then get a better feel for a home before even stepping inside. This feature of the Web 2.0 movement is great for people looking to move to a different city or state. Viewing a video of homes in the area allows them to narrow down exactly what houses they like and don't like. All in all, the Web 2.0 movement is advancing the real estate industry by making it more enjoyable and easier for you to find an agent and a home that is right for you.