Tim Cahill MBA, EcoBroker

Energy Efficient Home Seminar
Thursday, August 27, 2009 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Qdoba Mexican Grill - Porter Square Cambridge
5 White Street - Porter Square Shopping Center, Cambridge, MA

How to Make Your Home Green And Save Some Green

• Learn about Solar and Geothermal energy options!
• Learn how the Energy Audit process works!
• Learn about building or rehabbing a green home!
• Learn how to finance it all!

Green homes use much less energy, fewer resources, and are healthier for families living in them. In fact, one of the top reasons cited by consumers for wanting to green their home is the desire to create a healthier environment for their families.

Come and enjoy FREE Mexican food and dessert while you learn something new!

Presenters:

• Ben Mayer - Sunbug Solar, Inc.
• Mike Duclos - Energy Efficiency Associates, Inc.
• Kevin Loos - Boston Green Building, Inc.
• Jeff Chin - Independent Mortgage, Inc.

FREE! But please register ahead of time so we know how many to expect. Registration is easy! Thanks!

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Homeowners: Before putting your home on the market, you have a great opportunity to make some energy efficient improvements, increase the value of your home, and sell it faster in today's market as more and more people are looking for energy improvements in their home. Even if you're not thinking of selling your home right now, you'll benefit from the reduced energy costs and improved home comfort.

Home-Buyers: You can qualify for more home and a higher mortgage amount (without higher monthly payments!) by participating in an Energy Efficient Mortgage program. When you're looking at a home to buy, have an energy audit conducted at the time of home inspection and have the suggested energy-efficient improvements rolled in to your mortgage! Not only does this save you money from the very first month of ownership, but you continue saving money each and every month thereafter with reduced utility bills and greater home comfort.

Sponsored by: Tim Cahill, EcoBroker - RE/MAX Heritage and Cyber Green Realty

I've seen a couple of discussions on various group blogs about curb appeal and staging of a home prior to listing. I think we can all agree, these elements are of utmost importance when listing a home. However, I can't believe the number of pictures on the MLS I see with cluttered bedrooms, overgrown outdoor shrubbery, kitchens with dishes piled in the sink, etc. I just can't believe the agent even has the nerve to post these pictures.

But this leads me to my question - have you ever, or would you, decline to take a listing because the home owner refuses to follow your advice re: staging and curb appeal? How did you handle the situation? Did the homeowner come around and agree to follow your advice? I'd love to hear your stories!

--Tim

In these swiftly changing times, it's hard to look at one month's worth of data and try to predict what's coming next. But if we look at three month's worth of data, usually considered a "trend," we begin to get a more clear picture of the direction of the market.

Here's what's happened with Single Family and Condo units in Arlington, MA from April 2009 through July 2009:

• Total April Sales (in units): 27
• Total July Sales (in units): 72

• Avg. Days on Market in April: 77
• Avg. Days on Market in July: 43

• Avg. Sales price, April: $441,992
• Avg. Sales price, July: $451,813

• Sales Price/List Price Ratio, April: 98%
• Sales Price/List Price Ratio, July: 99%

So what does this tell us? In short - the Arlington market is making a rebound. As you can sell, total number of sales increased 167% over the April to July period, while the average days on market fell by 56%. The average sales price increased by an overall 2% in the same period, while the SP:LP ratio increased to 99%, meaning the listing prices of homes are almost spot-on with market demand - so there's not much wiggle room for negotiating your price.

In short - NOW is a great time to buy while rates are still at historical lows, inventory is getting tighter and prices are starting to rebound.

So jump on in - the water's fine!

-TMC

Perhaps you've tired of me always writing about how you can improve your current home to be more energy efficient, or how you can improve a fixer-upper to be more energy efficient and eco-friendly, but what about buying something brand spanking new that's eco-friendly and perhaps even LEED or Energy Star-rated? With that in mind, I thought it's time to start highlighting some of the new green construction that's already available in the Arlington/Cambridge/Somerville areas. So today I'd like to draw your attention to 55 Endicott Ave. in Somerville, MA.

Built by GFC Development Corp., a leading 'green' real estate development and construction firm serving the Greater Boston area, "Endicott Green Residences" is a luxury, eco-friendly condominium located in the heart of Somerville. Less than a mile to Davis Square and easily accessible to public transportation, Endicott Green Residences represents a landmark building, and is the City's first 'green' luxury condominium.

Recipient of the 2009 Green Building of America Award, Endicott Green Residences is currently under review by the U.S. Green Council to receive Silver LEED certification. Upon approval, Endicott Green Residences will become one of only 30 homes in the City of Boston with this distinction! Imagine how proud you'd be to say you live in such a residence!

"With a lack of eco-friendly housing available in Somerville, we set out to create a cutting-edge, green design that was far from the boring 'box' structures associated with efficiency homes," said Charles Aggouras, president of GFC Development Corp. "We partnered with architectural firm MZO Group, who did an outstanding job of bringing innovative ideas to life. From the roofing to the walls, flooring and appliances, we have seamlessly integrated top-of-the-line brands, custom lighting, and all the fine touches to merge luxury living with sustainability. People will be amazed at how easy and low-maintenance 'green living' can be."

Endicott Green Residences was built with a total of three (3) units; currently two are for sale and one is under agreement. All units are approximately 1,500sq. ft., have 2 to 3 bedrooms with 2 baths, 2 dedicated parking spaces, and a roof deck or patio. Each unit is equipped with ENERGY STAR-rated, leading brand name appliances, 96% AFUE-sealed (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) combustion boilers; professionally designed tiled baths by Geologica of Boston's acclaimed Design Center and lighting by the "Best of Boston" award-winner Lucia Lighting & Design.

Just look at how beautiful this condo is:

For more information on this condo or other green and eco-friendly living options, please visit my web site at CyberGreenRealty.com to search for homes for sale or condos for sale with energy efficient and eco-friendly features in Massachusetts.

I look forward to highlighting more eco-friendly housing options for you in my coming posts. There are more than you might think!

Until next time, Peace!

-TMC

Maybe all my talk so far has convinced you it doesn't cost more to build energy-efficiently or install alternative methods of power generation, and now you're ready to make the big move to solar. If so, let me be the first to thank you for making that decision! Not only are you a true leader, but you're sure to be the next big topic of discussion in your neighborhood. But before you make the final choice on a solar installer, here are some key points to keep in mind as you meet with your local solar vendors:

1. Get the contractor’s license number. Once you find it, look it up. All U.S. states have a website to look up a contractor’s license and give you some background information on the contractor. This is key: your installer MUST have a contractor’s license, without question. For Massachusetts residents, you can check a contractor's license record at the Massachusetts Department of Public Safety license lookup site
2. Check the contractor's record with the Better Business Bureau. Not all contractors will have information on file with the BBB, but if there have been any complaints or unresolved warranty issues, they will most likely be listed here by previous customers. Eastern Massachusetts residents can check the local Better Business Bureau business listings here.
3. Does the contractor outsource their crew? This may not sound like a big issue, but it is. Some companies outsource their installations to other, often unqualified, sub-contractors. Remember, these contractors will be installing solar power, most likely while walking on your roof, drilling holes in your roof and making all sorts of electrical connections within your home. You need to be assured the contractors have been properly trained and certified, and if the crew is outsourced, you can't be sure of that.
4. Get Referrals. Ask for a list of the most recent three, four, or even five customers. Not every customer is willing to be a reference, though, even if the contractor did a great job. So don't be alarmed if the contractor can't give you the name of every customer s/he's ever worked with. But get a few names and phone numbers of recent customers, call them up and ask them if they were satisfied with the contractors work. Did the contractor meet their initial estimates? Was the work performed in a timely manner? Has the customer realized the expected savings with the new equipment? These are all valid questions to ask. You may also consider driving by the customer's home as well, just to check out how the installation looks from the outside.
5. Ask what brands of equipment the contractor uses. Not only does solar power involve the installation of solar panels, but you also need to have the proper A/C and D/C converter units installed (solar power produces DC current which needs to be converted to AC current to power things like your computer, lights, and washing machines). Like all other types of equipment, there's good quality and lesser quality (to be kind). Most solar equipment will not require a high level of maintenance, but be sure there is a warranty offered on the equipment and that the contractor stands behind the warranty claims.
6. Get a second quote. Not only will this help assure you that the quote being offered is reasonable, it also helps ensure cost competitiveness across installers. But don't select your contractor on price alone. The more expensive quote could be advantageous if that contractor uses better installation procedures, higher quality parts, or extends greater warranty coverage. In general within Massachusetts, the current average is roughly $8.60/KwH generated. So depending on the size of the system you're installing, a typical residential installation should cost between $16,000 and $50,000+ for a full passive heating and cooling system. Massachusetts residents can find a spreadsheet with information on the costs of recent solar installations in Massachusetts over the past several years, along with the applicable rebates the homeowners received, at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative's web site.
7. Get a fixed date for installation to begin and end. Your contractor should have the work pretty much all figured out ahead of time and should be able to tell you how long installation will take and when they will be able to begin the work. A good contractor won't get thrown by a project overrun and should be able to plan accordingly for all contingencies. Be sure to ask the previous customers if the contractor finished their job on time as well (see Get Referrals above). You don't want to be starting an installation in central Massachusetts in late September only to have it held up past the first cold spell in October.
8. Get the warranty specifics for your equipment and save it in a safe place. Solar equipment lasts a LONG time and requires very little on-going maintenance, so chances are you'll forget the brand name and maybe even the installers name after 20 years, so you'll want to have this information handy in year 18 should anything go awry.
9. Don't forget your rebates! Most U.S. state have some form of rebate program, and if your state doesn't, your local utility company most likely does. Your contractor should be intimately familiar with all the available rebate programs and how to apply for them. A good contractor may even file the rebate requests on your behalf - it never hurts to ask them if they will! Check the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, for a list of available rebates in your state.

Congratulations on taking the first steps toward energy independence! If you have more questions on solar power or other forms of alternative energy in the home, read my other blog posts or visit my web site at www.CyberGreenRealty.com for more information. You can also find a listing of Solar vendors in the Eastern Massachusetts region on my web site under the Eco Friendly Partners page.

Until next time, Peace!

-TMC