Stephanie Edwards-Musa, Realtor ® Spring/Woodlands, TX Real Estate

Let's pretend that the picture to the right is a snapshot of the homes for sale in your Community. There are a handful of homes available, but there are only 5 Buyers lurking around. It is a race for curb appeal, staging, and upgrades. A battle of advertising wits to get the most showings with Photos on MLS, Videos on YouTube and Virtual Tours online.

But most of these all have Granite Countertops, Stainless Steel Appliances and Plasma TV's staying with the home. There are some with upgraded carpet, extra crown moulding and pools or heavenly back yards.

Ok, back to the picture. Is there one that catches your eye, one that stands out more than the others? Why does green make it different?

I really am getting somewhere, just bear with me another minute. Here are a few things that I have NEVER heard from a client while showing homes:

• "I am buying a home 45 miles from work and it would make me SO happy to find the home in this Community with the highest electric bill."
• "Living in Houston for a long time, I have bad allergies/asthma and I enjoy it. Find me the home that will aggravate my allergies/asthma the most."

and last but not least:

• "I absolutely LOVE home maintenance. I want a home with rotted wood, single pane windows and appliances that will need to be changed out next year."

I personally believe that these items are overlooked in separating homes while they are For Sale. All of the three points above are getting in to what Green Homes are about. Yes, what most would consider 'Environmentally Friendly Homes'. It is all over the News, every magazine, Reality TV Show, it doesn't end. Even if your home is NOT Green, let's look at what really could make it the Green one in the middle that sticks out.

Energy Efficiency-

So, you have always been ahead of the curve in making a comfortable home with LOW Utility Bills. You chose Radiant Barrier when you replaced your roof, changed out your Windows to Double Pane to keep your Living Room or Master Bedroom cooler, upgraded to Energy Star Appliances AND put in a brand spankin' new 15 SEER A/C System last year. All of that made your bill 40-50% less than the Blue homes around you. Let's Frame it! Take that last Electric Bill and show it to the world! Loud and Proud!

Water Efficiency-

Do you live in an area with high Water Bills or a Water Shortage? What changes have you or can you make to your home that would appeal to a Potential Homebuyer? How about Sprinkler System with Rain Gauge, Low Flow faucets or toilets, or a landscaped yard that requires minimal watering and/or maintenance.

Indoor Air Quality-

This topic would appeal to that large group of homebuyers that need less dust or allergens in a home, a group that is growing in numbers every year. Did you opt for the Whole House HEPA Filter in your A/C System? How about very little or NO carpet, Low or No VOC Paints and adhesives when you put in Hardwood floors and remodeled? Home Buyers looking for these options REALLY do know that it will benefit them.

Home Maintenance-

Ahhh, the one item that really hits home. The Cost vs. Value report is put out once a year to show what upgrades and changes recuperate the most money within 12 months. Did you know that Double Pane windows in Houston on this report show that you can get over 80% of your money back within one year? New siding on the home is OVER 90%!! This also goes back to move in condition and Convenience, two topics that Potential Homebuyers LOVE to hear about. What makes your home different?

These four topics can really draw a crowd and statistics show that Home Buyers are willing to pay a Premium. Whether your home already has these items or you just know that changes are needed to sell, these are items to consider. What is IN your home can help your Listing Agent make it the one that Stands Out From The Crowd! Which Home Is Yours?

So, there has been all of this talk about New Construction GREEN Homes over the past year. There are discussions on types of insulation, Tank vs. Tankless Hot Water...if you want to get more confusing let's talk about Solar Hot Water too!

This is all well and good, great information to have out there. But, what if we don't want to move? What if we don't want to build Custom?

All of this is why myself and some of Houston's Green Experts did the Hypothetical Remodel that I have mentioned before. If you missed it and would like to catch up, you can read it here.

Basically, we took a home built in 1959- performed an Energy Audit, qualified for a Renovation Loan and found out exactly what it would it cost to 'Green Up' the home.

What would be better than reading one example? How about sitting in on a Series of 9 FREE Web Seminars on how to 'Green Up The Existing Home'

It's like a Home Buying Seminar but a little Greener! No cars to drive across town to attend! :0)

First off I would like to Thank Michael Strong with Brothers Strong for helping to make this happen. You may know Michael from Greenhaus Builders- The Builder of Houston's First LEED Home in Houston or if you tune in to 950 am on Sunday mornings from 9-12 he is the Co-Host of the Home Improvement Hotline. Regardless, he is Houston's leading expert on Green Building and Remodeling.

We will be kicking off this Series on January 31st, 2009 with Energy Audits- Energy Audits are the best way to get the BEST idea of what is in store when Tackling the Energy side of the home.

Here is list of all Seminars:

• Jan. 31st from 11-12 Energy Audits <<--First in the Series
• Feb. 4th from 7p-8p Insulation
• Feb. 21st from 11-12 HVAC (Heating and Cooling)
• Feb. 25th from 7p-8p Radiant Barrier and Windows
• March 14th from 11-12 To Be Determined
• March 28th from 11-12 Water Conservation Fixtures and Delivery Systems
• April 1st from 7p-8p Indoor Air Quality
• April 11th from 11-12 Durability
• April 15th from 7p-8p Top 10 Practices and Green Guidelines

If you would like to sign up to attend the First Web Seminar series, >>click here <<. An email address is required so that we can send over the link to use. Over the next month we will have the links up to Register for the rest of the Series.

Oh, and did I mention that it is FREE to attend?

If you are looking to Purchase a Home to Green up, or just wanting to Green up an existing home- These 9 series should cover about anything you need to know. There will be Question and Answer through each one to make sure that we cover everything.

Stay tuned for more info! Keep in mind, much of the information and products discussed may perform best in Houston and/or Hot and Humid Climates. This will be very Regional...with some not so Regional information throughout.

Just in the past year and a half we have gone from the majority of people not ever hearing about Green Building/Green Homes- To the majority of people wanting to go Green in their homes in one way or another. What I find fascinating about this movement is that it is truly a Consumer Driven market right now.

I mean, who would NOT want a more Energy Efficient, Healthier home right?

Now, I can't speak for all areas of the Nation, but in Houston, this has created some what of a...Frustration. There are more people looking for a 'Green' New Construction Home (key word New Construction) than there really are homes on the ground. We can find Energy Efficient, not a problem. But when we start adding in the Low/No VOC Paints, Caulks, Products- Recycled Content- Renewable Energy and so forth...it is few and far between sometimes.

Then if someone really wants to build, we take in to consideration the cost of New Construction for a TRUE 'Green' built home, LEED for example, this is right now in Houston- quite high compared to what most people are looking for when you take the size of home desired, features that they want IN the home...we are looking at about $200 per square foot NOT counting the cost of land vs. $80-$120 for resales or just Energy Efficient or minimally Green. That is a pretty big leap.

Not taking in to consideration the cost, part of this is a numbers game. How many buyers are there vs. New Construction Inventory homes right now? Probably quite a few more buyers.

But what if we change that scenario to How many buyers are there vs. Homes on the Market right now? Now we are talking!

On my other blog I have just finished a series called the 'Hypothetical Remodel' where myself and some of the Green Building Experts around town decided to put something together on how exactly Homebuyers can Purchase and existing Home with the Floorplan, Location and other features desired, use a Conventional 30 Year Fixed Renovation Loan to 'Green' up the house.

Remember how the cost difference was between $80 and $120 per sq ft? That is a lot of room in many cases to be able to Renovate about any home out there to YOUR desire. It would have the Cosmetic features such as tile, countertops, etc that you want in a home with everything else to fit the Buyers needs.

Here is a basic breakdown of how it works:

• Make sure that you qualify for a Conventional Loan for a desired purchase amount
• Find the home you want..with a great imagination of course of what the home COULD look like
• Once we get the contract written, call out some contractors and designers!
• An Energy Audit is Essential here also to get it more Energy Efficient
• Get the bids for the work, the home will be appraised for AFTER Renovation Value
• Once you close on the home, the work should be complete in no more than 60 Days

Personally, I forsee a lot of interest in these kind of loans over the next couple of years. I think we will start seeing more and more banks offering them. For now, I have only found ONE in the entire State of Texas. Why? Because this is still a 5% down Conventional Mortgage and you do not have to pay Home Improvement Loan like Interest Rates..5.5% as of last Friday!

This is all just another way to Go Green when buying a home. If you would like to read the Entire Series on how we went about doing this, Master Bathroom Designs and ALL- You can find it in the link below. I put all 7 parts of the Series in one PDF E-Book for Convenience. Just click below:

How To Buy a Home and Renovate it GREEN

Also, keep your eyes out for some exciting information about what is coming in 2009 through TurningHoustonGreen! An 8 Part Series of Webinars starting at the end of January with myself and Houston's very own Michael Strong with Brothers Strong going in to detail about how to Green up the Existing Home!

If you are thinking about Buying a home to Green Up, or just thinking about 'Greening UP' the home you already own, you may want to tune in!

It has been a while since anything has been posted about Discovery at Spring Trails, Houston's first Solar Hybrid Community so I thought I would put out an update. The community is really coming along and homes are actively being sold and built.

When you take a drive through you will notice that the developer is putting in some stone accents on the bridges and about to start putting up the Brick/Stone walls elsewhere in the Community as well. Plantation Homes has moved in to their model along with Chesmar last last week. Mercedes Homes currently has their model under construction and I believe I heard a rumor that Westin was shortly following.

If it has been a while since you have been out there, it may be worth the stroll. The homes are beautiful and Energy Efficient as all get out. For an updated list of homes available just shoot me an email.

Steph@TurningHoustonGreen.com

The Holiday Season is here and in The Woodlands that means Grand Parties, Fireworks, Santa Claus, Ice Skating, Live Music and tons of fun!  If you have been driving around lately you have probably noticed that the Christmas Lights are going up, the Doves are getting ready and the crowds are getting larger anywhere that you can go shopping.

Most of the Holiday Events have been posted for everyone to see including the Famous Lighting of the Doves, when Santa arrives at the Mall and the Snow Hill!

The Holiday Season is a magical time in The Woodlands so be sure not to miss these amazing activities for both adults and children.  I have put all of the events that are currently announced on the calendar below and will do my best to keep it updated as other events are announced.

Are you a resident or business owner that knows about other events not listed?  Leave a comment, send me an email or give me a call.  I'll be sure to add it- And if you see me around taking pictures at any of these, make sure to say Hi!  I would love to meet you.

For a few websites to consider visiting for other information about the events, visit any of them below:

• Market Street
• The Houston Chronicle Press Release
• Donoho's Winter Wonderland
• Map to the Holiday Event Locations