Sonoma County Real Estate Blog

Free Water Conservation Book!

2009-05-04T11:03:00.000-07:00

Get your FREE copy of Kohler's Green Living Guide here!

Happy Earth Day!

2009-04-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

Here are some tips to help Mother Earth every day of the year!

-Vow to eat an entirely local meal at least once a week.

-Boycott at least one non-green product all year. Make it something that you like and would purchase if it were more eco-friendly. Write to the company that manufactures this product and tell them why you now choose not to buy it.

-Give up using paper napkins, paper towels, or both. Buy a few sets of decorative organic cloth napkins. Clean up spills with old towels cut into smaller squares and then toss them into the laundry.

-Change to low-energy light bulbs.

-Cut down on the power that your electronic devices use by plugging them into power strips you can conveniently switch off when you’re not using them.

-Don’t drive when you can walk. Take time to appreciate the glimpse of beauty and vibrant life that the natural world offers. Savor the moments spent away from the rushed hustle and bustle tempo of our schedule-oriented world.

-Turn off the faucet while you’re brushing your teeth. Also take shorter showers or turn off the water while you’re soaping up.

-Buy less stuff and really give thought before you buy something. Sometimes it helps to leave the store and think clearheadedly about whether or not you truly need the item(s).

-Pledge to actually remember to bring your own grocery bags when you go shopping. Hang a prominent reminder (maybe a picture of a tree stump!) from your rear view mirror to help you remember to grab your bags when you get out of the car. Don’t hesitate to run back to your car if you find you’ve forgotten them again. Have someone hold your place in the check-out line and take advantage of the opportunity to burn some calories.

Going Green With Your Kids

2009-03-16T10:27:00.000-07:00

As you integrate green living choices into your own life, you might be wondering how kids fit into the equation. What does it really mean to have a "green kid?" Greening your children is about going beyond the things that you do to create a green lifestyle for your family—it is really all about education.

Today’s kids will soon rule tomorrow’s world. The best that we can possibly do to prepare the next generations is to consistently teach them about the green living values that are critical for their own survival. After all, they do share a common future with our planet.

Outdoor Education

The very mention of the word ‘childhood’ connotes the concept of play. In ages past though, childhood was also about learning responsibility and doing work. Chores and responsibilities helped to instill a sense of pride in children, giving them their own important place in the community. And the idea of community is probably the first important step towards getting children to think green.

The most important thing you can do to teach your children about the environment from an early age is to provide them plenty of opportunities to play outdoors.

Here are some green kid activity ideas:

* If you have outdoor space, encourage them to plant seeds, care for them, and watch them grow.

* Build a birdhouse in the backyard.

* Bond with them during a bike ride out in the woods.

* If you live in the city, take them to your neighborhood park and observe the butterflies that come to pollinate the flowers. Tune your dial to nature’s channel as you listen for birds and watch for other outdoor critters.

* You can even take them to a community garden where they can learn how others grow fruits and vegetables.

It might indeed take a bit of effort to smoothly work it into your schedule, but actively helping your child to build direct connections with the natural world instills a deep respect for the planet from their early years.

Travel Time

America’s landscape is defined by endless stretches of scenic geography—venture out and create experiences for your green kid to learn and observe the natural world at work. Consider these ideas and add your own to the list:

* Plan a geographical expedition and take your kids to a state park for a hike or a weekend camping trip.

* Explore waterfront activities such as canoeing, kayaking, and fishing.

* Talk with your children about the plants and animals they see and the things and places that you love or would like to explore.

* Have them engage in drawing activities and nature journals where they can record all that they experience on your outing.

Today’s kids will soon rule tomorrow’s world. The best that we can possibly do to prepare the next generations is to consistently teach them about the green living values that are critical for their own survival.

Clichéd as it sounds, childhood does not last for very long at all, and yet, most parents invest a lot of time stressing about day-to-day situations. Make a commitment to increase your time investment or to continue spending quality time with them—don’t waste these precious years!

Green at Play

It is easy enough to infuse a child’s experience with green living values in the guise of play—everyday tasks can become a fun and meaningful way for them to live and to learn about the world that surrounds them. Getting children excited about composting or recycling starts right at home. Children are generally fond of routines and creating compost heaps or sorting recycling from garbage in the kitchen can be a great activity to experiment with at an early age. This type of project involvement in the home can extend into other green value practices, such as picking out recyclable items during grocery shopping trips or involvement in school or community recycling programs.

Also discuss community-based options with your child, such as volunteering some time at a community garden, which nurtures a consideration for the earth and a connection with fellow community members. Cooking together provides an ideal opportunity to encourage your kids to think green—you can teach them about nutritional health, where our food comes from, and the importance of eating together as a family.

Green Media Toolbox

Since nearly all kids are magnetically drawn to any kind of media, why not use this as an educational tool for green living?

* Seek out television shows and interactive media—or better yet live theater—that teach green living values.

* Rather than relying on what is available in your neighborhood, actively suggest that environmental entertainment be incorporated into your child’s school curriculum.

* Check out environmental TV shows such as The Discovery channel or websites for environmental entertainment organizations such as www.greenkids.org to get ideas for performances that you can discuss with schoolteachers or your PTA. Green media or performance activities make for rich and meaningful field trip opportunities.

Green educational opportunities outside of school also await your green kids—look for extracurricular activities that nurture environmental consciousness.

* There are plenty of kids’ clubs in which you can enroll your child that focus on preserving the environment or saving animals that are in danger of going extinct.

* Your local library is sure to offer you plenty of resources ranging from books to community clubs and activities that you can explore. Discover Life is a great Web site that hosts a Green Kids Books section, allowing you to meet authors and illustrators of kids’ environmental literature.

* Environmental magazines such as National Geographic and Sanctuary, and Web sites such as www.kidsaregreen.org, offer quizzes, activities, contests, and resources that help support you in teaching children about environmental issues all over the world. You can encourage your kids to give their friends subscriptions to such magazines for their birthdays and holidays.

Above all, have your kids do as you would do yourself. The truth is kids learn more from there their parents than anyone or anything else—if living green is important to you, then rest assured they too will pick up the habit. You are without doubt the most important person in their life, and chances are they will want to do what you do. Remember though, you won’t have them for a very long, so while you do—teach your children well!

Spring Ahead!

2009-03-05T10:34:00.000-08:00

Just a friendly reminder from CPS Real Estate: turn your clocks ahead this Sunday, March 8th!

The Next-Best Thing: Leasing Solar Panels

2009-03-03T13:46:00.000-08:00

There is no question that purchasing a solar system to power your home is an effective way to immediately cut your impact on the planet and gradually cut your energy-related spending. And although it's usually an economically-sound decision in the long run, buying a solar panel system has a large up front cost, even with government-funded rebates.

Knowing that the average homeowner may not have the funds needed to install solar panels, several entrepreneurial companies have formed with the goal of offering solar panel rental to interested homeowners.

Rental Companies
Most of the recent rental hype has swirled aroud Citizenrē, a corporation whose REnU program seems to have a number of advantages over traditional solar panel purchase. Other up-and-comers include:

freEner-g

CT Solar Lease

SolarCity

How It Works
Although there are some differences between the companies in terms of what is offered, the basic idea behind solar panel rental is consistent in each package. After an initial deposit of around $500-$1,000, which is refunded at the end of your lease, solar panels are installed in an amount roughly corresponding to your household’s energy needs. Each month, you pay rent to the company that leased the panels.

All the power produced by the solar panels powers your house and the excess flows back into the grid, causing your meter to run backwards. Currently, solar panel rental is available only in those places with net metering, meaning that the difference between what is produced and what is used can be tracked.

The Economics
Renting solar equipment and buying solar equipment follow two very different strategies. The cost of buying photovoltaic (PV) panels to power a home is usually around $50,000. However, the installation of solar panels for the purpose of heating water is only around $6,000 and can be lowered further after rebates and tax credits are factored in. Solar panels also add value to your home, and some areas allow you to sell power back to the grid.

Visit Minnesota-based freEner-g for a Leasing vs Purchasing comparison.
If you are curious about what the cost would be for you, Find Solar offers a solar calculator that estimates costs of buying solar panels according to location and a few other factors. Depending on the power used in your home, the amount of energy produced, and electricity costs in coming years, the time necessary for you to begin saving money varies greatly, but it is likely to take well over a decade for PV panels.

The Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE) provides comprehensive information about leasing, rebates programs, loans, grants, incentives, exemptions, and more for renewable energy and energy efficiency in each state.
Rentals have a much smaller startup cost and it is possible to lock in a rate that will stay constant for the next 25 years, depending on the rental period. Initially, the costs per month will exceed that of obtaining energy through the grid. However, savings are likely based on the assumption that energy costs will continue to rise, but have no guarantee of paying off in the long run.

Rentals are riskier than buying panels that will certainly save you big money after a couple of decades. However, a small variation in cost aside, solar panel rental will allow hundreds of thousands, if not millions of homeowners to reduce their carbon footprint and decrease dependence on non-renewable resources. It is difficult to predict whether the costs for solar rental will be slightly higher, the same as, or lower than traditional power from the grid, but it is certain that, should this enterprise succeed, the environmental benefits will be marked.

Generating Your Own Wind Power

2009-02-28T13:40:00.000-08:00

So you’ve pledged your allegiance to clean, green energy and are looking for ways to support it. How about generating your own?

You've probably seen giant, commercial wind turbines, but did you know that you can buy your own mini wind turbine to put in your backyard?

Last year, roughly 7,000 Americans purchased a residential-scale wind turbine to power some or all of their home, farm, or small business. These three-bladed, propeller-shaped generators are around 15 feet in diameter, perched atop a 40-to-100-foot tower, and generate clean, greenhouse gas-free electricity for on-site use. These "small wind" turbines give individuals a direct way to help the environment while stabilizing, or even eliminating their energy costs and generating their own reliable power.

Benefits and Uses of Wind Energy
Many models of residential-scale wind turbines can be connected to the electric grid so that a consumer has power even when the wind isn’t blowing. Grid interconnection also means that if the consumer doesn’t use as much electricity as the turbine produces, the excess can be fed backwards into the grid for credit on the consumer’s monthly electric bill.

Small wind systems are most practical for individuals or businesses located in areas with above-average wind speeds, and with at least half an acre of open land to allow the wind to "stretch its legs." Regions where electricity prices are also especially high make small wind systems an attractive investment.

Small wind turbines are also popular choices for people who live in remote locations, away from the electric grid. Uses for these off-the-grid turbines include powering cabins, pumping water on farms, and even powering accessories on sailboats. For these applications, the turbine charges batteries to supply electricity even when the wind doesn’t blow.

Often a turbine will be installed in conjunction with solar/photovoltaic (PV) panels. Wind tends to blow more strongly at night (when the sun isn’t shining), making wind and solar energy natural complements.

Demand for small wind systems has grown sharply in the past decade to match widening concerns about global warming, rising and unpredictable energy costs, and energy security. While these driving forces are relatively new, small wind turbines have been around since the 1920s. Wind power technology has made remarkable advancements since then, and, to make a good story even better, its industry's high-tech jobs remain firmly planted within U.S. borders.

The U.S. leads the world in production of small wind turbines, and with the special help of wind “laboratories” at the U.S. Department of Energy, small wind turbines are more durable, efficient, and user-friendly than ever before. Buying a small wind system is quickly becoming as normal as buying a clothes dryer or any other appliance. Some turbines even transmit live performance data to your home computer and will tell you if maintenance is needed.

Who Should Buy One?
Small wind systems are most practical for individuals or businesses located in areas with above-average wind speeds, and with at least half an acre of open land to allow the wind to "stretch its legs." Regions where electricity prices are also especially high make small wind systems an attractive investment.
But what if you don’t have an acre of land? A lot of suburbanites and city-dwellers ask if they can put a small wind turbine on the roof of their home or even their office building, in the style of other green building tactics. This would seem to make sense, as it would prevent the cost of purchasing a tower, and you may say, "That’s where my solar panels are anyway…." However, there are a few important differences between installing a turbine in an open field and on a city rooftop:

Are There Drawbacks?
The biggest hurdle for consumers is usually the price tag. A turbine large enough to power an entire home can run from $12,000 to $55,000 (including installation costs). However, several states offer rebate programs and other financial assistance that can reduce this cost dramatically. The good news is that small wind turbines last a long time—around 20 to 30 years—and require very little in maintenance costs.
Depending on where you live, the process of obtaining a permit from your city or town to install a turbine may be time-consuming and even fairly expensive. Some cities have a far more streamlined permitting process than others, so be sure to investigate the requirements before you buy.

Your neighbors may also be uncomfortable with your new turbine for aesthetic reasons, and might even try to prevent you from installing it. This is why it is especially important to alert your neighbors about your intended project ahead of time, and to explain exactly what they might expect your new installation to look like. For help, see the American Wind Energy Association Web site.

Other Considerations
What else would you need to know about buying a small wind turbine? Make sure the zoning laws in your city or town allow structures like these to be installed. Equally important, make sure that your neighbors know all of the facts about small turbines, and your project in particular, before they assume the worst. Also investigate whether your state has any rebate or incentive programs that can help you pay for these often expensive systems. The American Wind Energy Association is currently lobbying for a federal-level consumer tax credit to help individuals buy small wind turbines. For grid-connected turbines, check with your power utility to see if they will allow you to hook up your system to the grid, and what sort of regulations they require.
To learn if your property would be a good fit for a small wind system, contact a dealer, installer, or manufacturer. A list of companies, and much more information, can be found at the American Wind Energy Association Web site.

The Tankless Water Heater for Long-Term Savings

2009-02-20T12:58:00.000-08:00

Just as a calm, warm shower can cleanse the body, a green way of doing it can soothe the soul. While residents leave the heat off in their homes when they leave for vacation, the same cannot be said for hot water in most households. It seems only logical to leave the hot water off when it is not needed.

This is the logic behind the “tankless” or “instant” water heater, which provides on-demand and instantaneous hot water at an efficient and less costly rate. And though the intangible savings of fossil fuel pollution and water waste are not immediately apparent, the fact that energy and water are such indelible aspects of a home’s eco-footprint means that the water heater is an ideal target for those aiming to conserve.

Tankless heaters not only save several square feet of storage space—there’s also no stand-by energy losses and no sitting water. Typical tankless water heaters can be about 35 percent more energy efficient than traditional storage tank water heaters for a home that uses about 40 gallons of hot water a day.

Depending on the extent of their use, tankless heaters can yield energy savings of up to 50 percent if they are installed in a strategic and advantageous manner. Since approximately 15 percent of the total energy expenditure of typical households goes to heating water, the benefits can be far-reaching.

Like most green building features, the product costs more initially and saves...over the course of the product’s lifespan....for people who want to integrate green building systems into their homes, going tankless is an effective way of striving toward that goal.

For the eco-conscious, solar water heating is the best, though the current price tag can be a bit daunting. The next best step is "going tankless" with an electric or gas-powered heater. It is imperative to do some homework to determine what kind of tankless system will work best with the distinguished features of the home and the lifestyle of its occupants.

The Basics of Tankless

Before scurrying to the store, it is advisable to know how tankless systems actually work. When the hot water tap is turned on, cooler regular water pumps through a pipe into the water heater unit. This on-demand design frees home owners from having to wait for a water tank to fill up with enough water.

In general, gas-powered tankless heaters produce higher flow rates of water compared to electric heaters. The drawback is that some gas-powered heaters with pilots actually waste energy, thereby negating the good intentions of the eco-conscious resident. You can curb this waste factor by:

Purchasing pilot lights that you can turn off

Installing models that have intermittent ignition devices, similar to spark ignitions in gas ovens

Gas-powered models rely on either propane or natural gas and require stainless steel venting accessories that can run up the purchase by an extra few hundred dollars.

For electric heaters, consult with a reputable electrician, who can recommend voltage and survey your home for circuits. Most retailers sell heaters that will accommodate voltages of 110, 120, 208, 220, 240, and 277. For gas, the decision comes down to propane or natural gas and considering where the discharge will go.

When you are serious about contacting a contractor:

Check backgrounds at the local Better Business Bureau and get several estimates.

Contact the city or county to learn about permits and codes.

Be sure that the contractor is well informed about local government standards as well.

Ideally, you’ll find a contractor who shares and understands your goal of reducing your energy consumption and water usage. The contractor can then consider the most strategic heating unit placement as they develop their plans, because the efficiencies of tankless heaters diminish the farther they’re located from the area in the home that needs hot water.

Examining Your Lifestyle
If you’re not such a whiz with mathematical calculations, a good way to polish your arithmetic skills is to formulate how a tankless water heater can reconcile your daily household routine with your green conscience.

A strong tankless heater can pump about 5 gallons a minute of hot water throughout the whole house. But if your teenaged kid likes taking 15-minute showers while you run the dishwasher, this might not suffice. Calculating your flow-rate demand is key in determining whether to install one heater for the whole house or multiple heaters for different appliances and bathrooms. In a busy household, all of these appliances running at the same time can challenge a tankless heater’s ability to meet hot water demand.

In addition, the climate conditions where you live can affect the performance of your heating unit. There is a notable difference between operating a tankless heater in Michigan compared to operating one in Arizona in the dead of February. Naturally, water in the Southeast desert is warmer and is thus less taxing on your heater.

To run the numbers in a calculation checklist:

If your incoming water temperature for the shower is 60 degrees and you want to enjoy a 125 degree shower at a water flow rate of 3 gallons/minute, you will need a heater capable of reaching at least 65 degrees at 3 gallons/minute. If you want your heater to provide for more than just the shower—such as the kitchen sink or the dishwasher—then they need to be factored into the equation when investigating the heating unit’s capabilities.

Powerful gas-powered tankless heaters can warm water 70 degrees at five gallons/minute, while electric heaters can achieve two gallons/minute.
Faster flow rates or cooler inlet temperatures can sometimes reduce water temperature at the most distant faucet. In a busy household, some residents might want to run a bath tub at a lower flow rate for a warmer bath.

Tankless is an Investment
Like most green building features, the product costs more initially and saves money and energy consumption over the course of the product’s lifespan. Tankless water heaters vary in price and usually cost several hundred dollars more than the typical tank heater. In addition, installation can notch the price up into the four figures. Consulting a contractor and acquiring a permit through the city or county are both time-consuming and cumbersome.

But for people who want to integrate green building systems into their homes, going tankless is an effective way of striving toward that goal. Amid rising energy costs and water bills in some regions of the country, current savings can hover around $100 a year.

Tankless water heaters last for about 20 years, compared to the 10 to 15 year lifespan of the tank. And tankless heaters feature easily replaceable parts that can extend its lifespan years beyond that. Tax credits are available for making the improvement, which can save you hundreds of dollars. Check your state's Web site for more information. At the federal level, The Energy Policy Act of 2005 provides tax credits through 2007 for homeowners who make such improvements.

The leap from the tank takes time, money, and patience. But once the leap is made, those warm showers might become a little warmer.

What is an Energy Efficient Mortgage and How Can I Get One?

2009-02-05T12:45:00.000-08:00

If you are considering home ownership in this buyer’s market, it is important to know that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development works with lenders to make the purchase of an energy efficient home—or energy efficient improvements to an existing home—more appealing and more affordable than ever before.

Many lenders offer what is called an energy efficient mortgage (EEM), which works in much the same way as a regular mortgage, with a few additional qualifications:

To qualify, the green potential of the home must be assessed through a Home Energy Rating System report, whereby a trained Energy Rater will assign your home a score between 1 and 100, based upon a variety of factors such as insulation, appliances, windows, climate, and utility rates.

A low score indicates that the home is not very efficient, while a higher score indicates an efficient home.

If it is determined that you will save money by implementing energy upgrades, the lender will approve the EEM.

But even if the home is deemed sufficiently energy efficient, you may still qualify for an EEM by utilizing the annual energy savings to increase the amount of your loan.

There are three types of Energy Efficient Mortgages, with varying criteria relative to different buyers:

The conventional EEM—the projected energy savings dollar amount is added to the amount of your loan

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) EEM—allows buyers to add up to 5% of the value of their home (up to $8000) to the loan amount

The Veteran’s Administration EEM—for qualified members of the military and allows buyers $3000-6000 towards improvement costs or a mortgage

The energy efficient mortgage is an effective way to boost your purchasing potential while saving money and conserving energy and the environment. While your mortgage payment may increase slightly, the monthly savings on energy bills can be many times greater, saving you thousands of dollars over the long term. To find out if your home qualifies for an energy efficiency upgrade or mortgage, talk to your lender about your options.

Eco Options for Home Heating Systems

2009-01-27T12:30:00.000-08:00

Heating your home during the cold months of winter is a necessity, but so is finding sustainable sources of energy to do it with—otherwise, we’re facing the very real prospect of not having a winter at all.

Here are several green options for heating your home:
You can use the sun’s 100% clean and 100% free energy to reduce your home heating costs by as much as 25 to 50%, depending on how much sun you typically get. Having solar heat collectors installed will set you back, of course, but it pays for itself in three to six years, and life expectancy for a solar air heating system is from 15 to 25 years. Basically, once it’s paid for you end up getting free heat for a couple decades—not a bad deal at all.

Bioheat is the usage of biodiesel, which has caught on in a big way for fueling transportation and utility vehicles, to heat your home. Bioheat is an easy, inexpensive way to reduce the environmental impact of heating your home: The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Beltsville Agricultural Research Center claims that if the entire Northeastern United States were to convert to a B5 blend (5% biodiesel, 95% heating oil), as much as 50 million gallons of heating oil would be saved. Even this low of a biodiesel-to-heating-oil ratio would mean significantly lower emissions of sulfur oxide, nitrogen oxide, and carbon dioxide.

Recently, however, several studies have concluded that the full emissions costs of bio-fuels exceed those of conventional fuels when you take into account the amount of land that is being converted to cropland for the purpose of making bio-fuels. So if you’re thinking about using bioheat in your home, you might not be making as much of a difference as you’d hoped...

Hydronic Heating Systems, also known as radiant heating systems, use hot water to heat your home, usually through tubes in your floorboards instead of hot air being forced through ducts. Water is a much better heating medium than air. It transfers far more BTUs (British Thermal Unit, a measurement of heat energy; one BTU is equal to the amount of heat it takes to warm one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit) of heat into your home, which essentially means that it makes more efficient use of the energy used to heat it up. Plus, because it radiates up from the floorboards rather than being blown in as currents of air, it is less likely to leak through window and door frames.

Your thermostat can therefore be turned down lower with a hydronic heating system than with a forced-air duct system, conserving energy and saving you money even while heating your home more evenly and comfortably

Heat Pumps make use of thermal masses in the ground, water, and even the air to heat your home. They draw the Earth’s geothermal energy or collect solar energy that has warmed the air and actually transfer them as heat into your home rather than producing the heat with a conventional boiler or furnace. Heat pumps produce more thermal energy than they require to operate and can easily be powered by solar or wind energy, thus requiring no fuel and emitting no pollutants. Better yet, they are rather simple systems that require no high-tech components—you could build one yourself, if you were so inclined.

Heat Recovery Ventilators conserve energy and keep the air in your house fresh and clean. The system has separate intake and exhaust ducts, both of which are fed through a heat-exchange core, which consists of several passages threaded together so that the warm air being sucked out of your house can heat the cooler air coming in without mixing the two. This not only lowers the costs of heating the air inside your home, it also keeps the air from growing stale or accumulating harmful levels of moisture and pollutants.

The moisture produced by cooking, washing, and even breathing can contribute to mold and mildew problems, while your appliances and even some buildings materials can give off pollutants that are harmful to people. Heat recovery ventilators, in other words, are good for Earth’s atmosphere and your home’s atmosphere.

Programmable Thermostats are a simple but effective way to reduce your energy consumption. When you’re not in your home, you don’t need to be using energy to heat it. Programmable thermostats let you set “At Home” and “Away From Home” temperature schedules for weekdays and weekends. Some even let you set schedules for every individual day of the week.

It may seem too easy, but this very basic device, which you can install yourself in less than an hour, can save you as much as a third of the money you spend heating your home. Just look for products with the ENERGY STAR label. And look for a programmable thermostat with no mercury (like those made by Hunter).

Do-It-Yourself Green Home Heating
It’s not very likely that a single one of the above systems will be the only solution you need to heat your home entirely with clean and sustainable energy, but if you’re willing to get creative it can surely be done. Some of the ideas require major renovations, hence a lot of planning and a lot of labor. But some, like installing a programmable thermostat, require such little effort there’s no reason not to do them.

If you aren’t prepared to make major renovations and would rather start with simple projects you can do yourself, here are a few more options for heating your home cleanly and efficiently:

You can use plants and/or landscaping to reduce your heating needs. Planting coniferous trees to block prevailing winter winds can significantly reduce the amount of heat you need to generate to keep your home comfortable. Meanwhile, planting deciduous trees along the south-facing wall of your home can reduce the cooling needs of your home in the winter while still allowing the sun’s rays to heat your home in the winter.
A really great way to limit how much energy you use to heat your home is to simply not heat your home. Or not all of it, anyway. After all, you’re rarely using all of your house at once. Green space-heating is easily accomplished with a pellet heater. Usually installed outside as a safety precaution, pellet heaters consume pellets made mostly of sawdust and vent the heated air through an exterior wall of your home. There are also pellet burners designed to consume corn kernels. Not only do they use a completely renewable source of fuel, pellet burners operate at such high temperatures that all harmful gasses and carbons are burned off. Thus they do not use fossil fuels, do not produce greenhouse gases, and are carbon neutral.
Good insulation is key to heating your home efficiently. Cotton insulation is made of old jeans (as renewable a source as you could ask for) and is better at insulating your home than conventional fiberglass, which is made from mined substances and glass. Cellulose is another effective and sustainable insulator; it’s made from recycled newspapers. But it’s not just walls you should be thinking about: well-insulated awnings, louvered shutters, and wide eaves are all great ways to keep heat from leaking out of your home.
A heating system is, of course, just one consideration you have when renovating or building a home to have as small an ecological footprint as possible, but that just gives you more opportunities to get creative about going green.

Start using a biodiesel/heating oil mixture in your conventional boiler and buy wind power credits to offset its power consumption, for instance. Or combine a hydronic heating system with a solar water heater and you could be supplying all of your home’s heating needs all winter long and yet consume little to no non-renewable fuels.

Find your dream home online and save time and gas! Eco-friendly way to search for your new home or next investment property.

2008-11-10T14:00:00.000-08:00

Creative Property Services would like to let you know about one of our many tools to make the search for your dream home easier. By clicking on the map below, you will be able to search using our Google Home Search map to target the exact neighborhood you are interested in. Find out how all the homes in your search compare.

When you find a home you would like to visit, or would like to know more information, please send us an email or call 1-800-743-5401 to speak with one of our agents directly.

www.cpsrealestate.com

End of Day Light Savings Time

2008-10-28T02:00:00.000-07:00

Energy Saving Tips from PG&E

2008-10-08T03:27:00.000-07:00

Energy Saving Tips from PG&E

Follow these tips to save on energy costs

Install these energy-efficient measures:
- Replace and recycle your old refrigerator and purchase energy-efficient models. Units only 10 years old can use twice as much electricity as a new ENERGY STAR® labeled model.
- Insulate ceilings to R-30 standards if your attic has less than R-19.
- Caulk windows, doors and anywhere air leaks in or out. Do not caulk around water heater and furnace exhaust pipes.
- Weatherstrip around windows and doors.
- Wrap heating and cooling ducts with duct wrap, or use mastic sealant.
- Install energy-saver showerheads.

When buying new appliances, be sure to purchase energy-efficient ENERGY STAR® labeled models.

Set the furnace thermostat at 68 degrees or lower, and the air-conditioner thermostat at 78 degrees or higher, health permitting. 3 percent to 5 percent more energy is used for each degree the furnace is set above 68 degrees and for each degree the air conditioner is set below 78 degrees.

If your old air conditioner is on its way out replace it with ENERGY STAR® labeled energy-efficient model.

Use compact fluorescent lamps. You can lower your lighting bill by converting to energy-efficient low-wattage compact fluorescent lighting and fixtures.

Replace old windows with new high performance dual pane windows.

Clean or replace furnace and air-conditioner filters regularly, following manufacturer's instructions.

Set the water heater thermostat at 140 degrees or "normal." If you have a dishwasher. Otherwise, set it at 120 degrees or "low." Check your dishwasher to see if you can use 120 degree water. Follow the manufacturer's direction on yearly maintenance to extend the life of your unit.

Fix defective plumbing or dripping faucets. A single dripping hot water faucet can waste 212 gallons of water a month. That not only increases water bills, but also increases the gas or electric bill for heating the water.

Wash only full loads in a dishwasher and use the shortest cycle that will get your dishes clean. If operating instructions allow, turn off the dishwasher before the drying cycle, open the door and let the dishes dry naturally.

Defrost refrigerators and freezers before ice buildup becomes 1/4-inch thick.

Install shades, awnings or sunscreens on windows facing south and/or west to block summer light. In winter, open shades on sunny days to help warm rooms.

Close the damper when the fireplace is not being used. Try not to use the fireplace and central heating system at the same time.

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info@cpsrealestate.com

Solar Engergy and Your Home

2008-10-06T14:25:00.000-07:00

Solar Credit OK'd

2008-10-06T11:19:00.000-07:00

Massive solar credit OK'd with bailout

San Francisco Business Times - by Lindsay Riddell

The solar industry is elated after Congress passed an eight-year extension to the solar investment tax credit as part of the $700 billion financial industry bailout package.
The president signed the legislation Friday morning. The bill included $128 billion in tax incentives and breaks including the $18 billion solar energy tax credit that offers 30 percent credit to both commercial and residential solar installations. The industry has been pushing for the extension, saying it's needed to scale the industry and drive down the costs of solar to compete with fossil fuel sources.

"What you're going to frankly see now is a tremendous herding of investors who want to get into the marketplace," said Alex Welczeck, CEO of Mill Valley-based Solar Power Partners.

And despite widespread support among both Chamber of Congress, multiple bills extending the tax credits that would have expired at the end of the year, failed to pass because of disputes that included White House veto threats over how to fund them.
The House of Representatives had voted on the legislation seven times in the current legislative cycle, while the Senate had voted on an extension 10 times.

The extension that finally passed in the bailout bill lifted a previous $2,000 cap on residential installations - meaning residential projects will qualify for a 30 percent credit no matter the size of those systems.

Utilities for the first time will also be eligible for the credits, something the utility industry been urging Congress to approve for years.

California will benefit the most from the credit, as it's the largest solar market in the country.

"Deploying solar projects that can provide power on the scale of a public utility, requires a stable investment environment," Robert Fishman, president, CEO and chairman of Palo Alto-based Ausra, which is working to develop utility-scale solar thermal power plants. "The eight-year extension of the tax credit will allow Ausra to continue its leadership in developing innovative technologies to meet our customers' needs and the energy challenges of our future in a clean, reliable, cost-competitive manner."

The eight-year extension is expected to create more than 400,000 jobs nationwide, with 214,000 of those in California alone by 2016.

"It's everything we wanted," said Monique Hanis, spokesperson for the Solar Energy Industries Association in Washington. "It's huge for the industry, it's huge for developing solar in the U.S. market and it's huge in terms of making solar available to every American."

The House voted 263 to 171 to pass financial bailout legislation Friday morning. The Senate had attached the tax relief package to it, and voted in favor of the bailout on Wednesday.

Arno Harris, CEO of San Francisco-based Recurrent Energy, which finances, owns and operates commercial and municipal solar projects, said his company was relieved to see the extension passed even though the entire industry was not convinced it would see an extension this year.

"We're even more relieved to see the economic rescue plan achieve passage," said Harris in an e-mail to the San Francisco Business Times. "Renewable energy projects are highly dependent on a functioning credit market for construction and project financing. The last two weeks were very worrying. Getting a rescue plan in place is key to achieving our country's solar and renewable energy goals."

www.cpsrealestate.com

Avalar Real Estate & Mortgage Strengthens Its Management Team

2008-07-28T08:40:00.000-07:00

Sacramento, CA: July 2008: In what can only be seen as a coup, Avalar Real Estate & Mortgage Network has hired one of Sacramento’s premier broker/managers with the addition of Ann Early to its Folsom office. Ann brings a wealth of experience and talent to a company that is rapidly becoming one of the region’s highly regarded brokerage firms. With a résumé that includes some 36 years of leadership for some of Sacramento’s largest firms, Ms. Early is sure to attract some of the areas brightest stars in the business.

In addition to 20 years of overseeing local companies such as Cook & Cook and Coker-Ewing, Ann has also steered the ships of some of the heftier names like Coldwell, Prudential and, most recently, Keller Williams. According to Russ Knapp, who with Rory Hoelker, is broker-partner of the Avalar offices in Folsom and Roseville as well as Area Developers for the entire Sacramento Region, “Ann is an exciting addition to our company who will further stabilize our efforts in a difficult market”.

Ann is a sitting member of the Sacramento Grand Jury for the second straight year and while away from her duties there or with Avalar, enjoys golf, gardening, reading and time with her husband of 22 years and their six grandchildren.

Avalar is an agent-centric and affordable franchise designed to enhance the recruitment and retention of top real estate professionals through its world-class agent training, state-of-the-art technology and patented revenue-sharing program that becomes a retirement income for brokers, agents and staff alike. Despite a changing market, Avalar Network, Inc. membership has grown 68% over the past 24 months and its office count has increased by 52%.

Avalar Network, Inc. represents both the Avalar brand and the Better Homes Realty brand, offering franchises nationwide and allowing brokers the flexibility to choose between two established brands and models. For franchise information contact McKenzie Myers at 877.895.8988 or mmyers@avalar.biz. Ann Early may be reached at 916.985.4475 or you may email her at aearly22@comcast.net.

Real Estate: The Color of Sales

2008-07-02T10:00:00.000-07:00

The housing slump notwithstanding, sellers of ecofriendly homes are seeing green. "Our local real-estate market is in the tank, but we're hiring people left and right to try to keep up with demand," says David Stitt, an ecofriendly builder in Arkansas. At 340 on the Park, a new green high-rise overlooking Lake Michigan in Chicago, 337 of the building's 343 units are sold—despite prices from $350,000 to more than $2 million. "We're selling expensive real estate in the city of Chicago, and it can't feel Birkenstockish," says Kerry Dickson, of the developer Related Midwest. In December, Elaine Cottey and her husband will move into their unit. They like the ecologically correct bamboo floors, the bike room and the 11,000-gallon tank that collects storm water used to irrigate the landscaping. All the right stuff, and it still looks luxe. "It's a win-win situation," says Cottey.

Today's buyers want to save money on energy and breathe air without smelly chemicals in the paint. There's also the "cool" factor. "There is a uniqueness to a home that has a countertop made out of recycled glass, or flooring made out of salvaged wood, and they know where that wood comes from," says Jennifer Hattam, green-living editor for the Sierra Club.
The greenest homes embrace native plants, use little water (think low-flow faucets and dual-flush toilets that provide more water for solid waste), require minimal energy and improve indoor air quality. Floors made from rapid-growth eucalyptus trees and countertops made from recycled paper are good for nature—and are "feel-good features," says Grand Rapids, Mich., builder Arn McIntyre.

There are even green real-estate agencies, especially in California. "This really isn't the house of the future. This is the house of today," says Albuquerque, N.M., home builder Steve Hale. And in this nervous economy, says KJM's Brian Bradley, "by incorporating green features into your home, you can increase its value and make it stand out in the marketplace."

Article originally written by Karen Springen and posted on Newsweek.

Email marketing makes it easy being green

2008-06-24T11:02:00.000-07:00

Written by: Ryan Allis June 24th, 2008

In the past few years, we have seen a dramatic shift in the way we talk about our environment. From heated debates in Congress about amending our energy policies, to the fervor generated by Al Gore’s award-winning documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, to millions of businesses changing their company cultures, “greening” has entered into the discourse of our daily lives.

In the entrepreneurial and corporate worlds, it is becoming increasingly vital to be a green company and limit your business’s environmental impact. According to eMarketer, a study by Opinion Research showed that 60% of adults think it’s either very important or extremely important that companies be environmentally conscious. In light of this information, how can your company contribute to the worldwide effort to curb global warming while still reaching your customers in an efficient way? The answer is simple: turn to online and email marketing.

Email marketing is inherently greener – and has a much lower carbon footprint – than direct market mailings. This is especially true when you consider email’s low impact on our natural resources, paper consumption, and the fossil fuels it takes to deliver regular mail. For example, in trying to do our part to lessen our company’s carbon impact on the environment, iContact consistently sends over 650 million emails on a monthly basis, saving literally hundreds of tons of paper. Delivery of email takes seconds and saves paper and gas, while direct mailing can take days or weeks to reach a destination as a significant amount of natural resources are used to complete the mailing.

In addition to the environmental benefits of email marketing, more people are switching to email marketing due to the rising costs of direct marketing caused by the recent economic slowdown. On the whole, email marketing is cheaper, has a much stronger ROI, can be automated and personalized easily, and is a more earth-friendly activity in comparison to direct mail.

This article can be found in it's original format at: http://www.startupnation.com/blogs/index.php/2008/06/24/email-marketing-makes-it-easy-being-green/

Nearing the Bottom of the Market?

2008-06-23T12:36:00.000-07:00

With all the foreclosures headlining the news lately, it is easy to overlook the signs that we may be nearing the bottom of the real estate market.

According to Data Quick News, a May 20, 2008 Bay Area Home Sales Report stated that “Bay Area home sales edged up from a seven-month run of record lows last month, indicating that mortgage availability and an increased number of fence sitters have decided they like today’s lower prices.”

Other signs include a May 22, 2008 article put out by RealtyTimes entitled, “Real Estate Outlook: Worst is Over,” “The housing market offered some immediate hints of recovery with new home starts up by 8.2 percent last month [April, 2008] and building permits up by 5 percent.”

Furthermore, on May 23rd the California Association of Realtors reported that “Home sales registered a 2.5 percent year-to-year gain compared with April 2007, ending a 30-month string of year-to-year percentage decreases that began in October 2005.”

These are just a few of the signs pointing to the real estate market bottoming out. So if you have been waiting for the perfect time to buy a home, this just may be it.

Avalar Network, Inc. Acquires Better Homes Realty

2008-06-23T12:31:00.000-07:00

Las Vegas, NV: June 2008: Avalar Network, Inc., parent company of Avalar Real Estate, has acquired Better Homes Realty and all of its associated franchise operations. Avalar has become one of the fastest growing real estate franchises in North America, sharing millions of dollars with its franchisees, agents and staff through its trademarked “Path to Success®” revenue-sharing program.

“Combining the strengths of each brand will provide more opportunities to our members and prospective franchisees. In addition, being an agent-centric company, we pride ourselves on recognizing and compensating our members in return for building the organization through our patented revenue-sharing program. The program is designed to promote the recruitment and retention of productive agents,” says Chuck Scoble, President, CEO and Founder of Avalar. “We firmly believe that affording our franchisees and their associates the flexibility to operate without the unnecessary micromanagement that so many franchisors seem to endorse, has been an integral reason for our success.”

Better Homes Realty began serving the Northern California market in 1964, later expanding throughout the state. Strong brand recognition coupled with an upscale approach to real estate was the catalyst that enabled the Better Homes Realty franchise to enter markets nationally; Better Homes Realty presently has 64 offices and upwards of 800 real estate professionals, 30% of whom hold a broker designation. With this level of professionalism, it is no surprise that BHR is a leader in the industry with an excess of $1.5 billion in closed sales over the past 12 months.

Avalar is an agent-centric and affordable franchise designed to enhance the recruitment and retention of top real estate professionals through its world-class agent training, state-of-the-art technology and patented revenue-sharing program that becomes a retirement income for brokers, agents and staff alike. Despite a changing market, Avalar Network, Inc. membership has grown 68% over the past 24 months and its office count will increase by 52% as a result of this acquisition.

Avalar Network, Inc. will represent both the Avalar brand and the Better Homes Realty brand, offering franchises nationwide and allowing brokers the flexibility to choose between two established brands and models. For more information contact McKenzie Myers at 877.895.8988 or mmyers@avalar.biz.

CPS Real Estate Goes Green

2008-06-19T16:14:00.000-07:00

Being eco-friendly has become a way of life for many of us in Sonoma County, but when it comes to going “green” in the workplace, not all companies have chosen to take responsibility for their impact on the environment.

However, Creative Property Services (CPS Real Estate) is taking matters into their own hands and has recently announced their “Project Green” campaign. CPS’s new Green campaign will not only create a more eco-friendly company, but it is also designed to help educate the community about how they can live “greener” lives as well.

A few of the measures that CPS has implemented in their Green Campaign include:

Using only recycled paper for copiers, printers and fax machines.

Creating online forms in lieu of paper ones.

They utilize motion sensor lights to save energy.

Their sales agents carpool when going on tours and showing homes.

Their offices have a water filtration system to help cut down on wasteful plastic containers.

They offer virtual tours on their website to reduce the need for clients to repeatedly drive to properties.

They are switching their sign company to one that uses recycled signposts.

They use email and fax-to-email programs for sending information to their agents and clients.

They are not only recycling paper/plastic/aluminum products, they also recycle toner cartridges and electronic equipment such as computers, monitors and keyboards.

CPS will continue to build on these ideas as part of their long-term commitment to reduce their impact on the environment and to encourage corporate and individual responsibility for keeping our planet green.