Green Real Estate Investing – Immediate Savings

Despite what some people may tell you, there are degrees of “going green,” and not all of them require you to invest your life savings in renovating your home. Some green improvements will not only save you money in the long term, but they’re also less expensive up front and add value to make it easier to sign a sales contract or lease agreement on your property. The following improvements will help the budget-conscious still improve their home or investment property and save money, without breaking the bank over green real estate investing.

Green Real Estate Investing Tip 1: Saving Money on Electric Bills by Killing Vampires
Many electronics and appliances still use substantial amounts of energy even when turned off (a classic example is your laptop cord’s power converter). This electricity adds up to a startlingly high percentage of your electric bill each month – money that can be easily saved. Add power strips throughout your house, and instead of turning on the electronic device, just turn on and off the power strip. Additionally, you can help improve both the longevity and the efficiency of your furnace and air conditioning condenser by replacing your air filters every three months.

Green Real Estate Investing Tip 2: Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) Bulbs
There’s very little that needs to be said about these: they last four times as long as old incandescent bulbs, they use a quarter of the electricity, and you can buy them in bulk and simply replace your old school light bulbs as they each burn out.

Green Real Estate Investing Tip 3. Sustainable Kitchen Finishes
I agree with you: granite countertops are a must-have – kind of. Available today are composite countertops that are indistinguishable from granite, and come in a variety of colors that are often very rare and expensive to buy in real granite. Considering new wooden cabinets? You can buy cabinets made from naturally rot-resistant woods (like cedar) that haven’t been treated with noxious chemicals like formaldehyde. They look the same, last just as long, and don’t release all those toxins into the air and groundwater table. And, nothing shouts “Buy me” like new “granite” countertops and fresh wooden cabinets, to help pitch that sales contract or lease agreement.

Green Real Estate Investing Tip 4: Programming the Thermostat More Efficiently
Remember those old dinosaur thermostats that looked like dials? There’s a good reason we don’t use them any more: because we have better, programmable thermostats that allow you to only cool or heat your home when you’re home. Give your HVAC systems a break when you’re not home, and program to kick in about fifteen minutes before you arrive at home sweet home.

Green Real Estate Investing Tip 5: Hot Water Pipe Jackets
An oldie but goodie: pipe jackets for your basement hot water pipes cost only a few dollars and install instantaneously. You’ll save more money in one winter month’s utility bill than the total cost of installing them, including the cost of your time in installing them. Insulating the first five to ten feet of hot water piping leaving your hot water heater should do the trick.

Green Real Estate Investing Tip 6: Green Decking
Wooden decks are so Twentieth Century – they rot, they splinter, they warp, they fade, and they decay. Today, you can buy composite decking made from recycled plastics, that have none of the above drawbacks, yet they save landfill space and hardwood trees. If you absolutely MUST have wooden decking (don’t ask me why you would), buy cedar or ip wood for your decks, as they last longer than treated wood and don’t need to be treated with those toxic chemicals to resist rot.

Whether you want to save money on utilities, have an easier time finding a signature for your sales contract or lease agreement, or just help do your part to minimize environmental impact, all of the above green real estate investing techniques are cost effective and environmentally meaningful. Today: composite countertops, tomorrow, zero electric bills due to your new solar panel!

Resource Box
Real Estate Investing Articles – database of articles particularly helpful for landlords and rental investors.
Rental Agreement – customizable and state-specific, as you can otherwise only find through an attorney.

An Overview of How Home Builders Build a House

Building your own house can be an exciting, but the amount of time it takes can make anyone feel impatient or anxious. You are probably ready to move in and want the house built as soon as possible. However, it’s important to be patient. Home builders do an immense amount of work on each house they build, and it’s better for them to be thorough and precise than to do a rushed job and make a mistake that will cost you money to repair later.

The first thing the crew of home builders must do is prepare the building site. Some crews will hire subcontractors to do this work, whereas others will do the work themselves. This involves using a bulldozer and backhoe to clear the lot of rocks, trees, and other debris. Next, they will dig a hole for the basement, put in wooden frames to serve as a template for the foundation. Once they’ve done that, they will pour cement into the holes and trenches to create the foundation, which must then be inspected by a city inspector.

Once the foundation and basement are finished, the home builders will erect the “skeleton” of the house. This term is used to refer to the floors, walls, and roof. While the skeleton is being built, the crew will cover the entire structure with a protective barrier known as a house wrap whenever they are not working. This will help keep moisture out and prevent the wood from rotting.

After the skeleton has been constructed, the crew will install the roofing and siding materials to the exterior of the house. While this is going on, plumbing, HVAC, and electrical contractors will also work to install pipes and ventilation in the walls of the house. This includes putting in sewer lines, ductwork, bathtubs and toilets, water supply lines, insulation, and the furnace. The electrician will also install outlets and phone jacks at this time. After these installations are complete, city inspectors will once again inspect the house to make sure the electrical and plumbing systems comply with local and state building codes.

After the wiring, ventilation, and plumbing systems are in place, home builders will work to put the finishing touches on the house. This includes hanging the drywall and applying paint to the interior walls, as well as putting up exterior finishes such as brick, stucco, or siding. The crew will also add decorative trim such as baseboards, lay down the flooring, and install cabinets, light fixtures, mirrors, and bathroom vanities. Once this is done, the crew will do a final cleanup and the city inspectors will return for a final inspection. Following the last inspection, the house will finally be ready for you and your family to move in!