Reduce Recycle Reuse

There are multiple ways to reduce our consumption of fossil fuels and other materials while recycling our houses. Some homes will need increased insulation as will room additions. Wool batt or recycled denim (THAT's what happened to all those blue jeans!!!!) are good choices. Some foam insulation systems are made from recycled styrofoam--see, there is a better use for all those coffee cups and take out containers. Products like RASTRA blocks make additions an affordable option. Remember, not only will this kind of consturction reduce your energy consumption in the building process it will also lower your future heating and cooling needs thus lowering your expenses. That means that they can also help you obtain and energy efficiency mortgage. Yep. Lenders will give you a reward for adding energy efficient features to a house you are buying. Check out www.fha.gov for details.

HUD acquired housing is another way to recycle a house that needs a caring owner. HUD does not want to be in the real estate business. HUD guarantees loans for lenders so the lender get their money if the borrower defaults for any reason. HUD then sells the homes through local Realtors. Most need only minor repair and a coat of paint, (non-toxic, of course) and perhaps some earth friendly floor coverings.

In this country we still seem to think that the word "reduce" means some sort of sacrifice on our part. In reality it can bring us more. We can reduce the need for airconditioning by planting appropriate trees and shrubs strategically around our home. We can reduce our use of greenhouse gases and slow down global warming by unplugging small appliances when not in use ---yes, that means turn off the computer....if you use a power strip just unplug it and you have automatically taken care of unplugging all those gadgets at once.

Buying an existing house may allow you to have a bigger lot since many older houses were built on considerably larger lots than is common in most places today. More and more people are reusing other types of spaces for housing from barns tand schools to warehouses and lighthouses. Almost any existing building can be made into a home with a little creativity

Green Cleaning

Older homes start out being greener than new ones just by virtue of the fact that the materials have already outgassed. Many built in the 70's and 80's during the "energy crisis" have good insulation and many have had their windows replaced with thermal ones.
If we think about the cleaners many of our parents and grandparents used, we will remeber that not only did things sparkle but we rarely had trouble breathing in a recently cleaned ares unless someone got carried away with the bleach. Vinegar, baking soda, salt, lemon juice and bleach pretty much covered every cleaning situation that needed something more than pure soap. (Remember Ivory Flakes and 20 Mule Team Borax?) These ingredients and pure castile soap clean just as well today as they did then and lessen the toxins in our home environment. They often save a lot of money as well.
Homes with good ventilation rarely need either refrigerated air or air fresheners. (Or the chemicals they contain.) The best way to have clean fresh air in your home is to open the windows and doors and install ceiling fans.

Green Cleaning

Older homes start out being greener than new one just by virtue of the fact that the materials have already outgassed. Many built in the 70's and 80's during the "energy crisis" have good insulation and many have had their windows replaced with thermal ones.
If we think about the cleaners many of our parents and grandparents used, we will remeber that not only did things sparkle but we rarely had trouble breathing in a recently cleaned ares unless someone got carried away with the bleach. Vinegar, baking soda, salt, lemon juice and bleach pretty much covered every cleaning situation that needed something more than pure soap. (Remember Ivory Flakes and 20 Mule Team Borax?) These ingredients and pure castile soap clean just as well today as they did then and lessen the toxins in our home environment. They often save a lot of money as well.
Homes with good ventilation rarely need either refrigerated air or air fresheners. (Or the chemicals they contain.)

Rubberwood

Remodeling a kitchen can be challenging. There are a lot of energy efficient refrigerators and stoves available. Many healthy choices exist for healthy flooring--tile, cork, linoleum, recycled glass and recycled wood for example.
One alternative for floors and cabinets is plantation wood. I just got cabinets made from lumber harvested from rubber trees---no, they are not rubber cabinets! The trees produce latex for 20 to 30 years and then they are cut down and new trees planted. Until recently they felled trees were just trashed. Now they are milled into lumber. The wood has a beautiful grain and is quite strong, resistant to warping and inexpensive.

Communities Becoming Aware

Local governments and ordinary citizens are saying 'no' to so-called Hummer houses and starter castles. Tactics include energy-consumption restrictions, petitions and outright building moratoriums.

In February, Austin put in place interim rules that limit the maximum size of a new single-family home on any lot that previously had a house. For now, a builder can build up to the greatest of the following: 2,500 square feet; 20% larger than the home that was removed; or a 0.4-to-1 floor-to-area ratio for the lot.

After two years of study, Georgia's DeKalb County, which has seen McMansions appearing in older neighborhoods, put a new strategy on the books earlier this year: A neighborhood that doesn't want the megahouses can gather the signatures of 60% of its residents, then petition the county's board of commission for a zoning overlay. "You have to do it on a neighborhood-by-neighborhood basis," said Jones, the county's chief executive. "It gives the politicians, the elected officials a grasp of what the people really want in that area." (Read about how you can fight for your neighborhood here.)

Trumbull Village

Does anybody have experience with neighborhoods that have begun to decline but then been turned around by the residents and by new folks moving in without it becoming totally gentrified?
I had a conversation today with a single mother who has one teenage daughter and is looking for a reasonably priced, diverse neighborhood. We talked about Trumbull Village, an area was once known for drugs and violence.The people who live there refused to let the neighborhood die and through hard work, mentoring youth and encouraging development of moderate income housing it has changed. One of the most succssful efforts was one of the simplest as is often the case. The hard part was the politics of getting the city on board. Getting barracades and speed bumps installed that make quick, easy entry into and out of the neighborhood impossible dramatically reduced drug activity. One of the things criminals most want is a quick escape route.
While the area has not yet become gentrified, partly because it's reputation remains, it has become a much healthier place to live and the site of some of the most reasonably priced homes in the city.
The trick will be to keep the homes in the area afforadable and have people move in who are interested in developing an interesting, vibrant, diverse place to live. There is some infill development going on in the area which encourages new residents and seems to motivate others to improve their property.
I think it makes a big difference when residents feel that their efforts are appreciated and will not be lost in the morass of a decaying neighborhood.

Prestige of Ownership

As a realtor, I am constantly amazed at why people choose the homes they choose. Many homebuyers, especially first time buyers seem to believe that they must own a newly built house. The status symbol of a new house in a new development is often a driving factor.

Fortunately as awareness increases and the reality of living in a too large house with no space around it begins to set in more people are looking at older homes in established areas. Many of them are realizing that an existing home is a much better situation and with minor remodeling will more than meet their needs at a much lower price. Green building awareness is encouraging people to buy these homes and remodel them responsibly. Many are realizing that the health benefits of avoiding off gassing from new materials are significant.

Affordable Recycled Housing

While many people think of manufactured homes as the trailers of the 60's and 70's the truth is that they have come a long way. They are comfortable and well insulated for the most part though in colder climates more insulation is a good idea. Many manufacturers make use of recycled materials in their construction making them "green" that way. Many older mobile homes are abandoned when their percieved useful life isreached. Many communities have started recycling projects to recycle the materials in them Look at what is going on in North Carolina at www.p2pays.org/ They are built to be efficient and use less resources both when built and whlie being lived in than a "stick built" home of similar size.

Manufactured homes and modular construction offer affordable housing alternatives for people who do not earn enough to buy a conventional home. There are even some dedicated and creative folks who have made a business of buying old mobile homes, remodeling them and selling them at affordable rates to people who have a hard time finding affordable homes. Check them out at this link www.recycledhousing.com

If you are looking for a way to help the environment, help others and help ease the housing crisis in the process, here's a great investment. If you have the resources and live somewhere that has a need for affordable housing here is a business to start in your own area.

Is your home a cause of global warming?

Few people realize that buildings contribute much more to the disaster of climate change than all the SUV's on the road combined. Failure to do simple things like insulate; upgrade windows to thermal, use programable thermostats and wear a sweater instead of cranking up the heat can make a huge difference.

While we all know we should turn off lights we are not using and not let the water run when brushing our teeth we seldom realize what an impact it has when multiplied by millions. How many of us know that we should unplug small appliances when we are not using them but we leave our computers on whether we need to or not? Small things can make a big difference!

Creative recycled building

I am looking for an investment property for a client and in the process, I ran across a great example of creative recycling of space. A building that started out as a Christian school has been converted (no pun intended) into a state of the art fitness center. The wood floor of the auditorium are great for aerobics and Pilates!

This is the kind of outside the box thinking that can make use of an existing building to fulfill a current need with the least embodied energy and get a great result for everyone.

Recycling my house

Finally finished moving out of our condo in Albuquerque. Had it cleaned and did the walk through inspection with the buyer this evening. His agent went out of town for a few days...not the best of service for his client but since I am my own listing agent and I believe in good service, I was happy to do it. The buyer is happy and has plans to make the place his own.

In the meantime, my new tile floors are wonderful and I love my "new" house. It was built in 1979, is very open and feels larger than its 1300 square feet. We are replacing all the appliances with new, energy efficient ones. The house has good insulation and windows already. The roof is starting to show its age but will be fine for awhile.

Will post some pictures this week.