Green Homes: The New Black?
In today’s over-saturated real estate market, sellers looking for ways to distinguish their properties are touting environmentally friendly and energy-saving features. Recent publications list numerous measures green builders are taking to attempt to capture this market advantage. While home sales remain flat or in decline, the ability to claim certification from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star program, the National Association of Home Builders, or the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED for Homes program adds some credibility to green status and translates to increased marketability… or does it?
Energy Efficient Mortgages + Distressed Real Estate = A Match Made in Heaven!
The housing market crash resulted in a surge in foreclosures and bank owned properties, especially in the Miami market. Foreclosures and REO properties are typically considered distressed properties because of deferred maintenance. If you’re thinking of buying one of these properties, you should know that these distressed properties will likely need some work, and will seldom be move in ready. Homeowners in foreclosure often neglect essential upkeep, or worse, may even vandalize/strip their properties down when they learn that the bank is coming in to take over.
Why We Need Solar Systems As Standard Home Options
Solar photovoltaic and solar thermal systems are gaining in popularity, especially in the South West United States where, according to SolarBuzz.Com, growth rates for new solar system installations by 2014 will increase by as much as 10 times that of the market size in 2009. One would think that with such phenomenal growth rates, more home manufacturers, factor built builders especially, would add solar pv and solar thermal systems as standard options.
Have Bad Credit? How to Use FHA 203k to Purchase Distressed Real Estate
A hot topic here in Miami is distressed real estate. With all of the foreclosures and REO (real estate owned) properties on the market for sale, there are good deals to be had. The FHA 203k loan, sometimes called energy efficient mortgage or EEM for short, is a program that is available to help you purchase a distressed property and rehabilitate with energy-efficient “green” improvements.
Going Green? Start With a Home Energy Survey
There are signs that the Miami real estate market may be close to the bottom, if it’s not already there. It’s about time, right? Everyone is looking for a steal.