Go 'green' doing it yourself

Not all gift cards created equal

"Going green is cool. My favorite way to go green is to use recyclable materials. Much of the redwood discarded in California ends up in at the dump. Once the decayed parts are cut away and the nails or screws removed, one can use the recycled wood with a personal touch," said Anthony Burchill, a general contractor and feng shui consultant from Berkeley, CA.

by Broderick Perkins
© 2010 DeadlineNews.Com


Unauthorized use of this story is a copyright violation -- a federal crime


Deadline Newsroom - Simple do-it-yourself home improvements can turn your listing into a much more valuable sale this spring.

Make those upgrades "green" and some of the work will both extend value to the planet and put a tax credit in your wallet.

The time is right.

May is National Home Improvement Month and the National Association of the Remodeling Industry says whether you are selling or staying put, now's the time to beat the rush and book the work before demand for contractors pushes up prices.

HomeGain surveyed real estate agents for the top green do-it-yourself home improvements most likely to provide a return in terms of value added to the home.



"Going green is cool. My favorite way to go green is to use recyclable materials. Much of the redwood discarded in California ends up in at the dump. Once the decayed parts are cut away and the nails or screws removed, one can use the recycled wood with a personal touch," said Anthony Burchill a general contractor and feng shui consultant from Berkeley, CA

The top five green home improvements that real estate agents recommend to home sellers were...

See: Go 'green' doing it yourself

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Driving can be hazardous to your homeownership

Man survives 30 chick flicks in 30 days

The probability of mortgage foreclosure increases in neighborhoods with characteristics that force greater reliance upon cars.

by Broderick Perkins
© 2010 DeadlineNews.Com



Unauthorized use of this story is a copyright violation -- a federal crime


Deadline Newsroom - Homeowners who live in areas that force them to drive everywhere, not only face a home value hit, they are also at greater risk of foreclosure, according to a new report from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

"Location Efficiency and Mortgage Default" used data culled from 40,000 Chicago, San Francisco and Jacksonville, FL mortgages which showed that the probability of mortgage foreclosure decreased in neighborhoods with characteristics that enable less reliance on cars, after accounting for important factors like income.

"In all three cities, the results were the same -- if your only choice is to drive, you have much less economic flexibility -- flexibility that can protect you from foreclosure in tough times," said Jennifer Henry, real estate sector manager in the Center for Market Innovation at NRDC.

(Also see: Cities that 'Walk the Walk')

The report is also an eye-opener for policy makers. It reveals how the connection between driving and foreclosure risk could provide policy makers and the lending industry with new tools to address the continuing mortgage default problem.

"Add urban sprawl to the list of sources for our current financial mess," said David Goldstein, co-director of the Energy Program at NRDC.

"It’s not just predatory lending or lax standards. The connection between transportation costs and mortgage default cannot be ignored. The sooner we address it in our lending and development practices, the sooner we will start to see a more stable real estate sector," he added.

Ironically, another report "Walking the Walk: How Walkability Raises Housing Values in U.S. Cities" says when you are able to drive less, not only do you reduce the risk of foreclosure, you are likely to see a boost in your home's value.

When the organization CEOs for Cities analyzed ZipRealty data from 94,000 real estate transactions in 15 major markets, it found that in 13 of the 15 markets, higher levels of "walkability" boosted home values by $4,000 to $34,000 compared with homes with just average levels of "walkability."

Driven to foreclosure

The greater prospect of foreclosures in areas with a lot of drive time is largely due to the financial cost of driving. Transportation costs account for roughly 17 percent of the average American household's income and these costs are exacerbated by fluctuating gas prices.

Even before gas prices surpassed the $3- to $4- a gallon mark National Housing Conferences' Center for Housing Policy found in "A Heavy Load: The Combined Housing and Transportation Burdens of Working Families" that in 17 of the 28 metropolitan areas studied, the average transportation expenses for working families with annual incomes from $20,000 to $50,000 were actually higher than their housing costs.

"Driven to Spend." by the Surface Transportation Policy Project likewise chronicled how housing dollars are drained by driving.

The NRDC report focuses on the impact of "location efficiency" on mortgage performance, a concept pioneered by NRDC and other groups in the 1990's. It shows that rates of vehicle ownership -- largely determined by neighborhood compactness, walkability, and access to public transit -- is key to predicting mortgage performance and should be taken into account by mortgage underwriters, policymakers, and real estate developers.

"Knowing that now, aggressive investment in public transportation and walkable communities make even more sense. And investing in transit will not just improve our economy by avoiding future foreclosures -- but create jobs to get things humming right now," said Henry.

That's inline with the Obama Administration's new Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

An outgrowth of the federal interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities, the new HUD office works with the Environmental Protection Agency's existing Smart Growth efforts and the Department of Transportation's also new Office of Livable Communities to develop more transit in low-income neighborhoods, to build more sustainable neighborhoods and to otherwise promote smart growth.

"Our Partnership really is a new way of doing business in Washington, to help our nation meet 21st century challenges," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

"Working together, we're creating jobs to revitalize our economy, while helping state and local transportation agencies to build the capacity they need to promote livable, walkable, sustainable communities," LaHood said in a prepared statement.

Location Efficient Mortgages (LEMs)

NRDC says the study points to the need for:

• Public policies that encourage location efficient land use; infrastructure and transportation that support location efficient communities to help reduce foreclosures. This includes a "Fix-It-First" focus on existing transportation systems, something the Obama Administration has encouraged.

• More research and analysis to develop and refine tools to assess the impact of location efficiency.

• Mortgage underwriting practices that provide access to proportionally better qualifying terms for purchasers of location efficient homes.

Those underwriting practices do exist, to a small degree.

Much as "Energy Efficient Mortgages (EEMs)" allow a home owner with a more energy efficient home to spend more money on housing instead of energy, "Location Efficient Mortgages (LEMs)" allow home owners to spend a greater percentage of their income on housing when they spend less on petrol power transportation.

LEMs are offered by the Institute for Location Efficiency, a California not-for-profit agency sponsored by Fannie Mae. The institute only offers LEMs in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago.


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Broderick Perkins, an award-winning consumer journalist, parlayed 30 years of old-school journalism into a digital real estate news service, the San Jose, CA-based DeadlineNews Group, including DeadlineNews.Com, a real estate news and consulting service and Web site, and the Deadline Newsroom, DeadlineNews.Com's news back shop.

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Greensburg, KS rises from rubble as 'Green Phoenix'

Recession resistant jobs, right here!

On the second anniversary of its destruction, the Little-Town-That-Could's effort is putting Greensburg, KS back on the map in a very green way. What's more, jobs are being created and savings will mount as the town becomes a model for sustainability.

by Broderick Perkins
© 2008 DeadlineNews.Com


Unauthorized use of this story is a copyright violation -- a federal crime

Deadline Newsroom -
Greensburg, KS rises from the rubble as a 'Green Phoenix'

From the ashes of a May 4, 2007 EF5 tornado that virtually wiped the town off the map, Greensburg, KS is being redeveloped for its namesake -- GREENsburg.

On the second anniversary of the destruction, the Little-Town-That-Could's effort is putting Greensburg back on the map in a very green way. What's more, during a recession, their timing couldn't be better. Jobs are being created and savings will mount as the town becomes a model for sustainability.

From a bootstrap angle as well, President Barack Obama owes them a visit.

Soon after the tornado, the city council passed a resolution stating that all city building would be built to LEED - platinum and other sustainability standards, making it the first city in the nation to do so.

The greening of Greensburg comes with the help of Greensburg GreenTown, a non-profit organization created to partner with residents to teach them about being green and to help them implement green history.

In a year's time, the long-term community redevelopment plan has done more than most towns accomplish in 20 years.

Of course -- for better or for worse -- they did have a virtual blank slate upon which to draw.

In any case, when it comes to green, Greensburg's really got it going on.

• More than hot air. A planned Greensburg Wind Farm of 10 turbines will provide enough power for the entire city.

• Locavores are lovin' it. Organic and natural foods from a consortium of 100 local farmers and other food producers is available to the town.

• LEED homes are moving in. The first (eight) LEED platinum homes in the state of Kansas, among only a handful in the nation..

• Recycled building materials are hot. A Silo Eco-home comprised of recycled foundations, basements, driveways, and sidewalks of buildings destroyed in the tornado.

• More green buildings are going up. See the "Greensburg Sustainable Building Database."

• The town has celebrity status. The Discovery Channel's Planet Green, Greensburg is documenting the effort, now in season two.

• It's a social networking model. The town's all the rage on both Facebook and in a Flickr photo journal.

• The town's got guts. It hasn't been easy. See "Red Tape Precedes Greensburg's 'Green' Rebuilding Plan"

• More on Livin' Green

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Need a break from doom and gloom in the housing market? Get off the beaten news track and stop by the DeadlineNews Group's Offbeat News Examiner outlet for a few laughs.

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Sustainability Matched: New Economics of Place

The fundamentals of the “bedroom community” economy have collapsed. America’s 60-year development pattern has broken down, like an exhausted 1950 Chevy rusting at roadside. The need for radically improved, sustainability-focused strategies has never been more compelling than in this time of looming home foreclosures, $4 a gallon gas, an economy in decline, and broad agreement that the earth’s fragility is no longer just the cry of the fringe.

Special to the Deadline Newsroom
by Scott Polikov
Citiwire.Net




Citiwire.Net - America’s 60-year development pattern has broken down, like an exhausted 1950 Chevy rusting at roadside. But the building and real estate industry is only slowly awakening to the new reality.

We all knew the pattern, popularized after World War II and mostly triumphant since. A smart builder discovers and buys an inexpensive piece of cornfield or pasture. Up go single-family houses, or, more recently, many townhomes. Proximity to stores, offices, other conveniences (except perhaps schools) is irrelevant: everyone will be driving anyway. The successful sales prove it.

No longer. Almost overnight, the ground rules for development have been eviscerated. Sure, real estate calculations of cash flow and value are still being made. And yes, local planning and zoning commissions are continuing to hold meetings until midnight to decide whether to approve zoning for the proverbial townhouse project down the street from a single-family enclave.

But, have you recently heard of a developer securing a construction loan for virtually any kind of standard real estate residential development? His or her banker likely told them that “we aren’t originating construction loans at this time.”

Why? The fundamentals of the “bedroom community” economy have collapsed. Banks have not figured out at what point they will hit the bottom of their financing crisis. The need for radically improved, sustainability-focused strategies has never been more compelling than in this time of looming home foreclosures, $4 a gallon gas, an economy in decline, and broad agreement that the earth’s fragility is no longer just the cry of the fringe.

The new development “secret” is simple but critical: not just to reject our old way of building housing units any place, but to focus early and hard on creating and strengthening whole communities.

Not so long ago, local economic development strategies revolved almost exclusively around recruiting businesses. “Quality of life” was just a buzzword used as the calling card of the local neighborhood activists.

But not today! Economic development worth its salt has become firmly connected to place, and to the environment. The quality of life of our neighborhoods, our cities and our regions has now become a bottom-line factor for many business decisions.

Business calculations have always been, will always be driven by competition. Today’s competition is more and more about recruiting skilled people. Cities and regions are increasingly intent on attracting the best and the brightest because they know companies want to operate where they can recruit and hold high quality human talent.

This new focus dovetails with the necessity of rethinking the capacity of developers and public servants to create attractive, sustainable communities. Bankers will be obliged to make their capital decisions the same way. The New Urbanism real estate practices introduced in the 1990s bring together these opportunities.

But the “new” in the New Urbanism is really just expanded appreciation for the more sustainable approaches to planning and development recognized by leaders of earlier generations. Developer J.C. Nichols, a founding member of the Urban Land Institute, embodied those ideals. He developed numerous communities including the 1920s Country Club District in Kansas City, anchored by the famous Country Club Plaza, a model of a walkable, mixed use urban center in a suburban location.

Through the seminal Community Builders Handbook produced under his leadership, Nichols promoted the idea that predictability in land markets and protection of value over time requires neighborhood planning, reliance on design, and integrating such standouts of the civic realm as grand boulevards, parks and public buildings.

I’m engaged myself in putting this approach into practice. Our firm, the Gateway Planning Group, planned a 2,000-acre transit oriented development (TOD) in Leander, Texas. A key goal: to enhance the value and potential of the growth corridor that’s expanding northward from Austin along a new rail transit line. The master plan will be carried out through an urban design-based zoning and subdivision ordinance.

My economist colleague, Jon Hockenyos of TXP, Inc., determined that the tax base of the area would be roughly $900 million at build-out if it were built as a typical suburb. But the new plan and code, Hockenyos calculated, would double the build-out value to almost $2 billion. Now his projection seems modest: as the market has recognized the value of our TOD approach, the value of the raw land has increased almost 600 percent.

And why? It’s because Leander, instead of being just another exploding bedroom community, will have its own cosmopolitan center supported by convenient regional rail connections to Austin. We’re convinced the Leander TOD, by providing a mix of housing options, pocket parks and neighborhood businesses, will attract talented young professionals as well as empty-nesters with disposable income. We fully expect to sustain the region’s economy, reduce its ever-expanding carbon footprint, and achieve sustainability on a site otherwise destined for classic sprawl.

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Scott Polikov’s e-mail is scott@gatewayplanning.com

Citiwire.net columns are not copyrighted and may be reproduced in print or electronically; please show authorship, credit Citiwire.net and send an electronic copy of usage to webmaster@citiwire.net.

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Towns To Get Up And Go For

Outside magazine's spin on the best towns is a rundown of places for great alfresco living. DeadlineNews.Com put the list to the home value test and found healthy real estate markets in many of the towns.

by Broderick Perkins
© 2008 DeadlineNews.Com

Unauthorized use of this story is a copyright violation -- a federal crime

Deadline Newsroom - When Outside magazine asks its readers to come up with a list of the best towns in America, chances are they won't be skyscraper canyons or commuter suburbs.

The magazine is pretty much about what its title implies -- living the active life -- without a roof overhead.

Every issue lays it on pretty thick for the thin with stories about buff people working up a sweat with their hot gear.

However, when DeadlineNews.Com took a closer look at this spin on best places, it discovered the towns featured in the magazine's August issue were a lot more than living large al fresco style

Towns where the fit want to get up and go to also often include housing markets in pretty good shape.

While some towns listed for their outdoorsy appeal are pricey resorts, others are affordable places that didn't see skyrocketing home prices during the boom. Most of them were still enjoying home price appreciation this year.

Along with the possibility of developing a hard body, there's also the potential for buying into a healthy real estate investment.

Here's a quick look at some of the top towns, a bit about how they made the list, Outside magazine's own "median home value" for each and, where available, home value growth (or not) for the past year ending in the first quarter 2008, according to the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight.

• Washington D.C. tops the list. The new major is ultra-buff, the new National's MLB stadium is the first LEED-certified one in the nation, young entrepreneurs are flocking to the northwest and Chinatown and there's lots of inner-city revival. Rock Creek Park hosts 40 miles of trails, there's another stretch along a scenic canal towpath, and there's even Class V rapids at Great Falls, baby. Median value, $437,700, down only 1.5 percent.

• Chattanooga, TN is a former manufacturing town turned waterfront gem. LEED-certified urban renewal along the Tennessee River flows through town with a ten-mile river walk, an aquarium, pedestrian pier, public boat slips and the aptly dubbed Renaissance Park. Locals are planting trees, hanging out at the Riverbend music festival and spending more time in the verdant Appalachians. Median value, $119,900, up 2.75 percent.

• Ogden, UT, once a railroad junction in the foothills of the Wasatch, has become a Main Street America town with a self-proclaimed moniker "Adventure Sports Capital of America." Skiing, kayaking parks, mountain biking and a rec center with climbing walls, a vertical wind tunnel and standing surf wave make it so. Twenty outdoor gear manufacturers headquarter in the town where two rivers flow. Median value, $14,700, up 6.64 percent.

• Portsmouth, NH, no longer a ship building center from the 18th century, has turned a run down waterfront into a preservationist's dream home. Cobblestone paving remains endearing and emerging musicians and artists are populating independent theaters, a restored Music Hall, galleries, a film fest and live music venues. The beachfront town boasts the first stretch of the 3,000 mile East Coast Greenway planned to run from Maine to Florida. Median value, $318,000, down 1 percent.

• Tacoma, WA, long overshadowed by Puget Sound neighbor Seattle, is now a vibrant art center with a University of Washington campus, reborn Union Station, and plenty of waterways for water sport junkies. Don't forget Mount Rainier's snow cone. Median value $228,300, up 1.64 percent.

• Ithaca, NY offers ivy league education from Cornell University and Ithaca College, for those who want to their brains a work out. Cardio pumping happens at the walkable mall, around the Finger Lakes and in Treman State Park. Sustenance is legendary at famous Moosewood eatery and sustainability is found in EcoVillage with two organic farms. Median value, 183,500, up 10.63. That's not a typo.

Rounding out the Top 10 were:

• Bourbon, bluegrass and Kentucky Derby's Louisville; $141,600, up 2.73 percent.

• Home to half the globe's old-growth redwoods (and, in the county, one other infamous cash crop), Eureka, CA; $262,250, down 5.8 percent (the figure is according to the Humboldt County Association of Realtors).

• Considered Colorado's last great ski town, Crested Butte; $301,100, up 4.91 percent (according to OFHEO's statewide figure).

• Embraced by the foothills of the Ozarks, Columbia, MO; $164,700, up 3.28 percent.

© 2008 DeadlineNews.Com

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Broderick Perkins, an award-winning consumer journalist of 30 years, is publisher and executive editor of San Jose, CA-based DeadlineNews Group -- DeadlineNews.Com, a real estate news and consulting service and Web site and the new Deadline Newsroom, DeadlineNews.Com's news back shop. In both cases, it's where all the news really hits home.

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SF Shouts 'Solar!' From Rooftops

Add San Francisco's new solar panel rebate to existing incentives and the cost for a typical $30,000 photovoltaic system is slashed nearly in half. A $0.00 electric bill also boosts affordability.

by Broderick Perkins
© 2008 DeadlineNews.Com

Unauthorized use of this story is a copyright violation -- a federal crime

Deadline Newsroom - San Francisco just thrust solar power further into the limelight.

The city's Board of Supervisors recently voted to launch a citywide cash incentive program for rooftop solar panel power generation.

It's the largest municipal solar initiative in the nation.

That means you get money back -- and lots of it -- for installing rooftop solar systems to generate electricity.

The big news is that the city's solar panel incentive piggy-backs rebates onto existing state and federal incentives.

For example, an average solar system costs about $30,000 including installation.

With the maximum rebates available, San Francisco residents can get $6,000 through the San Francisco Solar Energy Incentive Program; $2,000 from federal energy tax credits and $4,500 from the state's California Solar Initiative.

That's a maximum total of $12,500 that can be rebated to San Francisco residents, leaving them on the hook for the remaining $17,500.

To help lower costs more, a community movement in San Francisco, called One Block Off The Grid, is coordinating a group buying effort to cut costs.

Also, a growing number of lenders offer special, low-interest loans for solar panel purchases and installation.

Rooftop solar panel installation also can be eligible for an Energy Efficient Mortgage.

What's more, solar panels can increase the value of your home.

Let the sun shine in.

© 2008 DeadlineNews.Com

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Broderick Perkins, an award-winning consumer journalist of 30 years, is publisher and executive editor of San Jose, CA-based DeadlineNews Group -- DeadlineNews.Com, a real estate news and consulting service and Web site and the new Deadline Newsroom, DeadlineNews.Com's news back shop. In both cases, it's where all the news really hits home.

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Site To See: Green Condo Life

A new Web site and best practices manual is designed just for homeowner association members who want to pitch in on the world's 'green' movement to help save the planet.

by Broderick Perkins
© 2008 DeadlineNews.Com



Deadline Newsroom - Just because you live in a homeowner association (HOA) governed community doesn't mean you always need permission to go green at home.

Granted, a condo, townhome, loft or other home in an HOA community isn't always your castle when it comes to certain home improvements, but there are many other approaches you can take to help save the planet.

Community Associations Institute (CAI) has launched an interactive, Net-based initiative, Community Green to help HOA communities turn global thinking into local action through environmental awareness and activism by community association leaders and the 60 million people who live in HOA communities.

The principles are simple:

• Collaborate with neighbors to develop sustainable, consensus-driven decisions.

• Respect property rights and honor private agreements that are compatible with sustainable environmental practices.

• Be vigilant in actions that minimize the environmental footprint.

And developing green habits in a condo home is easy. Here are some ideas:

• Buy Energy Star. Appliances account for 20 percent of a household's energy consumption. Upgrading your kitchen with a new refrigerator will save the most. Don't forget the dishwasher, stove, oven and clothes washer and dryer.

• Tighten up. Close the fireplace damper when not in use. Insulate. Plug holes. Check air ducts for leaks. Patch the roof.

• Be cool with heating and cooling. Heating and cooling account for more than 40 percent of a home's utility bills. Keep your system well maintained, clean filters regularly and consider upgrading to the latest energy efficient models as soon as possible. Keep the thermostat as low as is comfortable in the winter and as high as is comfortable in the summer. Turn kitchen, bath and other ventilation or exhaust fans off as soon as possible or they'll suck out warmed or cooled air.

• Landscape smart. Choose indigenous plants with deciduous trees planted on the south and on the west sides to keep your house cool in the summer and allow sun to shine in the windows in the winter. Vines also provide shading and cooling. Growing on trellises, vines can shade windows or the whole side of a house. Winter winds can be deflected by planting evergreen trees and shrubs on the north and west sides of the house.

• Lighten up. Replace 25 percent of your lights in high-use areas with fluorescents and you'll save about 50 percent of your lighting energy bill. Why not replace them all? Fluorescent lamps also last six to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. Whenever possible, use solar powered outdoor lighting. Otherwise use photocells or a timer on outdoor lights so they will turn off during the day.

• Make windows winners. Windows account for 10 to 25 percent of heating and cooling bills. Replace old single-pane windows with new double-pane glazing and high-performance glass. In cold climates select windows that are gas filled with low-emissivity (low-e) coatings to reduce heat loss. In warmer climates, select windows with spectrally-selective coatings to reduce heat gain. New solar control spectrally-selective windows can cut the cooling load in half. If you can't replace your windows or decide not to, install white window shades, drapes or blinds to reflect heat away from the house; close curtains on south- and west-facing windows during the day;
Install awnings on south- and west- facing windows; Apply sun-control or other reflective films on south-facing windows to reduce solar gain.

"Best Practices: Energy Efficiency" by the Foundation For Community Association Research contains more greening information for HOA dwellers including remodeling tips and case studies of HOAs that successfully made it a priority to reduce their energy consumption and costs.

The report is available on the new Web site Community Green, along with a host of related information for HOA members.

"Site To See" reviews are occasional but timely critiques of content-heavy real estate Web sites deemed unique, consumer-friendly, informative and easy to use.

© 2008 DeadlineNews.Com

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Broderick Perkins, an award-winning consumer journalist of 30 years, is publisher and executive editor of San Jose, CA-based DeadlineNews.Com, a real estate news and consulting service, and the new Deadline Newsroom, DeadlineNews.Com's new backshop. In both cases, it's where all the news really hits home.

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No Place Like Home For Saving Money

Living the simple life at home can help you realize the savings you need when times get tough.

by Broderick Perkins
© 2008 DeadlineNews.Com

Deadline Newsroom - Whenever the prospect of economic recession looms, conversation is often peppered with words like "belt tightening" "frugal" "thrifty" and "economical" as we scramble to change our spendthrift ways.

However, what we often overlook in our haste not to make waste, is that there's no place like home to save a bundle.

Just ask architect Sarah Nettleton and landscape historian Frank Morton.

They wrote the book on the subject.

Well, not specifically about saving, but it does engage other means to that end.

"The Simple Home: The Luxury of Enough" (Taunton Press/American Institute of Architects, $40) delves into the realm of simplicity, the idea that having "enough" is often much more than we really need.

Human-scaled, low-maintenance, green, unadorned homes with straightforward floor plans and natural lighting can be a better deal than starter castles cluttered with stuff we don't use.

The key is, when we inspect our lives at home, we can often find areas where the simple life is a better, less expensive life.

It doesn't matter where we live, what kind of home we have or how much it cost. If we make it simple, the savings will come.

How so? Nettleton explains:

Enough already. A simple home offers the luxury of space in a world of clutter. When you identify your true tastes, throw out notions of what you think you should have, avoid excess clutter and maintain only the essentials, simplicity begins to set in. Sure, you need a place to eat, but does it really have to be a separate dining room?

Flexible use. Rooms can serve multiple purposes and help you get more out of what you already have. A breakfast nook can be a play area until a child ages. A kitchen can double as an art studio. Make a small screen porch more functional by installing a custom-sized table rather than going to the equity till again to enlarge the porch.

Thrift-minded simplicity. Fresh tomatoes from the garden taste better than greenhouse food. They'll also get you outdoors. Make a list of simple pleasures that delight but do not require expenditures for more stuff.

Timelessness. Avoid the attraction to "new" for "new's sake." Select a starting point for the feel of your home, edit your wish list down to one favorite image from a book or magazine. Trust your instincts. Your own style is authentic and timeless.

Sustain. Gizmos don't create sustainability. You do. Find the balance between what you can afford and what you really need. A comfy window seat tucked into a window nook in a just-right size room can be as comfortable as a large custom leather sofa in an imposing large room.

Resolve complexity. We all talk about disliking complexity in our lives, but can we walk the talk? Examine aspects of your home that prove troubling. Identify the real value of change. Is bigger really better? That new home's kitchen is darkened by the attached garage. Is saving a few steps with the groceries really worth missing the morning sun in your kitchen?

© 2008 DeadlineNews.Com

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Broderick Perkins, an award-winning consumer journalist of 30 years, is publisher and executive editor of San Jose, CA-based DeadlineNews.Com, a real estate news and consulting service, and the new Deadline Newsroom, DeadlineNews.Com's new backshop. In both cases, it's where all the news really hits home.

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Give Green Lighting A Go

The next time that light bulb goes on over your head, make sure it isn't an incandescent bulb, turn it off when you are done and recycle it properly.

by Broderick Perkins
© 2008 DeadlineNews.Com

Deadline Newsroom - And you thought green lighting was simply a matter of swapping out old incandescent bulbs for fluorescent lighting.

Boy do you have a lot to learn.

When it comes to saving the planet there's a lot more to brightening your home with cooler, less energy demanding light bulbs.

Just check in at TreeHugger.com.

The upstart media outlet is dedicated to driving sustainability mainstream with news, tips, solutions and product information designed to help put a chill on global warming.

The green light section alone is reason enough to, well, go.

When it comes to lighting the way to a healthier planet, here's what Treehugger teaches.

• Fluorescents have come a long way. Now available as screw-in compact florescent bulbs in a variety of shapes, sizes, even colors they can also produce the same warm hue of light available from less expensive but more energy-draining incandescent bulbs. They last as long as 10,000 hours and use one fourth the energy sucked down by incandescents. They also release less heat and that means more money saved on cooling during warm weather.

• Consider LEDs. Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are the next generation of light efficiency. Right now, they cost more than fluorescents, but try popping some cheaper ones in your night lights or using LED task lighting. Savings from just those two uses will really put a light bulb over your head. IEDs can last 10 times as long and reduce lighting energy consumption by 80 to 90 percent. What's more, they don't blow. They may dim over time but breakage isn't an issue and they never burn completely out.

Whatever bulb you choose, follow your local jurisdiction's instructions for safe disposal. CFLs and fluorescents contain some mercury. Recycle, don't trash them .

• Consider form and function. Treehugger says sustainability in lighting isn't just about bulbs, but also the fixtures they go into. Remember those bottle lamps you made in middle school? You don't have to go that retro, but you can find eco-friendly lamps and fixtures that use natural, recycled or reused materials.

• Wall warts. Treehugger calls "wall warts" those devices attached to lamps, light fixtures and electrical cords that stay warm and draw energy even when the lighting is not being used. Replace them or attach them to power strips you can turn off when not in use. "Smart" power strips know when devices are off.

• Natural lighting. The sun is no-brainer lighting. Make the most of it by day and consider adding skylights, or fiber optics to "pipe in" solar light. The sun cranks out some free heat gain during the day too. Open those blinds and curtains!

Treehugger says for those who burn the candle power at both ends, whenever possible, try some days planned around the cycle of the sun. Work when there's light available. Go to bed when it isn't. It's good for you and the planet. Besides, if you want to soar with the eagles in the morning, you can't hoot with the owls all night.

• Lighten up. Efficient lighting is only as efficient as your habits allow. It should be second nature to turn off lights when not in use. More specifically, Treehugger says to turn off incandescent bulbs even if you leave the room for a few seconds. Turn off CFLs if you leave the room for 3 minutes. Turn off standard fluorescent bulbs if you leave the room for 15 minutes. Motion sensors, timers and dimmers can help you with your behavior.

• Pay extra. Buy green power from your local utility when it's available. You'll pay a few dollars more a month to support renewable energy development.

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© 2008 DeadlineNews.Com

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Broderick Perkins, an award-winning consumer journalist of 30 years, is publisher and executive editor of San Jose, CA-based DeadlineNews.Com, a real estate news and consulting service, and the new Deadline Newsroom, DeadlineNews.Com's new backshop. In both cases, it's where all the news really hits home.

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San Jose's Solar Home Sales Sizzle

Apparently silicon on rooftops is just as hot as silicon found in all the computer components manufactured at the nation's ground zero for technology research and development.

by Broderick Perkins
© 2008 DeadlineNews.Com

Deadline Newsroom - San Jose, CA, considered the Capital of Silicon Valley, has had its real estate market ups and downs, but certified green homes with integrated solar roofs are selling like hotcakes.

When local new home builder Pinn Brothers recently released the first nine of 51 solar roof homes in the new Orchard Heights development in San Jose, seven of the $1 million homes were snatched up the same day.

Integrated solar roofs are standard on all the homes in the Orchard Heights subdivision as well as on 19 homes at another Pinn development, Falcon Place, also in San Jose.

Pinn worked with BP Solar and Old Country Roofing for the integrated solar roofing design and construction phase of the project.

The San Jose builder's new homes also all meet the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards for new homes developed by the U.S. Green Building Council.

In addition to solar roofs generating up to 60 percent of the households' energy needs, the homes include green designs and materials that make the structure more energy efficient. That's money in the pocket of owners who enjoy smaller utility bills.

They can also boast a smaller carbon footprint than their neighbors.

But in a housing market where sales are down to record lows and prices are flat as a silicon wafer how do you sell energy-efficient million dollar homes?

The energy-efficiency factor is a big draw, but the price point is what seals the deal.

The solar roof systems cost as much as $25,000 for each home, but Pinn didn't pass that cost onto buyers.

Instead, the builder cashed in on volume, incentives from the state's energy commission and incentives from the local power utility.

The result? LEED certified homes that sell for the same price as homes without the LEED certification.

That's some real mean green.

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© 2008 DeadlineNews.Com

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Broderick Perkins, an award-winning consumer journalist of 30 years, is publisher and executive editor of San Jose, CA-based DeadlineNews.Com, a real estate news and consulting service, and the new Deadline Newsroom, DeadlineNews.Com's new backshop. In both cases, it's where all the news really hits home.

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Cultivating A Green Lifestyle At Home

Going green at home is a lot more than just switching light bulbs, swapping out the thermostat and plugging holes. To really save the planet, change your lifestyle.

See all "regreening" stories.

by Broderick Perkins
© 2008 DeadlineNews.Com

Deadline Newsroom - Think you really know how to go green at home?

Sure, you've swapped out those incandescent bulbs with fluorescents. You have a new thermostat. You've stuffed your attic with insulation. Winterization plugs and seals have already saved you a bundle.

You've been trading up to Energy Star emblazoned major appliances and those not-always-on tech gadgets. And gas prices are forcing you to trade in that gas guzzler.

Still, chances are, you've only scratched the surface of saving the planet.

Going green at home is more than just tossing one energy hog for a more efficient replacement. To really shrink your households' carbon footprint, going green must be more of a lifestyle than a trend-induced fad.

Here are some green steps you may have overlooked.

• Hire a green broker. When shopping for a home, hire an EcoBroker.

Around since 2003, EcoBrokers are licensed real estate agents, additionally endowed with eco-savvy certification from the Association of Energy and Environmental Real Estate Professionals.

As an education outreach partner with a national green builder network, BuiltGreen.org, EcoBrokers help the home building industry sell green homes, but they also assist home buyers who want to buy green homes -- new and resale.

At an open house they can point out features that save energy costs or where you can improve the green status of the listing. Schooled in energy efficient technology and sustainable energy issues they can also help you land an Energy Efficient Mortgage, which, if you are really serious about being green, you won't buy a home without.

• Buy a green home. The U.S. Green Building Council, the folks who developed the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system for all kinds of structures, residential and not, help take the guesswork out of buying a green home. The council's Green Home Guide includes links to green multiple listing services (MLS), ListedGreen.com and GreenHomesForSale.com offering new and resale sustainable homes around the globe.

To help you shop green the council also offers a Green Home Checklist a detailed analysis of what features to expect in a green home.

• Regreen. "Regreening" is green remodeling, renovating and home improving and new guidelines from the LEED people, Green Home Renovations help you, well, go for the green.

• Buy a green home in a real Emerald City. Two studies point you to green location gems. BestPlaces.net and Country Home magazine teamed up to produce Best Green Place To Live and SustainLane.com offers Greenest U.S. Cities.

And if you really want to get down to the green nitty gritty, location-wise, you can plant your green being in specific communities and neighborhoods noted for green living.

The LEED for Neighborhood Development program, offered by, the Congress for New Urbanism (CNU), U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the National Resource Defense Council (NRDC) integrates the principles of smart growth, urbanism and green building into the first national system for sustainable neighborhood design.

• Fill up with green. When it's time to send a thank you gift to your Ecobroker or to fill that new or resale green home with stuff, buy green. Consumers Union's GreenerChoices.org brings the consumer advocate's time-honored goods and services ratings scrutiny to environmentally sustainable and healthy goods and services. From the foods you stuff in the fridge to the car you park in the garage GreenerChoices.org has ratings for numerous household goods.

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© 2008 DeadlineNews.Com

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Broderick Perkins, an award-winning consumer journalist of 30 years, is publisher and executive editor of San Jose, CA-based DeadlineNews.Com, a real estate news and consulting service, and the new Deadline Newsroom, DeadlineNews.Com's new backshop. In both cases, it's where all the news really hits home.

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Smart Growth Awards Promote Smart Growth

by Broderick Perkins
© 2007 DeadlineNews.Com

Deadline Newsroom - Smart growth isn't just about cutting back on sprawl and building high-density housing, but includes rebuilding existing communities and engaging its residents.

Take it from Manhattan, which joined Portland, OR; Seattle, WA; Vermont and Barnstable, MA as the nation's smart growth leaders for 2007.

The accolades, the 2007 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement, are granted for innovative community development that protects the environment, preserves community identity and expands economic opportunity.

The Environmental Protection Agency sparingly doles out the awards to promote smart growth strategies, because such efforts help communities enjoy cleaner air and water, open space and critical habitat preservation, and redevelopment of vacant land -- qualities that make for a nice place to live.

Smart growth efforts also preserves community identity and expands economic opportunity.

Winners were selected based on how effectively they used smart growth strategies to improve their communities and how well they engaged citizens and fostered partnerships.

The details are available online on the EPA's Smart Growth Achievement page but here are some highlights revealing why the winning communities are smart growth leaders.

• The award for "Overall Excellence" went to the Housing Authority of Portland, OR. The agency created a public-private partnership to redevelop an isolated and distressed public housing site into New Columbia, where local residents engaged in design workshops and were employed for portions of the construction. The project increased the number of houses, including affordable units and maintained the neighborhood's ethnic diversity.

• For "Built Projects" the Seattle Housing Authority, similarly turned a dilapidated neighborhood into High Point, a mixed-use, mixed-income, and environmentally sensitive community. Using green building principles, High Point's more than 1,700 new units are expected to consume less water, electricity, and natural gas than the old community's 716 units. The new community includes new parks, a public library, and a health clinic. Retail space will come in 2009.

• The Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB) got the nod for "Policies and Regulations." The independent, state-supported agency, promotes compact settlements surrounded by countryside, pursues affordable housing, land conservation, and historic preservation initiatives. Since 2002, VHCB investments have supported developing more than 3,000 affordable homes, the preservation of 44 historic buildings, and the conservation of more than 37,000 acres of farmland, natural areas, and recreation lands.

• Barnstable, MA created a development strategy for one of its seven villages, Hyannis, to encourage growth and development in the town center and reduce growth pressure on environmentally sensitive areas along the coast to win the "Waterfront and Coastal Communities" award. These policies have resulted in almost 100 new residential units (nine of which are for lower-income households), with nearly 150 more planned; 22,000 square feet of commercial space, with another 100,000 square feet planned; and more than 300 jobs.

• Manhattan shines in the area of "Equitable Development" thanks to its cooperative strategy to expand the housing and commercial options for central Harlem. Work in the Abyssinian Neighborhood Project area, once marked by vacant lots and abandoned buildings, employed comprehensive programs linked education, job training, and cultural enhancement; developed 200 affordable housing units, with an additional 200 planned; and created 15,000 square feet of commercial space for five local businesses. The project also increased access to public transit, created new green space, and minimized storm water runoff by reusing paved surfaces.

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Broderick Perkins, an award-winning consumer journalist of 30 years, is publisher and executive editor of San Jose, CA-based DeadlineNews.Com, a real estate news and consulting service, and the new Deadline Newsroom, DeadlineNews.Com's new backshop. In both cases, it's where all the news really hits home.

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