What is a Resource Efficient Home?

What is a Resource Efficient Home?     A resource-efficient home is best described as a home that sustainably uses the Earth’s limited resources while at the same time, minimizing environmental impact. Think, repair, re-manufacturing, recycling, maintenance, and more eco-friendly home design. There are a variety of definitions of what a “green” home truly is. A widely held and accepted definition includes the planning, design, and construction of a home with considerations of energy use, water use, material selections, site locations, and indoor environmental quality features. Green, or resource-efficient, homes tend to use less energy and smarter resources in order to provide a healthier home for you and your family. The benefits of resource-efficient homes are usually grouped into three areas: health, savings, and value. Health Resource-efficient homes aim to provide lots of natural light, safe building materials, and clean indoor air. Green Home Guide reports, “With better products, such as low-emission materials, a radon mitigation system, and sealed combustion appliances, certified green homes can have a positive impact on your family's health. Improved heating, ventilation, insulation, and air sealing also contribute to reducing risks and symptoms of respiratory disease, asthma, cancer, cardiovascular disease, depression, stress, infectious disease, and more.” Savings Another benefit of a green or resource-efficient home is the long-term savings it can offer. By using environmentally friendly home building materials, often monthly utility bills are lowered due to a reduction of energy and water consumption. The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) shares that year-over-year, spaces built with green materials have reduced maintenance and usage costs by nearly 20 percent. Additionally, the resale of a resource-efficient home can see upwards of an eight percent increase in resale value. Value In addition to the monthly savings costs on utility bills, another way a resource-efficient home can offer value lies in the other incentives it may qualify for. From special homeowner’s insurance discounts to tax breaks, the added value of a green home can be a great benefit to a homeowner. Some incentives apply for new construction, others for remodels, and some for both. Many states offer an incentive for a wide variety of energy efficient and energy renewable technologies, such as heat pumps, furnaces, boilers, central air conditioners, building insulation, doors, siding, roofs, solar water heat, geothermal heat pumps, cool roofs, LED lighting, and more. Be sure to check with a qualified tax professional to maximize the value you could gain from one or more of these technologies. LEED Certifications One way for homebuyers to know what they are getting in terms of environmentally and responsibly built green homes is to look for a LEED certification. In order for a home to qualify for a LEED certification, the home earns points by adhering to prerequisites and credits that address carbon, energy, water, waste, transportation, materials, health, and indoor environmental quality. According to the National Association of Realtors, resource-efficient homes and those with the LEED certification are designed and constructed to provide a safe, healthy, and sustainable place to live. They provide cleaner indoor air, save on energy and water, maintain their value over time, and prioritize the use of materials that promote health and enhance resilience.

Equity as a Goldmine

Equity as a Goldmine   Watch this video link below: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CkbimexLnv7/   The average US homeowner is sitting on $320,000 in equity. Wow. If you think of the opportunity for a buffer that equity can create as the networth being 40 times greater as a homeowner than a renter. These buffers being created with equity, can help people selling their homes than being in challenging positions should economic positions change for them.Equity can help people fuel a move, equity can be a major driver in wealth growth. The national average for homeownership equity is huge and pretty darn impressive to think about. It is More than 3.6Trillion in equity!    #homeownership #home #homeownershipgoals #investinyourself #investinrealestate #realtor #realtorlife #equity #wealthmindset #wealthbuilding #opportunity #advongrouphomes #advongroup  

Understanding the 10 year treasury and the 30 year fixed mortgage rate

Check this video link below:    https://www.instagram.com/reel/CnW9vL6JNIj/     FACT: The 30 year Mortgage rate doubled last year. It went from 3.22 to 6.42% at the end of 2022. There has never been a year that has had this quick of a rise in the 50 years of tracking data. Understanding the 10 year treasury and the 30 year fixed mortgage rate will really help understand what is happening in the market trajectory this year. For the past fifty years, the 30 year mortgage rate has moved in unison with the 10 year treasury. The average spread has been 1.7%. If you take the 10 year treasury rate, and add 1.7%, you’ll get the 30 year fixed rate. Why are rates not at 5.5%? The average spread 2000-2021 1.79 you got your average. RIGHT NOW:    The spread has jumped 2.79! This is 100 basis points or 1% higher than normal, which has caused concern in the market. If we were back at the normal spread, we’d be back at the 5.5% rate.   #marketupdate #realdeal #realestatelife #knowthenumbers #investinrealestate #investinyourself #realtorlife #advongroup #advongrouphomes #ittakestwo #ittakestwotomakeathinggoright    

10 Small Home Maintenance Steps that Payoff Big When You Sell Your Home

10 Small Home Maintenance Steps that Payoff Big When You Sell Your Home     While it could be exhausting to live in your home like you are always on the verge of trying to sell it, it does make sense to keep in mind several home maintenance steps that usually provide a huge payoff when the time does come to sell your home. Thankfully, most of these items only need to be done annually. Whether you spread them out and have a monthly check in with one system at a time or plan one month out of the year when you tackle it all, keep in mind these ten items on your home maintenance checklist. 1. Landscaping and Tree Maintenance Keep an eye on your trees and walk your property to make sure there are no unruly limbs that need trimmed or any dead trees that need removal as they may pose threats to falling on either your home, your neighbor’s home, or a fence. Keeping trees maintained as well as ensuring landscaping beds are well cared for will enhance curb appeal. 2. Extermination It is important, no matter the age or condition of your home, that you take time to inspect for termites. An infestation could become a huge nuisance and major expense if left undetected or untreated. Having preventative maintenance for pest control and extermination also ensures that indoor and outdoor pests are kept in check. 3. HVAC Maintenance Regular, annual HVAC maintenance is usually under $100 per visit and ensures that your heating and air conditioning home system is working properly. By doing preventative maintenance, you might spare yourself the headache and expense of a major repair. Regular maintenance allows for your system to run efficiently, thus lowering your energy bills over time. 4. Attic and Basement Inspections If your home has an attic or a basement it is important to inspect these areas often. Your attic may impact your ventilation so you’ll want to clean the fan, look over the insulation, and repair any cracks or leaks. For basements, it is vital to check in on your sump pump, crawl space, and that all seals to the space are intact. 5. Test All Alarms and Detectors Not only will regular check-ins with smoke or carbon monoxide alarms and detectors keep you safe in an emergency, but also, keeping these devices in sound and working order will protect your home itself. Always be sure to run regular test alarms. Some suggest doing these monthly on a designated day like the first of the month so you’ll remember. 6. Check Water Systems During your home maintenance, you should inspect any pipes for leaks or cracks. Also, check out your faucets, drains, and shower heads. Ensure that these are all running smoothly without lag or irregularity. Cleaning these regularly can help to protect from buildup and future problems. 7. Check Roof, Gutters, and Downspouts At least once a year, or more often if you live in a climate with severe weather, check on your roof to establish that there are no missing or damaged shingles. Gutters should be inspected twice a year to make sure they are clear of any debris or clogging. When gutters and downspouts have blockages, there can be issues with flooding near your home’s foundation. This could lead to many more serious (and expensive) issues if left undetected over time. 8. Reseal Fences, Decks, Driveways and Sidewalks Surfaces like outdoor walkways, decking, and fences need regular maintenance from both a safety and an aesthetic perspective. Decks, driveways, and sidewalks should have any cracks or breaks repaired as they may pose tripping hazards. Surfaces that are exposed to the elements with a higher risk of rotting will also need regular sealing for protection. If you are in an older home with all wood decking or fencing, it might be worthwhile to consider a composite material replacement if your budget allows. 9. Check Exterior Surfaces Along the same lines as other surfaces, it is crucial to check in on the condition of your home’s paint, siding, brick, stone, and windows. Not only will regular care of your home’s exterior promote better energy efficiency, but also, keeping the outside surfaces clean and cleared off will remove any collected dirt and particles. 10. Maintain a Clean Home for Optimal Appeal One final tip to remember is that besides some of the less frequent and bigger ticket items in your home that need regular maintenance, it is just as vital to maintain a clean home (inside and outside) for optimal appeal. Not only will you be protecting one of your most expensive investments by stewarding it well, you may also find that your home will be more appealing to guests and prospective buyers when it has been nurtured and managed well.