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Archive for May 2009

12 Questions to Ask Your Green Vendor

Tuesday, May 26th, 2009

If you decide that you want to make your home more sustainable, then working with a green vendor can help ensure a more environmentally-friendly home for yourself and your family. As your Tempe real estate agent and a NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® Green Designee, I can help you make educated decisions about green vendors, green materials, energy-efficient technology, green ratings, green design, green living and green incentives. There may be many green vendors in your city, making it difficult to determine if a vendor is truly green. The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® recommends that you consider the following before hiring a green vendor to help you with your home:

  • What is the vendor’s location and proximity to the job site?
  • Does the vendor have a certification or proven affiliation with a recognized green building organization?
  • Is there a professional association for the trade? If so, is the vendor a member and active participant?
  • What is the vendor’s knowledge and experience in working with green building issues?
  • Are client references available?
  • Has the vendor completed a green building project similar in size and scope? Are site visits or photographs available? Is client contact information available?
  • Does the vendor recycle or reuse demolition or construction waste?
  • Does the vendor have an area of green specialization?
  • Does the vendor use a third-party organization to verify work?

If you do decide to work with a green vendor, I have posted the names and contact information of some local vendors on the Green Living page on my website.

Creating a green home can be an exciting and rewarding process, however is important to understand that you may need to make some compromises. You may come across a green vendor who offers bamboo flooring, but the product must first be shipped from China. Which is more important – the product that helps lessen your impact on the environment, or the fuel it will take to get the product here? Only you can answer that question.

For more information on green vendors, please visit the following Web sites:

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Posted in Real Estate Agent | 1 Comment »

Green Homes Help You Save Money & the Environment

Friday, May 22nd, 2009

I am pleased to announce that I have been awarded the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® Green Designation certification. What does this mean for you? As your Tempe REALTOR®, it means I have the tools to help you “green” your home, making it more marketable and environmentally friendly.

Green homes should have the following: a positive impact on human health and comfort; integration into a sound environment; and sustainable design, construction and systems (NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®). Former Vice-President Al Gore’s Nobel Prize winning documentary, “An Inconvenient Truth,” helped inspire my decision to work toward a more sustainable existence as both a person and a REALTOR®. As a REALTOR®, I want to help people create environmentally-friendly homes.

As a NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® Green Designee, I can help you make educated decisions about green materials, energy-efficient technology, green ratings, green design, green living and green incentives. I can also help you obtain a LEED certification for your home. LEED is a third-party certification program that sets design, construction and operational standards for high performance green buildings.

LEED is awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council. Certification is available in the following areas:

  1. New construction and major renovations
  2. Existing buildings
  3. Commercial interiors (fit outs by tenants)
  4. Core and shell (total building without fit outs)
  5. Schools (K-12), retail and healthcare facilities
  6. Homes
  7. Neighborhood Development

    Qualified properties are awarded one of the following certifications: Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum. Properties can qualify for LEED certification by earning points in six areas:

      1. Sustainable sites
      2. Water efficiency
      3. Energy and atmosphere
      4. Materials and resources
      5. Indoor environment quality
      6. Innovation and design process

        I can help you by making suggestions to help you “green” your home. I can also connect you with reputable green vendors who can provide the products and services that will help you make your home more sustainable.

        Here are a couple of purchases you can make that will save you money and lessen your environmental impact:

          1. ENERGY STAR windows – annual savings: $300
          2. Solar Attic Fan – annual savings: $200
          3. Low-flow Faucets – annual savings: $100

            For more information on green building, I encourage you to visit the following Web sites:

            Green Resource Council of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

            ENERGY STAR

            U.S. Green Building Council

            Keywords: Realtor, Realtors, Green, Green Building, LEED, ENERGY STAR, Home, Certification, Environment, National Association of Realtors®

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            Posted in Environment | No Comments »

            Loan Modification Can Help You Save Your Home

            Monday, May 18th, 2009

            If you are one of the many people struggling to save your home, then loan modification may be the life raft you are looking for.

            Loan modification can help you reduce your monthly mortgage payment. While not all homeowners qualify, it doesn’t hurt to look into pre-qualification.

            To qualify, you must be employed and able to demonstrate that your household income has been reduced. As your Tempe realtor, I would be happy to help you determine if you are pre-qualified for assistance – at no charge to you. No upfront fees, no charge for the results. If there is a way to help you save your home, I want to help.

            The pre-qualification process can be cumbersome – having a professional assist you can make the process less overwhelming. If you are pre-qualified, you are in no way obligated to continue the qualification process with me.

            Loan modification isn’t always the best solution – in some cases, a short sale is the best course of action. The loan modification process is ideal for those who are unable to make their monthly mortgage payment – but can, with a little tweaking to their budget. Short sales are the better option for those who cannot pay their bills. A short sale can even be beneficial for some, taking away a massive source of financial stress. I will help you determine which avenue you should pursue.

            Before you decide to hire someone to help you save your home, be sure to do your research – there are predatory companies taking advantage of those seeking assistance. Arizona Republic Real Estate reporter Catherine Reagor reported in Sunday’s paper that families across the Valley are being victimized by scam artists who are taking advantage of the uncertainty surrounding loan modification. Reagor said if the company you are dealing with guarantees that it can get your lender to reduce your monthly mortgage payment or tells you not to seek outside assistance, you may be the victim of a scam. Some victims have reported that the scammers have offered to fill out the paperwork for them, demanded payment in advance and rushed them through the process.

            If you are concerned that you have been the victim of a scam, or suspect a company of wrongdoing, you can report it to one of the following organizations:

            Remember, you are not alone in this – together, we will find a solution.

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            Posted in Loan Modification | 1 Comment »

            Housing Market Update

            Monday, May 11th, 2009

            Home sales continue to climb as more and more foreclosures are snatched up by investors. Foreclosure inventory in the last month has dropped from 10,200 to 6,700 – pending home sales are at 8,183, and 5,508 homes were sold in the last 30 days. Investors are buying foreclosures at a faster rate than they are hitting the market.

            The percentage of foreclosed homes in Tempe is lower than the rest of the valley (8 percent versus 35 percent), which means Tempe’s absorption rate continues to hover at a 10 or 11 month absorption rate.

            The absorption rate is the ratio between active and solds: the time it would take at the current rate of sale for the inventory to be completely sold. Valley wide, however, the absorption rate is now 5.0 – the last time the Valley real estate market saw the absorption rate this low was in 2006.
            In the last 30 days, 8,527 homes have been sold, bringing the inventory of available homes down to 42,466.

            While foreclosed homes continue to close at a rapid pace, the real estate market is having a more difficult time moving short sales and pre-closure properties. Short sales and pre-closed homes only have a 1 in 15 chance of closing. At present, there are 12,054 short sales on the market and last month, only 804 of those closed. It is for this reason that many of my clients are choosing not to pursue short sales – they are waiting until the banks are more responsive to buyers.

            This stunning turn around in the market occurred in the time span of a few weeks. Some insiders are claiming that another wave of foreclosures is about to hit the market, but judging by the high demand for foreclosed properties, these homes won’t last long. As we move into the prime buying time for homes, the demand will continue to increase on the retail end of the market.

            Posted in Housing Market | 1 Comment »

            Tips to Help You Avoid Foreclosure

            Thursday, May 7th, 2009

            The real estate market is currently in a state of flux, with many people still struggling to keep their homes. Arizona Republic reporter Chad Graham shared real estate reporter Catherine Reagor’s tips for readers who are dealing with a potential foreclosure. According to Reagor, foreclosures spiked more than tenfold in the past year as homeowners fell behind on their mortgage payments. Here are some of Reagor’s tips that can help you from becoming a statistic in Tempe:

            1. Contact your Tempe lender immediately.

            2. Organize important papers – locate such items as lender information, annual tax returns paychecks and monthly utility bills (any organization providing assistance will ask for this information).

            3. Look into Making Home Affordable, a plan to stabilize our housing market and help up to 7 to 9 millions Americans reduce their monthly mortgage payments to more affordable levels. For more information, visit www.makinghomeaffordable.com or call 888-995-HOPE.

            4. Call the Arizona Foreclosure Prevention Hotline at 877-448-1211. It offers bilingual counselors.

            5. Check out www.hud.gov. Click on the “foreclosure avoidance counseling” link and then choose Arizona. It is a good way to find a counselor approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

            6. Consider a short sale – you won’t make any money, but you won’t have a foreclosure on your credit either.

            Not everyone is going to be able to avoid foreclosures, but for many of you, it is not too late. Facing a foreclosure can be daunting, but it is important to face the challenge head on with creativity and honesty – hiding mortgage statements in the junk drawer or changing your phone number will not help you keep your Tempe home. So pause, take a deep breath, and start getting in touch with the people who can help you avoid foreclosure.

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            Posted in Community, Foreclosures | 1 Comment »

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