I send out a quarterly newsletter to my favorite clients and I thought over the weekend, "Why not post it on here as well"? Each person who reads my posts and subscribes to my blog is also a valued client, so why shouldn't you also get the same benefit, right? So for your reading pleasure, and summer comfort, here's an article* I sent out in my Summer Quarterly newsletter this year. Enjoy! You can easily clean up bad indoor air quality at home with just a few lifestyle changes and adjustments in your air-quality management. According to the American Lung Association, here's how: The best way to freshen air is to clean up the source of odors and ventilate, such as running bathroom exhaust fans. Run fans that exhaust to the outside, such as those in the kitchen or bath, or open windows an... 07/27/2009

The Colonial Village Condos in Arlington MA are some of the least expensive condominiums in Arlington Massachusetts and excellent opportunities for first time real estate buyers. Built in 1962, Colonial Village is on Colonial Village Drive off Lowell Street.  The complex consists of 144  condos in a dozen three-story 12-unit brick buildings (it's a gross of condos!). In the center of the complex is an outdoor pool.  There is outdoor parking for residents but there is no guest parking.  Most units come with one or two parking spaces. In each building there are four apartments per floor.  The first floor units are partially below grade. Smaller one-bedroom condos are approximately 420 - 440 sq. ft. Larger condos, configured as one or two-bedrooms, are in the 640 - 665 sq. ft. range.  All ... 07/25/2009

Flat Fee MLS Boston - 5-DAY FREE TRIAL! - Boston Cambridge Quincy Somerville Newton Homes FSBO Are you considering selling your home?  Save the listing commission and pay a flat fee of $199 to list your property for an unlimited length on MLS.  The properties below represent listings from Thread Real Estate's "entry only" MLS program which allows For Sale By Owner's or FSBO's to utilize the professional listing agent's most powerful tool - the Multiple Listing Service.  Before you decide to commit an additional 2-3% of your sale price to a full service list agent with a lengthy contract, give our flat-feeMLS program a test with a FREE 5-day trial!  Your buyer traffic will greatly increase as 8 of 10 buyers only see properties in the MLS database! As you can see from the vast selection o... 07/21/2009

I already knew this from my EcoBroker course and the research I've been doing, but now my (new) favorite channel, Planet Green, has show after show confirming it - you don't have to spend a lot more money in order to buy eco-friendly housing.  If you're building anew or remodeling, follow the three R's - reuse, renovate, and recycle - and you'll spend maybe even less than your original budget to be eco- and energy-friendly.  In both cases, you'll more than make up for it on the back-end with reduced utility bills, greater home comfort, and improved personal health. Wanna do it?  Wanna buy an eco-friendly home and reduce your ecological footprint?  Here's how to go about it: Shameless self-promotion first - hire a qualified real estate agent with a green designation, such as the Certifie... 07/21/2009

I'm slightly off-focus in this entry, wanting to talk about purchasing green power as opposed to the more activity-oriented approaches upon which I've been writing.  And since I just signed up for this myself today, I can attest to the ease with which you can make the switch yourself to clean energy.  Let's look at some of the reasons people don't go with clean energy already: Sometimes homeowners are unwilling to make the technological leap and be one of the first to try out a "new" technology (even though solar has been available for decades).  For others, it's still too cost-prohibitive to have the necessary audits and evaluations done, or they just think it's too complicated to install an active or passive solar system or a geothermal pump (well, I'll give them the pump thing...). A... 07/10/2009

For some reason, I’ve been attracting a lot of buyers interested in finding a rehab property lately. Perhaps it’s because there are so many foreclosures on the market now, it’s the prevalent type of property to grab at a good price. I’m surprised, though, at the number of people who aren’t familiar with the 203(k) Rehabilitation Mortgage program, available through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Here are just a few details on the program: 203(k) mortgages can be used for both single family purchases as well as condos. However, there are certain restrictions regarding the condo loans, including the requirement that it be owner-occupied or be a non-profit owner. The loans are available for buildings with up to 4 units. Mixed-use buildings are eligible, but the ... 07/08/2009

A passive solar home means there are no moving parts or equipment that need to be maintained.  Being "passive" means just that - it's all about how your house "lays" there and absorbs or reflects heat. Heat naturally moves from a warmer material to a cooler material until there is no temperature difference between the two materials.  Passive solar homes take advantage of this property to distribute heat in the winter and to deflect heat away from surfaces in the summertime. Direct heat gain is the simplest passive type of solar system, as it relies only on sun entering through a collector of some sort (such as a large south-facing window with a glazing material of transparent or translucent glass), and being absorbed by a darker material, such as a masonry floor.  The floor acts as the ... 07/05/2009

Don’t think of this as just a “winter” topic either – you can save money on your cooling costs starting now by taking some simple steps to seal (or “tighten”) your home. Air leakage amounts to 30-40% of a home’s heating and cooling costs. Stopping air leakage is important not only for energy savings, but also for protecting your home from the damaging effects of moisture and resulting mold. When air leaks in through walls, it carries humidity. When it hits a cold spot, it condenses and causes insulation and the surrounding wood to get wet, resulting in wood rot and mold growth. Most people assume the majority of a home’s air leakage occurs through windows and doors – but this really only accounts for 10-15% of air leakage in a home. So before you spend a lot of money on just replacing w... 07/02/2009

With so much discussion this week regarding the new clean energy bill now heading to the Senate, I thought it would be interesting to hear what other Realtors  and real estate professionals think of the latest version of the bill. As a Certified EcoBroker, I am, personally, disappointed that NAR helped to water down the requirements for energy audits in real estate transactions, but I can also understand their concern, and the concern of my fellow Realtors, about its affect on real estate sales. Which is more important to you - selling property or trying to live up to some sustainable-living, renewable energy ideals? Looking forward to the discussion! --TMC PS. Fellow Realtor Casey Joiner posted a nice breakdown of the issues on his blog: http://activerain.com/blogsview/1136820/cap-trad... 07/02/2009

Now that we've begun July, we can take a preliminary look at the June 2009 Sales Trends for Middlesex and Suffolk Counties in Massachusetts. You can view the data below and perform your own analysis, but here are some interesting highlights: Highest Median Sales Price: Weston, MA ($1.29m) Lowest Median Sales Price: Lowell, MA ($187k) Largest sales price increase, year-over-year: Dunstable, MA (+13.10%) Largest sales price decrease, year-over-year: Shirley, MA (-30.00%) Within my local area, Arlington MA has not been affected, median-price wise, by the recent turmoil in the real estate market. The prior period (2007 - 2008) median sales price in Arlington was $476,500 and the current period (2008 - 2009) was also $476,500 - a 0% decline! This was also true for Bedford and Carlisle, MA. O... 07/01/2009

Overview Perhaps the most pleasant economic savings can be derived from judicious and mindful planting of trees and shrubs. The value of traditional plantings serving as windbreaks is well known. Additionally, well-placed deciduous trees can shade a building during hot summer months yet allow warming sunshine to enter a building when warmth is needed in the winter. The summer shading feature of trees is particularly important for the following reason. Most homes are cooled with traditional window- or central- air conditioners using fractional horsepower single-phase electric motors and modern refrigerants (chlorofluorocarbons that are less potent greenhouse gases than their predecessors). The electro-mechanical efficiency of air conditioner components ranges from 35-50% based upon the e... 06/29/2009

As a professional Realtor and member in good standing of the National Association of Realtors, the Massachusetts Association of Realtors, and the Eastern Middlesex Association of Realtors, I would like to announce my official completion and attainment of the EcoBroker certification in real estate. EcoBroker is the premier provider of green designation training for real estate professionals. Founded in 2002, the company has built a solid foundation of environmental education and outreach helping consumers and communities take advantage of energy efficiency and environmentally sensitive design in real estate properties. Through EcoBroker’s unique energy and environmental curriculum, real estate professionals acquire the knowledge and resources to become Certified EcoBrokers®. These real e... 06/28/2009

Every EcoBroker or NAR Green designee will have a different answer, but here are my favorite top three: Installation of Energy Star appliances - lighting and appliances account for 27% of all energy used in a residence and account for more than 45% of total energy costs. You can actually show how much is saved in a home by comparing the old utility bills to the new, estimated costs by using the Energy Star ratings and your local utility rates. This shows an ACTUAL value increase in the home. Installation of new, energy efficient windows. Current windows are even more efficient than those manufactured 10 years ago, so it would behove a homeowner to consider replacing the windows even if they're 10 years old. Studies show that the new, improved windows can lower home energy costs by up to... 06/28/2009

Banks are increasingly recognizing the fact that a homeowner who spends money to improve the energy efficiency of their home ends up have extra money in their pocket at the end of the month - and this can help tip the balance in your favor of getting a higher mortgage amount with an Energy Efficient Mortgage. Fannie Mae has published the following comparison of a standard home mortgage to an energy efficient home mortgage. Keep in mind this was published a while ago and mortgage rates are even LOWER right now, so your savings could be higher.   Non Energy Efficient Home Energy Efficient Home Purchaser Price $200,000 $203,000 Borrower Contribution $6,000 $6,090 Loan Amount $160,000 $162,400 Interest 5.85% 5.85% Monthly PITI $1673 $1698 Average electric Bill $186 $93 Total Expenses $1859 ... 06/26/2009

From my blog on 06/23/09: "The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority and the Arlington Department of Public Works have released their annual Water Quality report for 2008, as mandated by the EPA. The results are excellent – we’ve got some of the best drinking water in the nation! For the 120 contaminants that are tested for, utilizing thousands of samples every week, every EPA standard was met and the lead test results show that MWRA has exceeded the federal Lead Action Level standards." For more information, read my blog at CyberGreenRealty's Blog on Wordpress. -TMC 06/24/2009

From my blog post on 6/24/09: "If you live in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you may be eligible for a MassSAVE HEAT Loan, providing you with the opportunity to get a 0% loan for the installation of qualified energy efficient improvements in your home. The loan amount can not exceed $15,000 and the term of the loan can not exceed 7 years. To apply for the loan, you must OWN and OCCUPY a one-to-four family residence and obtain a Home Energy Assessment through the MassSAVE program." For more information, read my blog at CyberGreenRealty's Blog on Wordpress. -TMC 06/24/2009

From my CyberGreenRealty blog on 6/19/09: Despite the perception the market is still languid, the median listing price for single-family and condo properties in Arlington, MA is up 10% over the last quarter (3/19/09 – 6/19/09), to a healthy $439,450. The average listing price is currently $476,684, a 5% increase over the same time period. To read more and see the data, visit CyberGreenRealty's Blog. -TMC 06/19/2009

Let’s calculate some savings for you with a case study: Assumptions for Mr. & Mrs. Homeowner with 2 teenage children; Average monthly utility bill: $230; Annual utility rate increase: 5.5% per annum (avg. of last 30 years in CA) Mr. & Mrs. Homeowner get a qualified energy audit done of their home (appx. $500-800, depending on your part of the country) and it’s recommended they install a solar system to help heat their home, hot water, and even supply excess energy BACK to the energy grid (think of this as your roof making money!). Mr. & Mrs. Homeowner decide to go ahead with the recommended improvements. They have a 1100kWh/month, 4kW solar system installed at an approximate cost of $26,000 – but with all the available tax credits (State and Federal) and alternative financing methods av... 06/17/2009

Did you know the average home costs the homeowner about $1,900 per year in utility costs? Of course, this depends on the area of the country, the climate, the number of people in the household, etc., but this is the average cost - yours may be higher or lower. OK, so maybe you already knew that, but did you also know that an energy-efficient home (as rated by a licensed home energy rater) can save you as much as 10-15% per year in utility costs? It's true! By taking some simple steps based on your home energy audit, such as sealing the duct openings or having a professional install insulation in the walls and attic, you can begin to realize an immediate monthly reduction in your utility bills. So let's get to the part where an EEM can help - whether you're buying, selling, remodeling, ... 06/16/2009

Did you know that most homes built in the United States before 1978 contain lead? And not just on the walls.... Of course, the walls and window sills are probably your biggest sources of lead in your house, but elevated levels of lead may also be found in: Lead dust (that paint that's peeling on your window sills breaks down into dust and can be more easily breathed in); Drinking water; Older painted toys and furniture (remember that mantle from your grandmother's house you loved and incorporated into your living room? It just might contain lead paint!); Certain hobbies can expose you to lead - such as stained-glass making or pottery (glazes) Here are the actual levels that are considered dangerous by the EPA: Paint: Equal to or greater than 1.0 mg/sq. centimeter or .5% weight Floor spa... 06/15/2009