“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.”
- Edith Lovejoy Pierce, American poet, (b. 1904)
Tip of the Month
Feeling the burn from heating bills this winter? One way to lower costs and help the environment with minimal effort is to make sure your home is insulated with eco-friendly materials. Proper insulation can save the average home $245 per year and can increase your home’s resale value by more than $20 for each $1 decrease in your annual energy bills, according to the Appraisal Institute. Insulation also reduces noise pollution (think your neighbor’s barking dog or the loud Harley down the street) and can reduce the amount of CO2 your heating system emits.
Homeowners looking for environmentally friendly insulation have many options, including recycled paper, denim and plant cellulose (fiberglass insulation is made from petroleum). BioBased Insulation offers a soy-based, spray-in foam insulation, while GreenFiber Cocoon is a spray-in insulation made from recycled paper. Want to know where those old jeans from 1992 went? Try UltraTouch, an insulation created from 85% recycled denim fiber.
Need one more reason to insulate using eco-friendly materials? The federal government will rebate 10% of the price of your insulation, plus your state may offer additional incentives.
Welcome to the January 2008 issue of “At Home with HouseHunt,” HouseHunt’s monthly consumer newsletter. Happy New Year everyone! Help bring in the new year with this month’s tasty seasonal suggestion. Look for our tip of month to highlight what you can do to lower your energy bill this month. Winter can be a wonderful time for all, but can wreak havoc on asphalt shingles. Look for our feature on how you can help protect your roof from any damage that may occur in the winter. Saving energy is always a great idea, even if it can be difficult this time of year. This month we present some easy and simple ways for you to save energy, which is helps pad our pocketbooks, and is good for the environment. Just because it’s winter, it doesn’t mean that you can take some time to do some redecorating! Our story, “Breathe New Life into Your Home with Lively Decorating Ideas” could be just the thing you're looking for to spruce up your home. Right now, it’s a buyers market, and as a buyer you should take full advantage. But, how do you make a competitive offer without being offensive to the seller? We tackle the issue head on in our piece, “How to Bid Low without Causing Offense.” We end our issue of the year with an article on how to refinance your home with minimal hassle. Here’s to 2008! The HouseHunt Team - Information
you need for all your real estate needs
A plan that offers foreclosure relief to 1.2 million homeowners has been introduced by President Bush. It also includes a temporary freeze on low, introductory mortgage-interest rates that could otherwise increase dramatically.
What do you think should be the role of the federal government in this matter? (Choose one)
1. It should do more to help these homeowners.
2. The plan should be expanded to include more homeowners who can’t make their monthly payments.
3. A cap should be put on all adjustable rate mortgages for two years.
4. Any bailout should include lenders and holders of sub-prime mortgages.
5. The plan is just about right.
6. The federal government should not be involved in any bailouts.
The holidays are over, the new year has begun…what’s to stop the winter blues from setting in? The answer: some delicious comfort food! Curl up in front of the fire (or the television) with some fresh bread and this yummy recipe from chef Paula Deen from The Food Network’s “Paula’s Home Cooking.”more>>
Although the current market favors buyers, they need to keep their manners in check when bidding on a home. We will instruct you on bidding competitively without ruining the deal.
more>>
Lenders are cracking down on risky practices, affecting not only buyers, but also homeowners looking to refinance. Examine your options and get the best loan for your needs using these tips.. more>>
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