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“Long stormy spring-time, wet contentious April, winter chilling the lap of very May; but at length the season of summer does come.”
-Thomas Carlyle, Scottish essayist, satirist and historian, (1795 – 1881) |
| Tip of the Month |
Many home builders are joining the fray when it comes to being green. There are plenty of tips out there for making your existing home more environmentally friendly, but what about when you are building a home? USA Weekend has the following suggestions for making the most of green construction:
- When looking for a builder, find one who recycles. Professional house planner Jack Thomasson uses separate Dumpsters for metal, wood, plastic and miscellaneous materials. If you’re especially handy, you could keep some of the scrap wood for future projects, like shelves in the garage.
- Get great insulation. Make sure your new home is insulated well. Thomasson recommends spray foam insulation because it fills every crack, cranny and crevice where heat or cool air can escape. You can also ask your builder to use eco-friendly products, such as insulation made from old denim.
- Plan direct plumbing. Meandering pipes waste energy, whereas pipes that go directly from the source to the fixture increases your overall water efficiency.
- Look for longevity. Using long-lasting materials means that you won’t need to replace them as often, meaning you will use less energy and fewer resources.
Source: USA Weekend |
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Volume 5, Number 6
June, 2008
Welcome to the June 2008 issue of “At Home with HouseHunt,” HouseHunt’s monthly consumer newsletter. It’s official! Summer is here! The long days of beach, barbeques, and vacations are upon us. The summer is the perfect time for catching up on home repairs… which can sometimes be costly. Before you jump into your planned repairs, make sure to read our article, “Save Money on Home Repair Bills.” In the current real estate market, both buyers and sellers have to adapt to remain competitive with one another. Regardless of which position you may be in, our feature story, “Strategies for Buyers and Sellers in Today’s Market,” is a must-read. It’s always daunting when you’re in the position of being a first-time buyer. That said, you can never prepare yourself too much and a good start is to examine our “Timeline” created specifically for first-time buyers. We’ve also provided first-time buyers with an informative list of “Do’s and Don’ts” for them to learn as well. Foreclosures in your neighborhood can do some serious damage to your home’s value and selling price, but it’s no reason to panic. We’ve included this month a special report on what you can do to help combat the foreclosures in your neighborhood. Finally, our tip of the month offers advice on how to go green even when choosing a builder, and our seasonal suggestion is the just the right thing if you’re looking to spruce up your garden!
The HouseHunt Team - Information
you need for all your real estate needs
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Survey Question
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Seasonal
Suggestion
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Summer is a great time for flowers! If you feel jealous when you look at the gorgeous gardens or flowers in your neighborhood but suspect that your thumb may be more black than green, perhaps container gardening is for you. Flowers displayed in containers are a great way to jazz up your patio, porch or entrance. The following bulbs are ideal for summer containers. more>>
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Save Money on Home Repair Bills
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You don’t have to dread calling the repairman. There are several ways you can save money when you need home repairs. more>>
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Strategies for Buyers and Sellers in Today’s Market
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Buyers and sellers both need a competitive edge in today’s tough real estate market. A recent Parade magazine article offers solid strategies for both parties right now.
more>>
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Buying a Home: A Timeline
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Buying a home for the first time can be daunting, especially in today’s market. We’ll walk you through what you should do and when. more>>
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Competing with Foreclosures
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You may be able to name one, two, three or more homes in your neighborhood that are under foreclosure. This means some amount of trouble if you are looking to sell your home, but there are ways you can navigate the current market successfully. more>>
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Do’s and Don’ts for First-time Buyers
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If you are a first-time buyer, you don’t have it as easy as you would have had it a few years ago. First-time buyers need to be especially savvy to get a great deal and stay in solid financial shape. A recent Realty Times article offers some do’s and don’ts to help you out. more>>
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