Colorado Springs Real EstateThe Real Estate Resource

50 B. E. S. T. Green Things to Do Now
Select from this list those measures you find to be most affordable, and you can get off to an excellent start greening your lifestyle. Listed are approximate money savings and avoided environmental impacts based on CO2.
1. Change your lightbulbs- use compact fluorescent bulbs (just 3 CFL bulbs will save 300 lbs of carbon dioxide; approx: $80.00 per year.)

2. Adjust your thermostat down, 2 in winter up 2 in summer. (Save 2000 lbs of carbon dioxide; approx. $98 to $200 a year.)

3. Check your waterheater; set it no higher than 120 degrees (Save 550 lbs of carbon dioxide and $30.)

4. Take shorter showers, avoid full tub baths (350 lbs of carbon dioxide and save $99 a year).

5. Install a low flow shower head; (700 lbs carbon dioxide; save $150 a year).

6. Buy home products locally. (big savings on transportation costs; helps the local economy rather than sending profits away to mega-corporations)

7. When you buy new appliances, try to buy Energy Star qualified models.

8. Plant a tree… trees suck up carbon dioxide save 2,000 lbs of carbon dioxide.

9. Insulate your water heater and save approx $40 a year.

10. Unplug unused electronics (up to 1000 lbs; save approx $256 a year.)

11. Turn off your computer when not in use.

12. Air dry your clothes…. and save approx. $75 a year.

13. Change out single pane to double pane windows (save 10,000 lbs of carbon dioxide; approx $436 a year.)

14. Switch to a tankless water heater.(save approx $390 a year)

15. Insulate your walls and ceilings (save 2,000 lbs; approx $245 a year).

16. Replace old appliances… save hundreds of lbs of carbon dioxide and hundreds of dollars.

17. Buy minimally packaged goods could reduce your garbage by 10%. (Save 1200 lbs of carbon dioxide a year and $1000.)

18. Fill the dishwasher before running (fight water waste and save approx $40 a year.)

19. Install a programmable thermostat. (700 lbs carbon dioxide; save $150 a year).

20. Clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner… saving 350 lbs of carbon dioxide a year; about $70 savings).

21. Get a home energy audit… (save about 30% of energy bills; over 1,000 lbs of carbon dioxide a year depending on home size.)

22. Recycle…. (one of the top performing environmental options! save 2400 lbs of carbon dioxide a year.)

23. Recycle your organic waste (compost).

24.Buy recycled paper products.

25. Buy fresh instead of frozen… frozen food takes 10 times more energy to produce!

26. Eat less red meat… methane is the 2nd most significant greenhouse gas and cows are one of the greatest methane emitters. Their grassy diet and multiple stomachs cause them to produce methane, which they exhale when they breathe.

27. Support and buy at your local farmer’s market.

28. Don’t leave an empty roof rack on your car… this can increase fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 10%.

29. Keep your tires inflated; improves gas mileage by 3%.
Plant a bamboo fence.

30. Use bamboo for floors, bowls, cutting boards, etc.

31. Unplug your electronics when you are not using them.

32. Install drip irrigation in your landscaping.

33. Use a lap top rather than a desktop it uses much less power.

34. Buy shade grown coffee, and gold reusable filters.

35. Install a ceiling fan to improve heat and cooling circulation.

36. Repair your leaky indoor and outdoor faucets.

37. Upgrade your toilet to a low flush model. (save about 1,200 gallons of water per year per toilet)

38. Collect rainwater and use it for gardening.

39. Buy low-VOC paint and donate the leftovers.

40. Wash clothes in cold water; use biodegradable detergents that are manufactured for this use.

41. Carpool when possible. Bike when possible. Walk when possible.

42. Plant flowers and shrubs that are Xeric (avoid need for irrigation).

43. Teach kids to be green by making them responsible for the recycling and match whatever they make in deposit.
44. Refrigerators eat up the most electricity in the household. Maximize efficiency by keeping the freezer at 0F. Replace with Energy Star models

45. When its time for a new car choose a more fuel efficient vehicle. Many new cars now offer greater than 30 MPG ratings.

46. Bring cloth bags to market. Avoid plastic shopping bags.

47. Join The Stop Global Warming Virtual March. This is a non-political effort to bring people concerned about global warming together in one place.

48. Add your voice.

49. Fly less if possible or offset your travel by investing in renewable energy projects.

50. Share this list, do as many things as you are able to do, and talk to everyone about our environment. Let’s make a better world for current and future generations together, one household at a time.

Revised from source: Santa Fe Green Realtors (2006)

The National Association of the Remodeling Industry recommends that home howners assume lead is present if their home was built before 1978 unless they’ve had it tested and found it lead-free. Certified remodelers are required to display their EPA-certified training certificate to home owners.

For a compliance guide, search for “lead paint renovation rule” at REALTOR.org

By now most have fallen off the bandwagon of resolutions whether it was to lose weight, eat healthier or save money. For those of you out there who are still going strong, “Good for you! Keep up the good work!”

At Red Rock Realty we have all committed to giving back in 2010. Our agents dedicate time and money every year to various organizations throughout the Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs areas. However, this year as a group we decided to donate a portion of each closing to a local children’s charity. How many agents or real estate offices do you hear of doing that? Not just one check or one charity, but something consistently throughout the year!

Just like weightloss, you can’t go it alone, and by committing to it as a group I am excited to see our efforts in 2010! You can read more about our group of agents in the spring edition of Alegria Magazine.

Thanksgiving has become a national “All-You-Can Eat” holiday, and in recent years, deep-frying has become a popular method to cook the bird.

Fire departments across the nation have reported house fires on Thanksgiving Day average three times higher than other days of the year. Don’t become a statistic! If the thought of a juicy, succulent bird for your holiday crosses your mind, remember the basics: It should be done outdoors, well clear of buildings and any other material that can burn. Fryers should only be used on a flat surface, and should never be placed on wooden decks or in garage (this includes under awnings if incliment weather is present).

Happy Thanksgiving!

By WSJ Staff
Nick Timiraos and James R. Hagerty report:
http://blogs.wsj.com/developments/2009/10/29/qa-the-home-buyer-tax-credit-extension/

The Obama administration blessed the proposed extension of the $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers on Thursday as the Senate neared a compromise that would extend the credit to more potential buyers.

Here’s a primer on who might be able to get the expanded credit, and what it might do for the housing market:

Who gets the credit, and how much can they claim? First-time home buyers are eligible for up to $8,000 on the tax credit, which is the same as the current credit. The Senate version of the bill creates a new credit of up to $6,500 for homeowners who have lived in their homes for five years. That provision would start on Dec. 1.

How long will it last? The tax credits would expire on April 30, 2010, but home buyers under contract by April 30 would be able to qualify as long as they complete the sale within 60 days. Keep in mind, this would be the third iteration of a home buyer tax credit that has been in place since mid-2008. Sen. Johnny Isakson, the Georgia Republican who has been a staunch advocate of the credit, promised that this would be the “last extension” of the credit, according to Dow Jones Newswires’ Corey Boles. “Tax credits like this only work by creating the sense of urgency to take advantage of it,” Sen. Isakson said.

Will the tax credit do anything for the high-end of the market? Probably not. The tax credit phases out for home buyers with incomes above $125,000 for single filers and $225,000 for married couples. Also, homes that cost more than $800,000 aren’t eligible for the credit. Overall, the tax credit is likely to generate only a modest further increase in home sales, says Tom Lawler, an independent economist in Leesburg, Va. For many well-paid people, he says, it won’t make a big difference: “A household earning around $150,000 is likely to buy a home of $500,000 plus, so a $6,500 credit won’t be much of a factor in pushing such households off the fence.”

What other limits does the credit have? Toddlers are out of luck. Last week’s congressional hearings spotlighted concerns about misuse of the credit, including some 500 tax filers under age 18 who had claimed the credit.

So will the expanded tax credit help sales? That’s a point of debate among housing analysts and economists. Alec Phillips, economist at Goldman Sachs, notes that expanding the credit to people who already own homes doesn’t necessarily make a big dent in the supply of housing on the market. “If these ‘step-up’ buyers already own a home and sell it to finance the new one, that hasn’t reduced the amount of inventory for sale,” he says.

But Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Economy.com, thinks the extension is a big deal. Based on a preliminary analysis, he said it should mean at least 500,000 in additional sales, atop the 400,000 he estimates already have been generated by the tax credits (twice the Goldman estimate). “The tax credit is not a very efficient tax cut, but not extending it would do significant damage to the still fragile housing market,” Mr. Zandi said.

With the pentagon’s press release on June 2, 2009 that the population at Fort Carson is projected to grow by 9,804, it is a great time to consider investing in rental property in Colorado Springs and surrounding areas.

Over the past summer, troops have started to arrive at Fort Carson as they are relocated from Ft. Hood, Texas. Not surprisingly, the rental vacancy rates dropped dramatically across all quadrants of Colorado Springs during the second quarter of 2009 according to the State of Colorado Division of Housings’ Apartment Vacancy and Rent Study. Most dramatic was the Security/Widefield/Fountain area which saw a 12.6% decrease in apartment vacancies between the first and second quarters of 2009.

The number of available rental units in town will likely continue to decrease throughout the year as more soldiers are stationed at Fort Carson. As a result, a large demand for quality apartments will exist in Colorado Springs. Couple this with the recently unprecedented low home prices in Colorado Springs, and it is very clear that this is a great time to invest in rental properties.

If you are interested in building your property portfolio or beginning to amass wealth by purchasing rental properties, Theresa Stevens, Colorado Springs Realtor, is ready to help you start looking for lucrative properties today.

Labor Day weekend in Colorado Springs brings with it an annual event that that residents and tourists alike celebrate much more than the end of summer; The Colorado Balloon Classic. The festival begins on Saturday and runs through Monday with over 100 hot air balloons taking off from downtown’s Memorial Park in two waves each morning at sunrise. Residents throughout the city can watch as the skies are filled with the beautiful colors against the early morning sunrise. Some residents are even treated to balloons floating over their houses and hearing the soft rumble of the balloon’s burner as the pilot greets them with a “hello” or a hand wave.

The Festival continues each day with music, entertainment, and concessions at Memorial Park before the belloons reinflate, while tethered to the ground, at sunset for the evening’s “glow.” As the balloons are illuminated in the dark by the flames of the burners, the shimmering and dancing balloons dazzle the onlookers and remind them what a great city Colorado Springs is to live in.

If you’re thinking of moving to Colorado Springs to enjoy the annual Colorado Balloon Classic and the beautiful scenery, contact a Colorado Springs Real Estate Agent to start looking at houses today!

It’s no secret that Colorado Springs is home to some of the best colleges and universities in the nation.  U.S. News and World Report has recognized The Air Force Academy as the best baccalaureate college in the West, University of Colorado – Colorado Springs as sixth in the West among master’s-degree-granting schools, Colorado College as 24th among liberal arts colleges, and Regis University as 27th among master’s-degree-granting colleges in the West.

With as many great schools, there is no better time to consider moving to Colorado Springs.  Theresa Stevens of Red Rock Realty is ready to help you find the home of your dreams.  Let Theresa help you start looking at homes today! Visit TheresaSellsColorado.com