Green Real Estate Appraiser

National Association of Realtors Remodeling Impact Report

Posted on June 15, 2016 | Leave a comment

realtor

Homeowners and renters remodel, redesign, and restructure their home for a variety of reasons. This report takes a deep dive into the reasons for remodeling, the success of taking on projects, and the increased happiness found in the home once a project is completed.

Does it add value to the home? Contact the appraisers at www.scappraisals.com for your value questions.

It also contains:

The typical cost of 20 remodeling and replacement projects, as estimated by members of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI)
How much appeal each project is likely to have for buyers, according to REALTORS®
How much REALTORS® estimate that homeowners can recover on the cost of the projects if they sell the home.

Read Report: http://www.realtor.org/reports/remodeling-impact

disclaimer: for information and entertainment purposes only

Machine turns your food waste into gas for cooking

Posted on June 15, 2016 | Leave a comment

biogas

HomeBiogas based in Beit Yanai, Israel, is a biogas system that turns food and organic waste into clean cooking gas, and its byproduct can be used as liquid plant fertilizer. Best part? It easy to assemble and can be placed in your own backyard.

You can place all kinds of organic waste including meat, dairy and even used kitty litter into the system. Once inside, bacteria inside the digester will decompose the organic material and release biogas.

This Machine Turns Your Food Waste Into Gas For Cooking

Homebiogas, which costs $995 for a limited time, runs without electricity and its daily gas output is equivalent to about 6 kilowatt-hours of energy.

“In layman terms, enough gas for three hours of cooking,” Ami Amir, marketing and business development for HomeBiogas, told Waste 360. “It accepts meat, fish, fats, oils and dairy stuff — all of which are not treatable by composters.”

Amir adds that the gas may be used for lighting or heating water by using devices that are compatible with low-pressure biogas.

8 Warning signs to look for when buying a fixer

Posted on June 14, 2016 | Leave a comment

1. Cracks

A few fine cracks here and there aren’t a huge concern but when they are more than 5 millimeters wide, you might have cause to be afraid. Very afraid.

Jim Elliott, principal of Sydney construction company Elliott Projects, says large cracks could be a sign a house has underpinning problems that can’t be fixed.

“Big cracks could mean major structural issues,” Elliott says.

2. Damp

Likewise, mildew can be tricky – if not impossible – to eradicate. Be wary of homes with damp walls and musty smells. Evidence of crystallizing salts in the walls is a warning sign that moisture could be penetrating the building, Elliott says.

“If it’s a small, localized section of damp and the building has been there for some time, it’s probably not as much of an issue, but if it’s extensive, you’ve got a problem.”

3. Ugly kitchen and bathroom

Owners of pink bathtubs and floor-to-ceiling timber laminate kitchens, rejoice! Even the ugliest kitchens and bathrooms can be prettied up or ripped out and replaced relatively easily.

“Old-fashioned, worn-out looking bathrooms and kitchens you can always fix,” Elliott says.

4. Dark rooms

Open-plan living is all the rage these days, so much so that bathrooms are occasionally incorporated into master bedrooms with nary a low shelf for privacy. (Seriously, architects, can we stop this trend?)

Happily, traditional floorplans with separate kitchens, living rooms and dining rooms can usually be opened up by knocking down a wall or two, creating a modern, open-plan living space.

“Skylights and windows can be used to bring light into dark rooms too,” Elliott says.