San Diego – Summer’s Best Kept Secret to Save on Your Electricity Bill

San Diego Gas & Electric’s new ReduceYourUse program is a no-risk, no-lose proposition for residential and small business customers.

Every customer with a smart meter — 99% of all SDG&E customers —  is automatically enrolled.

On the designated days, participating customers should take steps to cut their electricity use between 11 am and 6 pm. SDG&E will then compare their actual usage during those hours to their “baseline,” and give them an energy bill credit which corresponds to this difference. (The baseline is what customers would otherwise have used and is calculated based on usage during previous days.)

Of course, customers only get this rebate if their actual energy use is lower than their baseline. But what if it’s higher, or unchanged? No harm, no foul — those customers will continue to pay their normal electricity price.

Rebates will be paid at 75¢ per kWh — roughly five times the typical rate currently paid by SDG&E residential customers. SDG&E’s residential rates range from 14¢ to 31¢ per kWh. A slight majority of residential usage is billed at the lowest (14¢) rate.

SDG&E estimates it will call about nine ReduceYourUse days this summer — but it might be a few more or less.

read more at:http://www.emeter.com/smart-grid-watch/2012/sdge-peak-time-rebates-summers-best-kept-secret-to-save-electricity/

Disclaimer: for information and entertainment purposes only

Natural Disaster Housing Risk Report – Is Your Home in ND Area

map

“The higher median home prices in many counties with a high risk for natural disaster indicates that other location-based factors such as weather and access to jobs override concerns about home damage as a result of earthquakes, tornados and hurricanes,” Blomquist added.

earthq

Read more at: http://www.realtytrac.com/content/foreclosure-market-report/realtytrac-2014-natural-disaster-housing-risk-report-8086?utm_source=NEWZ%2F%2F%2F+AMCs+and+Sq.ft.%2FThe+First+Appraisal%2FDisaster+%22heat+map%22&utm_campaign=at+1-31-12&utm_medium=email

Disclaimer: for information and entertainment purposes only

NEW FHA Program reduces Mortgage Insurance Premium

The Federal Housing Agency recently announced it is expanding access to mortgage credit for underserved borrowers. In its BluePrint for Access, the FHA proposes that under its Homeowners Armed with Knowledge (HAWK) Program, homeowners who complete housing counseling both before and after closing will receive a “50 basis point reduction in the upfront FHA mortgage insurance premium (MIP) and a 10 basis point reduction in the annual MIP.” FHA sees the HAWK program as a way to extend credit while also reducing defaults, as delinquencies are 29% lower among first-time homebuyers who receive housing counseling. On the average FHA loan balance of $180,000, the FHA estimates these savings to add up to nearly $9,800 in savings over the life of the loan. The FHA is set to implement Phase I of the HAWK Program this Fall 2014.

Disclaimer: for information and entertainment only