Tag Archives: san diego

Building a Net Zero Energy Home: Key Early Decisions

Posted on July 1, 2012 | Leave a comment

When I decided to rebuild my home at The Evergreen Institute in east-central Missouri, which as many readers know, burned in a fire in January 2011, I had to make some decisions before I could begin work with my architect, James Plagmann of HumaNature Architecture.

The first decision was whether I would retain the existing foundation or start anew. In my case, the choice was made by the fire and the
building department. As it turns out, the south wall of the foundation had been so badly damaged in the fire that it had to go. That was the building department’s recommendation.

Contact the appraisers at www.scappraisals.com if you have a green property that needs appraising.

To create a net zero energy home, I knew I had to pour on the insulation. So, I decided to build with insulated concrete forms to achieve an R value of around 30. I also decided to place 5 inches of extruded polystyrene under the slab to achieve an R-value of around 30. At this writing, we’ve already poured the foundation walls.

Disclaimer: for information and entertainment purposes

Compare Mortgage Terms – Calulator

Posted on June 30, 2012 | Leave a comment

Different mortgage terms and rates can make the loan selection process confusing, especially if you don’t plan on keeping the loan for the full term. Use this calculator to determine the total cost in today’s dollars of various mortgage alternatives taking into account your opportunity cost of money.

Compare 3 loans at once: http://www.washingtonpost.com/real-estate/tools-calculators/compare-mortgage-terms.html

Disclaimer: for information and entertainment purposes only

Remember, Home Buyers: You Have the Right to Negotiate Everything

Posted on June 29, 2012 | Leave a comment

Everything — in real estate, absolutely everything — is negotiable.

Recent economic reports indicate that real estate sales are on the increase, especially since mortgage interest rates are at an all-time low. But, despite what experts tell you about sellers having the upper hand, it still is a buyer’s market.

Contact the appraisers at www.scappraisals.com for value questions. An appraisal of the property before negotiation may help in the negotiation process.

Home buyers, especially first-timers, do not understand that they have the right to bargain and negotiate all aspects of their real estate purchase.

Potential buyers should not hesitate to make a low offer on a house. The real estate broker or agent has a duty to submit any offer — no matter how ridiculously low it may seem — to the owner of the house.

A seller has three options when an offer is received. She can reject it out of hand, accept it or make a counteroffer.

If your offer is rejected, you can always present another offer that is closer to the seller’s asking price. Or, if price is a concern, you can look for something else.