Real Estate Tips for Automated Homefinder Visitors

In the current economy, credit is tight and people are worried about money. Hours are being cut and salaries are down. To improve your cash flow situation, you have two options: work more or spend less. Of the two options, only the latter is in your direct control, and fortunately you have a lot of options. We’ve all heard about how people are cutting back on a variety of services to save money, and that makes a lot of sense. However, by making some small investments in your home, you can improve your comfort while saving money on your home’s operating costs at the same time. Making these small investments now will continue save you money long after the bad times have past. Let’s take a look at some of the low cost steps that you can take to better manage your homes heating and cooling costs.

The cheapest way to improve you energy expenses is to simply modify your behavior and energy usage patterns. Turning the heat down or the AC up a few degrees can save you 5% or more each season. Taking a look at your other major appliances and configuring them to run as efficiently as possible will save you a considerable amount on your energy bill and once you’ve made the changes, you won’t have to think too much about it. Try washing your clothes in cold water, turn off the heated dry on your dishwasher, and use the moisture sensor option on your clothes dryer (if your model has one). Each of these appliances uses a lot of energy if configured poorly. In the summer, use fans to keep you cool. They use far less energy than an air conditioner. During the day, close the house up and make sure blinds are drawn on west and south facing windows. This will make your air conditioners job a lot easier. Your home will also be more comfortable because it won’t be so unevenly heated. Air conditioning is a major monthly expense in the warmer parts of the country so everything that you can do to minimize the use of your system will provide a substantial payback over the course of the cooling season. In cold climates the same is true for home heating costs.

Because cash flow is important, keeping energy saving investment costs as low as possible is important. Fortunately, there are number of low cost improvements that you can make to your home. First, if you don’t have a programmable thermostat buy one as soon as possible. These generally cost between $50 - $100 and can save you between 10-30% on your heating and cooling costs. As such, the payback on such an investment is very fast. The great thing about these thermostats is that even if you are renting, you can install one and start saving right away. When you move out, just reinstall the old thermostat and take yours with you to your next apartment or rental home. The same is true for low flow showerheads. These devices save water and the energy needed to heat the water. You can buy them for as little as $10 at your local home improvement center. It’s best to do a little research up front as the type of stream they produce varies quite a bit and if you are particular about your showers, you will want to be reasonably sure that the showerhead you purchase will work for you. These devices are generally very easy to install and remove so if you are a renter this is another money saver than you can take with you. Just be sure to keep the old showerhead so that you can reinstall it when you move out. Finally, check the seals on your exterior doors and windows. If these are leaky, then your home is both more expensive to heat and cool as well as less comfortable than it could be. Seal leaks with weather stripping that you can buy at a home center. It’s fairly inexpensive (unless you have a lot of leaky door and window seals) and you can easily install it yourself.

As you can see, there are lots of easy ways to put money back in your pocket. Take a look around your home today and start making a list of things that you could improve. The tips mentioned here are just the beginning, but if implemented could save you a substantial amount on your home energy bills.

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If you want to evaluate your real property, there are three popular methods. You can pick whichever one you want, just like the TV game show called Let’s Make a Deal, but as Monty Hall used to say, you might get stuck with what’s behind that door.

But you can also combine them and modify these approaches. Most county auditors will work with whatever you choose. The three primary valuation tools include the cost approach, the comparable approach, and the income approach.

The cost approach refers to the actual reproduction cost of the property. This means the amount of money it would take to replace the property as an exact replica. You start with that amount, and then you subtract the depreciation of the property as it stands at the time of the valuation. Then you add in the cost of the land on which the property sits.

Many appraisers like to use this method as a starting point, and it’s a good way to calculate taxes. With a new structure built on the land, a savvy homeowner prefers to use the cost approach. The structure’s value would have to be part of the initial figure before any depreciation is subtracted. This might represent a better stance for the owner than one of the other methods.

The income approach is best used for industrial or commercial property. This takes into consideration the potential earnings that can be generated through use of the property. And it means you have to consider the different uses that could be applied to the property. For example, say a company owns an entire building and rents out part of it to another company. Suppose the landlord company has the option to stop renting it and expand its own business venture? The assessor can choose to assess value based on whichever way yields more income.

With all this to consider, appraisers go through some convoluted spreadsheet gymnastics before they reach a number that really reflects a property’s potential. However, the value is reached with objectivity; there’s no concern about an individual’s personal preferences the way there would be with residential property. Sometimes this is referred to as a value-in-use valuation. The liquidation value of the property might be a part of the income valuation, if that made sense to the parties involved.

The third method for evaluating a property’s worth is the comparable approach. This is the door chosen most often by homeowners. When an appraiser is trying to reach a figure for residential property, he has to look at comparable characteristics: What is the specific location within an overall neighborhood? Was this home built around the same time as most other homes, or before or after? The quality and condition come into play, too. If a home has been updated with features added and been very well maintained, the appraiser considers whether you can say the same about the other homes in the area.

If you’re using a comparable approach to appeal a tax assessment, for example, you can get the sales figures you need for area homes from your county tax assessor’s office. Many counties prefer to include figures from five years back up to the present time.

You can also combine these approaches to evaluate a property. Going back to the landowner who has built a new structure on his property, he could use the cost approach for the structures, and then if the area’s land values have jumped recently it behooves him to use the comparable approach for the land valuation. When this happens, we usually move to a new show called The Price is Right.

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Photo by woodleywonderworksThe housing market is getting restless again. That’s a good sign! When the market was totally unwell, it was still and quiet, just like a person with the flu. But now there are signs of activity. Think of your spouse venturing out of bed and even being a little grumpy-it’s a sign that he or she feels better, right? The same applies to the housing market. But is it a good time to refinance?

Well, things aren’t entirely back to normal yet. There’s still a chance the patient could have a relapse. So let’s look at some indicators to help you make a decision.

One of the most deeply inscribed rules of refinancing is that you should not even bother doing it unless you will lower your interest rate by two percent. If you’re at 9% interest and you think you can get down to 7%, then by all means the savings will pay for the cost of the refinancing process.

But where are interest rates right now? They are sitting around 5%–give or take-but that’s for people with a FICO score of 700 or better. You won’t get a better deal than that if your score is lower. So if you bought your home five years ago in 2003 when mortgage interest rates were low, low, low, you’re probably not going to benefit from refinancing.

Maybe you bought your home five years ago but you didn’t get the lower interest rate because your credit was bad. If you’ve cleaned up your credit score since then, you might very well benefit from refinancing.

Maybe your original mortgage was an adjustable rate mortgage. You’d be making a smart move to get out of it by refinancing for a fixed-rate loan. And, incidentally, that brings up a caveat for today’s refinancers, because some of them are not paying attention to the fine print on the mortgage terms issued in this recovering market. They’re not even aware that they are succumbing to the lure of teaser rates, and that higher interest rates loom in their future.

Another consideration could be the length of your loan and the amount of your mortgage payments. What if you originally took a 15-year mortgage with the associated higher monthly payments? Someone hit hard by the economy who’s just looking for a way to lower his overall monthly payouts might refinance to a 30-year mortgage just to get a lower mortgage payment.

How long will you stay in your home? If you calculate that your refinancing will cost $2,000 and save you $200 per month, then you must stay in your home at least ten months just to break even. If even the possibility of a move looms in your horizon, then don’t refinance.

Ultimately, you need to visit your local bank. Hopefully, you’ve established your custom with the neighborhood bank manager, and he will give you an honest assessment of what rate his bank will offer to someone with your credit rating at this point in time. It doesn’t hurt to look into it, but move carefully. And take an aspirin.

If you’re in the market for a new home, visit Automated Homefinder. Areas served:
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Photo by otzbergCity mouse, suburban mouse-I’ve been both at one time or another. I grew up and lived for thirty years in one of the most cosmopolitan sections of a metropolitan area. After marriage and with a kid, we moved some seventy miles westward to a smaller city and bought a house in the nearby suburbs. So what are pros and cons of each place?

City living provides a fast-paced environment. People are moving, whether by foot, by bike, by car, or by any other means handy to them. Once we moved to the suburbs, we lived on a quiet street. To a visiting relative, it seemed dead and boring. To me, it seemed peaceful and urbane, if not urban.

Speaking of people getting around, you have to look at the transportation options if you’re trying to decide between city or suburban living. Where is your job? Do you want to walk to work, drive to work, or take public transportation? You won’t find public transportation threaded throughout the streets of the suburbs-probably just a few bus stops here and there along the main roads.

That’s important to many people these days, because of the cost of gasoline and the importance of reducing emissions. City dwellers are really a part of making that happen, because suburbanites must drive to their workplaces. Suburbanites also have farther to drive to reach grocery stores and shopping centers. If you want to live a greener life, downtown living wins.

But wait a minute! Those suburbanites can get involved in carpooling and composting. And they’re more likely to stay committed to an effective recycling program. So if it’s green living you’re after, then the scales balance out.

What about raising your children? This is a category where suburban living wins categorically. City schools generally have poorer success rates than suburban schools. With the more transient populations of the city, there is less support for school district development. Suburbs win.

What about culture, either for children or for yourselves? Downtown living wins-this is where you have the majority of your museums, art galleries, zoo, sports arenas, and similar venues.

Homes in the cities generally cost less than homes in suburbs. The exception will be the condos placed strategically close to city-central, which will be priced very high. The people who live in them can choose to forego cars and add what would be a car payment into their available mortgage money.

Ultimately, you have to make your own list. What are you looking for? Convenience? Hustle and bustle? Culture? Then pick the city! Maybe you’d prefer emerald green lawns filled with swing sets and barbecues, and you believe that solid schools raise home values. You want to grow a little garden and do your part to preserve the environment. You like to get in your car and drive to the next town over for its outlet stores. The choice is yours!

If you’re in the market for a new home, visit Automated Homefinder. Areas served:
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You can hang a door, with patience and the right tools. Before you buy the door, measure the opening; you need one the exact size or very slightly larger. You’ll also need:

Two hinges with screws,

A tape measure,

A pencil,

A plane,

A narrow or medium chisel with a hammer,

A drill and its bits, and

Sandpaper,

Wedges-several-no thicker than one-quarter or one-half inch to fit the clearance you’re allowing beneath the door.

Get a sawhorse to rest the door while you work on it, some goggles.

For the last step, if you’re hanging the door into a newly built doorway, have a panel saw and some thin wooden strips (one-quarter inch thickness) at the ready to make a doorstop.

And then you’re ready to roll!

Rest the door on the sawhorse. Mark how much of the door you need to trim or cut off. You should allow for one-sixteenth of an inch clearance on the sides and top of the door. Along the bottom allow one-quarter inch, but if your carpeting pile is high then make it a half inch. Don’t trim too much from the sides, or your door won’t fill the doorway!

Now that you’ve marked what needs to come off, use your plane to shave off the excess. Move the plane along each edge of the door. Just do one edge at a time. Work inward from the corners so that you don’t chip them off.

Take your sandpaper and smooth the edges. Place your wedges in the doorway and, with a helper lending a hand, see if the door fits into the doorway. If it’s too big, trim and sand some more.

Mark where you’ll place the hinges. Remember that doors generally open into a room. If you’re looking at the doorway from the outside of the room, your hinges will go on the right-hand side of the door. Rest the door on its side. The edge where the hinges will go should be facing upward. Use your measure and pencil to mark six inches from the top and bottom of the door. Each of the hinges will end at the marks you’ve made.

Place the bottom hinge on the edge where your mark is. Use your pencil to draw around it. Do the same for the top hinge. The hinge itself will rest flush against the door edge.

Take the hinges away so that you can use your hammer and chisel to cut a depression where the hinge will rest. Wear your goggles for this. Just chisel out enough of this so that the hinge lies flush when it’s placed in the depression. Avoid chiseling too much or the hinges won’t hang right.

Place the hinge in the depressions you’ve chipped out at each edge and use your pencil to mark where the screws should go. Your drill bit should be slightly narrower than the screws. Still wearing your goggles, drill the beginning of each hole, about one-quarter inch. Keep the drill bit fully perpendicular to the door edge so that your screws will go in straight. (Tip: leave one-quarter inch of your drill-bit open; cover the rest with tape. That way you’ll know when you’ve drilled to one-quarter-inch depth.) One screw at a time, screw the hinges to the door edge.

Now you can mark the doorway where the top and bottom hinges will be placed. Again, use your helper to hold the door. Mark the doorway with the door in the open position, with wedges placed under the door to help hold it steady.

Just like before, trace the hinge positions, and set the door aside. Chisel out depressions in the doorway for the two hinges. Again, be careful not to remove too much wood.

Before you actually screw the hinge into the doorway, ask your helper to hold the door while you see if the placement will be right. Once you know it’s correct, use the pencil to mark where the screws will go. Set the door aside and drill starter holes.

Finally, return the door-having your helper one last time to hold it in the open position with the wedges back under it-and drill in the screws. Just put in one of the screws for each hinge to make sure it will work before you drill in the rest of the screws.

If you are working with a newly built doorway, you will probably need to add a doorstop to the doorway. Hammer some narrow strips of wood along the doorway on the outside of the door so that the door will only swing into the room-otherwise, you’ve got a swinging door.

While you do this, your helper can get some cool drinks, and then you can both sit back to admire your handiwork.

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Owning rental property is a way to make money, and you’re going to have to pay at tax time. The rent you collect and any expenses paid by the tenant count as income to you. The same goes for deposits, if you don’t return them, and any rents that you receive in advance.

But-thankfully-there are tax laws for landlords so you can take every advantage that’s coming to you. Because getting your fair share of deductions is what it’s all about!

If you and a partner-your spouse or a relative-own this together, then you should form an LLC. That’s a limited liability company, and it protects each of you individually from becoming responsible for the costs of this property you’ve undertaken jointly. Even though this step won’t necessarily make a difference in your profit or loss, it’s an important one to take.

Actually, you should become an LLC even if you own the property alone. It still serves to protect your personal assets from any business losses. In either case, you’ll need to file Schedule K-1 (Form 1065-B), and you’ll list your passive or nonpassive income or loss on Schedule E of your 1040.

Interest is your biggest deduction as a landlord. You can deduct the interest of your original mortgage for the property. If you have any equity loans to improve the place, you can deduct that interest as well.

Depreciation is another huge deduction for landlords. For this you take the value of the home and divide it by 27.5, the expected life of the place. That’s the amount you can take as a depreciation expense.

Most landlords think they can only use this fraction of depreciation over the course of 27.5 years. But you can take advantage of so-called segmented depreciation. This type of depreciation means you separate what will deteriorate in the short term from what will last for those 27.5 years. It works like this: Suppose you have a property worth 250,000. Normally, you would divide that amount by 27.5. Your yearly deduction would be $9,090.

But with segmented depreciation, you deduct items that will not last the life of the home: We’ll use the carpeting, the appliances, and the fence around the place. For round figures, let’s say that equals $10,000. Maybe you think those items will last ten years. And you know you’ll have to replace the roof in five years: $15,000. So you subtract the total of these items from the value of the home–$250,000 minus $25,000. Now you have three totals: $225,000 to depreciate over 27.5 years. $10,000 to depreciate over ten years. $15,000 to depreciate over five years. That gives you a deduction of $8,181, plus $1,000, plus $3,000, which add up to $12,181. Much better!

These are other items that are deductible:

Basic repairs: Paint, materials to fix the roof or gutter, repairing leaks, railings, or other such items.

Travel: For the year 2009 you can deduct 55 cents for each mile you travel locally because of your property. This includes visiting a tenant who has a complaint or going to the store for repair materials.

Insurance expenses, including casualty or flood insurance for the property as well as your business liability insurance.

If you have anyone working for you, the money you pay for worker’s compensation or employee insurance is deductible. (A caveat here-if you are an LLC, you may have to pay taxes on yourself.)

If you consult a lawyer or other professional regarding the property, it’s deductible.

Contractors’ fees when you can’t make a repair yourself are deductible.

Your home office space, represented as a fraction of your total living space, is deductible, but only if that space is utilized solely for the business. The same applies to any workshop you have for rental property repair. (Another caveat-this deduction is almost always a red flag to IRS auditors.)

If you’re in the market for a new home, visit Automated Homefinder. Areas served:
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Photo by shapeshift How can you figure out your home’s true market value? Well, the key word there is “true.” First you have to figure out your home’s basic market value. And then you have to factor in some additional parameters that we’ll discuss.

Your home’s value should be in line with what similar homes in the neighborhood are selling for. Real estate transfer prices are a matter of public record, so it’s not too difficult to find that out.

First, you need to identify comparable homes in your area that sold recently-write down their addresses. Next, visit your county auditor’s website. Most of them are offer property search features that let you enter the addresses (one at a time). The information available there should include the current owners, the house’s size, composition, and the size of the lot. You will also see how many bedrooms and bathrooms, the type of heating or plumbing, and other information-including what it last sold for.

Keep a list of these homes’ features and selling prices, and then you can begin to compare them to your own property. Some items that affect real property market value will be the same for all neighborhood homes, such as school district or proximity to public transportation. Most of the homes in a neighborhood should be around the same age.

But there are some differences you can look at. Is your home in better or worse condition than the others? If you live on a corner lot or in a cul-de-sac, your property’s value will be higher than a place in the middle of the block. If you have a magnificent view, expect to ask more. What have you updated inside your home? Does your property sit on a level lot?

If you’re ready to list your home, then ask a real estate agent to visit and estimate your home’s market value. If the agent’s valuation differs greatly from yours, figure out why that is. If you don’t feel comfortable chatting about this, then find another agent!

Make certain you and your real estate agent are on the same page. If you live in a slab home, for example, be certain that ads describe it as “one-level plan” or “basementless home.” You and the agent should agree on how to advertise your place.

How about those additional factors we talked about? This is what you need to look at:

 Has it taken long for homes in the neighborhood to sell? If the market in your area is moving slowly, price your home downward.

 How are people feeling about the economy right now? Visit Consumer Confidence; if you see a downswing in confidence, mark your home down.

 What are local interest rates like? After the hit taken by the housing and financial market in the last couple years, you’ll have to take the pulse of your local bank. Some places are moving forward faster than others. If interest rates are really low, banks will screen someone more carefully to get a mortgage. Your price should be low. When interest rates go up, your price can go up.

 Check the unemployment rate in your area. If it’s higher than the national or state average, then mark your home down.

 Some of this information might seem depressing, but you’re really using it to put your house on the market for a quick, successful sale. There are certain steps you can take to attract more prospective buyers-spruce up your curb, take care of the honey-do list, and get rid of junk that’s distracting to people doing walkthroughs.

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Photo by stanOn the list of stressful events in our lives, experts tell us that moving ranks pretty high. It means a big change in the lives of all your family members. There are some things you can do to make moving day as simple as possible, and the most important item is choosing a good mover.

Don’t expect to find someone who really cares about your move on the internet. The most successful moves are conducted by experts who live in your neighborhood. Ask friends or coworkers for recommendations, or use your local phone book. Visit the moving company’s office if at all possible.

The staff should be friendly; they’ll be shepherding you through a difficult time. But it’s also important to hire someone who is insured. Maybe you can find someone with a truck who will transport your stuff for a lesser fee, but he’s probably not a moving professional. You want someone who has a business license and insurance.

It’s important to note that you must hire a motor carrier, not a moving broker. In recent years there have been scams involving brokers. People mistake them for the moving company, and all they are moving is your money-from your pocket to theirs. Ask the rep if the company is a motor carrier. You can even ask the person for the USDOT number-U.S. Department of Transportation-or the docket number, and check it online at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s website to be certain they’re licensed. Tell him you were advised to check this out! This site will also let you check their insurance.

Someone at the moving company will ask you: Where do you live now? Where are you moving? How many steps are at each place? He will probably ask you how many rooms of furniture you have as a way to give you a quote. Many of them will probably quote you without coming to your home, but you can insist. This is a good time to tell him, by the way, if you have a huge book collection or something else unusual that’s going with you.

You’ll pay more, by the way, for an interstate move than a local move, even if it’s just fifty miles away. Get three quotes, and then go back online to check out the companies at your local Better Business Bureau.

Your chosen mover should offer you a booklet about your rights and responsibilities, and if he doesn’t you can ask him for it. He should not ask you for a deposit before the move. A very small deposit-just one or two hundred bucks-is okay to prove your good faith. He will expect payment when he arrives at the new destination, before he unloads your things. Ask him ahead of time what form of payment he accepts. Tips aren’t necessary unless you feel strongly that you want to pay one.

Your contract should specify how much the move costs. Before you sign it, be certain there are no blanks-draw a line through them-no exceptions to this! Your mover, by law, can charge you no more than 10% above the cost he quoted you unless you agree to more in exchange for additional services.

If your property sustains damages, you have up to nine months to file a claim, but for quickest remedies you should file as soon as possible. Save packing materials! If the mover disagrees with your claim, he is required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association to engage in arbitration.

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 You’ve sold your old house, and now the countdown is T minus whatever for the move to your new place. There are more things to do than you can shake a stick at! Here’s what you need to remember:

 Before you begin to pack, while your furniture and valuables are all still in place, go around with a camera and make videos or take photos of everything. Get close-ups of small items like jewelry or antique crystal. In the event of loss or breakage in the move ahead of you, you’ll have a visual record of what you had and the condition it was in.

Get a million boxes. Did you ever hear anyone say, “I don’t need all these boxes I got for my move. Want some?” Heck no! For most people, it’s a last minute scramble to get enough. And since boxes cost about ten bucks from the moving company, start collecting them well before you actually need to pack them. A lot of stores crush them as soon as they’re unpacked, so ask your local market to set some aside. Or get them from work.

You’ll probably be packing clothes last. Have heavy duty trash bags on hand-at least one mil thick-and fill them up with towels, sheets, and clothes from your children’s underwear and jeans drawers. They’re easy to tie and haul, and they’re a lot cheaper than going out at the last minute to buy more boxes. You’ll need the bags anyway, to discard stuff you really don’t need. Just don’t mix up garbage with packed linens!

Mark what you pack. Before you mark anything, you want to seal them securely. Have plenty of tape on hand-get it cheap at the dollar store. Every time you pack a box, mark it with a number and write on a clipboard: #1, Grandma’s Hutch Stuff. Write the number on the box. Show the system to your kids so that everybody who packs a box remembers to mark it. When little Donnie and Marie pack their rooms, they can mark their boxes D1, D2, M1, M2, and so forth. Besides boxes, markers, and tape, you’ll need plenty of newspaper or bubble wrap as well.

One last word on packing: Watch the weight of the boxes. If you’re packing books or files, remember that paper weighs a lot.

Call your utility companies: Electricity, gas, phone, cable, and internet. Don’t wait until the last minute to call, because this could delay your service at the new place. Don’t forget to call your insurance company, and fill out a moving card at the post office. You can do all these notifications ahead of time, because you’re submitting an effective date when you take care of these tasks.

When you tell the schools that Donnie and Marie are moving, don’t forget to pick up their immunization records along with their transcripts.

Are you moving so far that you’ll need a new doctor? If anyone in the family uses prescription medication, make certain there’s enough to last till he sees a new doctor. Set that up before the move!

Have a “travel box.” This is something that will stay with you throughout the move. It will contain your family’s vital records-birth certificates, social security cards, school records. Don’t forget Fido’s license. Your closing papers and only your most recent bank statement should be included. Drop your address book in there. It’s a good place to keep your notes from all the calls you made to the utility companies. Ahead of time you can put in a roll of toilet tissue, a couple towels, and a first-aid kit. On the day of the move, when you’re ready to roll, add your prescription medications and the toiletries necessary for a shower, including everyone’s toothbrushes. And this one box stays with you, not the moving van.

Have a supplies box. When you’ve finished packing, drop your tape, markers, etc., into this box. Plus you can add a wrench, pliers, hammer, screwdrivers, and extension cords. Toss in a couple batteries. Well, maybe this box should stay with you, too!

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Photo by Nemo’s great uncleUnless scientists prove that global warming is just a myth, it’s best to look for great ways to make your home more environmentally correct, more eco-friendly, more green. And it doesn’t take a lot of green to get there! Try out some of these top ways to green up your teepee:

Install a chlorine-removing shower filter in your bathroom. Today’s water supplies contain so much chlorine, you could liberally slather yourself in petroleum jelly (hmmm) and still feel all dried up. These shower heads boast sediment pre-filters plus clear polycarbonate filters that really don’t slow down the water pressure while you sing in the shower. You’ll protect your hair and skin, and you’ll also find that your eyes and lungs will thank you.

 Try a little composting. For somewhere between twenty and forty bucks you can pick up a bin that’s sized to use in the kitchen. They come made from recycled plastic or polyethylene material, stainless steel, or even ceramic. Some of them are made to attach to the inside of a kitchen cabinet door. And it’s only a few steps from there to the compost bin you can set up in the backyard (or just use biodegradable trash bags.) When you consider that over 60% of Americans’ household waste is compostable compared with only 8% actually composted, it makes you realize that every small contribution counts.

 How about putting a stop to some of the outgassing that goes on in your home? Many houses, especially those built more than a decade ago, give off dangerous fumes (sounds like my teenager), which you can alleviate by applying proper seals. You can clear out your carpet by applying a sealing product to extract fume-emitting chemicals right after you wash it. Whether you want a green product to keep your tools clean and lubricated, a nontoxic coating for your deck, or an elastomeric coating that you can apply to roofing, siding, polyurethane, and other home surfaces, just think mean and green.

 Next, you’re gonna save water with a water-miser gardening hose sprayer nozzle. You need to buy a nozzle that attaches to your hose and won’t leak water unless you pick it up and spray. Whether you’re cleaning the side of your home, watering your lawn, or just giving your car the once-over, you’ll save a ton of water.

 Wrap things up in your kitchen by getting rid of old plastic-style sandwich and freezer storage bags. Look for the same useful sizes in bags made from cellulose, which is a plant-tissue product farmed from non-rainforest trees. If you deep-six them they’ll biodegrade in less than two weeks. Without the plastic coatings found on regular bags, they cannot emit gases that ruin the taste of your foods. Most of them can go from the microwave to the freezer, so use them for everything from storing your spices to freezing your leftover pasta.

 If you’re not using the new, swirly-looking CFL light bulbs, why not? They last up to ten times longer than the standard light bulb, and they only use one-quarter of the electricity of those bulbs. Just go out and buy several of these, and stop getting your blood pressure up because your kids forget to turn out the lights sometimes. (Well, you’ll have to get them to work on that.) At GreenHome.com, you can even buy an inexpensive home energy conservation kit that includes three bulbs-one equivalent each to 60 watts, 75 watts, and 100 watts. You’ll also get an electroluminescent night light, several draft-stopping gaskets, and a whistle that alerts you when air filters are plugged.

Don’t forget that Automated homefinder covers the following areas for all of your real estate needs:
Boulder CO
Longmont CO
Louisville CO
Lafayette CO
Broomfield CO.