Easy tips for winterizing your home

Check your furnace, make sure filters are fresh and clean. If you have an older furnace, consider having  it inspected and tuned to make sure it is in proper working order and running as efficiently as possible. If it is more than 10 years old you may be wasting a lot of energy and money than it's worth, consider upgrading to a new furnace.

Clean your gutters. Clogged gutters allow rain and snow to pool up on your roof creating a chance for leaks. Also be sure that down spouts are properly attached and draining out and away from the home, preferably 10 feet away from the foundation.

Check attic insulation. If you can see the joists you need more insulation, add a layer to the existing insulation. Make sure to use NON paper backed insulation.

Clean your chimney. It's important to make sure the chimney is clean and free of debris before using it during the cool winter. You can hire a professional to sweep and inspect your chimney. Also make sure your chimney has a screened cap to keep unwanted items and animals out!

Replace batteries on smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.

Check for drafts and leaks by walking your home with a lit candle checking doors and windows. Replace old weatherstripping if needed and employ the use of door sweeps to keep cold air out.

Switch the direction of ceiling fans. Did you know that your ceiling fan runs two separate ways? Well they do! In the winter change the direction to clockwise allowing air to push downward into the room recirculating the hot air that rises to the ceiling.

Drain water lines. Make sure those sprinklers are blown out and outdoor spigots are turned off. Detach hoses and store them properly. This will keep water from freezing your pipes and creating costly repairs.

Turn down your water heater. Most household heaters are set to 140 degrees which is a lot higher than you really need, by lowering the temperature to 120 you can save 6-10% on heating costs!

Use a programmable thermostat. This will keep your home energy costs down by operating the heating consistently. It will allow you to decrease the temperature when no one is home and save on your heating bill.

Close off vents in un-used rooms. No sense in heating a room that no one is using!

Throw on a sweater and some slippers and enjoy Old Man Winter.

~5280 Lady

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Money Saver: Xeriscaping the alternative landscape

Another money saving idea for you, Xeriscaping. Heard of it? Basically it's landscaping that is specifically designed to save water aka save money. But the other huge benefit is that it typically requires far less maintenance. It's very common here in the Denver area, we apparently coined the term back in 1978.

So what is it and what does it look like? Well it can be a complex process if you take it to the extreme. There's the plan and design that takes into account things like curb appeal, sun direction, etc. Then you've got different soils to choose from, compost being the best. Then we look at the irrigation system, regular sprinkler heads vs drip lines all tailored to the specific plants and evaporation. Now for the important part, the plants, turf, and mulch all of which have various options suited for optimal efficiency.

My thought of Xeriscaping was always a barren looking brown and dry yard. I figured you plant a bunch of cactus and cover everything in rock...not exactly my idea of a nice looking yard. I was completely surprised at the variety of plant and design options available that actually look good! So if your yard is needing an overhaul why not go with something that will save you money and time.

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6 Reasons the Housing Market Hasn't Recovered & Why You Should Renovate NOW!

Stumbled on a very insightful article from US News on the 6 Reasons the Housing Market Hasn't Recovered. I'll do my best to paraphrase the important parts but it calls to attention a great detail to keep in mind, now is the time to remodel and renovate your home.

It's pretty clear from the national news, economists, and government reporting that the United States economy is in some pretty bad shape and likely won't really start the uphill climb for a few years, if not more. So while we wait for the market to return you might as well get the most out of the home you're currently in. Not only does this benefit you but it also puts you in a better position to sell your home in the future. As an added bonus (and much to our dismay as professionals) construction costs are at an all time low which means that you can cash in on the savings and be able to complete projects that may have otherwise been out of the budget.

So keep that as food for thought and now onto those 6 Reasons the Housing Market Hasn't Recovered...

1. Record Unemployment. The unemployment rate is sitting at just under 10%!! That's a LOT of people out of work! It's a pretty simple concept, when there are no jobs no one can afford a house nor can they qualify for one. What's worse is that this knowledge destroys consumer confidence. The result? The people who are maintaining a job avoid homeownership like the plague for fear that they too may lose their job and be left with a mortgage they can no longer pay for. Until our job force returns the entire real estate realm is going to be in a holding pattern.

2. Household Formation. Typically people "form" a household and move into their own home. With the state of the current economy people are no longer forming new households and are instead combining them. Families are moving in together, children are moving back home, relatives are combining households, all as a result of the lack of income, which is directly related to the job market. In fact the number of new household formations over the last year has seen the second smallest increase since 1947!

3. Foreclosures. Not at all surprising, the number of foreclosures out there on top of typical new construction mean a highly oversaturated market. RealtyTrac execs expect the number of foreclosures to exceed 3 million properties by the end of the year with 1 million more in bank repos. And with the growing number of layoffs and families still struggling to meet their mortgages the numbers will only increase from there. See the vicious cycle here??

4. Tight Credit Standards. Mortgage rates are hitting all time lows so why isn't everyone jumping into new homes.... because they can't qualify for a mortgage in the first place. Banks have been hardened with the blow of bad loans so they're requiring some serious ante from prospective buyers outside of their first born son. To take advantage of these great rates you're going to need a FICO score of 720 or better, outside of FHA loans, and anywhere from 10-40% down. Not exactly the profile of most Americans right now....

5. Falling Home Prices. You'd think that cheaper prices would stimulate the market but here we go with the consumer confidence aspect again. With the news blaring about slumping home prices it drives in the message that owning a home is BAD thing right now. "Don't get yourself stuck in a home loan... do you see what's happening to people out there right now... they're upside down.... they're losing everything... they're stuck in their home forever." These implications aren't quite sending a positive message about homeownership! So those folks that would be prospective buyers are bailing from the sinking ship.

6. Selling your current home. If you're one of the millions out there committed to a mortgage already it's a daunting task to think about buying a new home because you have a giant black cloud looming over your head. In today's market 1 in 4 homeowners is upside down on their mortgage, they have negative equity. So in order to get out they would have to take a loss on the property and not too many folks are rushing in to do that!

It all goes back to the number one issue, the economy.... bad economy means no jobs, no jobs means no loans, and no loans mean no home sales. So as unfortunate as the situation may be it's not a bad idea to stay put while the dust settles and take advantage of some of the positives of the economy, like cheap construction costs to get your home improvement going.

~5280 Lady

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Beat The Heat! Tips to save you money & energy this summer

We're in the dog days of summer folks! With temperatures here in the mile high city tipping the triple digits it brings our attention to the best ways to beat the heat. Obviously, you can crank that AC til the cows come home but instead of fainting from heatstroke you'll be fainting from your energy bill. What else can you do to keep your home ambient without breaking the bank?

The average home spends $2200 a year in energy costs but by making simple changes you can save not only your comfort but your wallet too.

Make sure your attic insulation is up to par! Many older homes are lacking in this department to say the least. The insulation creates a barrier between the high (and low) temperatures outside and the inside of the home. An under insulated home can lose up to 40% of conditioned air through the attic! YIKES! You can pretty easily check to see if your insulation is adequate by looking in your attic, exposed beams mean that there is definitely not enough. However, even with covered beams you could be inefficient, a solid 18 inches is ideal. You can add to your existing insulation fairly easily and we recommend a material with an R-60 value, top of the line! An extra bonus, Federal tax credits are available for things like this for up to $1500! By far the best way to save on your heating and cooling bills.

Weatherize your home. Make sure that there are no air leaks throughout your home. Windows and doors are a common place for leaks. You can certainly mediate these problems by replacing your outdated windows but there are also cheaper alternatives. Spray foam is a good option, grab a couple of cans and seal the outsides of your home including your garage, this will also keep pests and rodents out. Door sweeps keep drafts out. You can also re-caulk your window jams to make sure that an effective seal prevents any leaking.

Keep shades and curtains drawn during the day.

Open windows and screen doors at night and allow mother nature to cool your home. Make sure to open things on both sides of your home to create a cross draft.

Turn off lights! The heat, especially from iridescent bulbs, can do a lot more damage than you would think heating up a room several degrees over time.

Use ovens and stoves sparingly, instead bbq on the grill outside!

If you must resort to the AC make sure you have a programmable thermostat. Set the temperatures accordingly, it doesn't make sense to cool a home that no one is in during work hours so program your AC to kick on shortly before you arrive home.




~5280 Lady

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