It is Easy to Be Green

In honor of Earthday I’m sharing these 5 low cost easy tips to go greener at home, from Realtor.com:

5 low-cost things you can do to go greener at home By Dena Kouremetis

When that certain lovable Muppet Kermit the Frog sang “It isn’t Easy Being Green” [...]]]>

It is Easy to Be Green

In honor of Earthday I’m sharing these 5 low cost easy tips to go greener at home, from Realtor.com:

5 low-cost things you can do to go greener at home
By Dena Kouremetis

When that certain lovable Muppet Kermit the Frog sang “It isn’t Easy Being Green” so long ago, chances are pretty good that he wasn’t referring to how easy it is to help the environment.
Helping the world go greener can begin with you. Anything from purchasing the right appliances to changing out a light bulb can make a huge difference to both the world around you and even your pocketbook in the long run.

1. Reaching for the “stars”
What is already in place in your home that could be a drain on energy? Is it that old refrigerator in the garage? Did you know that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that one older appliance (such as your trusty old fridge) can cost you as much as $150 more per year than an energy-efficient model?
Here’s a sobering thought — if just 10 homeowners replaced their older appliances with EnergyStar®-qualified ones, it would be equivalent to planting 1.7 million new acres of trees. Plan a budget to slowly replace all your “energy hog” appliances with new energy saving models and you’ll thank yourself later on.

2. How hot is hot and how cold is cold?
Turning down the thermostat in cold weather and inching it up during the warm months can save as much as 3-5 percent for each degree adjustment. In fact, as much as 60 percent of your energy bill may be heating and cooling related. Programmable thermostats can make the most prudent adjustments automatically during any 24-hour period but are grossly underused, according to Ron McClure. of the Pleasant Hill, Calif.-based California Home Energy & Comfort Solutions, a company that sends inspectors to perform energy “audits” for homeowners or buyers.
“About six out of ten households already have programmable thermostats but don’t use the automatic (programmable) function on them,” says McClure, “The first thing they do on a cold morning is head to the thermostat to warm up the place and by the time they are comfortable they head out the door without another thought..” he relates. Even if you remember to shut your heat off before you leave the house, however, McClure goes on to say that it costs more to reheat your home than to maintain the temperature with a properly programmed thermostat.
Other low-cost energy saving tasks to look into:

Get some new clothes for your hot water heater by placing an insulating jacket around it (usually costs under $20) and outfit your pipes for even less.
HVAC (heating, ventilation and cooling) changes can contribute even more – something as simple as cleaning your furnace’s air filter monthly during heavy usage times can make a big difference.
Shade your east and west facing windows to prevent the most brutal heat intrusion during summer months. And if your house doesn’t already possess dual-pane energy-efficient windows, why not start replacing those windows slowly, but start with those that receive the most intense sun exposure first?
Saving heat generating activities such as dishwashers and cooking until the evening hours can help you ease up on cooling costs as well as your local energy grid.
Using ceiling fans to move air on low speeds (even if TV reality remodeling shows think they’re not fashionable) can permit you to push the thermostat in either direction, providing more circulation of either cool or warm air.

3. Water, water everywhere but not a drop to waste
You may love the forceful flow of water at your faucets, toilets and showerheads, but did you know that installing aerators on them could cut your annual water consumption by more than half?
And then there is the commode… Toilets installed 15 years ago use more than twice the amount of water than the newer low-flow models. Even if you have older toilets, however, you can adjust your float valves to permit a lower water flow into the tank.
4. Going into the light
Replacing your incandescent light bulbs with the EnergyStar®-rated compact fluorescent variety all over the house can save you $100 per year, according to the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH), a voluntary partnership between leaders of the homebuilding, product manufacturing, insurance, and financial industries. They calculate that if every family in the U.S. did this, greenhouse gas emissions would be reduced by one trillion pounds.
True — buying new bulbs does take an initial investment, but even a recent ad by Starbucks in The New York Times that said if every person who received the newspaper switched one light bulb to a compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb, it would be the equivalent of taking 89,000 cars off the road.
5. Filling in the gaps
Have you bothered to look around your attic space to see if all areas contain insulation? According to PATH, even a small area with limited or no insulation — or even insulation that has been damaged or compressed — can significantly decrease overall effectiveness. The U.S. Department of Energy says that adding insulation to the attic is relatively easy and very cost effective. To find out if you have enough attic insulation, measure the thickness of the insulation. If it is less than R-22 (7 inches of fiber glass or rock wool or 6 inches of cellulose), you could probably benefit by adding more. Most U.S. homes should have between R-22 and R-49 insulation in the attic.
An “energy audit” may cost you anywhere from $159 to $359, according to McClure, but PATH figures that you can recoup the cost of the inspection in about a year by implementing the recommendations the audits can provide. Try PATH for a list of inspectors in your area.

Copyright © by Move, Inc.

For more real estate tips, green or not, go to realtor.com: http://www.realtor.com/home-garden/green-your-home/

For information and tips on Durango Real Estate contact you favorite Blue Ribbon Real Estate Agent. 970 247 8388. Stay tuned for Agent Spotlights (like the ones in the Durango Herald Real Estate section) on each of our agents starting next week.

Claudia Williams is Durango’s first Eco Broker, certified and trained to assist in buying and selling green and energy efficient  homes.

Remember our Cruiser Bike Giveaway on May 1st! One of our lucky Facebook fans will walk away with a brandnew bike. To like Blue Ribbon Properties on Facebook click here: FB.com/blueribbonproperties

I found this article in the Colorado Realtors Winter 2012 Newsletter and would like to share it with you.  Claudia Williams is Durango’s first Ecobroker, certified and trained to market and sell green properties, both energy efficient and properties built or retrofitted with green features.  [...]]]>

Green Buildings: What’s the Difference and Does It Matter?

I found this article in the Colorado Realtors Winter 2012 Newsletter and would like to share it with you.  Claudia Williams is Durango’s first Ecobroker, certified and trained to market and sell green properties, both energy efficient and properties built or retrofitted with green features.  This article was written by Taylor Watkins, a Certified Residential Appraiser and, among others, comments on the valuation of green elements in appraising homes.

This article will introduce some of the elements of green building and the ways in which they may relate to
appraisal practice. This is a very large field, so the list is not exhaustive, but it does provide a place to start
understanding green buildings. There has been a lot of talk recently about the popularity of residential, industrial, and commercial “green”, or environmentally responsible and resource-efficient, building structures. There have also been many published articles in which builders, brokers, and owners claim that appraisers undervalue green
properties. As appraisers know, we don’t create the market for specific property types; we analyze available,
appropriate market data to reflect the actions of the market. In the case of green buildings, however,
perhaps some green building advocates may not clearly understand the systematic appraisal valuation
procedure an appraiser follows to answer a client’s questions about real property value, and some appraisers
don’t clearly understand valuation issues involved with green buildings.
Green building is relatively new in many parts of the country, but it has been around for decades.
There are several different reasons for the recent interest in green building. Rising energy costs have made
green building more attractive, but as we will see, energy efficiency is only one aspect of green building.
Increased awareness of the principles of sustainability is another reason. Governmental support of green
building measures, from storm water management codes to energy efficient appliance incentives, has also
helped move green building into the mainstream.

What is Green Building?

One of the difficulties in understanding green building is the lack of a complete and accurate definition that
is commonly accepted among the varied professions and organizations that deal with green buildings. One
example of a green building definition comes from the US Environmental Protection Agency:
“Green building is the practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally
responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building’s life-cycle from siting to design, construction,
operation, maintenance, renovation and deconstruction. This practice expands and complements the
classical building design concerns of economy, utility, durability, and comfort. Green building is also known as
a sustainable or high performance building.”
Green building can generally be thought of as a building practice that that focuses on the
building structure’s resource efficiency (i.e., high performance) and the health of its occupants and the
environmental impact throughout the structure’s entire life cycle from its design through its occupancy and
eventual deconstruction.

Viewing a building through its entire life cycle is not a new idea, but it can lead to different choices in
the way it is constructed, and this is part of what distinguishes green buildings. These choices tend to gravitate
to the following basic elements of green building: site, water, energy, materials, and indoor air quality.
Although these elements are not exclusive to green building, the way in which green buildings address them
is different from conventional buildings. By understanding these elements and how they differentiate green
buildings, appraisers will attain the necessary competence in the valuation of green buildings and will also be
able to participate in the growing conversation surrounding them. Recall that USPAP requires competency
and being competent requires knowledge and experience to produce credible assignment results.

Site Element

Overriding site concerns are the preservation of open space and habitat protection when possible. In
addition, green site planning and development focuses on the site’s proximity to transportation and other
linkages, access to sun and/or shade as the climate dictates, and building placement on the site to take
advantage of solar, water, or wind-oriented resources.

Appraisal Practice: The traditional view of location applies here in terms of access to amenities, but
with additional emphasis on proximity to mass transportation, increased density, and open, or green spaces.
This is because proximity to mass transit improves air quality due to lower vehicle emissions, and lowers fuel
and energy consumption during occupancy of the building. Additionally, increased density can help protect
open space.

Water Element

Water is a resource that is actively managed and conserved in many green
buildings. Water that comes to the property from the local provider is conserved as
much as possible inside and outside the building. Storm water is all the water that falls
on the site as precipitation. In some cases, storm water is captured and retained
for reuse, either inside or outside the building. Drought tolerant landscaping is also
encouraged.
Appraisal Practice: In theory, water consumption and cost can be measured
and thus quantified in most cases. Especially in arid portions of the country or areas
with high sewage disposal costs, savings from reducing and reusing water in some
cases can lead to operational savings.

Energy Element

Energy comes to most buildings in the form of natural gas or electricity. While it is only one of the elements
of green building, it gets a lot of attention. This is because it is measurable, both in terms of consumption
and cost, and because there are many incentives available for energy efficient materials, systems, and
appliances. Unlike some of the other elements of green building, energy efficiency and related cost savings
are important to cost conscious buyers in some areas of the country.
Appraisal Practice: Like water, energy consumption is measurable, so if less energy is consumed by a
property, that savings may be a benefit that accrues to the property. It is also a benefit that will keep paying
forward throughout the life of that building or that particular energy efficient system or appliance.

Materials Element

Green building materials have entered the mainstream in many areas of the country over the past several
years. These materials again focus on resource efficiency in their composition, like being made of recycled
materials; in their production, such as being locally made or minimally processed; or in their use, meaning
that they can lead to less energy consumption while in place in a building.
Appraisal Practice: Some green materials may be more durable than their conventional counterparts,
leading to less maintenance over time. This can lead to lower operational costs and also perhaps to a longer
physical life. The proper material to use, green or not, depends on the application.

Indoor Air Quality Element

Indoor Air Quality (“IAQ”) has been getting a lot more attention lately, but it has always been an integral part
of green building. Particularly with commercial and governmental buildings, landlords, tenants, and owners
have become interested in the effects of good IAQ on workers. Studies are also looking into the effects on
student performance in school buildings with superior IAQ.
Appraisal Practice: If IAQ becomes measurable in some way, then its positive
effects on occupants may enter into the appraisal process using paired sales or
statistical analysis. Pending the availability of that type of measurable data, it
is still possible, indeed appropriate, to consider a qualitative technique known
as “relative comparison analysis” when using the sales comparison approach.

_____

For more information on building green and evaluating homes with green features please don’t hesitate to contact Claudia Williams, Blue Ribbon Properties, Durango Real Estate. 970.247.8388. claudia@blueribbondurango.com.

More online resoures:

Green Home Resources at greenhomesforsale.com

EPA Green Homes – http://www.epa.gov/greenhomes/

US Green Building Council – http://greenhomeguide.com/

Locally here in Durango you can join the “Green Business Round Table”  hosted once a month by the San Juan Citizens Alliance

For information on making you La Plata County Home more energy efficient contact Four Core – www.fourcore.org/

Check out my new green listing, not only is this a beautiful home in a fabulous location, private, border National Forest, it’s super energy efficient. Built out of Eco-Bloc. Don’t miss this house – great quality at this price point of only $448,500.

MLS# 656601 – click here for more info or call me if [...]]]>

Check out my new green listing, not only is this a beautiful home in a fabulous location, private, border National Forest, it’s super energy efficient. Built out of Eco-Bloc. Don’t miss this house – great quality at this price point of only $448,500.

MLS# 656601 – click here for more info or call me if you’d like to see it!

306 Rosalie Drive - Green and Private - borders National Forest

As Durango’s first Eco Broker, Claudia Williams is certified to market and sell green, eco friendly and energy efficient homes.  Earthday is tomorrow, April 22nd, 2011. What are you doing to celebrate Earthday?

Happy Easter!

–
Claudia Williams
Owner/Ecobroker/Exchangor
Blue Ribbon Properties
835 Main Ave #214
Durango, CO 81301

970 247 8388 (office)
970 749 3555 (cell)
970 247 8360 (fax)
www.blueribbondurango.com

Check out my blog
The Scoop on Durango Real Estate
www.blueribbondurango.com/blog

I came across an article from Realtor.org  today and felt I should share it with you.

It’s nice to read about the positive but steady recovery we are just starting to see on a nationwide level.  It might be just the tip of the iceberg but its a step in the right direction.

The [...]]]>

I came across an article from Realtor.org  today and felt I should share it with you.

It’s nice to read about the positive but steady recovery we are just starting to see on a nationwide level.  It might be just the tip of the iceberg but its a step in the right direction.

The article was titled: 

“Pending Home Sales Slip but Modest Recovery Expected in 2011″

In summary, the article states pending home sales went down 1.8 % since September. However, NAR’s (National Association of Realtor’s) chief economist, said there are many different determining factors in the current housing market but that there appears to be a pent-up demand that eventually will be unleashed as banks resolve their issues with foreclosures and the labor market improves.

They mentioned mortgage interest rates and how they forcast to see them rise to 5.8 % by 2012.

When forecasting existing-home sales, they estimated a gradual rise, with some “occasional dips along the way”. “For 2011 we should see more than 5.1 million existing-home sales, (nationwide) up from about 4.8 million this year.” Said Lawrence Yun,  NAR’s chief economist.

CLICK HERE to read the full article

Feel free to comment on this article or email us with any questions you might have regarding real estate or the Durango area.  We are happy to help!

As always, thanks for reading!

Shaheen Hood

Shaheen@BlueRibbonDurango.com
Blue Ribbon Properties

835 Main Ave. Suite # 214
Office: 970-247-8388 Fax: 970-247-8360
Shaheen’s Cell: 970-769-2441

Things are looking good, buyer are out shopping again. Seller’s not dropping too much on prices but there is light on the horizon.   Here is the activity for Durango from the last 7 days.

What has sold in the last week? 9 Homes have sold in Durango in the past week.  Homes were priced from [...]]]>

Things are looking good, buyer are out shopping again. Seller’s not dropping too much on prices but there is light on the horizon.   Here is the activity for Durango from the last 7 days.

What has sold in the last week?
9 Homes have sold in Durango in the past week.  Homes were priced from $190k-$529k.

-Average list price was $310k     -Average sold price: $294k
-Average Days on market: 171
-Average sold price per square foot from these homes: $168.00
-3 homes were in town, the other 6 in rural Durango locations

Click Here to View CMA Presentation
How many homes are under contract?

There are currently 65 homes in Durango with pending sales.  Listed prices range from $70,000 to $5.9 mil.  Median price is $299K.

35 of these homes are in town.
30 are in rural areas of Durango.

Any New listings?

There are 19 new listings that have posted in the last week. 12 are in town and 7 are in rural areas of Durango.  I only expect to see this # go up over the next 6 months.

Click here to see new listings

These statistics are only for Durango homes in town are rural areas of Durango over the last 7 days.  If you would like statistics on other surrounding areas, vacant land or specific time frames outside of this criteria, just email or call, we would be happy to send the info your way!

Shaheen Hangval
Broker Associate/EcoBroker with Blue Ribbon Properties

835 Main Ave. Suite # 214
Office: 970-247-8388 Fax: 970-247-8360
Shaheen’s Cell: 970-769-2441

This lovely 3 bed, 2.5 bath home boasts over 1800 SF, has a fenced back yard and full 2 car detached garage.  Practically brand new, you can enjoy it well built quality and fine finishes.  

A certified Built Green home!  But don’t worry, you don’t have [...]]]>

Check out this new listing the Three Springs. 

This lovely 3 bed, 2.5 bath home boasts over 1800 SF, has a fenced back yard and full 2 car detached garage.  Practically brand new, you can enjoy it well built quality and fine finishes.  

A certified Built Green home!  But don’t worry, you don’t have to trade energy efficiently for style.  This home has beautiful hard wood floors, granite counter tops and GE stainless appliances.

The house is just lovely but you also become a part of a great community.  Three Springs has playgrounds, a community garden, a weekly farmer’s market, shops, restaurants, shops and much more.

244 Sierra Vista Durango Colorado

* Priced to sell at $399,900 *

What more could you ask for?  For more information on this property,

 Please contact the listing agent:

Claudia Williams

Claudia@blueribbondurango.com

Cell: 970-749-3555

Consumers Buying More ‘Green’ Since Start of Recession

Though conventional wisdom may suggest that consumers are buying fewer environmentally friendly products because of the economic downturn, a new study shows that consumers in the US, UK and Japan actually are placing more emphasis on buying so-called  “green” items than they did before the recession [...]]]>

Consumers Buying More ‘Green’ Since Start of Recession

Though conventional wisdom may suggest that consumers are buying fewer environmentally friendly products because of the economic downturn, a new study shows that consumers in the US, UK and Japan actually are placing more emphasis on buying so-called  “green” items than they did before the recession began, according to (***pdf) a survey from Penn, Schoen & Berland and JWT, writes Environmental Leader.
The study shows that the purchase of products now that are environmentally friendly has increased slightly over pre-recession times, going from 15% to 16%, while the purchase of products based on quality, convenience and ethics has decreased:
Moreover, survey respondents expect to buy even more green items once the recession bottoms out:

Price Still Biggest Barrier
Although purchase of “green” products and services continues to grow – potentially because of increasing environmental consciousness – consumers still say price is the biggest barrier to purchasing them. Among US consumers, 35%  share this viewpoint, with corresponding figures of 31% in the UK and 43% in Japan.
Recent research from Generate Insight found that teens say they are passing on green purchases in order to save money, while a different survey from Enviromedia Social Marketing shows that four of five consumers are purchasing green items.
According to a study by the Grocery Manufacturer’s Association and Deloitte, 54% of shoppers consider environmental sustainability characteristics in their buying decisions; however, only 22% actually buy green products on their shopping trips.

Trading in a Car for a New Car?

If you’re considering upgrading your car, here’s a quick look at what you can expect:

IF you trade in an older car AND that car gets 18 mpg or less… AND you purchase or lease a new car that gets at least 22 mpg… You can [...]]]>

Trading in a Car for a New Car?

If you’re considering upgrading your car, here’s a quick look at what you can expect:

IF you trade in an older car
AND that car gets 18 mpg or less…
AND you purchase or lease a new car that gets at least 22 mpg…
You can qualify for a $3,500 voucher that is applied to the price of the new car.
In addition, you can get an extra $1,000-for a total of $4,500-if you upgrade to a new car that gets 10 mpg better than the old car that you’re trading in.

Want to Upgrade an SUV, Truck or Minivan?

If you’re upgrading an SUV, truck or minivan, the numbers work out a little different:
IF you trade in an older SUV, pickup truck or minivan…
AND that vehicle gets 18 mpg or less…
AND you purchase or lease a new SUV, pickup or minivan that gets at least 2 mpg better gas mileage than the vehicle you’re trading in…
You can qualify for a $3,500 voucher that is applied to the price of the new SUV, truck or minivan.
In addition, the voucher increases to $4,500 if the miles per gallon of the new truck or SUV is at least 5 mpg higher than the old one you’re trading in.

What’s the Catch?

There are a number of provisions that must be met in order to qualify for the incentive. First and foremost, the vehicle that you’re trading in must have been built in the last 25 years-meaning, it’s a 1984 model or newer.
Second, it must only get 18 mpg or worse. Remember, the program is aimed at getting bad-mileage vehicles off the road. So, if your car gets 25 mpg, it’s not the type of car this program is targeting.
Additionally, the vehicle must be drivable, must be registered, and must have been insured for at least the past year. Essentially, you have to actually trade in a vehicle that you’ve been using, as opposed to a dead car that’s been stored on blocks for a couple of years while you tried to figure out what to do with it.

Should You Take Advantage of CARS?

Basically, this program is designed to replace older, less fuel-efficient vehicles with new fuel efficient ones. If your vehicle is fuel efficient, you probably don’t even qualify.

Additionally, if your vehicle has a trade-in value that’s greater than $3,500 or $4,500, the program doesn’t make much sense for you. That’s because the program requires your trade-in to be destroyed, since one goal of the program is to get older, gas-guzzlers off the road for good. That means, the dealership probably won’t add-in much additional trade-in value. In fact, you’ll probably only see a modest bump equal to the approximate scrap value of your vehicle. So, if you can get, say, $5,000 or more for your vehicle as a trade-in without the program, you’re probably better off going that route.

Don’t Wait Too Long to Act

The CARS program is supposed to run until November 1, 2009.UNLESS the funds that Congress set aside for the program run out before then, in which case, it’s all over. So if you’re considering this program, don’t wait too long – contact a dealer about your trade in and which new vehicle you’d like to purchase or lease.

The final rules and details of the program are expected to be released at the end of July. In the meantime, you may want to visit the government’s official CARS website at http://www.cars.gov for more information-including a FAQ page-and to see if your vehicle qualifies for the program.

 
Provided to you Exclusively
by
Julie Cooley
Mortgage Goddess, if you need a loan or need to get pre-approved call Julie.
 
 Julie Cooley
Mortgage Goddess
First National Bank of Durango
Office: 970-382-5741
Cell: 970-749-2231
Toll Free: 866-227-3005
E-Mail: jcooley@fnbdurango.com
Website: www.fnbdurango.com 

________
–
Claudia Williams
Owner/Ecobroker/Exchangor
Blue Ribbon Properties
835 Main Ave #214
Durango, CO 81301

970 247 8388 (office)
970 749 3555 (cell)
970 247 8360 (fax)
www.blueribbondurango.com

Check out my blog
The Scoop on Durango Real Estate
www.blueribbondurango.com/blog

Check out this innovative new website, www.walkscore.com. You can enter a home address and get a score of its walkability to shops & restaurants. It also ranks cities on walkability. Durango is not ranked (too small) but I suspect we’d get good rankings, expecially the downtown area and the new Three Springs development is [...]]]>

Check out this innovative new website, www.walkscore.com. You can enter a home address and get a score of its walkability to shops & restaurants. It also ranks cities on walkability. Durango is not ranked (too small) but I suspect we’d get good rankings, expecially the downtown area and the new Three Springs development is all about walkability and new urbanism.

Our downtown office scores 95 out of 100, walker’s paradise!
My home on the edge of Durango scores only 32 out of 100, mostly car-dependent. They don’t take into consideration biking, but true, I’m afraid we do drive most places. Get your score at www.walkscore.com

How It Works

Walk Score helps people find walkable places to live. Walk Score calculates the walkability of an address by locating nearby stores, restaurants, schools, parks, etc. Walk Score measures how easy it is to live a car-lite lifestyle—not how pretty the area is for walking.

What does my score mean?
Your Walk Score is a number between 0 and 100. Here are general guidelines for interpreting your score:

90–100 = Walkers’ Paradise: Most errands can be accomplished on foot and many people get by without owning a car.
70–89 = Very Walkable: It’s possible to get by without owning a car.
50–69 = Somewhat Walkable: Some stores and amenities are within walking distance, but many everyday trips still require a bike, public transportation, or car.
25–49 = Car-Dependent: Only a few destinations are within easy walking range. For most errands, driving or public transportation is a must.
0–24 = Car-Dependent (Driving Only): Virtually no neighborhood destinations within walking range. You can walk from your house to your car!

–
Claudia Williams
Owner/Ecobroker/Exchangor
Blue Ribbon Properties
835 Main Ave #214
Durango, CO 81301

970 247 8388 (office)
970 749 3555 (cell)
970 247 8360 (fax)
www.blueribbondurango.com

Check out my blog
The Scoop on Durango Real Estate
www.blueribbondurango.com/blog

Energy and sustainability fuel many facets of live in Colorado. A catalyst for homes, industries, schools, universities and business, the incredible diversity of enterprises is driven by a common bound to move to a green lifestyle. While we all use energy to power us through our daily lives, many people take renewable and sustainable [...]]]>

Energy and sustainability fuel many facets of live in Colorado. A catalyst for homes, industries, schools, universities and business, the incredible diversity of enterprises is driven by a common bound to move to a green lifestyle.
While we all use energy to power us through our daily lives, many people take renewable and sustainable methods for granted. With beautiful mountains, scenery, skiing, snowboarding, thriving businesses and a hub for the arts, what homeowner would not want to call Colorado their home?
The path to owning a home will be one of the greatest investments in your life, but it will bring many additional responsibilities. Newly bought homes are often remodeled and repairs are always needed. Having the assistance of an honest and reliable Durango, Colorado real estate agent can make all the difference during this process. Potential home buyers or those remodeling homes should be aware that many older homes may still contain asbestos and other obsolete building materials. Exposure to asbestos is easily avoidable by taking simple precautions.
Due to its resistance to heat and electrical conductivity, asbestos was used throughout the world as prominent a form of insulation and piping. If any suspected asbestos is located, do not touch or disturb it as this can break its fibers down and make it become airborne. A professional home inspector can determine the validity of danger and determine the best course of action to take. Many green and healthy alternatives exist that replace the need for asbestos entirely.
Long term exposure to asbestos may lead to the development of a rare, but sevre lung ailment known as mesothelioma. Mesothelioma causes are as a result of inhaling asbestos fibers that become ingested in the inner linings of your lung. There are a number of factors that can impact mesothelioma survival rate. These factors include latency period, age of diagnosis and cigarette smoking.

Going GREEN!

 
If you are interested in saving money, remodeling and improving your carbon footprint, here is some information to get you on the right track. A citizen based agency, Environment Colorado, is an advocacy organization whose goals are to protect the environment and public health by instituting compliance with mandates. In the state, construction practices are upgrading methods to suit better lighting, heating, cooling systems and environmentally habitable insulation.
Recently, congress passed an economic stimulus package that promotes energy efficiency for home and business owners. The American Recover and Reinvestment Tax Act of 2009 include incentives for upgrading to more eco-friendly/sustainable methods of energy and insulation. The move to a greener lifestyle will build on the change to healthier methods of building products, home remodeling and renovation.
Some alternatives to insulation include: cellulose, which is becoming a popular new green insulation material. It is chemically treated to reduce levels of mold. Cotton fiber is made from recycled batted material and is then treated to be fireproof. These options have been shown to reduce annual energy costs in the home by 25 percent. These asbestos alternatives allow for a clean, healthy home, free of health damaging materials.
With the environmental consciousness of American citizens and the world growing at a rapid rate, citizens of Colorado are surely doing their part to nurture their mountains, natural springs and fresh air.

Claudia Williams
Owner/Ecobroker/Exchangor
Blue Ribbon Properties
835 Main Ave #214
Durango, CO 81301

970 247 8388 (office)
970 749 3555 (cell)
970 247 8360 (fax)
www.blueribbondurango.com
Check out my blog
The Scoop on Durango Real Estate
www.blueribbondurango.com/blog