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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 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 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
________
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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 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!
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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 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
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