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Agent Spotlight – Claudia Williams

Claudia — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 18:12:50 +0000

Maybe you’ve noticed the new Real Estate Section of the Durango Herald that comes out on Fridays – it includes an “Agent Spotlight” featuring a different Durango Real Estate Agent every week. We think that’s a fabulous idea to showcase agents and will be featuring Blue Ribbon’s Agents over the next few weeks on our blog and website here:

AGENT SPOTLIGHT!

Claudia Williams

Blue Ribbon Properties

970 247 8388 * claudia@blueribbondurango.com

1) Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Berlin, Germany. I went to a German American High School in Berlin and ended up going to college in the US. I met my husband David at Cornell University. We moved back to Germany for 8 years then moved to Durango after a short stint in the Bay Area. Durango is a wonderful place to raise a family.

2) What do you like most about living in this area?

I love the lifestyle, the great outdoors, the mountains, the lakes and the rivers. But the best thing about Durango is the weather, it’s always sunny!

3) What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?

I enjoy camping, hiking, rafting and playing outdoors with my family and friends. We are also big winter sport enthusiast. I grew up skiing in the Alps and have been an avid snowboarder since college.

4) How long have you worked in Real Estate?

I’ve worked in Real Estate in Durango for 10 years, 8 years of that as the owner of my own little boutique firm, Blue Ribbon Properties.

5) What did you do before that?

I have a degree in hotel management and worked for a hotel consulting company in Europe. After that I worked for a venture capital firm overseeing their investments in hospitality and a variety of service companies.

6) What is your specialty?

I am Durango’s first certified Eco Broker and pride myself on my knowledge of green and sustainable homes. Secondly, I am in awe of the internet, social media and ever changing new technology – I specialize in providing up to date information on our website and blog.

7) What is the most challenging/gratifying aspect of what you do?

The best aspect of my job is that I get to help people make their dreams come true. I’ve been challenged over the past couple of years by the tough market and economy – just like everyone else. I’ve never been afraid of a good challenge and truly feel that it has made me and my company stronger.

8) What is the most unusual thing you’ve encountered while working in Real Estate?

Well, possibly not the most unusual thing, but certainly unusual – I’ve shown properties to buyer by bicycle. We toured Durango intown homes riding our bikes from home to home. It’s really a great way to experience the neighborhoods and give you a slower and different view of the place. Imagine riding up to your new home on a bicycle. We have Blue Ribbon cruiser bike for our clients to use for free (whether to look at homes or just kick around town). Don’t worry – I won’t make you ride if you don’t want to.

9) What is the most unique property you’ve listed or sold?

I few years back I listed and sold a beautiful sustainable, off the grid, custom energy efficient solar home, with a waterfall inside, beautiful Southern views. This home was unique in every way, a small home on large acreage, high quality and high price. All you need is one buyer!

10) What are the top 3 things that separate you from your competition?

I’m the owner and broker of a local, professional, small and independent brokerage – meaning personal service and no politics.
I’ve got strong negotiating skills and local knowledge coupled with a background in hospitality management and financial consulting.
I’m tech savvy and personable, which helps me get the best deal for my clients in the least stressful matter.

11) What is one tip you have for someone looking to buy or sell a home?

Find an agent that you feel comfortable with and that you can trust – don’t be afraid to interview several different people, even if that means you’ll have to disappoint the ones you don’t pick. Buying a house may very well be the biggest investment you ever make. You want to be sure to have professional, competent and personal representation.

12) What do you see in the future for real estate sales/prices?

Good question – I wish I had an easy answer for that one. I like to think that we are back on the upswing of things but realistically, for our little corner of the world, my best guess is that we will see an increase in volume this year and next but the prices won’t start going up for another year or two. Watch our blog for more insight, this may change from week to week!

13) Why should someone choose you as their real estate agent?

Choosing a real estate agent is a big decision. I would be sure to interview several agents and find a good match, see who feels right for the job. I’ve got over 10 years of experience in the Durango real estate market, I’m easy going, a good listener, yet a tough negotiator, I get great reviews and have a good work ethic to make your house hunting or selling experience as easy and fun as possible.

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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), claudia@blueribbondurango.com

Connect with Claudia on facebook, buzztown, twitter, linked in and my blog articles

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Check out the New Market Snapshot to monitor the value of your home and get current local market conditions

Why build Green? What is the difference and 5 reasons why it matters – in Durango and beyond!!

Claudia — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 23:24:42 +0000

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.

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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/

Green Building – What is the HERS index and why do you want it?

Claudia — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 22:29:39 +0000

W h a t i s a H E R S R a t i n g ?

A home energy rating involves an analysis of a home’s construction plans and onsite inspections. Based on the
home’s plans, the Home Energy Rater uses an energy efficiency software package to perform an energy analysis of
the home’s design. This analysis yields a projected, pre-construction HERS Index. Upon completion of the plan review,
the rater will work with the builder to identify the energy efficiency improvements needed to ensure the house
will meet ENERGY STAR performance guidelines. The rater then conducts onsite inspections, typically including
a blower door test (to test the leakiness of the house) and a duct test (to test the leakiness of the ducts). Results of
these tests, along with inputs derived from the plan review, are used to generate the HERS Index score for the home.

The HERS Index

The HERS Index is a scoring system established by the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) in which
a home built to the specifications of the HERS Reference Home (based on the 2006 International Energy Conservation
Code) scores a HERS Index of 100, while a net zero energy home scores a HERS Index of 0. The lower a
home’s HERS Index, the more energy efficient it is in comparison to the HERS Reference Home.
Each 1-point decrease in the HERS Index corresponds to a 1% reduction in energy consumption compared to the
HERS Reference Home. Thus a home with a HERS Index of 85 is 15% more energy efficient than the HERS Reference
Home and a home with a HERS Index of 80 is 20% more energy efficient.
For more information, visit http://www.natresnet.org/
Comparing the New HERS Index with the Old HERS Score

For homes rated before July 1, 2006, the rating score is known as a “HERS Score.” The HERS Score is a system in
which a home built to the specifications of the HERS Reference Home (based on the 1993 Model Energy Code) has
a HERS Score of 80. Unlike the HERS Index, each 1-point increase in a HERS Score is equivalent to a 5% increase
in energy efficiency. Please see the table below for a comparison of the HERS Score and the HERS Index.

HERS Score HERS Index

Reference Home Score Reference Home is assigned a HERS Score of 80 Reference Home is assigned a HERS Index
of 100, while a net zero energy home is assigned a HERS Index of 0
Reference Home Basis 1993 Model Energy Code (MEC) 2006 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)
Scale Each 5% increase in energy efficiency corresponds to a 1-point increase in HERS Score Each 1% increase in
energy efficiency corresponds to a 1-point decrease in HERS Index
Energy Use Considered Heating, cooling, and water heating Heating, cooling, water heating, lighting, appliances,
and onsite power generation*
ENERGY STAR Requirement HERS Score 86 HERS Index of 85 in climate zones 1–5
HERS Index of 80 in climate zones 6–8
Status Phasing out Approved by the RESNET Board of Directors. To be implemented as of July 1, 2006.
* Note that although onsite power generation is included in the RESNET HERS Index, it cannot be used to decrease
a HERS Index to qualify for ENERGY STAR.

For more info on green homes and green real estate in Durango please call or email us. We got some exciting new green projects in Durango, some solar and even a few zero energy homes.

Claudia Williams 970 749 3555