Green Austin Real Estate

More often than not, window treatments are not one of first things on someone’s mind when they are trying to sell a house. Window blinds and shades are often considered to be a once-in-a-lifetime purchase like roofing or flooring. This is mainly because custom treatments can be rather expensive and most people just assume they won’t make a big impact on whether or not the house sells. Any interior designer or realtor will tell you, this could not be further from the truth. Stylish and well-built window treatments not only make an impact, they boost the resale value of your home considerably. There are a few things you can do to ensure your window treatments make an impression on prospective buyers.

Window treatments that insulate can add a lot of value to your home as many people these days are “going green” and also trying to save money on their energy costs. Cellular shades are ideal for this as they let light filter in without the heat from the sun. There are even several types of honeycomb shades that meet the criteria for tax credits because of the energy they save. Sticking to neutral colors is best so that the shades can easily match the new homeowner’s décor.

Real wood plantation shutters can make an impressive statement as shutters are considered furniture for windows. The only down side to this option is that real wood shutters are a much bigger investment than most window treatments. If you are on more of a budget, opt for fauxwood shutters. Again, for the sake of the next homeowner’s décor, it is probably best to go with a neutral color like white as opposed to a unique shade of wood stain.

Custom blinds, solar shades and shutters can be rather pricey and since you are going to be leaving these treatments in the house, you may want to go with something more economical. Neutral color or sheer curtains can add extra incentive for the homeowner as their home will already look put-together when they move in. It is also important to remember to replace any blinds or shades that are broken or have obvious tears or dings. And obviously, always clean your window treatments before potential buyers come over. Following these guidelines will ensure that your windows will look their best and give your house’s resale value the extra boost it needs to get sold.

The Mueller Development is a Green Flagship for the rest of the country.   Adding Smart Grid Technology is no exception.   The Pecan Street Project recently announced it has given the bid to Incenergy to provide SMART grid software for the Mueller Development.   Here is an informative article about how SMART grid technology works. http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/05/28/energy-101-the-pecan-street-project/

My name is Darla Holtzclaw, and I am a hard working Realtor.  But you have heard that before from agents. I bet you have a bunch of slick marketing material just cluttering up your mail box from agents seeking out your business.

Your have a lot of choice in your real estate representation.  So much so, that the whole process can be overwhelming.

The economic downturn has also made things more complicated.  I know that in 2006, you could have picked any old agent out of a hat, and probably have sold your home quickly and for a good price.  This just isn’t the case anymore.

Experience and expertise is important.  I have been a realtor full time since 2002, and I am a second generation realtor.  My mother, Darlene Holtzclaw, of Holtzclaw Herrmann Real Estate in Corpus Christi, TX, recently passed away.  At her services, I was overwhelmed by the gratitude and respect shown by her colleagues and past clients.  She had a stellar reputation in Corpus Christi, both as an honest realtor and a great lady.   I still remember being toted around to open houses and showings by my mother when I was a little girl.   I aspire that those who know me and have worked with me would say that I am a good apple, and that I have not fallen far from the tree.

But Austin is a bigger city, so how can you know my reputation?  People say whatever they want about themselves on the internet.   I want clients who know my reputation and trust me.  I also want to be sure that I am safe showing you homes, or meeting you at my listings.

So I work only by referral.  It is a lot easier than you think.  If you are a friend and/or past client, keep this in mind.  Remember to refer your friends and family to me, because I am never too busy to help them with their real estate questions.

If you find me on the internet, it may still work.  I suggest that we talk and see if we have any mutual friends using our social networking sites.

www.linkedin.com/pub/dir/darla/holtzclaw

http://www.facebook.com/people/Darla-Holtzclaw/1382329266

If not, especially if you are from out of town, I would still like to talk to you.  I can discuss your real estate needs and find you realtor that will be a great fit.

Warm Regards,

Darla Holtzclaw

(512) 913-9220

This is Darla Holtzclaw.  I’m a realtor in central Austin.  I love Austin, and I love working by referral.

I wanted to let you know about the changes included in the Home Buyer Tax Credit Extension just signed by President Obama.  Here are some important highlights.

The $8,000 homebuyer tax credit for first-time buyers, due to expire November 30, 2009 will be extended through April 30, 2010.

The new legislation increases the income limit for couples with income up to $225,000 almost $55,000 above the level in the current bill.

For the first time, the new legislation makes buyers who already own a home eligible for a credit. A $6,500 maximum credit will be available to existing homeowners who have lived in their current residence for five of the prior eight years. The legislation takes effect December 1 and is not retroactiveity for the existing homeowner credit to homes worth $800,000 or less.

The legislation takes effect December 1 and is not retroactive. Both credits are available only for primary residences, not second homes or investment properties.

Read More about Obama’s Tax Credit Extension| RISMedia

This would be a great event to go out and learn a little bit more about gardening.  I am thinking seriously of buying some heirloom tomatoes.

For more information, go to http://www.zilkergarden.org/.

I went to the Green Living Expo earlier this month, and since lately my commitments have cut into my online time, I am just now blogging about it.   There were some really cool ideas for greening up your life style, but the vendor that made the biggest impression on me was http://www.resolutiongardens.com.  They build and maintain a vegetable garden for you for an upfront and/or monthly fee.   It takes all the guesswork out of gardening, and it probably costs about as much to buy vegetables that are not organic,  create a large carbon footprint due to transport, and generate a lot of waste due to packaging.  This is a great idea to grow food and support green economy.

http://cbs11tv.com/video/?id=39908@ktvt.dayport.com

I spoke with Norman Boyd and he later contacted me with an offer to waive the upfront fee and just do the $99/mo fee monthly fee.  I asked if I could pass this along to my clients.    He wrote me back with some great information.   The fee gets you a lot more perks than just a garden, some of which are described in the email below.  I truly encourage everyone who can to get their garden going, and use resolution if you have a black thumb like myself.

I will give you a gift certificate to get started if you refer a client to me who purchases a home, and I am giving my clients who close a credit as a closing gift.

Just think if everyone had their own garden how much healthier our diet would be.

Hi Darla,

Thanks for your interest!

You are thinking along right lines here.  I absolutely want you to offer this to your clients.  And I think you are right, it allows you to offer very unique and tremendous value.  We at Resolution Gardens are on the front edge of burgeoning movement and I think your clients would be very appreciative.

The payment terms, as of now, are $99/month.  The first month would be paid upon installation of the garden and then a credit or debit card drafted monthly.

We install, maintain and harvest and provide all production to the homeowner.  There will be a much larger community of benefits and services available to Resolution Gardeners ( eg. cooking, gardening and nutrition classes, a food share program, etc.) over time and this will be available to all members.

If you’d like to meet to discuss in detail, I’d be happy to do so.

Let me know when you’d like to schedule an installation at your home!

Thanks again for contacting us and we look forward to working with you.

Organically,

Norman

Norman Boyd

p  512.560.5708

f   512.454.4159

Beginning June 1, 2009, any residential property over 10 years old that uses Austin Energy will be required to have an energy audit at the point of sale.  Here is the city ordinance.

http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/acpp/downloads/EEU_Ordinance_20081106-047.pdf

There are some exemptions which may apply.  One notable exception is if you are moderate income and have participated in the Austin Energy Free Weatherization Program in the last 10 years.  However, the income requirements are pretty low, and homes worth more than 150,000 may not qualify.

There are other exceptions also, such as pre-foreclosure properties.  Review the ordinance for a better understanding of the exemptions allowed.

I recently sat in on a overview of the city ordinance and the truth of the matter is that there is a lot of confusion as to how these requirements will influence real estate transactions.  The audit recommendations are not mandatory, but they will have to be disclosed to buyers.  I believe if a property has poor results on an audit with no corrective action, common sense dictates it will influence potential buyer.

There are also a lot of questions about who will be performing these audits and the equipment that will be requirement.  The home inspection community is trying to ready itself.

The truth is that the audits will be another expense to the seller at the point of sale.  The audits will be anywhere from $300-$700.   I would prefer that my clients use the money that they would spend on the audits for real energy improvements to their homes.   However, the audits are a motivator for individuals to take action.

Remember, there is an extremely positive purpose of to these audits, delaying the need for Austin to build power plants that would further pollute our environment.

Austin is a leader in providing energy rebates and low interest loans on efficiency improvements.   If you are thinking of selling a property in the near future, I think that you should be proactive and use the programs in place right now.  Home Performance with Energy Star program is an approved program in the ordinance. With rebate programs, funding is always an issue, so it will pay to get your Home performance sooner than later.

http://www.austinenergy.com/energy%20efficiency/Programs/Rebates/Residential/Home%20Performance%20with%20Energy%20Star/participation.htm

Regardless of whether you plan to sell a home soon or not, here is a good article on how you can conserve energy.

http://www.austintitle.com/eflyers/101%20Ways%20to%20Conserve%20Energy.pdf

I have a new listing that I believe to be pretty eco-friendly.  The house is on the smaller side with a recent A/C unit, so it is energy efficient.  The seller uses energy efficient appliances and fixtures.  Also the lot has some xeriscaping, so it is low water usage.  Please take a look.

http://www.postlets.com/res/1744245

This is a good website to see where a group of expert panelist see interest rates heading.  According to their panel.  Only 6% expect a rise from the current rates being quotes between 5-5.25% in the next 35-40 days. 

http://www.bankrate.com/brm/static/rti.asp

There is some useful commentary on how the Fed and the new Obama administration will likely affect interest rates in the coming months.