Just what defines a home remodel going eco friendly?  It’s important to know if you are a home buyer and a home seller.

If you are a home buyer then this will help you know what to look for when house shopping.  Sellers wanting to increase the value of their home and attract more buyers, need to be aware of what the new earth loving trends are.

Being a real estate expert in Boulder Colorado and Boulder County, we are witnessing a revolution in green building.  This is not a passing trend, but in my opinion, a change in how we build and remodel.

This blog is dedicated entirely to flooring! Yes, aren’t you lucky?  Eco flooring options are numerous and fun to talk about so let’s get started!

From my experience, an eco friendly renovation would be defined as any home improvement that uses sustainable and natural materials.  Supplies were bought locally and independently owned contractors were hired.  Recycled items are used as much as possible . Disposal of items should also be earth friendly; recycling old materials and reselling them as well.  For starters, choosing to remodel instead of building a bigger home somewhere else, is a great start.  That in itself is environmentally friendly.  I see more and more people every day and all around the world becoming more conscientious about the safety of their home and how the earth was considered in its reconstruction.

Floors - a huge selling point in a home.  Do you prefer carpet, tile, or hardwood?  Let’s start with carpets. One brand of green carpeting is called Smartstrand and its made from corn sugar!  Can you believe it?  And it takes 30% less energy to produce than the old nylon carpeting.

Other carpets to consider are made from recycled bottles.  I love it!  Listen to this, according to Mohawk Flooring, they developed a manufacturing process to turn PET containers into carpet. The making of everSTRAND™ starts out by sorting PET bottles and then grinding them into small chips. The cleaned chips are then melted down and extruded into fiber before being spun into carpet yarn. Mohawk also uses the labels and caps from the PET containers to make the carpet core, the roll that carpet is wrapped around on showroom floors. According to their website, since 1999 they have recycled over 17 billion plastic bottles and that’s saved landfills 1 billion pounds of waste.

And what about that cork?  It’s one of my favorite choices.  Surely everyone knows about this ecofriendly flooring by now.  But in case you didn’t know, it’s harvested from a cork tree grown along the Mediterranean.  It’s harvested on a living tree, which is not harmed.  It’s not only a conscientious choice but it’s texture is unique and trendy looking.  Don’t worry….cork comes in over 50 colors and over 5 textures, you won’t compromise style.  Because cork is considered a renewable and sustainable natural resource, they can run a little pricey and their installed cost per square foot can be close to a good quality ceramic tile floor.  To me, the cost is worth it.  You’ll maximize the value of your home with these floors, be the envy of the neighbors, and mother earth will love you.

Next is bamboo.  Yes, the grass that pandas love.  There is enough for everybody because it grows so darn fast.  And, like cork, it can be harvested without harming the roots.  I think bamboo is beautiful and I love when people use it for cabinets as well.  Let the picture speak for itself.

Not so commonly heard of and the latest trend in flooring is eucalyptus.  According to durodesign, plantation-grown eucalyptus comes from sustainable, managed and PEFC-certified European forests. Eucalyptus has a smooth and refined grain with the depth and shimmer of an exotic wood and eucalyptus is 65% harder than white oak.  Sounds fascinating.  HGTV continues to explain that eucalyptus has the appearance of a fine tropical mahogany, yet it has all the “green” benefits of rapidly renewable hardwood. The eucalyptus tree is amazingly renewable and fast growing. Ready to harvest in as little as 14 to 16 years, the eucalyptus tree can grow to 14 inches in diameter and 120 feet tall in that short period of time.

Here are some excellent ideas to get you started.  And if you’re buying or selling a home and would like to know more.

You think that listing your home during the holidays isn’t a good idea Boulder Colorado? Well…think again! This time of the year is a great time to have your home on the market. Just remember the basics. Price it right, comparable to the competition.  Make necessary repairs and add staging so it shows well . Work with your Realtor on a great marketing plan. And do what you can to make it accessible to potential buyers. With these things in place, you are more likely to have a quick sale, and you are not competing with all of the homes that will be on the market in the spring. 

 Read more about the reasons why you should list your home for the holiday season. 

Listing your home during the holidays; myths and facts. 

Myth:  Buyers don’t look at homes during the holidays.

Truth:  Real estate agents know that homebuyers are shopping for properties during the holidays.  Life doesn’t stop just for Christmas and there are people who need to move during this time.  They are serious and anxious to close quick.

Myth: The housing market is already in favor of buyers.  We won’t get a good deal.

Truth:  You will get a great deal and here’s why: there is less competition and fewer homes to choose from over the holiday season.  Less competition means more demand for your home. 

Myth: We like to decorate our home for Christmas and we won’t be able to.

Truth:  Actually, home show great when decorated for the holidays as long as it’s not overdone.  Keep it simple and pack other items so your home doesn’t look cluttered.  And on a little different note; buyers tend to be more emotional around this time of year.  Their decision is often based on the warmth and good feelings they receive when viewing the home. 

Myth: People don’t want the hassle of buying at the end of the year. 

Truth: Many people want to buy at the end of the year for tax and financial purposes.  Also, there are many homebuyers who have a lot of time off right now.  They prefer to look for a home at the end of the year.

Myth: Waiting until spring is better.

Truth:  Waiting until spring is not better because January is a high job transfer month statistically.  Your home has got to be on the market in order to sell.  These homebuyers can’t wait for spring to buy and you may miss your chance.  And what’s more…many sellers will put their homes on the market in the spring.  You’ve just increased your competition!

See?  There are plenty of perks to listing your home during the holiday season.  By selling your home at this time, you’ve allowed yourself the opportunity to look at homes during the spring season when there will be too many to choose from.  Great strategy!

According to the National Association of Realtors, NAR, the number of first time home buyers is definitely on the rise. The number rose from 39% to 41% in 2007.  What do we attribute this to?

 Several factors:

1. First time home buyers don’t have a home to sell before they can make their purchase so they are more flexible.
2. The number of homes on the market has risen.
3. The prices of homes in many areas has fallen. (although not in Boulder, Colorado)
4. Interest rates are still attractive.
5. They may qualify for the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit, A $7,500 tax credit is now available for any qualified purchase between April 8, 2008 and June 30, 2009, as part of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008.
6. Overall improvements in the FHA Loan program

Refer to the First-Time home buyer tax credit, frequently asked questions.

While the average age for a first time home buyer is 30 with an average income of $60,000, many current sellers in the market have an median age of 47 and an income of $91,000.

Whether you are a first time home buyer, or a buyer, now is a good time to buy real estate.  Let us help, we are a full service real estate team with many years of experience.

Personnally, I haven’t seen it used by very many agents in Boulder Colorado, but I’m sure it’s out there and will progress quickly.  I read more and more about it each day. 

Photosynth or photo tourism is a collection of high resolution images displayed dramatically in 3D! Hundreds of pictures can be uploaded, virtually walking you through a home.  Will this benefit sellers when listing their real estate?  Could this be the advantage an agent needs when interviewing for a listing appointment?  Or will it keep buyers from viewing properties since they can see everything without even entering the house?  Is it affordable and easy?   

 THE PROS

1) Photosynth takes vast amounts of overlapping photos and reconstructs them into a pseudo 3D world. More images = better tour.  An agent could take 400 photos in a house and instead of virtual tours, users can walk themselves through the house.

2) Rises above Google’s Street View.  This technology will only become more and more advanced.  Add scences from video, travel through time three-dimensionally,  taking virtual tours to a whole new level.

3) Makes it easier for out of state buyers.  Makes it easier for sellers to advertise to out of state buyers.  Microsoft says that photosynth puts viewers in the center of the real estate and in control of how they experience it.

4) Allows technologically motivated agents to bring better virtual tours to homebuyers, putting them “a step above the rest”.

THE CONS

1) I have seen comments such as, “It doesn’t support most operating systems.”,  “System has glitches.”  As for myself, I was unable to install the program.

2) If not professionally done, time consuming for listing agents.   Must be able to follow software system and take hundreds of photos.

3) Will it really get buyers to your listing or will it be easier for them to eliminate properties prematurely?  I don’t think it will be better than the real thing.

To conclude, photosynth is the new technology from Microsoft Live Labs that may change real estate forever. Photosynth enables participants to walk or fly through a scene to see photos from any angle. Seamlessly zoom in or out of a photo.  Whether it’s megapixels or gigapixels in size, see where pictures were taken in relation to one another. Find similar photos to the one you’re currently viewing and take your real estate experience to a whole new level.  Let me know what you think.  Can’t live without it or think it’s a passing trend?