how to reduce you electric, cooling and heating bill by 60 percent

This past spring, I finally sold my very fine but fuel thirsty SUV – a 2003 GMC Yukon Delani. Sold for not even $10k. Eight months earlier, the same car would have sold for about $18k – which means the car lost $1000 in value as each month passed.

Why such a quick drop in value? - You guessed it – fuel cost.

The vast majority of us quickly saw the need to make a drastic change, resulting with a glut of used vehicles equipped with six or eight cylinders engines on the market.

Many drivers made the change not to reduce their own carbon footprint, but to simply get a better return on their green – their dollar. And that is perfectly fine. Many of us simply bought smaller and more efficient vehicles, while the SUV lovers simply settled for hybrids, still resulting in slight fuel savings.

Homes to Follow Cars

You can be absolutely certain the same thing will happen to our homes.

We are not saying that the large 10,000 + square foot homes will not be built or existing ones will not be selling anymore, just like large SUV’s will still be on the market.

Therefore, homes that waste energy will go down in demand and in value. Another odd against poor performing homes is that they usually also have low indoor air quality, an issue that is also starting to get a lot of press, and rightly so.

Triple Your Miles

Did you know that a green home can get you up to three times the "mileage" compared to a conventionally built home? Imagine: Three months of utilities for the price of one a month! Of course, it is easier to design & build a new green home from the ground up in comparison to retrofitting an existing one, but in both cases, with the proper steps & expertise, your utility bills can be slashed by as much as 66%. How can I do that?

There are many other “fringe benefits” that, in my opinion, are even more beneficial than saving large amounts of green. We will discuss these in our next column.

Call The House Doctors

It is inevitable and only a matter of time before this change in the real estate industry takes place. Fortunately for all of us, there are several dedicated professionals out there, even here in our area – Building scientists, engineers, architects, developers, builders and remodelers – All of them determined to lead the way and make a difference for our future generations to come.

With the present economy always steeling the spotlight while hiding the other, more vital issues, each one of us can quietly lead the way in taking steps to stop the bleeding – After all, our very lives depends on it. In all honesty, it's easier than you think; Just Google for the nearest house doctor near you and see what diagnose he or she may have for you, your home, and most importantly... your life.

Inquire Now

	STOP THE BLEEDING