Archive for January, 2009
Mortgage Rates Are Down, Depreciation May Be Slowing
January 12th, 2009 Categories: Mortgage Update, Real Estate News
Mortgage rates closed last week at 5% for a conforming 30 year fixed rate loan with 0 points and at 4.5% with 1 point. Of course everyone is waiting to see what will happen after January 20th and what changes the new administration will make to help the housing market.
Other news worth noting is that according to preliminary data recently released from First American CoreLogic, the rate at which home values are falling may be slowing. When comparing year-over-year declines, home values decreased 11.2% in September, 10.2% in October, but only 9.6% in November.
The decrease may indicate that home value depreciation is slowing. Of course, the economists at CoreLogic point out that if the economy continues to worsen, home values could depreciate quicker. For more, click here.
We continue to be optimistic about the market, especially for buyers. Want to know more about what’s going on in Alexandria and Northern Virginia? Give me a call at 703.927.4554.
Michael
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3 Tips on Living a Greener Lifestyle And Saving Money
January 9th, 2009 Categories: Green Living
Living a greener lifestyle in Northern Virginia – or anywhere for that matter – doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. In fact, these 3 tips for green living all have the potential to save you money if you are willing to do your homework.
Phantom Power
The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that, in the average home, 75% of the electricity that powers electronic devices (televisions, computers and kitchen appliances) is used when the devices are not even turned on. This is because many electronic devices still draw “phantom” power when turned off. This can be remedied by unplugging appliances when not in use, or more easily, connecting appliances to a power strip that can be turned off with the flick of a switch. An even handier, and perhaps more feasible solution is to purchase a “smart” power strip that automatically turns off devices when not in use.
Rechargeable batteries
For most devices, it is worth considering rechargeable batteries instead of disposable batteries. While the initial cost of rechargeable batteries is usually higher, their use can bring savings over time. Batteries use very little electricity to charge, but be sure to unplug the charger when not in use or after the batteries have finished charging. We just switched to rechargeable batteries for our digital camera and portable listening devices and have already seen savings.
Home Computers
Home computers aren’t enormous energy hogs, but there are a few misconceptions about them that lead to increased energy usage. One is the belief that computers will have a longer life if left on at all times. This isn’t completely true, as some hardware wears out faster when the computer is left on. Another misconception is that screensavers reduce the amount of energy used by monitors. This isn’t the case, as the screensaver requires energy for your computer to run it. Putting a computer into sleep mode will save more energy all-around and is a way to compromise between leaving the computer on or turning it off. Computers that are used frequently throughout the day will benefit more from sleep mode and use less power than if simply left on; computers used less often are best powered down to save on energy and incur less wear.
What about you? Any New Year’s resolutions for a greener lifestyle in 2009?
Michael
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The White House is for Sale – In Atlanta!
January 8th, 2009 Categories: Real Estate News
The White House, albeit a scaled down replica, is for sale in the Atlanta suburbs. This of course, has nothing to do with Northern Virginia real estate and our normal musings but I just couldn’t resist passing on this story that I picked up via the New York Times.
In somewhat of an ironic twist, Fred Milani, a housing developer responsible of many of Atlanta’s MacMansions, is now facing foreclosure on his own McMansion – a scaled down replica of the White House.
When asked why he lived in this decidedly unusual venue, Mr. Milani relied, “Really, I am not very political. The architect just asked, ‘How about I build you the White House?’ and I said yes. That is the whole story.”
For more, click here.
Michael
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9 Easy Tips for Saving Money on Your Energy Bills
January 1st, 2009 Categories: Green Living
The average U.S. household paid $2,300 in energy costs last year with heating making up nearly half the bill for homes in the Washington area. Try these easy 9 easy tips for saving money on your energy bills – all compliments of Megan Voelkel at the Washington Post:
- Adjust temperatures
- Replace or clean furnace filters
- Pay attention to your windows
- Use CFL’s – these take some getting used to but they are well worth it.
- Follow the Energy Star
- Insulate, insulate, insulate
- Get rid of drafts
- Take advantage of tax credits
- Stop wasting energy
For more about each of these tips, click here.
Michael
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