Rates at Historic Lows — Now is the Time To Renovate Green!

Still haven’t taken the plunge into living green at home? With rates on FHA 203K Renovation Loans hovering around 5.5% on a 30 Yr Fixed now is the perfect time to refinance and include those green improvements you need to help you save money in a rough economy.

Bathroom Renovations

EnergyStar Appliances

Kitchen Renovations

EnergyStar Doors & Windows

Imagine shaving 30%+ off your monthly energy bills in 2009. Now is the right time to take advantage of those savings. Don’t let these rates slip away.

Jonathan Blackwell

404-551-3845

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Everyone in Georgia knows that water consumption has become a big issue. One look at my wilted lawn last summer and you know that we don’t enough to go around. However, we can change that next time we tackle a renovation project with a few simple changes to the biggest water guzzler of them all, the bathroom.

From toilets to tubs, we use around 60% or our household water supply in the bathroom. Don’t fret though there a few simple changes we can tackle that can dramatically reduce that consumption

Inefficient Toilets — Toilets guzzle nearly 27% of your household water supply every year. Older homes often have toilets that average nearly 3.5 GALLONS PER FLUSH! If you haven’t updated that old toilet I suggest you get hopping as newer low flow toilets consume less than a third of that outdated guzzler you have now. In fact, if you toilet is using more than 1.6 GPF then it is time to make a change.

Wasteful Showers — Although not as bad as toilets, showers can also be huge water wasters. Some fancier systems with multiple heads can actually burn through 80 gallons per minute. Federal guidelines for a single head shower require 2.5 gallons per minute or less, but you can take it even further and get one of Delta’s new H20 Kinetics head that only use 1.6 GPM.

Water Heaters — American households waste an average of 6.35 gallons of water per day waiting around for the water to heat up. Wait no more however and get yourself a tankless on demand water heater to have instantly hot water. Check for your individual state, but you might just get a tax credit for purchasing one.

Faucets — Finally, while you are making all the other water saving changes you might just want to go ahead and increase efficiency at the faucet as well. Most faucets run about 2.2 GPM or less, but newer models may just use a paltry 1.5 GPM.

Ready to stop wasting all that water? If you are short on cash for those renovations contact us for an FHA 203K Green Renovation Loan and we can take care of that bathroom, along with those old energy wasting windows and appliances while we are at it!

Jonathan Blackwell

404-551-3845

I was called yesterday by a gentlemen with an interesting idea on how we could use green renovation in conjunction with affordable housing programs to help turn some of the existing foreclosure stock into housing for low and moderate income families. To be quite honest it was a subject I hadn’t thought a lot about, my focus had been on green renovation on the upper end homes and traditional renovation for the lower end homes. However, the concept makes a huge amount of sense and I thank him for bringing it to my attention.

So much of today’s existing housing stock is in the form of foreclosures. Many of them aren’t livable and have been vacant for some time. What if we could get a movement going to help take these properties and provide affordable green renovations for buyers in need through FHA 203K renovation loans? Not only are you fulfilling the mission of FHA 203K, to restore and preserve America’s existing housing stock, but you are also incorporating money and energy saving green improvements into those homes. I’m not talking about solar panels and wind turbines here; I am talking about simple and affordable improvements like EnergyStar windows and appliances, low flow toilets and showers with on demand water heaters. Not only would these kind of improvements benefit the planet, but they would also help the low to moderate income home buyers save on their monthly energy bills. That makes their mortgage more affordable, lessens the likelihood they default on their mortgage and helps restore the integrity and quality of the neighborhood by ensuring that its homes are in good condition and OCCUPIED!

It seems like such a simple idea. Why are we not doing it? The government has shelled out well over a trillion dollars to bailout banks, brokerages and even car dealerships, but no one has thought that it might kill two birds with one stone to turn existing foreclosures into affordable green renovations that are cost effective and available for low to moderate income home buyers? Who am I to say, but I think that is a damn fine plan to help restore America’s housing market and get our neighborhoods back on track.

Jonathan Blackwell

www.203KLoan.net

404-551-3845

You Don’t Have to Move Out to Move Up!
By Jonathan Blackwell

When most homeowners want more space or a fancier place they call Real Estate Agent and start their search for a new home. It doesn’t have to be that way though, you don’t have to move out to move up! You can just RENOVATE.

Recently homeowners wanting new digs have found the going a bit tougher. Both Fannie Mae and FHA have instituted tough new rules aimed at homeowners looking to buy a new place and rent out their current residence until market conditions improve. For both you now must have significant equity, 25% and 30% respectively, to use the rental income on your current residence to qualify. That means that many people now have to qualify for both mortgage payments. Obviously, that simply isn’t possible for many homeowners. All is not lost for those wanting a bigger space though, they just need to look a little closer to home.

Both FHA 203K and Fannie Mae Homestyle Renovation Loans allow homeowners to refinance and renovate their current residence. They allow it all based on the after repair value of the renovations instead of what your home is currently worth. Only have 10% equity currently? That is not a problem for FHA 203K or Fannie Mae Homestyle renovation loans, they are only concerned with the equity you will have when you are finished with your renovations! So, how can you use a Renovation Loan?

New Freestanding Appliances, Complete Bathroom Remodel, Adding a New Master Bathroom, Upgrading Heating & Cooling Systems, New Siding, Fresh Paint Inside or Out, Attic Build-Outs, Finishing the Basement, Making the House Handicapped Accessible, Complete & Total Renovation, Adding a 2nd Floor, Adding a New Master Bedroom, New Deck & Outdoor Kitchen Area, Upgrading Doors and Windows, New Hardwood Flooring or New Carpet, New Lighting, Upgrading Plumbing & Electrical System, New Fixtures for Bathrooms and Kitchens, Opening Up a Floorplan, New Kitchen Counters, Vaulting Your Ceiling, Going Green with Solar Panels, and Building a New Garage to name a few!

There are hundreds of ways these loans can help you create the house you want without having to pack and unpack a moving truck. You can even add those green and energy efficient improvements you have wanted while you are creating your new space. If you are in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee or Virginia and would like to discuss your FHA 203K or Fannie Mae Homestyle choices go visit our quick and easy Renovation Advisor now!

Jonathan Blackwell

FHA 203K Specialist

Hometown Lenders

203KLoan.net

404-551-3845

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonathan_Blackwell

http://EzineArticles.com/?Renovation-Loans—You-Dont-Have-to-Move-Out-to-Move-Up!&id=1547327

If so contact me and I will feature you on this blog! We can track your progress, costs, trials and tribulations while hopefully inspiring some other homeowners / homebuyers to renovate GREEN.

Jonathan Blackwell

404-551-3845

Think about it. Even if you make your new construction project as green as possible, you are still using new materials instead of reusing and recycling old ones. Not to mention with the current real estate market, the availability of new construction financing in comparison to the affordability of renovation financing and the fact that existing housing stock in disrepair can be purchased at discounted prices, this is really a no-brainer. If green is truly important to you then you will renovate instead of building new.

Jonathan Blackwell

404-551-3845

Terrazzo, used by the ancient Romans, is one of the oldest building materials on earth. It’s use was one part functionality and one part beauty. However, it has fallen back in favor recently due to the demand to reuse and recycle materials that once might have been discarded

Originally created by Venetian construction workers as a low cost flooring material, the workers used marble chips from upscale jobs to create Terrazzo. The workers would usually set them in clay to surface the patios around their living quarters. Now construction workers have expanded the use of Terrazzo from just marble chips to materials using glass, granite and other recyclable materials.

One of the most popular Terrazzo surfaces is made from recycled glass and cast concrete. The glass used is both post consumer as well as post industrial. The final product contains 80% to 95% post-consumer recycled content, and as such, relies on the material being produced and consumed in the first place. Terrazzo is as durable as granite and less porous than marble which makes for a long lasting AND beautiful green addition to your home.

As always when selecting green building materials, look for local manufacturers to reduce transporation based pollution cost.

Jonathan Blackwell

404-551-3845

Bamboo flooring has become hugely popular in recent years for a couple of reasons. First, it is good looking flooring, but second it is also an easily renewable resource that takes less than 5 years to grow to maturity. When you compare that to the 50-100 years that traditional hardwoods you can see why bamboo has potential. Bamboo is affordable to boot!

One thing to consider when purchasing bamboo for your home is where it was produced. Most bamboo is produced in Asia and shipped to the US. In my opinion that is far from green. However, there are some local US producers of bamboo. They should be your first choice in bamboo providers. If you can’t find a local producer make sure and ask your distributor if they do carbon offsets for the bamboo they ship from Asia.

Jonathan Blackwell

404-551-3845

Let’s face it: the North American bathroom isn’t the most glamorous of rooms. Ranging from staid and boring to downright dangerous, with slippery showers and water hogging toilet tanks and tubs set in a poorly ventilated, water-tight box, many modern bathrooms just haven’t been designed as thoughtfully the rest of our homes.

This is an odd development, given that bathrooms are one of the most expensive rooms in the house to build, averaging about $10,000 a pop. Still, for all their expense, the design hasn’t evolved too far beyond shiny fixtures and his ‘n her sinks: many of us are still using the five-by-eight bathroom with the three fixtures — toilet, sink, and tub — all lined up in a row. And while it might help maximize space, having a dirty fixture where you deposit your waste (the toilet) next to two where you clean yourself (the sink and the tub) doesn’t make for the healthiest environment.

Add to that all the water that literally can get flushed down the drain every day, the poor ventilation that plagues many a bathroom (that leads to poor indoor air quality), and all the energy that goes in to heating your water and lighting the room, and it might mean that it’s time to update your abode’s commode.

1. Waste Water Not, Want Not
   Saving water is the most important thing to consider when doing a bathroom makeover, as the toilet alone can use as much as 27 percent of household water. Although much of the waste is caused by bad habits, installing and maintaining water-saving bathroom fixtures is an enormously important step. Here’s how: Start by installing low-flow showerheads and faucets; next, fix any leaks as soon as they happen (including continuously leaky toilets, which can waste as much as 300 gallons of water every day). A further step is to set up a gray-water system that collects water from the sink and shower and feeds the toilet and the garden. You can also read our How to Go Green: Water guide for more helpful ideas.
2. Come Out of the (Water) Closet
   Given the amount of time each of us spends in the bathroom, we think we should all be able to enjoy it. So why do American bathrooms resemble closets? In a traditional Japanese bath, for example, the view framed by the window is an important part of the design of the bathroom. Make sure your bathroom includes windows, for natural light, the view, and ventilation. Forget the American dream of a bathroom for every bedroom (and then a powder room for the guests!). Put the toilet in a separate space to isolate bacteria — it takes up just a little more space, and is almost as good as having a second bathroom as one person can be using the toilet while another is using the sink or tub.
3. Don’t Flush Resources Away
   Almost everything about our toilets is wrong: Drinking water is used for flushing waste, which becomes “black water,” which contaminates the “grey water” waste that comes from everything else in the bathroom (and could otherwise be reused). Black water is hard to clean and flushes away valuable resources (see the Getting Techie section for further discussion of gray- and black-water). For example, urine is a valuable source of phosphorus, and poo could be composted into fertilizer if it weren’t hauled off to the nearest water treatment center. Plus, toilets aren’t designed around the way our bodies work: Sitting, rather than squatting, has been linked to hemorrhoids, constipation, and colon cancer.
4. Build a Better Toilet
   So, the ideal toilet would be a squat-friendly, urine-separating, composting toilet (like the one I installed in my cabin) with a pop-up bidet. But since these can be hard to find these days, in lieu of this imaginary ideal loo, we offer these small steps to help you green your commode:
   • Replace the lid of the tank with a washing lid — a sink on top of the tank — where the water for the flush first goes through a faucet where you can wash your hands.
   • Use a no-flush urinal, for the men (and agile women) in your house.
   • Install a low-volume toilet or dual-flush mechanism — that’s one for, er… a number one, and two for a number two.
   • Get the lowest toilet you can find, with an elongated bowl then adapt it for squatting.
   • For sitting toilets, buy a toilet seat that can be removed for cleaning.
5. Think About Your Sink
   Beyond the big step of purchasing a hybrid sink-toilet, such as the one mentioned above, where the grey water from the sink is used in the toilet bowl, there are many other options to consider when choosing the right sink. First, the sink vanity height should be at least 36 inches, which will allow you to stand up straight while you wash, which is easier on the back. Next, consider a kitchen-type faucet with sprayer, so that you can rinse the sink easily — you can save water and wash your hair with it, too. Finally, consider the materials and layout of your sink: Hospital-plumbing brass sinks, which have big paddle handles that you can operate with your elbows (so you don’t have to touch ‘em with your dirty hands), and go with recycled and eco-materials, such as natural ceramic or non-toxic cement, for your hardware and sink basin.
6. Cease Slippery Showers
   Standing barefoot on a curved, smooth surface, while adding water and soap might not be the safest way to start your day, but that’s what many of us do in the shower each day. Instead, we recommend building a shower stall, separate from the tub, or just forget about the tub altogether, as taking a bath can use seven times the amount of energy as taking a short shower. Install a handheld showerhead so that you can aim it up as well as down, and put in grab bars; no matter what your age, people slip in showers a lot. Consider a molded fiberglass shower instead of a tiled one, as they are easier to keep clean. Avoid vinyl shower curtains — either PVC-free plastic or even hemp is a good alternative — and if you get glass doors, use a squeegee to clean them after you shower, which will help you avoid using chemicals to remove the scum that forms otherwise.
7. Keep Yourself Out of Hot Water
   More than 10 percent of our energy bills typically come from heating up hot water. Although the best way to reduce that number is to use less of it for bathing, washing your hands, and doing household chores (such as doing the laundry in hot water), you can also consider these options:
   • Set up a solar powered water heater — they used to be either expensive or just not very effective; now many companies are selling evacuated tube water heaters for under $5,000.
   • Install a waste-heat recovery system (pdf) that preheats the shower water with the warm water going down the drain.
8. Ventilate Your Vanity
   Bathrooms are warm and damp, a perfect environment for mildew and mold. You can attack this problem with chemicals and bleaches, or you can simply keep the humidity levels down below their comfort zone. Every house or renovation should include the installation of a Heat Recovery Ventilator, or HRV; if you build to any kind of standard, you need fresh air intake. When you bring in fresh air you need to balance it with exhausted air, so take it from the bathrooms. This will ensure that there is a constant flow of air and continuous removal of excess humidity. Increase the air flow in your bathroom further by using a low power consumption fan (preferably remote installation, where it is mounted at the exhaust point rather than the intake point). Include a timer switch so it will turn off after the bathroom moisture has subsided.
9. Don’t Slip on the Floor
   We line cover our bathroom floors with big, shiny, pore-less tiles, often radioactive granite; just the thing to slip on. Use non-slip tiles including a tiled baseboard, and put in a floor drain - let it take away excess water when you get out of the shower, instead of a using a soggy bath mat that keeps releasing moisture.
10. Select Mold Mitigating Materials
    Use materials that don’t promote mould and mildew growth, are eco-friendly, and are easy to clean. In Japan, a lot of baths are lined with cedar and wood; cork and water resistant woods have natural mold inhibitors in them. For floors and walls go with recycled glass or ceramic tiles, Marmoleum (a good old fashed linoleum material), low-VOC paints, and natural plasters like American Clay, which absorb and release moisture, mitigating the potential for mildew. For countertops, consider those made from recycled glass cullet, or compressed, sealed, recycled paper, such as Paperstone and Richlite.

See the original post at: http://planetgreen.discovery.com/green-guides/bathroom-renovation/index.html or call us to find out how we can use a FHA 203K or Fannie Mae Homestyle Renovation loan to finance your green improvements.

Jonathan Blackwell

404-551-3845