1. Install a programmable thermostat in order to maintain your own home pleasantly heated in winter and adequately cool in the summertime.

2. Take advantage of compact fluorescent light bulbs using the ENERGY STAR® label.

3. Air dry the dishes as opposed to using your dishwasher’s drying cycle.

4. Put off your PC and keep track of when not in use.

5. Connect home electronics, including TVs and DVD players, right into power strips; flip the power strips off if the products are not in take advantage of (TVs and DVDs in standby mode still employ several watts of power).

6. Lower the thermostat on your hot water heater to 120°F.

7. Take short showers as opposed to baths.

8. Clean mainly full loads of the dishes and clothes. With clothing take advantage of cold water.

9. Drive shrewdly. Aggressive driving (racing, quick acceleration and braking) squanders gasoline

10. Check for the ENERGY STAR label on home appliances and merchandise.

11. Ensure your appliances and heating and cooling systems are correctly cared for. Check your owner’s manuals for the suggested repair.

12. Search for open fireplace dampers and make certain they are closed when not in use.

13. Look at the insulation values in your attic, exterior and basement walls, ceilings, floors, and crawl spaces.

14. Look at for holes or cracks around your walls, ceilings, windows, doors, light and plumbing fixtures, switches, and electrical outlets that can leak air right into or out of your home.

15. You may also get the assistance of a professional. Many utilities execute energy audits for free or for a small charge. For a fee, a professional contractor will analyze how well your home’s energy systems interact with each other and compare the analysis to your bills. He or she will making use of a variety of equipment such as blower doors, infrared cameras, and surface thermometers to find leaks and drafts. After gathering information about your home, the contractor or auditor offers you a list of recommendations for cost effective energy improvements and enhanced comfort and safety. A professional licensed contractor can even calculate the actual gain on your investment in high-efficiency products in contrast to normal equipment.

Building methods

You can start thinking eco-friendly even before you start building the home. Choose an architect that is familiar with eco-friendly homes and have them design a home that is suitable for your block. Think about creating a home that takes up less land space, leaving as much room for trees and plants as possible. Leave room around the home for water tanks and a vegetable garden. Think about where on your block you build the home too. Make sure it is in a position so you can make use of natural light, and it is facing a direction so you get the warmth of the sun to increase the energy efficiency.

Building materials

You can even be eco-friendly with your choice of building materials. Any timber in your home should be recycled from other sources. You will find that you can buy bricks from homes that are being torn down. You could also choose to build with eco-friendly materials like mud or stones, or even build a straw bale home.

Energy efficient

One of the main purposes of your home is for it to be energy efficient. Make sure that it is well insulated so it stays warm in winter and cooler in summer. You can also put in double glazed windows and have solar panels installed so you rely on the sun to power your home. Solar power can also heat your water so you can save on gas as well as electricity. Solar panels are not as expensive as they used to be and many new homes that aren’t eco-friendly are being built with solar panels to heat their water.

Appliances

Within your home you can be more eco-friendly by choosing the right appliances. When you buy a dishwasher, washing machine, fridge or even a clothes dryer you will see the energy rating listed on the item through a star rating system. The more stars an item has the more energy efficient it is. You can also buy dishwashers and washing machines that use less water. You can also be more energy efficient when lighting your home by choosing to use power saving light bulbs. Another way to be eco-friendly is to watch your energy consumption, so turn off lights in rooms that are not in use, switch appliances off at the wall and don’t heat or cool rooms you are not using. Having blinds or curtains on your windows will help keep your house warm in winter and block out the heat in summer.

Another consideration to make your new home friendlier to the environment is natural energy sources that are easily available, such as solar or wind power to lower your energy usage. It can be an easy way to save money on your utility bills and a way to add an energy system that can pay for itself very quickly. If you are not familiar with how wind or solar energy systems work, most builders in your area can advise you on which choice might be the best for your particular location. Most parts of the country are able to use one of these choices when building green real estate homes.

Considering your natural landscaping and shade trees should be one of the first things you think about when you are looking for the perfect building lot. Try to find a lot that has plenty of large trees near your planned building area and look for natural landscaping that can help save water. You do not need to have a grass lawn to water if there is plenty of natural gravel and rock. Boulders and rock gardens or native growing plants and flowers do not need much water to thrive. Large shade trees can save on your energy bill, as long as they do not shade your solar energy system, when making a green real estate investment.

Think about the placement of your home when you are looking at lots because southern exposure is the best placement for your home. This allows you to take advantage of the winter sun, which is in the southern part of the sky during winter and it can save money on your heating bill. Another thing to think about is whether you can take advantage of earth contact building on the lot you select. If there is a hilly area on the lot that faces the south, it might be the perfect place to build a home that is insulated by the earth, making it perfect green real estate for your home.

You might want to consider used building products when you are thinking about green building. If there is an old barn on the property, used barn wood trim, or panels can make an interesting wall. You might want to consider checking some of the used building supply yards that carry brick that can be used for patios. Antique stores might have ornate wooden doors and windows that can add character to your home. Even stained glass windows add character and can be found at some building suppliers and used salvage yards that specialize in salvaging old buildings. Part of building green real estate can mean recycling products that can add a personal touch, too.

When you are designing your home, make sure you consider the ways you can take advantage of natural lighting. Design your home with green building in mind. Make sure that windows take advantage of southern winter sun, but minimize the number openings that are exposed to cold northern winds. Consider that many storms can come from the west and the summer sun is hottest through these windows. For the best energy savings, careful planning of windows allows you to get natural lighting and save on your heating and cooling bills when thinking about green real estate.

As you can see, we have learned quite a few things about green building and most of it does not involve additional expense. In fact, you may find that you can build a green home for less than many kinds of homes and save money on your energy bills every month. Careful lot selection, location of your home and the materials you plan to use are part of the easiest things to do, when you are considering green building practices. Many people are wrong to think building a green home is more expensive. Your energy savings can pay for any additional costs you might run into. The next thing you should do is use these tips and find out more information to make your next home part of the green real estate movement.

In the same period, the rental market for houses has boomed as many couples find that in the short term, they can pay less per month for rent than they would have to pay for a mortgage.

A couple of other advantages are that you are not responsible for major repairs, which can add up to a considerable amount of money over time. Therefore, it would seem as if renting a property at the moment is a far more viable proposition than purchasing your own home.

However, there are other considerations, to keep in mind when comparing purchasing and renting on a long-term basis.

Lenders have always been less kind to tenants than homeowners, when it comes to handing out loans, especially mortgages. Finding all kinds of loans is much easier if you already have a mortgage, as it is possible to use any equity in your home as security against a loan.

Tenants pay rent for which they never see return, homeowners on the other hand, eventually will own the house, free and clear. This will give them a huge cash amount should they choose to sell. Alternatively, they will have no rent to pay for the rest of their lives giving them more available cash every month.

The recent near disappearance of the hundred percent mortgage, has its downside in that it may be more difficult for new home buyers to get on the ladder. Nevertheless, on the plus side, it means that once the new homeowner has their mortgage their home is far less liable to be repossessed. This is because it is also less liable to slip into negative equity, meaning it is worth less than the owner paid for it.

Another advantage of this down market at the moment is houses are now actually cheaper than they were a year ago. Enabling those who have saved a deposit to find a home at a lower price than they would have paid last year.

Once the market moves upwards again, as it always does, the new homeowner will be in a much better position. Having paid less for their house, and also owning a bigger percentage of the equity in the property.

There are advantages at the moment to renting over buying but they should be carefully weighed against the much more rewarding long-term benefits of home ownership.

Many mortgage companies have contracts with appraisers so you will need to ask the mortgage company if they have any recommendations of appraisers that you must use. If you proceed and pay for an appraisal without checking first, you could end up being responsible for paying for a second approved appraisal, and sadly, the value assigned to the house may be different between your independent appraiser and the mortgage company appraiser. You must remember that a mortgage company is in the business to make money.

Your Atlanta home appraiser needs to know the current market values in your area of the city, as well as the value of surrounding homes. Based on the surrounding market value, size of your home, amenities and additions, as well as the size of your property the appraiser will fill out all the forms needed to decide the value of your home and property. To make the appraisers job easier having clearly marked property lines and a plat are steps you can take to ensure that your appraisal is correct.

You will also have to be able to answer questions about your home and property such as how long the roof has been on, when the septic tank was pumped, where the septic drain field it, how old the furnace and water heater are, and the same information about the homes appliances. The more information you can make available for the Atlanta home appraisal , the more thorough your appraisal will be.

Choosing an Atlanta home appraisal is not a difficult process as long as you have first contacted your mortgage company and made sure that your choice of appraiser is approved and legally licensed to perform home appraisals in Atlanta. If your mortgage company has no preference you can do an online search to find an appraisal company, you will be able to tell a lot about how the appraisal company does business by reading their individual websites. This will help you make an informed decision.

Look for an Appraiser Who Knows the Local Market

You should take note that the entire real estate market remains volatile. So you have to ask your mortgage broker if the assigned appraiser knows the local market thoroughly. This is very important to make sure that the appraiser understands current local trends and valuations. You have to remember that the real estate industry has become highly localized today.

Be On-site During the Appraisal

It is very important to be on-site during the appraisal. If you can not make it, then make sure that your real estate broker would be at the place being appraised. If you are present, you will be able to answer all the questions of the appraiser or clarify matters concerning the valuation of the property. This is also a good way to ensure that the appraisal will not be done perfunctorily.

Prepare the Sales Contract and Show It to the Appraiser

Buyers in the homes market are having a field day today. You have to expect a lot of hard bargaining. It is customary nowadays for sellers to include numerous deals and add-ons to the properties. It is very important therefore for the appraiser to know everything about the special provisions that have been included in the sales contract. Show the contract so that the listed provisions like home theaters, special furniture, and home equipments can be considered in the valuation of the home.

Make Sure You Highlight the Perks of the Property

Remember that the real estate market has become more localized. This means a property’s valuation can be influenced by the quality of the surrounding neighborhoods. The desirability of the place would be fairly dependent on the local economy, local taxation policies, and available services and institutions nearby. You have to make sure that the appraiser is aware of the perks of your property relative to its location.

Appraise Your Own Home

Lastly, you can try to make an appraisal of your home. You can research about property values in your area and know the different factors that are being considered for appraising a home. This will minimize the likelihood of getting a highly devalued appraisal.

1. Check the other similar houses on the area – Once you received a low appraisal result, work on checking similar houses on the area and check their price range if it is the same or almost the same with the house that you want to buy. If the answer and yes, run a comparison analysis to get data and submit a request for another house appraisal. Attached your findings on the comparison analysis you have worked on your request for a second appraisal.

Second appraisal requests can also eliminate some mistakes that the first appraiser might have omitted. There might also be a chance that the first appraiser made a mistake on the report but meant to give a different appraisal result. The only thing that you also need to be reminded about second appraisal requests, is that you again need to pay for it. So just make sure you also have a budget for it.

2. Talk to the seller about the price – If checking on similar houses on the area and if your found out that the price range is not similar and the house you want to bought seemed overpriced, then talk to the seller and renegotiate the price. Show the seller the comparison analysis that you did as well as the result of the appraisal and make the seller realize that it would be hard to sell an overpriced property especially, if every appraisal result that any buyer would have is a low appraisal result.

The seller and the seller’s agent might not also be aware that they have put a wrong price on the house. It rarely happens but it still happens, and showing your comparison analysis and sharing the appraisal result might and talking to the seller might correct this mistake.

3. Look for a different lender on the same area – You also have the option to look for another lender in the area. However, you need to work on this fast because you are faced with two concerning things:

The seller will not wait for a long time for you to get another lender, each day that has passed is a day that the seller loses potential buyer that might have a better offer than you. The property is taken off of the market so no other buyers can see and make an offer to the house.

You again will need money to pay the home appraisal and if the first appraisal is still not what you have hoped for, asking for a second appraisal on the new lender, means another out of pocket expense for you.

4. Pay the difference – Instead of thinking on setting money for several appraisals, why not save money and work on being prepared to pay the difference if you really want to buy the house and not look for another property.