New Studies Show a Premium for Green Homes

Two studies from last month show that homes with a green certification – and especially existing homes with a green label – command a higher price premium and spend less time on the market than homes without a certification.

This is good news for green building professionals. These studies indicate that homebuyers are valuing the benefits of a green home – comfort, quality and energy efficiency – more than ever, READ MORE

At Go Green Lending we have the financing, resources and experience to help home buyers purchase a house and upgrade it to be an energy efficient home.

BUILDING SCIENCE = HOME PERFORMANCE RESULTS

Anyone looking for the real skinny on home performance measures should spend time at buildingscience.com. It offers a broad range of articles on the details and fundamental concepts of making a home more healthy, comfortable and efficient. Detailed drawing lay out solutions for even the most complex issues for homes in colder climates. Contractors and homeowners alike can benefit from the easy to read articles. A directory makes finding the right one a breeze.

Attention California Realtors: New 2011 Home Energy Rating System State Law

There is a new law AB1809 effective January 1, 2011. The new law AB1809, does authorize a home inspection to include, if requested by the client, a HERS energy audit. There is no mandatory disclosure requirement of home energy ratings and providing the HERS booklet to the Buyer is optional. For more information..

Green Products at Integrity Windows and Doors

There are many new Green products on the market these days, but Low-E dual pane windows remain one of the most popular energy efficiency upgrades to the mainstream homeowner.  At Marvin they have a great product that has been out for several years called Integrity Windows and Doors.  They are made of pultruded fiberglass and are stronger than almost any window on the market.  They can be purchased as all fiberglass or wood/ fiberglass depending on your preference and needs.  At GoGreen Lending we offer loan programs allowing energy efficient upgrades to be added to your loan, including Low-E Integrity windows and doors, Energy Star Appliances and many other “Green” and cosmetic home improvements included in your home purchase financing. Turn an “As Is” house into an Ideal Energy Efficient Home.

LA County Utility Rebates Now Available

Energy Upgrade California^TM helps Los Angeles County homeowners make home upgrades to reduce energy use, conserve resources and create more comfortable and efficient homes. Participating homeowners may be eligible for up to $4,500 in rebates and incentives. LA County's goal for the Energy Upgrade California Program is to improve the energy efficiency of 30,000 houses in the County by the end of 2012. Read more:

Zero Point 203k Streamline Purchase Loans under 4.00%

Get the word out!!! Rates are now so low you can finance a home purchase under 4.00% using a 203ks rehab loan.

At this rate there would be No Points and the buyer would receive an additional $3,000 toward closing costs on a $300k loan amount.

There is no excuse now!!! GoGreen Lending Hybrid Loan Program provides the purchase financing, plus up to $50,ooo in Cosmetic and Energy upgrade home improvements.  See how you can sell “As Is” properties just like a Cash Buyer with FHA.  Contact me to show you how simple the process is.

We have free marketing sales tools to help you…shoot me an e-mail dennis@gogreenlending.com .

Tip of the Week: Contractors paid half upfront

Energy Efficiency Mortgage: $16,000 100% financed!

At GoGreen Lending we specialize in Energy Efficiency Mortgages EEM’s and 203ks rehab loans for cosmetic and green upgrades for home owners and home buyers.  We recently completed a HERS audit using the CalCerts Energy Pro software and generated just over $16,000 in cost effective energy efficiency upgrades on a 900 square foot home in Long Beach.

Help Create Demand for Green Homes

Ask most homeowners how they can decrease the environmental impact of their home, and they’re likely to think of switching out light bulbs and taking out the recycling. These are good actions to take of course, but they’re not nearly as impactful as green home retrofits and energy efficiency upgrades. Build It Green is educating the public…Read More

VALUATION FOR RESIDENTIAL SOLAR PV - FINALLY

FHA has a little-known guideline to value residential for solar PV installations (and even wind). Homeowners, appraisers, lenders and real estate professionals would do well to look it up. To encourage the growth of solar power, HUD has a formula for establishing an appraised value on a residential solar PV system. An appraiser must first see if other homes with solar PV are within the market area. If no market data can be found, FHA permits "the amount of increase which would be paid for a property with a solar system would be the lesser of the actual cost of the solar system installed in the subject house or 20 percent of the market value of the property." 

Tip of the Week: You can use the GoGreen Lending Hybrid Loan program to purchase property in its As-Is condition!

Realtors Help Homebuyers with Energy Audit Rebates

Homeowners who conduct a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) home Energy Audit may be eligible for a $250.00 rebate. As part of the California Realtors Energy Audit Program (REAP) new homeowners who conduct a HERS home energy audit may be eligible for a $250.00 rebate. If you are a Green Certified Realtor find out more information at www.carhaf.org.

Help Create Demand for Green Homes

Ask most homeowners how they can decrease the environmental impact of their home, and they’re likely to think of switching out light bulbs and taking out the recycling. These are good actions to take of course, but they’re not nearly as impactful as green home retrofits and energy efficiency upgrades. Build It Green is educating the public…Read More 

Tip of the week: Termite Report Included

Realtors Help Homebuyers with Energy Audit Rebates

Homeowners who conduct a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) home Energy Audit may be eligible for a $250.00 rebate. As part of the California Realtors Energy Audit Program (REAP) new homeowners who conduct a HERS home energy audit may be eligible for a $250.00 rebate. If you are a Green Certified Realtor find out more information at www.carhaf.org.

VALUATION FOR RESIDENTIAL SOLAR PV - FINALLY

FHA has a little-known guideline to value residential for solar PV installations (and even wind). Homeowners, appraisers, lenders and real estate professionals would do well to look it up. To encourage the growth of solar power, HUD has a formula for establishing an appraised value on a residential solar PV system. An appraiser must first see if other homes with solar PV are within the market area. If no market data can be found, FHA permits "the amount of increase which would be paid for a property with a solar system would be the lesser of the actual cost of the solar system installed in the subject house or 20 percent of the market value of the property." 

Direct-Gain Passive Solar

At GoGreen Lending we offer Energy Efficiency Mortgages, EEM’s and 203ks financing for home purchases and refinancing. Another added value is the experience and understanding of sustainable strategies for your home. Many believe that going green is expensive, however; once you understand what a going green or better put, sustainable strategy is or can be, you begin to realize it is not expensive as most think and basically is more about product selection. A great example is the purchase of “Dual Pane Windows” or “Low E” windows. Here is a great article explaining how solar heat gain is used to capture heat in a home for the cooler evenings. Keep this is mind when ordering your new windows especially those on the south side of your home.

By Alex Wilson of BuildingGreen, Inc.

Direct-gain passive solar systems rely on south-facing windows to bring solar energy directly into a house. Sunlight is absorbed by materials in the house (the floor, walls, furniture, etc.), which warm up, store some of that heat, and re-radiate it back into the room, warming the space. Read More