July 28th, 2009
The July 2009 Builder Magazine published results from their recent survey in an article titled Brave New World. They have taken a good look at what the home builders of the future will be expecting in the housing market. There are three distinct markets that will drive these expectations according to the newest information. Immigrants will still be dreaming about being able to build a home big enough for extended family, Baby Boomers will be looking to downsize without giving up quality, and the “Millenials” will be looking for urban, uncluttered and well designed homes. All three groups will be looking at affordability due to economic constraints that were not there in the past. The builders of the future will need to accommodate a variety of expectations and keep the cost down. This is where sytems built technology has a head start. Design, affordability and meeting expectations have always been the foremost concerns in a modular building process. As we look to the future we can expect that modular building will be in a prime position to help anyone build the home they are looking for.
July 21st, 2009
Solar roof collectors are often considered an eyesore and therefore don’t get the consideration they deserve. Now, Velux, which has been making skylights for many years, has made a solar collector panel that blends right in with their oversized skylights. Velux offers the complete package for solar collecting; including a pump station, a controller, a mixing valve, an air separator, an expansion tank and propylene glycol to charge the sytem. Now your roof will look like you have ordinary skylights, but you will be the happy consumer of renewable energy. The best news is that this package qualifies for energy tax credits.
July 15th, 2009
Many people do not realize that there were some significant changes this year to the process of getting an appraisal on a home that will allow a bank to lend money for that home. In an effort to discourage inflated appraisals, the Home Valuation Code of Conduct was formed. In theory this new code of conduct is supposed to keep appraisers impartial when they are valuating a home for sale, thereby making the housing market fair and even. Unfortunately the new Code of Conduct has instituted a whole other host of problems so that homes are continually being undervaluated and the real estate market is suffering the consequences. Recently MSNBC posted a comprehensive article that explains the intentions and the pitfalls of this new Valuation System. Visit their website to read the details; if these issues do not get straightened out, the entire economic system is threatened – not just the real estate industry.
July 9th, 2009
I really enjoy the Natural Home Magazine because the information they provide is always new and refreshing. Recently I found this short article that directed me to the Good Guide, a free website that offers an eco-friendly rating on over 75,000 general products. Technology is always a few steps ahead of most of us and it’s great to know that sometimes it’s going in a direction that will be helpful to the public. The Good Guide is working on an application for the iPhone that will allow the consumer to scan a bar code and get an immediate rating from the good guide data base. How great to be able to learn about a product we are bringing into our homes right when we see it in the store. Thanks Good Guide, and thanks Natural Home Magazine for helping us become more aware of eco-friendly products.
