The hot topic nowadays around the globe is “scarcity of power”. As a country moves towards the peak of development, so is the demand of power. Reports show that there are many homes using electricity more than that used by a small industry! It is because, in the modern, digital lifestyle, each and every appliance like television, computers etc demands huge amount of electricity. However we live in a modern world and hence the usage of these power hungry appliances are inevitable.

The fact is that every positive improvement in the society will have a negative impact on natural resources. But in case of power, there are many alternate sources available in nature. Solar energy is a very good substitute for conventional power generation. The reason being, solar energy is clean, has no pollution effects and doesn't use any fossil fuels. The most interesting aspect being solar energy can be generated in home.

How about having your own power station on your roof? It is quite simple and beneficial by using solar power. To start with, solar water heaters can be used in homes instead of old conventional methods, thereby reducing your utility bills and also conserving natural resources like fossil fuels. The solar panels called the photovoltaic cells which can be conveniently placed on the roofs of homes converts sunlight directly into electricity. This electricity obtained by the conversion of sunlight meets all the home's electricity needs. “Hence it acts as your own power station. “Cool power from hot sun”.

A lot of people have tried the usage of solar power at home and found it beneficial and safe. The hot fact is that more than 10,000 homes in United States completely use solar energy to power up their homes. The ill fact is that enough sunlight falls on the Earth's surface every hour to meet the globe's energy demand for an entire year, but the same is not utilized and is wasted.

Still not convinced about the positive effects of solar power in home? By replacing conventional electric water heaters with solar water heaters, one can cut water bills up to 50 percent. And the important fact is, the price of photovoltaic cells, according to the department of energy has fallen by 200 percent in last 30 years. Don’t worry if your solar power unit generates more power than need for you. There are many utility power grids ready to buy the clean power for a higher price.

The bottom-line is, by installing a solar power generating unit in home, the home owner will never have to pay an electricity bill; instead he can become the supplier of clean electricity to the country and “save the Earth from energy crisis”
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More year-over-year declines for Marin. Rather surprising considering we were supposed to have "dodged the subprime bullet". At least that's what the Marin IJ once quoted our esteemed local real estate industry as saying.

From the Marin IJ:

Another month of plummeting home sales in Marin included a price drop of nearly 30 percent from November 2007, as discounted foreclosure sales continued to drive the Bay Area market. The median price of a single-family home in Marin last month was $790,000, down from $975,000 last year, MDA DataQuick reported Thursday. In October, the median single-family home price in Marin was $850,000. Realtor Peter Harris in Novato said bank-owned properties and short sales have made up about 85 percent of his business over the past year. ‘Prices are half of what they were,’ Harris said. ‘Condos are selling in the low $100,000s. We haven’t seen this for a long time.’

From DataQuick:

By the way, the graphic for this post is from a May 16, 2007 IJ article. I saved it knowing this day would come.

The Importance of Setting the Scene: Staging a Home for Sale

The booming real estate market of 2006 has reached a cooling off point for most places around the United States, and for some it has gone cold. Now, more than ever, staging a home for sale can be the most important thing a seller can do. By following a few tips from the experts, a seller can increase the value of their house as well as reduce the length of time it is on the market.

Staging a home can mean the difference of thousands of dollars. The U.S. Housing and Urban Development reports that a staged home will for an average of 17 percent higher than an un-staged home. That means a house listed at $250,000 can see an increase of close to $43,000. And those who spent approximately $500 on staging increased their home’s value by an average of $1,715. Since most homeowners have difficulty seeing their house objectively, it may be beneficial to request help from friends, a realtor, or a staging professional.

Preparing the house for a showing can be a time consuming process, and research shows that the longer a house stays on the market the lower the selling price will be. Staging a house can mean the difference between weeks or months on the market. The New York Village Voice reported that the average number of days an un-staged home is on the market is 30.9 versus 13.9 for a staged home.


Increase Curb Appeal: The buyer’s first impression starts here
- Look for chipped paint, especially around the doors and trim, and touch up where needed.
- Always keep the yard mowed and edged.
- Add touches of color with plants and flowers, and keep garden areas manicured.
- Rent a power washer and clean surfaces like brick, siding, sidewalks, and driveways.
- Clear spider webs from entry ways, and make sure there is plenty of light.

Kitchens: The heart of a house
- De-clutter counter tops; find a cabinet to hide appliances and everyday items.
- Keep cabinets organized to make them look as large as possible.
- Remove personal items from the refrigerator, like drawings and pictures.
- Consider updating a few appliances; this can add a lot of value to the home.
- Make sure there is plenty of light.
- Clean all surfaces including grout, sinks, corners, and floors.

Living Rooms: Help the buyer picture their family here
- Consider the flow of the room and arrange furniture in a way that is functional and inviting. If you have too much furniture you may want to consider renting a storage space.
- Remove pictures and personal items.
- Bring the outside in by adding a plant or fresh flowers.
- Bring attention to wood floors by polishing them, and rent a steam cleaner to make the carpet look as new as possible.

Bathrooms: Clean should be the first thing on the buyers mind
- Clean all surfaces, especially grout.
- De-clutter cabinets making them look as large as possible. Consider buying organizers to hide personal products.
- Replace old faucets and fixtures. This can be a relatively inexpensive way to update the room.
- Always neutralize bathroom smells before a buyer arrives.
- Add coordinating towels and bathmats to detract from dated counter tops and tile.
- Replace light bulbs to brighten the sink area.

Bedrooms: Should be uncluttered and relaxing
- Organize the bedroom by arranging furniture in a way that makes the room seem comfortable and spacious. Remove unnecessary furniture items and store them in a storage unit.
- Make the bed look like it is in a hotel. Linens should be coordinating and clean.
- Remove pictures and personal items.
- Store unnecessary closet items to make closets appear as large as possible. Make sure closets have plenty of light.
- Consider repainting the room to a neutral tone if the color is bright.

Staging a home may be one of the most important things a seller can do for their home. Following the staging tips above can help ease the stress of selling a home, increase the homes value, and shorten the time on the market.

There are a number of reasons why the standard home inspection does not include a detailed inspection of septic systems. The article below gives insight into some of the problems a home inspector would run into if he or she attempted to inspect septic systems.

Often homebuyers, clients of home inspectors, wonder why a standard home inspection does not include a full inspection of the septic system. As a realtor, who has studied this issue, I can answer that question for you. The truth is that the home inspector is not equipped to do a septic inspection. This job needs to be done by specialists with equipment designed for working on septic systems. Below I have listed a few of the problems that take the septic inspection out of the realm of the standard home inspection.

First, the tank is usually buried in the earth, so no view of the system is available. The specialists who pump septic tanks require specific training and are equipped to inspect the tank once it is EMPTY. Obviously, they also have the equipment for pumping the tank.

A home inspector is not set-up to locate, excavate the soil covering the lid, measure the scum mat or sludge depth, or pump the tank -- which is required to do an internal inspection.

A home inspector is not prepared to dig up the distribution box, determine the groundwater level or research the system's installation and service history.

A home inspector is not equipped to safely deal with the biological processes taking place and the odors being created, once the cover on the tank is removed. The health issues are not to be taken lightly as the septic tank inspection is potentially dangerous, and certainly unhealthy and very unpleasant, unless one has the proper protective gear.

A home inspector, who is looking at hundreds of issues at each home, does not have the time to also run hundreds of gallons of water and run dye tests, a complete process often done by specialists as they look for signs of leaks in the system or around the tank.

It is noted that, the home inspector WILL, as is possible, assess the plumbing in the home, including checking for adequate water flow and functionality. Also, he or she will check the drainage at sinks, tubs and toilets. Toilet tanks, or faucets, that run constantly and will not shutoff are pointed out as deficiencies that can lead to overloading the septic system.
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Not only do hazards in a home or on a property present health and safety risks, but they can also slow down a sale considerably. Nothing is worse than getting to a certain point in a real estate transaction, only to have the buyer discover a potential hazard. This is why full disclosure of every aspect of the property, right from the start, is the best course of action. If possible, problems should be brought to the Realtor's attention even before the home goes up for sale. But what about when even the current homeowner doesn't know about the hazards? That's why a smart agent will do a bit of preliminary research.

Oftentimes, things that are considered potential hazards today weren't even given a second thought twenty, or even a few, years ago. That's why many homeowners don't consider them important to mention. Let's take for example buried oil tanks. Under current law, buried tanks must be removed, along with any soil contaminated with leaked contents. If the tank hasn't been used in years, it is possible that the current homeowner doesn't even realize it is there. In the past, the appropriate measure to deal with these was to drain them and fill them with cement. So there may be filled tanks on a property, and depending on their location and condition, they may be able to be left and still considered safe.

If the tanks are not filled, they could be a contamination risk. Removing the tanks is expensive enough, but if they are leaking, the costs will rise exponentially. It is recommended that this be done before the home even goes up for sale, since it is guaranteed to come up during an inspection anyway. Cleaning it up beforehand avoids costly stalls in the sale.

There are quite a few other hazards that are better known about before going into a sale. Asbestos, for example, can be in insulation, tiles, and even some plaster in a home. While it can be perfectly safe when in a sealed location, if a new buyer is planning a renovation, it is of utmost importance that they know what might be lurking within the walls. Again, it is best to deal with these issues before, rather than in the middle of, a sale. If it is decided that asbestos removal is necessary, please contact a professional.

Radon is another hazard that is getting more attention lately. Linked to lung cancer, it is a gas emitted from the ground as natural deposits of uranium mineral decompose. It can build up in poorly ventilated basements, posing significant, yet invisible, health risks to a home's occupants. Yet it isn't hard to remedy, as sealing leaks in basement concrete and providing adequate ventilation can greatly reduce the amount of radon present, consequently reducing the health risk.

Lead paint is another common hazard, and again, it is easy to remedy by simply being sure that all paint is fresh and not peeling. If new owners are planning a renovation, they should take safety precautions to avoid inhaling lead dust. It is expected that any home older than the early 1980s contains some lead paint.

Finally, mold is another common hazard. Mold grows when humidity levels are too high, usually because of leaks either in the roof, foundation or broken pipes. Mold can also grow in humid climates if a home, or a room in a home, has not been kept warm enough to keep it dry. Mold can cause fairly serious health problems, so every effort should be made to prevent its growth. If mold damage is significant, parts of the home may need to be removed and replaced.

It isn't usually a homeowners fault if there are potential hazards on their property, but it is there responsibility. While removing or repairing hazards can be quite costly, the need to do so is inevitable. The chances of a profitable and fast home sale are far greater when the job has already been done. Otherwise, the value of the home is seriously compromised.
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You want to have good walls; you want to have good floors. You want an interior that reflects a positive nature and gives you a sense of calm. The indoor, the floors and the walls are, after all, what you will see the most of. But they aren't the only things that need taken care of. You need to pay attention to the exterior, too, particularly the exterior you see the least. Protecting your roof, chimney and gutters will guarantee you have a home that is stable from the top down.

Begin with your roof. It takes up nearly half of your home's exterior and acts as a shield for the rest of the house. Without it you would have an extremely damaged and unlivable interior and crumbling, abused exterior walls. So, monitor its condition regularly. Inspect the shingles and flashings every few years, replacing them as needed. If your shingles are strong, your flashing should be, too. Flashing is the point where roof surface, walls and chimney meet, so obviously it's vital that it remain in good condition. Every 20 years, or following a particularly harsh season, you may want to replace the roof entirely. This is a large chore, however, so don't do it unnecessarily. If you replace the shingles as they are damaged, do the same with the flashing and keep your attic well ventilated to avoid excess heat and moisture, you should be fine for a few decades at a time.

Once you have the roof secure, move on to the gutters. As annoying as the task may seem, you have to keep them clean. There should not be, under any circumstances, an excess amount of leaves or debris in your gutters. This will cause water to back up, which can cause leaks, which can destroy your house. Therefore climb the ladder and clean your gutters - once in late autumn, when the leaves have finished falling, and once in the spring to get rid of leaf buds and seedpods.

If you have a lot of difficulty keeping the gutters clean, try a blowevac. Many come with gutter attachments and clean gutters easily, if the gutter can be reached. Additionally, a gutter protection system could keep maintenance to a minimum and turn your bi-annual chore into a quick and easy task. There are a number on the market that are definitely worth investing in.

Finally, with a sturdy roof and clean gutters, turn to your chimney. A decrepit chimney could send bricks tumbling, injuring a passerby. A clogged chimney could ruin your first winter fire, sending smoke tumbling through your home, clouding the atmosphere and leaving a lingering smell for days to come.

For the chimney, hire outside help. Get someone to come in and inspect and sweep the chimney, at least once a year if you use it regularly. Make sure the chimney sweep looks for cracks, flue problems and anything else that could go wrong, like a family of squirrels setting up their nest in the top. Be sure all repairs are done properly and with great care. Afterward, take over responsibility for the chimney. Keep the damper shut when it's not in use, clean it regularly to avoid unintentional fires and consider a chimney cap to keep out those pesky rodents and birds. If you do all this, your chimney should stay standing and working properly for some time to come.

And if you pay attention to all three aspects of your homes exterior - the roof, the gutters and the chimney - you should be able to sleep easy at night, knowing that overhead is a structure that won't let you down and won't come down on you.

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