Many sellers leave a big opportunity to cash in on the sale of their home on the table. By not highlighting the energy efficiencies and energy improvements done to the home, however small, as a seller you might be selling your home short!

If you’re in the market for a new home, you might want to consider looking for one that uses energy more efficiently than your current home.
In order to do this, you need to know how much energy your home currently uses. (If I could make a recommendation, check out the Energy Audit kit at http://www.energyaudits.net…shameless plug.) This kit will tell you how much energy you use currently.
Anyway, the kit also contains a “home buyer’s checklist” which outlines what you should look for in your next home (or apartment). But here’s …

In a recent post, I talked about the Energy Efficient Mortgage, or EEM for short. In order to qualify, a certified energy rater must come to the home and look in specific areas to determine the home’s efficiency.
What exactly are they looking for?

An energy envelope that is efficient and free of leaks. A building energy envelope is the area surrounding the home or building that affects its energy usage. Typically, this includes the actual frame and construction of the home, the ducts inside the home, windows, doors, insulation, building materials, …

Believe it or not, there is a program out there called the Energy Efficient Mortgage, or EEM for short. Not all lenders will recognize this, but this appears to be a federally backed program that helps buy homeowners and buyers finance and improve their home’s energy efficiency – which in turn boosts the assessed value of the home.

Right now, it’s a real buyer’s market out there. Interest rates are very low (if you can get approved) and real estate prices are plummeting. New home construction and remodeling have stopped. And the economy is still trying to shake off the cold, so to speak.
So, ideally, if you are looking for a new home right now you should be looking for features that will save you money on your energy bills. You can’t afford to have high energy bills.
When you look through a house, keep energy efficient thoughts in …

When you are buying a new home, here are some things to look for to ensure you keep your energy bills low:

Look for energy efficient appliances. Most of the time they will still have the energy guide sticker on them. Check the efficiency and relative costs.
Check the age and condition of the delivery ducts and vents
Ask what the last HVAC job was. If someone installed central air or a new furnace after the home was built, there is an excellent chance the installer did due diligence and inspected the house …

If you are a home owner and looking to sell your house, there are a few things you can do to help generate interest in your home and attract potential buyers

Adjust the thermostat accordingly. In the winter, no one likes coming into a cold house, and in fact, it may turn off potential buyers. While you may like a toasty 66 degrees, others may prefer a downright balmy 70 degrees or better. Actually, the temperature doesn’t really matter – perception does. If you turn the thermostat too low (to save …