| Today's world is changing at a dramatic pace. | | | | a constantly working water heater. |
| Skyrocketing energy prices and a planet showing | | | | 3.) Want New Hardwoods? -- Opt for sustainable |
| years of abuse have led many to consider the way | | | | bamboo flooring. Bamboo reproduces itself to |
| they live and how to change their lifestyle. The | | | | maturity in 5 years as opposed to the 40-100 years |
| easiest and best way to reduce our energy | | | | than normal hardwoods take. Make sure and opt for |
| consumption and to help preserve the planet for our | | | | formaldehyde free glues. |
| children and grandchildren is to start at home. The | | | | 4.) Environmentally Friendly Landscaping and Lawn -- |
| place where we spend the most time, where we | | | | Making an eco-friendly outdoor area that saves |
| consume the most energy and our biggest asset all in | | | | water and provides shade, helping you reduce heating |
| one. Our homes are responsible for huge outlays of | | | | and cooling costs, is not as hard as you think. How |
| money and responsible for preserving and creating | | | | do we you do it? First of all choose local plants that |
| wealth for our families. Now is the time to do you | | | | require less water and less pruning. Pruning creates |
| part, help the planet, take advantage of the incredible | | | | waste and fills landfills, avoid it if possible. Choosing |
| tax and utility company credits, increase the value of | | | | local plants can help you conserve water and require |
| your home and prepare yourself for energy price | | | | less work. If you have an irrigation system install a |
| increases by financing your energy saving | | | | "smart" system that calibrates water needed based |
| improvements with FHA 203K> renovation | | | | on local climates and plant needs. |
| financing. | | | | 5.) Solar Panels -- Solar is one of the easiest ways to |
| FHA 203K renovation loans have been around for | | | | dramatically cut monthly energy bills. Installing solar |
| decades, but they have recently found a new use in | | | | panels is so encouraged by HUD that they will allow |
| helping people go green. How do they work? The | | | | you to exceed statutory loan limits to do so. In many |
| process is simple really, one loan closing with money | | | | cases the Federal, State and Utility company tax |
| to purchase the property or to payoff current debt | | | | credits will pay for a good portion of the purchase |
| and an escrow account for repairs. Loans over | | | | and installment of solar panels. The rest we can |
| $35,000 are facilitated with the aid of a HUD | | | | finance. |
| approved consultant designed to help administer | | | | 6.) Better Insulation -- An obvious choice for a green |
| contractor draws and insure repairs are done to FHA | | | | home, insulating your home better can help you save |
| specifications. Loans under $35,000 don't require a | | | | thousands on energy bills. |
| consultant and repairs can be done by the borrowers | | | | 7.) Choosing Green Building Materials -- A key aspect |
| chosen contractor or, in some cases, the borrower | | | | of any green FHA 203K renovation is the selection of |
| themselves. FHA awards benefits in terms of higher | | | | environmentally friendly building materials. To reduce |
| allowable debt to income ratios along with loan | | | | transport pollution and energy costs go local first. The |
| amounts that can exceed FHA statutory limits. So, | | | | second thing to look for is recyclable materials such |
| how can you use the FHA 203K to go green? | | | | as Glass, Terrazzo, Ceramic and Porcelain. |
| 1.) Green Up Your Appliances -- FHA 203K loans will | | | | These are just a few of the myriad of green |
| finance new free standing appliances for your home. | | | | renovation choices you can finance with an FHA 203K |
| Why not use that opportunity to buy EPA | | | | renovation loan. There are literally hundreds of other |
| recommended ENERGY STAR appliances? Imagine | | | | ways to green your home, save yourself hundreds in |
| beautiful stainless appliances that save you a bundle | | | | monthly energy costs, increase your resale value and |
| in monthly energy costs. | | | | do your part in preserving the planet. The time is |
| 2.) Save Water, Save Energy -- You can finance | | | | now to take action and do what you can. You never |
| brand new low flow toilets as well as tankless water | | | | know, you might just be able to dramatically cut your |
| heaters. Low flow toilets use less than half the water | | | | monthly energy bills, create a bundle in home equity |
| that older models do and tankless waters provide | | | | and substantially improve the marketability of your |
| unlimited hot water without all the wasted energy of | | | | home. |