Part 5: How to Buy a Green Home- Insulation

Part 5
How to Buy a Green Home: Insulation

Here's the short of it.

The more you have here, the better off you'll be.
Insulation levels come with an "R" rating.
Highest usually for a ceiling area is R-40.

Foam does a good job because it doesn't get compressed down.
You want to keep the air pockets in there, which is really what insulation does- make air pockets around your house. Foam insulation is also available in some pretty healthy ingredients.
Cotton is also available, and a very tried and true option.

You may not be checking out the attic when you tour a home, but your inspector should be able to tell you how the insulation looks, what kind it is, and how deep it is. It's fairly inexpensive to buy and install insulation, but it might make you itch! You can hire someone to handle it.

Going Solar and Saving Some Bucks

My husband is a solar installer. He installed panels on our house, and we just got them cleared for operation. We saved $100 last month! I'm really liking this.

Call some installers in your area-If they are good they'll be able to do this:
- tell you all the rebates you qualify for
- handle the rebate paperwork for you or guide you through it
-review your home energy usage and give you tips on how to use LESS before you even put solar panels on your house.
- tell you how much the panels will save you
- tell you when you will break even

Currently there is a federal rebate that gives you a $2,000 federal tax credit.
The City of Austin has the MOST AGGRESSIVE REBATE PROGRAM IN THE NATION.
They will rebate up to 80% of the cost of installing solar panels on your home.
Hurray for city owned utility companies!

Here's some things to remember:
-Southern sun exposure on your roof is ideal. (your roof is facing south and that side gets sun most of the day)
- It usually will not pay to cut down a tree to get exposure on your roof.
- Payback may take a long time if you're city or energy company doesn't offer rebates, on the other hand, you can be off the grid.

Austin Solar Info
Celestial Power


Enjoy!
Your Green Realtor
Patty Sylvana
Realtor
Keller Williams Realty
512-297-5658

Realtor by Trade, Green at Heart

Part 4: How to Buy a Green Home- HVAC

Part 4- How to Buy a Green Home- HVAC

HVAC- that means your heating and air conditioning. You'll need both here in Austin, and the air conditioning will be pretty critical.

Here's some things to look for in a greener home.

1. One story, or zoned hvac for a two story. Heat rises, so unless you have zoned air to control the upstairs temperature separately from the downstairs, you'll end up cooking your sleeping guests, or shivering down on the first floor. A one story home will be more efficient, or a 2 story 'zoned'.

2. Look for a SEER number on the HVAC system. The higher the number, the more efficient it is. 13 or higher is pretty good. The number correlates to the amount of space it can cool.

3. Sheet metal duct work and sealed and tested ducts. This carries your air to where it needs to be. Sheet metal means there is less friction for the air flow. Sealed ducts mean less leakage of your cool air, and tested ducts can tell you how much (or how little) your system is leaking.

4. Duct work within the conditioned space- this means that you can either see the duct work, or it's in the middle of the house. It seems logical now, but back in the day, the air conditioning system was stored in the attic, where it would BAKE all summer. Even if the system wasn't in the attic, the duct work was stuffed up there to keep it out of view. Result? A pretty counterproductive set up.

A/C Pumps out cold air--- Cold air leaks into attic---Cold air warms up from hot attic---- A/C must pump more cold air to keep your house cool.



Your Green Realtor
Stay Tuned and Stay Green
Patty Sylvana
512-297-5658
patty@GreenAustinProperties.com

check out some local green homes here.

Austin is the Best.... No REALLY

Forbes magazine just ranked Austin as the #1- Best Bang for Your Buck.
Rating included: future job growth, affordability, and housing prices!

Forbes Article

Austin is also beautiful, and Mayor Will Wynn has been promoting very farsighted plans for the city's future as a growing, green, sustainable metropolis. Plus, you can have your own urban chickens in most neighborhoods!

Part 3: How to Buy A Green Home- DIRECTIONS

Part 3:
How to Buy a Green Home:
DIRECTIONS

So, in regards to location, you probably have an idea already of where you would like to be located. Ideally close to work and schools and parks and the farmers market.

Here are a few other things to consider- regarding the direction your home faces (no it's not Feng Shui) It's specific to Austin and if you buy an existing home, these features will help you be more green!

1 Catching the Breeze: You want your home to have the longer side with plenty of windows facing South and North.
Why?
In Austin most of the year, a breeze comes from the South (and SouthEast), and if you have windows facing that direction you can catch a great breeze, air out your house and stay cooler than other homes.

2. Keeping Cool: It's easier to shade those windows that are facing North or South. Because of where the sun hits your home, you'll have a much easier time shading windows with overhangs if they are facing North or South. This is because the sun will come in at an angle and hit the East and West windows from the side- catching them off guard.

3. Trees: You will want most of your trees on the north side to lose their leaves in the winter. That way, when it feels colder, you'll have more sun on your home. For the South side, you can have trees that stay green year-round.

This is your Green Realtor
Stay Tuned and Stay Green
Patty Sylvana
512-297-5658
patty@GreenAustinProperties.com

Your Roof, It's so... COOL

Your Roof, It's so... COOL

The color of your roof can make a big difference in your energy bills.
Just think of how much energy and moola you'll be saving!

What's the key?
A white roof or a reflective metal roof.

Here's how it works :
Heat hits your roof
Your roof is white
Heat bounces off the roof
Your house stays cooler
You use less energy
You put less CO2 in the atmosphere
More heat is able to escape the atmosphere

(ok, I think that's how it works... I'm a non-scientist!)
White Roof Article

When you are switching your roof, think about metal. It's much longer lasting and is very reflective to heat. Otherwise look the lightest possible shingle you can find.

Your Green Realtor
Stay Tuned and Stay Green
Patty Sylvana
Keller Williams Realty
512-297-5658
patty@GreenAustinProperties.com

Check out Green Homes in Austin

Part 2: How to Buy Green- LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION

Part 2:
How to Buy A Green Home:
Location Location Location

This factor is pretty critical. You can get a home, you can renovate it, you can remodel it, you can make it super green, but you can't really move it somewhere else. This is my weak spot- learn from my mistakes- I live in a great house, in a great neighborhood where I have to DRIVE to get anywhere other than my neighbors house. The schools also suck. It's so close, and it sucks. Now I've got to look at driving my daughter somewhere else EVERY day of the work week.

There is a great tool out there that will actually SHOW YOU THE MONEY!
It takes your commute and tells you how much you'll save each month by living close to your job. COOL BEANS!! This means that it really pays out when you buy a more expensive home next to your job and walk to work. Generally you save more on gas and commuting and time than you would pay for a better location. Not to mention the trips to the gym.

What makes a green location? Here are some tips and tricks:

1. Think about where you go the most- work/ schools/parks

2. Use this great tool to figure out how much it costs to commute. This one is the best because it figures in your hourly value from your job, and it pulls that time lost commuting into the equation.
Commuting Calculator

3. Get a walkability rating for neighborhoods. This handy tools rates the neighborhood based on how many things are within walking distance.

Walk Score

4. Where is the public transportation- will you be near a commuter rail or bus line?
Austins Commuter Rail

5. Schools- If you don't have kids, this will effect your re-sale value. If you have kids, then good schools will also save you the drive to schlep your kiddos to another location.
School Info

Your Green Realtor
Patty Sylvana
Realtor
Keller Williams Realty
512-297-5658
patty@GreenAustinProperties.com

Austin's Zero Waste Plan

Austin has a plan to become ZERO WASTE!
I'm thrilled about the idea. We will be one of the first in the nation to implement such plan. I know that Vancouver is implementing one right now. Thank you to Mayor Will Wynn for his progressive thinking and long-sightedness about the sustainability of our city.

Here's the plan

"Austin wastes an estimated $40Million annually by not re-using or recylcling products "

My husband was dropping some things off at the dump and literally brought back a completely perfect 'Pier 1' style coffee table, and dominoes still in the wrapper that someone was also dropping off at the dump. The re-use of amazing things there is really an untapped resource!

We should integrate those folks that find deals and sell them on ebay!


Your Green Realtor
Stay Tuned and Stay Green
Patty Sylvana
512-297-5658
patty@GreenAustinProperties.com

Realtor by Trade, Green at Heart

Part 1: How to Buy a Green Home- NEW OR OLD

Part 1
How to Buy a Green Home
New or Old

Forget all that jazz about new is better- upgraded state of the art yadda yadda.
Think about an existing home that was remodeled, or a new home which is in an older neighborhood. (this is called in-fill when a builder creates a new home on an existing lot)

Not only will you get tried and true techniques, but you'll often have mature trees to boot!
Now, in saying that, there are some AMAZING things being done out there. Really beautiful and green. I'm a sucker- but get a NEW HOME in an ESTABLISHED neighborhood.

Having a home that has been remodeled green means that less resources were used, less materials were shipped, many times the home is closer to town and you also benefit from mature trees and the shade they bring. The home is also 'broken in'. No surprises here. These walls have been holding up for years, and many more to come.

You could even look at getting a home that is just BEGGING to go green. They are out there- they ask me to bring them buyers. We'll go over what is important in finding a Green Location next!

Your Green Realtor
Stay Tuned and Stay Green
Patty Sylvana
Realtor
Keller Williams Realty
512-297-5658
patty@GreenAustinProperties.com

IT'S CHICKEN DAY!

Wahooo!! It's chicken day! Now that we have so much space, it's time to get some chickens.
Callahan's by the airport carries all sorts of country things- so close in, so far out!

We're going for chicks because they are so danged cute. Something like 1/2 of them are supposed to die on me. That's a total bummer. Not sure what to tell Celeste about death. She's only 4. We talk about bugs dying in the pool, but that's been pretty much the extent of it. A friend had some ideas that we could just say they flew away. Hmmm... she might catch on to that one.

So- CHICKENS CHICKENS CHICKENS CHICKENS!
I'll post photos later!

The magical growing yard

So, we've got this yard- it just grew 3 times larger. It's a little intimidating! There was a fence closing in a section of the yard by the house. The other 2/3 of the yard was out sight, out of mind... it's grassy with a nice grove of trees and a creek. It's a great space, mind you, but boy, that's a big project.

I've got to step up to the plate now and figure out the least expensive way to remove grass and make it look nice. I guess all that planning comes in handy- break it down into small steps.
1. plant vines to hide the chainlink
2. put in soaker hoses for the vines
3. build a fire pit

It will be good to sit with the space for a while and get a feeling for it. The hard part is visiting great houses and trying to figure out how to do what they did in my yard AND not go broke AND be low water.

The real first step is that patch of grass I ripped out right by the mailbox. I'm totally stuck on that. It seemed like a good idea and I've got a complete block on what to do next.

Here's a question for you-
What will not need mowing, doesn't get tall, likes the sun, and won't mind being driven on occasionally?

This is your Green Realtor
Stay Tuned and Stay Green
Patty Sylvana
Keller Williams Realty
(512) 297-5658
patty@GreenAustinProperties.com

Green Drinks Happy Hour

Friday Friday Friday!
Come on by Opal Divines for some Green Drinks and some Green Ideas.
The special guest this month will be Matt Stevens with Green Zone Homes.
This company can put money in your pocket! They do energy audits on homes to tell you where is the best bang for your buck- the age-old windows versus more insulation dilemma will be solved! I like them because they aren't affiliated with a roofer/window/air-conditioning company. Straight up unbiased information.

Friday May 30th
Opal Divines on 6th St
5:30-8pm


Hosted by Yours Truly-
Patty Sylvana, Green Realtor
Keller Williams Realty
(512) 297-5658
patty@GreenAustinProperties.com

Realtor by Trade, Green at Heart

Think you Can't Afford a Home? Buying on a Budget-

So you think you can't afford a home in Austin? Well, yes, things are getting pricey, but not out of reach. If you're on a tight budget and looking to buy your first home, the City of Austin wants to help! They will give you $10,000- $40,000 to help you into a place of your own.

Here are the income qualifications- (you must make under this amount)
- 1 person household - $39,850
- 2 person household - $45,500
- 3 person household - $51,200
- 4 person household - $56,900
- 5 person household - $61,450

Here are the requirements:
- First time homebuyer
- Can't have assets (savings etc) valued at over 1/2 of your income.
- Use one of the trained lenders (they have a big list)
- Get pre-qualified with one the lenders (ie. you qualify for this much house on your measly income, then add $10-$40k to that amount)
- Go to the homebuyer classes
- Homes 1978 and newer qualify for up to $40k
- Homes older than 1978 qualify for up to $10k

How it Works:
- Sign up for the class
-Meet with the lender
-Take the class
-Look for houses
-Find THE ONE
- Put in an offer
- Own a HOME!

Here's some more info! Give me a ring if you have any questions-
MONEY TO BUY A HOME

If you like lots of details- here you go!
The $10,000 is basically free moola which you will not pay back if you stay in the home for 10 years. If you move earlier- say 5 years, you owe $5,000 back to the city.

The $40,000 plan is more complicated, but still great. The city gives you a chunk of money, but if you sell or re-finance your house, they would like their moola back. Also, it's an equity share program which means that if you borrowed $40k and the house was worth $120k total, then they lent you 33% of the value of the home. Now when you sell, the house is worth $220k, so you pay the city back their $40k plus 33% of any growth in value of the home.

This is your green Realtor
Stay tuned and stay green-
Patty Sylvana
Realtor by Trade Green at Heart
Keller Williams Realty
(512) 297-5658
patty@GreenAustinProperties.com

How to Buy or Sell a Green Home

How to Buy or Sell a Green Home

Workshop Coming Up!

Wed, April 2nd
6:30-8:00pm
North Austin

Short, sweet and green, this workshop will cover all the basics of buying or selling your green home.
What to look for and how to find them, how to price and market your home, green financing and lots of other cool stuff!

Details and RSVP here:

www.GreenHomeWorkshop.com

Natural Home Mag Votes Mueller #1

Natural Home Magazines listed Mueller here in Austin as #1 in their Top 10 Green Neighborhoods article this month.

The Mueller Neighborhood got the kudos for their progressive green initiatives such as:

- green home options like tankless water heaters and solar panels

- greywater systems

- pedestrian friendliness

- 25% of housing for lower income households.

Congratulations to Mueller!

Patty Sylvana

Green Realtor

Keller Williams Realty

patty@GreenAustinProperties

(512) 297-5658

Austin Green Homes- Mueller

Unless you're dead, you've probably heard about the Mueller Development. A rehabilitation of old city airport land, this development is making waves for all kinds of progressive and green ideals. Here are a few highlights-

The green homes at Mueller are in a unique situation because the City of Austin owned the land. The City was able to implement some really progressive features including green requirements and low income homes.

What makes Mueller Special?
- Close to UT and Downtown (at 51st and I-35)
- Green Green Green built
- Parks surrounding the entire development as well as interspersed throughout
- Pedestrial focused- not just sidewalks, but ACTUAL places you could walk to!
- Town Center
- Commercial Center

This is definitly an urban high density neighborhood. There is no sprawling lawn to maintain, and you'll probably ACTUALLY get to know your neighbors. Wow, what a concept!

This is your Green Realtor
Stay Tuned and Stay Green
Patty Sylvana
Realtor by Trade, Green at Heart
Keller Willilams Realty
patty@GreenAustinProperties.com
(512) 297-5658

The Fight Against My Lawn

I've been battling with my lawn. For years I've been fighting. Slowly but surely, it surrenders, but not without a tough fight. Now it is pretty rewarding for me to fight my lawn. I've come to relish the battle. Mostly because I always win, but also because the hard work feels good after sitting so much.

First we put in a big front porch.
Then I put in some square foot gardens.
Then I put in some more walkway.

My current project is removing the grass between the sidewalk and the road. We're planning on some crushed granite, a few crepe myrtles, some sage and some clump grasses. That way folks will be able to walk through easy enough. I figure that at the rate I'm going, I'll be able to cancel my gym membership and we'll retire the lawnmower in a few years.

It helps that everywhere I go, I see great examples of other people's hard work. Thank you to all those folks I never met that have been fighting their lawns for longer than I!

(why fight your lawn? if you replace it with local drought tolerant plants, you'll reduce fertilizer usage, waste less time on the lawnmower and reduce your water usage as well. Saves you some time and money in the long run)

This is your Green Realtor
Stay Tuned and Stay Green
Patty Sylvana
Realtor by Trade, Green at Heart
Keller Willilams Realty
patty@GreenAustinProperties.com
(512) 297-5658

Solar, Rainwater Cisterns and more

10700 Bubbas Bluff-
Don't let the name fool you, this is no home for a country bumpkin. Solar panels, two 10,000 gallon rainwater cisterns, metal roof, almost 1.5 acres, kiva fireplace, programmable thermostat and double pane windows. Only $275,000, and located in Lake Travis ISD.



This is your Green Realtor
Stay Tuned and Stay Green
Patty Sylvana
Realtor by Trade, Green at Heart
Keller Willilams Realty
patty@AustinGreenRealtors.com
(512) 297-5658

Free Toilets from the City

Thanks to the City of Austin for re-introducing this popular program!
Free High performing toilets to customers who have old clunker toilets (pre-1996).

The new toilets have flapperless technology which means that you won't have to trade out leaking toilet innards ever again.

You can get up to 3 toilets per household.

Send in your application, receive your voucher in the mail and pick up your toilet.
It also comes with a matching seat, wax ring and bolts for installation. You might want to call a plumber to have them install it for you.

GET STARTED HERE

or call the city at 512-974-2199

This is your Green Realtor-
Stay tuned and Stay Green
Patty Sylvana
Realtor by Trade, Green at Heart
patty@austingreenrealtors.com
(512) 297-5658

Green Water

Thanks to my buddy Rob Marley over at www.mediamorgue.blogspot.com who wrote this great article on water bottles-

"700 YEARS FOR WATER BOTTLES TO START DECOMPOSING". Stick that thought in your cap.

Being environmentally conscious is more than just the latest trend to hit the tree-hugging hippie crowd. Its a vital part of our ability to continue to live on this planet. Its something all of us can do to live in a better world. And who doesn't want that?

Some people think that "going green" is a time-consuming process where everything fun and convenient has to be sacrificed for the better good of the environment. Not so. All being more environmentally conscious requires is that you think a little bit (hence, the "conscious" part of that phrase.) There are several things you can do that can make a big impact on the environment for the better, and require very little effort on your part.

One of the easiest things you can do is with your water bottle. Sure its really easy to pop into a convenience store, pick up a bottle of the latest trend and pat yourself on the back for living a more healthy lifestyle. According to the Beverage Marketing Corporation, bottled water is the single largest growth area among all beverages including juice, soft drinks and alcohol. Its great that we are drinking more water instead of sugary, calorie-laden sodas, but while this may be more healthy for your body, how healthy is your environment? Once you've finished quaffing that basic element of life, where does the bottle usually end up?

The answer is the landfill. According to Environmental resource Earth 911, Americans drank about 167 bottles of water each, but only recycled an average of 38 bottles per person in 2006. This equates to about 50 billion plastic bottles consumed, with only 23% being recycled, which means that over 38 billion water bottles ended up in the ground.

To manufacture a plastic water bottle, manufacturers use a petroleum product called polyethylene terephthalate, or PET. The manufacturing process also uses oil. According to independent research group The Pacific Institute, the process of making the plastic for water bottles uses approximately 17 million barrels of oil per year internationally. The energy consumed in the process of making bottled water could power almost 200,000 homes. And to manufacture one ton of PET products, manufacturing plants produce around 3 tons of carbon dioxide. In 2006 alone, bottled water created more than 2.5 million tons of CO2.

Then, once they are consumed and tossed into landfills, a plastic water bottle takes 700 years before it even BEGINS to start decomposing.

Maybe now you can see how all of this starts to add up to a very real problem.

There are recycling programs out there for water bottles, but not everyone uses them. Part of this is because water bottles are usually consumed away from home, making it difficult to find a recycle bin nearby. But instead of contributing to the growing problem of burying trash that is going to be around for the next 700 years, why not just use that bottle more than once?

Let's do a little math:

The average price of a bottle of water is around $1.20. Now think about how much bottled water you drink in a week. Conservatively, let's say 3 bottles per week. That means you are spending $187 per year for the convenience of drinking bottled water. Is it worth it? What could you do with an extra $187? By buying a bottle of water once and re-using it several times, you could cut your costs in half or more. Or go one better, and just use the heavier-duty sports bottles that bicyclists and campers use and save even more money.

If you don't like the taste of tap water, use a Britta filter, which is a cheap and effective way to purify what you are drinking. And if you are image conscious, know that no one is going to know the difference between the stuff filtered through the Alps and the stuff filtered through your kitchen sink unless you tell them.

Being environmentally conscious means being conscious about the things you take for granted. Something as simple as a bottle of water can make a big difference on how much pollution there is in our atmosphere and how much garbage is packed into our landfills.

Resources:

http://earth911.org/

http://refillnotlandfill.org

Greening Your Party

Parties often involve a lot of fun, AND a lot of garbage. It doesn't really need to be so. Here are some good tips for greening your next party.

Keg- comes in a re-usable container and you can fill it with local beer.
Dishes- Think re-usable. It will only take a moment to stick it in the dishwasher. There are some nice plastic sets out there too- so guests don't break your glasses (you know who you are!).
Cleanup- keep some clean rags on hand- we've really cut down on our use of paper towels.
Carpooling- Evite offers a great carpooling option-very handy.
Recycling- Many a guest will bring a 6 pack of beer. Keep garbage/recycling clearly marked so clean up is easier.

Stay Tuned and Stay Green
Patty Sylvana
Green Realtor
Keller Williams Realty
patty@austingreenrealtors.com
(512) 297-5658

Barnraisers

Never raised a barn? Don't worry! The Barnraisers haven't either. The concept comes from an Amish tradition of a community coming together to raise a barn. Taking on work that might go above and beyond the ability of a single family, the Barnraiser teams join together and get stuff done at each others homes.

Our group is in its 3rd year, and I am amazed at the stuff we get done, not to mention the things I learn as we go to other homes. We started with one group, now there are 4. Here are some basic concepts, feel free to start one yourself!

1. Chose people you'd like to socialize with that are also responsible and reliable.
2. Pick dates and times that work for everyone (we meet up for 1 full day every other month).
3. If you are hosting, send out reminders, (our hosts also buy breakfast and lunch and beer).
4. If you are hosting make sure someone is there that knows how to carry out your project, and that you either beg/borrow or steal the supplies and tools you need.
5. Get some before photos
6. Have fun working together with your friends.
7 Get some after photos.
8. Take a hot bath and pass out.

It can be hard work depending on your group style, but it also offers a great sense of accomplishment. When so many people sit at desks for most of their week, having a day of hard labor is a nice change of pace.

We've taken on projects large and small- painting, building decks, laying tile, installing wood floors, putting up stucco underskirting, staining and sealing wood, putting up walls, digging pathways, and yard work. We've done a lot! The best part are the before and after photos.

Barnraising is a great Green activity because while you are collaborating with others, you also end up sharing resources. Don't have a tile saw? Someone in the group might have it. Have a small tile project? Someone in the group might have some extra tile that you can use. Instead of buying more tools and supplies, you are making a better use of resources all around.


Stay tunes and stay Green-
Your green Realtor
Patty Sylvana
Keller Williams Realty
Realtor by Trade, Green at Heart
www.AustinGreenRealtors.com
(512) 297-5658

Painting for Lazy People

I'm a part of this group that goes around like little elves and fixes each others houses. Well, but elves are quiet. We're quite a social rowdy bunch. Its the barnraisers- more on that later.

The group was due at my house for some serious paint job makeover work. I surfed the web, and low and behold, I am now really good at painting. Here are the tips:

1. buy nice brushes- angled, Purdy is a good brand. Spend the money, believe me its worth it. Put your name on them because everyone will want to borrow them. You'll want a large, medium and small.

2. Do away with taping altogether! Weee! No tape. Tape never worked well for me anyhow. With your amazing angled brush, you can get close to the edge, bend the brush against the wall and slide the brush along- long side first. You want to get that very edge section first, then flip the brush over and go along the same section with downtward pulls. The one key to this technique is - Take Your Time. Its still faster than taping.

3. Be generous to the walls. Don't try to make the paint last, it will mean twice as much work while you add that second layer. Keep your brush nicely coated, but not dripping.

4. Rollers- there are wool rollers out there that work amazingly well. No little spackles of paint everywhere. Wash off great, re-use it a bunch of times.

5. Paint- please get yourself to a reputable paint store. I've enjoyed Sherwin Williams Harmony (low voc) line. I've been disappointed with the large chain store paints because I always end up having to add twice the paint for the same coverage.

6. Get low fume paint- Low VOC or Zero VOC paints are now readily available everywhere. And you won't have to sleep at your friends house while your house off-gasses. Hows that for convenient?

Enjoy your lazy painting!
Stay Tuned and Stay Green-
Patty Sylvana
Green Realtor
Keller Williams Realty

Realtor by Trade, Green at Heart
patty@austingreenrealtors.com

Home Buying for Freaks, Weirdos and Artists

Home Buying for Freaks, Weirdos and Artists

SAVE THE DATE!
Homebuying for Freaks, Weirdos and Artists
Tuesday, January 22nd
6:30pm

Hosted at Land America Austin Title
3708 Spicewood Springs Rd, Suite 100
Austin, TX 78759

Topics:
- Convincing the bank to loan you money- by Mark Abernathy, Mortgage Broker Extraordinaire

- Buying with a friend or enemy (collaborative purchases and condo-ization)

- Finding and buying your unique home (home and land hunting) by Patty Sylvana, Realtor Extraordinaire

- How artistic can I be with my home? (building code in Austin and Travis County), by John Umphress, Green Building Code Specialist Extraoidinaire

Save the Date and RSVP to me: patty@AustinGreenRealtors.com

This is your green Realtor signing off-
Stay tuned and stay green
Patty Sylvana
green Realtor
Keller Williams Realty
patty@austingreenrealtors.com
(512) 297-5658

Is Commuting Worth it?

Valuable to Live Close to Your Job? Let the Numbers do the Talking- Many of you know how Iove the numbers! What can I say, I'm kind of a geek that way. Here is a great site that can actually calculate the value of living close to where you work. It will show you that you often spend more on commuting than you would paying more for a house! Plus, think of all the time you'll have for yourself. Saves some green by living closer to work. Thanks to Jack Miller for sending the link.

CLICK HERE TO RUN THE NUMBERS!

This is your green Realtor
Stay tuned and stay green-

Patty Sylvana
Green Realtor
Realtor by Trade, Green at Heart
Keller Williams Realty
patty@austingreenrealtors.com
(512) 297-5658