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By Rebecca Smith
From The Wall Street Journal Online
We hear the message day in and day out: It’s time to go green. But figuring out where to start can be daunting.
When you look for advice, you often find wildly impractical schemes about remaking your entire life to reduce your “carbon footprint.” Or you end up having to sort through heaps of perplexing statistics about power usage and efficiency.
Meanwhile, it can be tough to track down what most people actually need: a clear statement of the carbon consequences of, say, switching your light bulbs. And you’ll rarely find out if you’ll save enough on your energy bills to recover the cost of buying new appliances or changing your habits.
With that in mind, here are some answers to some commonly posed questions about what to do — and what not to do — to get greener.
• What are the simplest — and cheapest — things I can do to cut emissions?
The most important thing to remember as you’re getting started is that you don’t have to change your whole life to make a difference.
“You can go crazy and get lost in the details and completely miss the point that every little bit helps,” says Carl Zichella, regional director in Sacramento, Calif., for the Sierra Club.
So where do you start? Here are just a handful of things that may be obvious — and yet so many people don’t do them. Heat or cool your home less. Drive or fly fewer miles. Run electrical equipment less and use less water since pumping water takes a lot of electricity. Buy more locally grown foods and goods that are manufactured nearby; they’re typically made with cleaner U.S. manufacturing processes, and companies use less fuel to transport them.
Plus, buy the most energy-efficient devices you can afford. For instance, look for appliances with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star label. Since the program started in 1992, the EPA says, it has helped Americans save $14 billion on energy bills and cut emissions equivalent to those of 25 million vehicles. The EPA now includes more than four dozen types of products in the program, everything from DVD players to air conditioners.
The EPA has a useful calculator (www.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/calculator/ind_calculator.html) that allows you to create a customized plan for reducing your environmental impact.
• I’d like to start small. How much energy can you really save with light bulbs?
A lot. A 25-watt compact fluorescent produces about as much light as a 100-watt conventional bulb but uses only one-quarter of the electricity. Because of that, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the average 25-watt compact fluorescent will save the equivalent of 100 pounds of carbon dioxide per year. That’s about as much as a car generates driving 93 miles, assuming it gets a typical 23.9 miles per gallon.
And compact fluorescents won’t cost you an arm and a leg. In California, for instance, utility rebates and volume discounts have driven down the cost of a four-pack of 25-watt compact fluorescents to about $2 — versus $40 or more for the 100-watt equivalents in 1999. Prices have gotten so low that some compact fluorescents pay for themselves in energy savings the first month. Read the rest of this entry »
Source: abcNews.com
Like so many families across the country that are caught in the middle of the credit crisis, the Thiede family has had trouble selling their home. The house has sat on the Michigan housing market for more than a year.
A depressed Michigan economy hasn’t helped car dealer Michael Thiede, whose income is based on sales. His income has decreased by 30 percent in the last year. With a new baby, Thiede sees selling the family’s house as the only way to avoid a financial ruin. But the task has been more difficult than the family expected.
“It’s been a real struggle,” said Michael, of Macomb Township, Mich. “Foreclosures have really increased dramatically in our area specifically.”
Dozens of houses in the Thiedes’ neighborhood, including his next-door neighbor’s home, are for sale. Even area real estate agents said it’s the toughest market they’ve ever seen.
“I’ve been in the business 41 years, and this market is probably the worst it’s ever been in my career,” said one agent.
“Good Morning America” sent in real estate contributor Wendy Bounds to help the Thiedes successfully unload their home. After a telephone conversation with Bounds, the Thiedes were nervous about what was to come.
“I’m definitely scared,” Michael said.
Step One: Make Your Home Stand Out
Bounds said an extraordinary market calls for equally extraordinary measures. In such a competitive market, no room exists for imperfection, she said. “Floors are really important, especially to women,” Bounds said. “If they walk in and they’re scratched, they immediately think it’s a sign you’re not taking care of the house.”
Step Two: Make a Big Online Push
Michael already had his home posted online with the Multiple Listing Service Web site, but he wasn’t using some of the site’s potential buyer scouts. Bounds suggests posting the house on sites such as:
She also suggested Michael start his own blog to promote the house and keep track of his progress. “I had never really heard of a blog before they had mentioned it,” Michael said. “But it’s actually turned out to be a pretty fun thing to do on a daily basis — just to update people and see if we can’t market it.”
Even using a vehicle like YouTube could help sell the Thiedes’ home faster. A growing number of homeowners are turning to the video-sharing sites to sell their homes. Bounds stressed that photos must be shot well, with no blurs or shadows. Read the rest of this entry »
The world’s greatest investor has a significant stake in Georgia. And he may be looking for more.
By: Drew Ermenc
October 22, 2007
It was a cold December day in 2001, and Steve McKenzie and Craig Ponzio had just stepped off an elevator onto the top floor of the understated Kiewit Plaza office building in Omaha, Neb. Just 48 hours earlier, Ponzio, owner of custom framing leader Albecca Inc., had overnighted his company’s financials to Berkshire Hathaway with the hopes that its iconic leader, Warren Buffett, may have interest in purchasing the Norcross-based company.
Ponzio bought Albecca in 1981, known to consumers under the brand name Larson-Juhl, and led the company to remarkable success, growing revenues from $3 million to $300 million in under two decades.
But today was a different story, as health issues were forcing Ponzio to sell. With one well-placed phone call, there they stood, summoned to the Omaha offices of one of America’s most storied companies, anxiously awaiting negotiations with arguably the world’s most influential business executive.
McKenzie, then Albecca’s CEO, remembers his surprise -and relief – when Buffett politely greeted them at the entrance, the antithesis of a corporate power play.
“There’s a little buzzer we pushed, and Warren actually answered the door,” McKenzie recalls with a grin. “When he appeared, you see this kind of bigger-than-life figure that you read about constantly, you study, and you hear from as an expert. All of a sudden, I [felt] torn between this idea of him as the father of capitalism and thoughts of my own grandfather.”
The meeting took only 90 minutes, and ended with Berkshire Hathaway agreeing to purchase Albecca for $223 million (plus assumed debt), a deal that was, according to Buffett, one of the quickest he’sever completed. Today, McKenzie smiles when he recalls the experience, and still marvels at Buffett’s disarming nature and get-to-the-point intuitiveness. “The conversation was absolutely comfortable, a fantastic conversation about the mechanics of our business model and what made us unique. It was a very enjoyable interaction.”
Since 2000, Buffett has moved aggressively into Georgia, acquiring five companies headquartered here in the past seven years. Prior to the turn of the millennium, his connection to the Peach State was limited to his stake in Atlanta-based Coca-Cola, a stock he first purchased in 1988. He felt that – by adhering to his investment philosophy that emphasizes strong brands, consistent earnings and patience-the beverage maker’s stock was undervalued. In a caffeinated frenzy, Buffett began buying large chunks of Coca-Cola at $10.96 a share. Within five years, the stock grew to $74.50 a share, and he now owns roughly 81/2 percent of the company. Until last April, Buffett had served on Coke’s board of directors for 17 years and has claimed he will hold on to his shares “forever.” Read the rest of this entry »
For many of the second home owners, if you have your home on the short term rental market, you probably had a good rental season. I know that we had our best rental summer in many years!
Now that it’s the Fall/Winter season, this is a good time for you to take a look at what you need to do to keep your investment in great rental condition. As you may be aware, renters have many options when it comes to vacation rentals and you need to keep your place in top condition.
The first and most obvious place to start, is getting a company to come in and do a deep clean. If you were busy, there is no doubt that your weekly cleaning crew cannot deep clean in few hours between renters. Having such areas as the baseboards cleaned, the shampooing of carpets, cleaning of sofas and chairs, will help your renters want to return year after year.
In addition, you may want to hire a local inspector to come in and do a short mini inspection to be sure that your systems and appliances are in normal working condition. You certainly do not want something to break during the busy rental season and have an emergency expensive fix and an unhappy renter.
You also may want to update the decor if it’s looking a bit tired. You would be amazed how much just a bucket of paint will freshen up your interior. Adding new bath towels or accent pillows can be an inexpensive way to keep your place looking good. And if you don’t have high speed or DSL in your second home, most renters see that as a must in today’s rental market. And for an investment of less than $50 typically, you can add wireless to your home.
As usual, if you have questions, please feel free to contact your Jenny Pruitt & Associates’ REALTOR.
Senior Vice President, Managing Broker
Sandy Springs office
Source: Ezine Articles By: Vanessa Doctor
The process of selling your home is a generally exciting and fun experience; however, this process also takes a lot of hard work. It requires fixing and sorting out all those small quirks and problems that you have not bothered to look into for years.
A home owner also needs to decide if they are going to sell it all by themselves or contact a professional real estate broker. The transaction will take time, depending on the local real estate market. It would be good to note that a home seller would somehow have mental and emotional issues to deal with.
You need to ask yourself, are you looking forward to moving up to a new dream house or facing the uncertainty of moving across the country. This will make you feel a bit cranking of leaving the memories behind, or you could be keen on starting a new life without the home you have lived in. The sentimental and emotional feelings that you might be facing should be replaced by plenty of practical matters that need more attention.
A Home for Sale Should be Appealing to Customers
There are many good questions that will be considered in deciding if your home will get caught up, or stay stuck, in the selling market. A “for sale” home should be visually appealing and in good condition, so that it will attract potential buyers who may be driving down the street. The house should be attractive to an outsider’s eyes.
How to Properly Price Your Home
It is common that home sellers want to truly acquire top dollar for their home; however, they also need to consider that it will scare off, or turn-off potential buyers. This may also cause the property to languish on the market for a long period. And reducing price later may cause buyers to think if there is something wrong with the home. Here are some factors to consider in setting up the right price for your home:
- the location
- economic conditions
- supply and demand in the local housing market
- local schools
- average home prices in the neighborhood
- home extras (like pool, fireplace, central air, etc)
In assessing the correct value of the home, you probably would need to seek the advice of a reputable real estate agent or property appraiser. Brokers can help prepare a market analysis for you, which would also show the recent selling prices of neighborhood properties comparable to your own.
They can also aid you in adjusting for the unique features of the home you’re selling. If the seller has less information on the home selling market, it would be better to contact a Realtor. In looking for a Realtor, find someone that you feel comfortable with.
Ask Your Friends and Family for References
It would also be a good thing to ask your friends and acquaintances for any recommendations; however, the final decision and choice should be based on your needs. Your Realtor should show you research to support any recommendations, this includes information about recent sales, current listings and recent expired listing in your neighborhood.
The real estate agent should be more knowledgeable in the area that the home is located, and will get better cooperation from other agents. You should ask references from the Realtor, he or she should be willing to give you names of previous clients. Look for a Realtor who tells you what he or she knows from experience in the market, and not what they think you want to hear.
Senior Vice President, Managing Broker
Cobb office
