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What Makes A “Green” Home?

While “green” has become quite the buzzword when it comes to home building and design, what exactly it means isn’t always clear. There are a few standards for eco-friendly homes, but the term “green” doesn’t have a universal definition beyond being a color made by mixing yellow and blue. So how does a consumer know when a home the builder is calling “green” is actually built with an ecological focus, or at least enough of one to justify its price?

Some of the standards for ecologically minded homes include increased insulation. To be really energy efficient, a home should be insulated beyond the minimum local requirements. This includes floor insulation, which in some cases is built right in to the concrete foundation. In addition to the walls, floors and ceilings, windows should also be insulating. Therefore, double paned and/or vinyl windows are becoming the “green” standard.

Energy efficiency should be continued throughout the home. Low water use toilets are a must, and those that have different flush options are extra eco-concious. These options allow you to have a more efficient flush for solid waste, while liquid waste just gets much more conservative flush. Shower heads, washing machines, faucets and dishwashers can also be equipped to limit the water used without compromising function. Air conditioners, refrigerators, heaters and all other appliances within the home should be of the highest standard of energy efficiency. In addition, compact fluorescent lights should be used throughout the home, or replaced by LED lights wherever those are suitable.

Beyond energy efficiency, use of non-toxic, ar at least less-toxic, materials is important in “green” homes. Look for a home with low VOC paints. VOC stands for volatile organic compounds, which are toxins that gas-off from conventional paint. Remember the lighter the pigment, the lower the VOC’s, so white or off-white walls are healthier than some of the bolder, trendy colors. This is because it is the paint base that is quality controlled, but it is impossible to take the VOC’s out of some pigments.

Another finishing detail that is popular for eco-friendly homes is bamboo or cork flooring. Bamboo is popular because it grows so quickly. It takes about five years to grow bamboo to the right size to make flooring. It is versatile and comes in a variety of styles and colors. Cork is an option because it is sustainable to harvest - removing cork does not damage the cork tree, as it replenishes its cork bark every year anyway. Cork makes a lovely, soft and springy floor surface that is also naturally warmer than many other flooring options.

For our final indoor consideration, eco-friendly homes will use more natural fabrics such as wool and cotton for carpets and window dressings.

Outside the home leaves plenty of room for “green” considerations, too. Xeriscaping is a popular means of landscaping utilizing plants native to the area being built in. These plants are naturally drought-resistant because they are acclimatized to the local environment, needing less watering and maintenance than lawns or beds full of foreign flowers.

Another “green” outdoor trend is utilizing permeable paving stones. These actually absorb water, which then is naturally filtered through the earth and goes back into the ground-water supply. These avoid the toxic run-off that can be caused by water rushing over cement and into drains, carrying oil and exhaust residue straight into the drainage system, which ultimately ends up being a nearby body of water.

If a home you are looking at is being promoted as being “green”, don’t hesitate to ask the builder about some of these features. If they don’t measure up, don’t buy it.

Learn all about Florida’s Emerald Coast, and the Destin real estate market, at EdKirkland.com. This site has everything you need to get started in the market, whether you’re buying, selling, or investing. Our users enjoy a free home search and extensive information on local communities, such as the Watersound Beach real estate area.

What Makes A “Green” Home? / Author: Karrie Rose

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Looking For A Second Home: Your Destin Fl. Options

Paradise is what most people call Destin Florida, and that’s because it truly is a beautiful place. Destin is a place that epitomizes what people think of when they think of Florida—white sand and turquoise water stretching off into the horizon. If you are looking to make your home in paradise, also known as Destin Florida, then check out the new homes being built in Destin lately.

Ariel Dunes I and II, are new twin condominium tower developments—the tallest in the area—boasting stunning views of the both the Gulf of Mexico and Choctawhatchee Bay. These are truly gorgeous suites, with up to three bedrooms and all with private balconies. The interiors feature high end finishing details such as granite counter tops, high quality stainless appliances and tile flooring, and are designed with elegant high ceilings. Outside, there is a whole series of expansive pools surrounding the two towers, making up over 12,000 sq. ft. of water. As well, Ariel Dunes owns beach-front for use by its owners and renters. Finally, there’s a great restaurant on the bottom floor of the first tower, so you don’t have to travel far to enjoy a meal or drink out. Whether you are thinking of a vacation rental, or considering a permanent move to Destin, Ariel Dunes will have what you are looking for.

If that doesn’t meet your needs, consider Emerald Grande. If you’re reading this before August 31, 2008, they have a great summer rates that are 30 percent off their regular rates, plus include free golf and fishing. Facing the Gulf of Mexico, Emerald Grande is a vacation condo that offers rental or ownership options. If you are looking for a second home or a vacation home, Emerald Grande is an excellent choice as there is built-in management services, cleaning and it’s all completely furnished, if you desire. No more having to wonder what is happening to your condo when you can’t be there! Also, they offer fractional ownership, similar to time-shares, so you can visit the Florida coast during your agreed upon times, knowing you’ve got all the perks of owning, without the stress of management or rental.

Emerald Grande features a full spa and fitness center. There’s a 2,500 sq. ft. outdoor pool in addition to a heated indoor pool, plus hot tubs. There’s a restaurant and room service. If you want it, there’s even daily housekeeping, so you can relax and enjoy your vacation. If you’ve got a special event planned, there’s a banquet room and facilities that can accommodate weddings or large business meetings. If you’ve got kids, they’ve got a seasonal kid’s club with special events and activities for the little ones. If relaxing on the beach is your priority, then take advantage of the private boat that takes you to a secluded beach. This resort condominium truly offers you everything you could want in a vacation home.

However, that still might not be what you are after. If a gravity-defying roof-top pool sounds more to your liking, then the beach-front Signature Beach condominiums might be what you are looking for. They have less of a resort eel than Emerald Grande, but still have the amenities you look for in a vacation home. With a competent management company, you know your condo is in good hands when you can’t be there.

Whatever your preference, there’s a condominium or home in Destin that will suit you. These are just a few of the new developments in Destin—there are also plenty of established condos and homes to choose from. If you want help finding just the right place, contact a qualified Destin real estate agent today.

Learn all about Florida’s Emerald Coast, and the Destin real estate market, at EdKirkland.com. This site has everything you need to get started in the market, whether you’re buying, selling, or investing. Our users enjoy a free home search and extensive information on local communities, such as the Watersound Beach real estate area.

Looking For A Second Home: Your Destin Fl. Options / Author: Karrie Rose

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Right & Wrong Way to Report Identity Theft

The first thing many ID Theft victims want to know is, “How do I report identity theft to the police?” This is an important question, especially since many police departments don’t want to deal with the issue of identity fraud.

Police don’t want to ignore crime. But identity theft isn’t like the physical crimes most law enforcement officers are used to dealing with. Most evidence of ID Theft activity happens in the realm of electronic databases and paper transactions.

ID Theft investigations typically take a good bit of time and man-hours. Local police can’t possibly investigate most crimes that stem from identity theft — there just isn’t enough money or resources.

If your local police resist the idea of filling out an official police report then politely insist. One reason the police may resist filling out a report is because they think you expect them to exert a lot of time and effort investigating the crime. That, of course, is unlikely to happen.

Explain to the police that having a report for “informational purposes” is vital to clearing your credit profile … and legally protecting yourself from any crimes committed in your name by the identity thief. Also tell them that credit reporting agencies and credit grantors expect to see a police report in order to clear a profile affected by identity fraud. Prospective employers and future credit issuers also need to understand that you’re the victim of a genuine, serious crime.

If the police official tells you a credit grantor must report the crime before police can file a report then politely inform them this isn’t the case. Show them a copy of Federal Law Code 18 USC 1028a — the “Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act.” This law makes identity theft against a consumer a “federal offence.” Identity theft is a felony under applicable state laws too.

Tell them you need a police report for credit grantors to truly know you’re a victim of a serious crime, which is recognized by both Federal and State agencies. You can also explain that many creditor grantors don’t bother reporting identity theft because it happens so often they write it off as a cost of doing business.

As the victim of identity theft, credit issuers are going to expect you to prove that any accounts you dispute (because they’re fraudulent) weren’t really opened by you in the first place. These are the basic reasons why a police report is needed. If you’re persistent then you should be able to find a police official who sympathizes with your dilemma.

Joe Farinaccio is the author of “ID Theft 911: Step-By-Step Instructions for Stopping Identity Fraud, Cleaning Up Your Credit Profile, and Getting Other Records Fixed” … available at http://www.IdTheftHelp911.com

Right & Wrong Way to Report Identity Theft / Author: Joe Farinaccio

Joe Farinaccio is a sailing writer (“the small tri guy”), author and Information Publisher. Joe is inviting small trimaran owners/designers/ builders to share written submissions relating to all aspects of small tri sailing and/or boatbuilding … and is offering info and resources about small trimarans at his website: www.SmallTrimarans.com

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Negative Mortgages

The idea of being upside down on a vehicle is not that new. This commonly occurs when a consumer makes the decision to purchase a new vehicle before they have paid off their existing vehicle. As a result, the balance of the loan on the existing vehicle is added to the note for the new vehicle. The result is that the consumer owes more on the new vehicle than it is actually worth.

Today, many consumers are finding they are now upside down on their mortgages. Unfortunately, this did not occur because they bought a new house and added in the cost of their old home to the new mortgage. This situation occurred in many cases because of the rapid rise of home values in many areas followed by the real estate market crash that sent home values subsequently spiraling downward.

In many markets, especially in California, the majority of homeowners are now actually upside down on their mortgages and that number is increasing rapidly. A large number of these homeowners are consumers who purchased their homes at the peak of the boom. During that time home values doubled and even tripled within a short period of time in many areas. This situation leaves many homeowners wondering what they should do. Options are often based on whether the homeowner is able to continue making their monthly mortgage payments. While some are able to pay their monthly mortgages, especially if they have a fixed rate mortgage, that is not the case with others who took out adjustable rate mortgages.

Homeowners who can still afford their monthly mortgage payments and who are not feeling the pressure to sell due to employment reasons may find they are better off by riding out the market decline. There is a wide belief that once the market bottoms out it will begin to rebound. If that occurs, these homeowners could still be poised to make a profit on their home once the market does rebound.

Other homeowners are not so fortunate; however. In some cases, homeowners simply have no choice but to move now rather than wait as a result of relocation or job loss. Homeowners who have adjustable mortgages may also find they are simply no longer able to afford their mortgage payments as they continue to rise. These homeowners are now facing the bitter reality of foreclosure when they are not able to pay off their debts or refinance their home loans because of tightening loan restrictions.

Homeowners are also facing the reality that their options are reduced because they have little if any equity in their homes. The amount of equity that a homeowner has in their home is often determined by the amount of their down payment. During the housing boom it was quite common for many buyers to purchase homes with very little, if any, down payment. At the time it seemed like a good deal; however, today it is causing significant problems as housing values continue to decline.

This situation is causing further problems for homeowners who would like to take out home equity loans either to make necessary home improvements or to consolidate higher interest debts. Even if they are among the few homeowners who do have equity in their home, they are finding that lenders are increasingly wary of making home equity loans. Just as the default rate on mortgage loans have increased, so has the default rate on home equity loans. Quite simply, lenders are no longer willing to take on risk when they are already holding a number of defaulted loans.

The ability to refinance has also dwindled in many locations. Not only are loan guidelines becoming stricter but most homeowners who are upside down are frequently finding the lower value of their home makes it nearly impossible to qualify for a new loan. In essence these homeowners now have negative equity and lenders are simply not willing to take on that risk.

Heather Seitz is a national real estate investor, trainer and publisher and has worked with top advisors worldwide. To get current and accurate real estate investment tips and advice, visit http://www.RealEstateRant.net and find out how you can get $852.90 in FREE real estate investing information delivered to your front door.

Negative Mortgages / Author: Heather Seitz

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Low Cost Car Insurance with High Risk Coverage

Although each car is different from the other there is one aspect which is common to all - the need for car insurance. Irrespective of its make, model and price, every car owner needs to get their car insured to protect it from the various perils that it is exposed to in its day-to-day usage. However, it is important to look at the different benefits and risk coverage offered by the insurance company before getting the car insured. Usually, the insurance provider that offers a whole lot of benefits at low premium rates is deemed to be the best.

In Australia, there are some car insurance companies that provide flexible, convenient and affordable car insurance. These car insurers offer multiple insurance benefits and cover the automobile against damage/loss of the car, damage caused to other vehicles or damage caused to other people or their property by the use of the insured car. The best part is that you get all these benefits at a very low cost premium! The premium amount of the car is variable, and depends upon some factors such as:

- The make, model and price of the automobile
- The driving history and age of the people driving the car
- Any optional factory extra accessories that are fitted in the car
- The policy holder’s residential address
- The finance arrangement of the car

Depending upon these factors, the car’s premium value is calculated.

Most of us never realise the importance of a car insurance policy until we have to make an insurance claim. This can also be when we realise that we have been literally taken for a ride! Since most of us overlook all that is written between the fine lines of the car insurance policy papers, we are never able to fully comprehend the risks we are covered against. The best way to avoid this is to go for comprehensive online car insurance. This would ensure that you get a low cost car insurance policy that covers your automobile against most of the risks and hazards.

Some Australian car insurance companies offer low cost car insurance and also facilitate an easy claim process. They provide low cost car insurance with high risk coverage against accidental and malicious damage, fire or theft for the insured car and physical injury of the car owner. Apart from this, the online car insurance offered by them also covers collision, physical and property damage for third parties. This ensures that your car is covered against all the possible problems that you can face.

Low Cost Car Insurance with High Risk Coverage / Author: Hugh McInnes

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