What Impacts the Value of Your Home?

Did you know that there are more things involved in determining the value of your home that its most basic features? The reality is that there are several features and characteristics that homeowners are looking for when purchasing a new place to live. Here is a look at just a few of those things.

The Street

The street and the location of the property on that street will be important to your buyers. If your home is located on a busy street, for example, you will probably have to knock thousands of dollars off of your price. This is because houses on busy streets tend to be noisier and, if the buyer has children or plans to have children, a busy street is a safety hazard. The same is true of houses with corner lots. While these homes generally have larger lots than other homes on the street, they do have more problems with traffic noise and trespassing than homes that are not on corner lots. If your home is in a cul de sac, on the other hand, buyers with children will be far more attracted to your home.

School Districts

Although school districts are technically subject to change, they often are pretty static. Therefore, if your home is located in an area with a top-notch school system, you will find it easier to sell your home to buyers with families.

Special Amenities

Those little "extras" in your home may help make it more attractive to potential buyers, though some buyers won't be willing to pay extra for certain added perks. Therefore, you generally don't want to add extra amenities in order to increase your chances for a sale. If you already have extras such as a spa, a pool or a fireplace, however, it may help you get a little extra or your home.

Availability of Utilities

The availability of utilities such as satellite service, DSL service and access to public utilities such as water and sewage will also impact your sale. Most buyers are looking for a home that allows them to enjoy these modern conveniences, which means you may have a harder time making a sale if these amenities are not available in your home.

Condition of Electrical, Plumbing and Heating and Cooling Units

The condition of items such as your electrical, plumbing and heating and cooling units will also impact the value of your property to potential buyers. After all, no one wants to purchase a new home and have to replace these items within the first couple of years. Therefore, if your electrical, plumbing or heating and cooling units are outdated or in need of repair, you should either replace them or expect to knock down the price your are asking for your home.

About the Author: Shannon Kietzman is a well known author and trusted resource. Shannon regularly writes for http://www.electronicappraiser.com/, which is a leading provider of on-line home appraisals and offers a nationwide personalized instant informational report about home appraisal. For more information, please visit .
http://www.electronicappraiser.com.

Three Major No-Nos to Avoid When Selling a Home

Are you looking for a way to make your home more attractive to potential buyers? While an appraiser may only consider the basics of your home when developing an appraisal, such as the number of rooms in the home and its total square footage, there are some factors that can significantly decrease the value of your home and the likelihood of making a sale and you may not even realize it! In fact, there are many things that homeowners innocently do with their homes without realizing the potentially negative affect things factors have on the overall value of their homes. Here's a look at just a few.

Getting Attacked by Pets

While the dog may be a man's best friend, it can be the worse enemy of the homeowner who is trying to make a sale. Whether you have hired a Realtor to show your home or you are planning to make the sale on your own, keep your pooch away while the property is being shown to prospective buyers. Some potential buyers may actually be frightened if they are greeted by your dog in the driveway or at the front door - even if your dog is the friendliest pet an owner could ever hope to have. Others may be simply irritated by your pet or possibly even allergic. So, do yourself a favor and take your pet to a friend's house or to a boarder while your house is being shown.

The Seller Who Can't Leave

Just as it can be bothersome to have a pet hang around while the house is being shown, so can it be if you stick around while the house is being shown. Obviously, you will need to be at the house showing if you are selling the home yourself. If you have hired a Realtor to help get the job done, however, it is best for you to leave during the showing. If you stick around, potential buyers may feel uncomfortable about looking through closets and really getting a good look at the home. After all, it will make them feel as if they are invading your personal privacy. In order to get the house sold, you need to make certain the potential buyer is as comfortable as possible. If you absolutely must be present while the house is being shown, make certain to give the potential buyer some space and not to hover.

Watching Out for Wallpaper

If at all possible, you should also limit the amount of wallpaper on the walls in your home. Many potential buyers are not major fans of wallpaper and those who do like wallpaper probably won't like the colors and patterns you have selected. So, do yourself a favor and remove the wallpaper and apply a fresh coat of paint instead. This way, you will be able to appeal to a larger group of potential buyers and will be more likely to get your house sold in a short period of time.



About the Author: Shannon Kietzman is a well known author and trusted resource. Shannon regularly writes for http://www.electronicappraiser.com/, which is a leading provider of on-line home appraisals and offers a nationwide personalized instant informational report about home appraisal. For more information, please visit .
http://www.electronicappraiser.com.

5 Inexpensive Ways to Increase the Value of Your Home

Are you looking for some easy steps that you can take to increase the value of your home while also improving its overall curb appeal? If you hope to sell your property quickly and to get top dollar from it, it is important for you to take a few simple steps to help it look its best. With these simple tips, you will be able to increase the value and appeal of your property without having to make a large investment.

Tip #1: Work on the Lawn

Your lawn is one of the first things potential buyers will notice when they see your home, so make certain it makes a good impression. Do everything you can to make your lawn look healthy and green. If you will be selling soon, you may want to consider laying down new sod so you can get an instant improvement. If you have time, on the other hand, weed and fertilize your lawn regularly until it is looking great and be sure to add edging in order to create that well manicured look.

Tip #2: Improve Your Landscaping

After noticing your lawn, prospective buyers will also notice your landscaping. You don't have to spend hundreds of dollars to give your landscaping a complete overhaul. Rather, planting a few annuals near your house or around your trees will really spruce up the look of your yard. You should also consider adding some bushes or plants around your foundation in order to create a more welcoming look.

Tip #3: Focus on the Door

After getting past their initial impression from the lawn, your potential buyers will enter your home through your front door. Therefore, you want to be certain the door is as attractive and inviting as possible. To that end, you should paint the door or possibly even replace it if necessary.

Tip #4: Keep it Fresh

If you want to lure people into buying your home, it should look fresh and attractive both inside and out. Therefore, be certain to clean up any dirt and clutter and to take steps to make the outside, the walls and the windows look fresh and crisp. You may need to apply a fresh coat of paint certain areas and cleaning your windows may take a little extra elbow grease, but the payoff will be well worth the effort.

Tip #5: Make Upgrades

If certain parts of your home are getting rundown or are simply outdated, you may want to make a few upgrades before you put your home on the market. Replacing countertops, cabinet hardware and doors, toilet seats and faucets are all relatively inexpensive facelifts that can really spruce up your kitchen and bathroom and make your home more attractive to potential buyers.


About the Author: Shannon Kietzman is a well known author and trusted resource. Shannon regularly writes for http://www.electronicappraiser.com/, which is a leading provider of on-line home appraisals and offers a nationwide personalized instant informational report about home appraisal. For more information, please visit .
http://www.electronicappraiser.com.

Home Equity Loan or Credit Card - Which is the Better Option?

Are you considering taking out a little extra money to make some home improvements? Or, perhaps you need some cash to help pay for someone's college or for some other important financial venture. Regardless of your reasons, you have two major options available for getting the money you need: you can take out a home equity loan or you can use a credit card. In order to determine which of these two options is best for you, there are many things you should take into consideration.

The Pros and Cons of an Equity Loan

When it comes to a home equity loan, there are many pros and cons for you to consider. Perhaps the biggest benefit to obtaining a home equity loan is the fact that the interest rate on home equity loans is generally much lower than the interest rate on credit cards. Therefore, depending upon the amount you borrow, how long it takes to pay back and the difference in the interest rates, you could potentially save hundreds or even thousands of dollars when you choose a home equity loan over using a credit card.

Perhaps the biggest disadvantage to obtaining a home equity loan rather than using a credit card is the fact that your home is put up for collateral. Essentially, taking out a home equity loan equates to taking out a second mortgage, which means your home can be foreclosed upon if you fail to repay your equity loan in the agreed upon manner. With a credit card, on the other hand, there is no collateral on the loan. While you still risk ruining your credit rating if you fail to pay the loan back properly, you significantly reduce your risks of losing your personal belongings when you use a credit card to obtain the funds you need.

The Pros and Cons of Using a Credit Card

The biggest con against using a credit card in order to give yourself a major loan is the fact that credit cards tend to have a high interest rate. If you take advantage of special promotional offers and if you plan your repayment schedule effectively, however, you can potentially enjoy a lower interest rate when you use your credit card.

Another perk to using a credit card rather than a home equity loan is the fact that you do not have to deal with the paperwork involved with getting a home equity loan. As such, you can obtain the funds much more quickly if you use a credit card that you already have. In addition, you don't have to worry about paying to get your home appraised or other costs that are involved with getting a home equity loan. At the same time, it is important to note that there may be extra fees associated with obtaining funds through your credit card as well, so be certain to learn more about all of the fees involved before you borrow cash from your plastic.


About the Author: Shannon Kietzman is a well known author and trusted resource. Shannon regularly writes for http://www.electronicappraiser.com/, which is a leading provider of on-line home appraisals and offers a nationwide personalized instant informational report about home appraisal. For more information, please visit .
http://www.electronicappraiser.com.

Understanding the Costs of a Home Equity Loan

Are you considering obtaining a home equity loan? While home equity loans can present you with a great way to consolidate bills or to make large purchases, it is important for you to understand that there are many fees that are typically associated with obtaining a home equity loan. Therefore, it is important for you to understand the expenses associated with home equity loans so you can take out the type of loan that is best for you and your personal situation.

Typical Closing Costs

Just as is the case when taking out a mortgage loan, there are typically many closing costs associated with taking out a home equity loan as well. In fact, the closing costs of home equity loans are generally equal to 2 to 5 percent of the total amount of the loan. This is because there are several fees associated with the closing of a home equity loan. These include:

Application fees
Attorney or title agent fees
Document preparation fees
Property appraisal fees
Title search fees

If you take out a home equity line of credit rather than a traditional home equity loan, you may not have to pay all of these closing fees in order to seal the deal. Still, you will likely have to pay for the property to be appraised and there may be an annual fee for keeping the line of credit open.

Interest Fees

Any time you take out any type of loan, you will have to pay interest on the funds you have borrowed. The same is true when it comes to equity loans, whether they are the traditional home equity loan or a line of credit equity loan. If you take out a traditional home equity loan, you will likely be charged a fixed interest rate. If you take out a line of credit home equity loan, on the other hand, you will likely receive a variable interest rate instead. Either way, the interest rate will likely be lower than what you would find on a credit card. Nonetheless, you should compare offers and be aware of the costs that interest fees will add to your overall expense.

Keeping the Costs Down

While it is impossible to completely avoid paying fees when taking out a home equity loan, there a few steps you can take in order to keep your expenses minimal. One of the most important steps you can take is to shop around, as different lenders will have different terms available with their loans. You may also be able to save money by selecting a lender that will take a computerized estimate of your home's value rather than paying an actual appraiser to go to your home. While there still may be costs associated with these types of fees, they are generally far less than what you would pay for a full appraisal.

About the Author: Shannon Kietzman is a well known author and trusted resource. Shannon regularly writes for http://www.electronicappraiser.com/, which is a leading provider of home appraisals that offers a nationwide personalized instant informational report about house values. For more information, please visit www.electronicappraiser.com .

Tapping Into Your Home’s Equity

According to research conducted by the Federal Reserve, the best investment you can make is purchasing a home. Unlike the stock market, which can be quite volatile, the investment you make into your home is relatively risk free and generally provides a reliable return of the money invested. In fact, the Federal Reserve claims that those homeowners that sold their homes during the last five years made a net capital gain of $25,000 or more. At the same time, if you want to take advantage of this net capital gain, you don’t actually have to sell your home. In fact, you can tap into that equity in a number of different ways.

Refinancing Your Mortgage

One way to take advantage of the equity in your home is to take out a refinancing mortgage. When you refinance your mortgage, you actually replace the old mortgage with a new one. When replacing the old one, however, you borrow more than what you still owed on the home. This way, you can use the extra money in any way you please. If you managed to get a lower interest rate on your refinanced mortgage, you can potentially save yourself a little money as well.

Taking Out a Home Equity Loan

When you take out a home equity loan, you don’t replace the old loan. Rather, you still carry the other mortgage loan and you simply add another home loan on top of it. For this reason, home equity loans are often referred to as second mortgages. Taking out a home equity loan requires less paperwork than refinancing, but the interest rates tend to be several points higher than refinanced mortgage rates.

Preparing for a Rainy Day with a Home Equity Line of Credit

Just as with a home equity loan, a home equity line of credit is a type of loan that is in addition to your mortgage. This type of loan is different, however, in that you are extended a line of credit in the same way you receive a line of credit with a credit card. In this way, you can borrow against the line of credit as you need to, but you can also keep your balance at $0 if you don’t need to borrow against your equity. This type of equity loan typically has few up-front costs and you can usually get approved for one of these loans rather quickly. In addition, you don’t have to worry about paying interest until you actually borrow against the credit line.

If you need to tap into the equity that you have built in your home, be sure to explore your options and select the one that is right for you. At the same time, avoid taking out a home equity loan or refinancing your home for frivolous expenses. After all, your home is on the line when you refinance or take out a home equity loan and you want to be certain you can afford to pay the loan back.


About the Author: Shannon Kietzman is a well known author and trusted resource. Shannon regularly writes for http://www.electronicappraiser.com/, which is a leading provider of home appraisals that offers a nationwide personalized instant informational report about house values. For more information, please visit www.electronicappraiser.com .

Tips for Buying a Home in Foreclosure

If you are looking for an investment home, you might be interested in picking up a home that is in foreclosure. While buying a home that is in foreclosure can certainly be a great way to make some extra money, there are a few things you should keep in mind before moving forward. In this way, you can ensure the process is as smooth as possible for everyone involved.

Know Your State Laws and Regulations

When it comes to foreclosure, the proceedings vary from state to state. Therefore, even if you have purchased a home in foreclosure in the past, that doesn’t mean the proceedings will be the same if you are considering a purchase in another state. Similarly, if you are looking for homes for sale by owner on an MLS listing, keep in mind that the proceedings may be different on a home in a different state from where you live.

In some states, it is possible for homeowners to stay in a home for up to a year while going through foreclosure. This is particularly true in states where the mortgage system is used. In those where trust deeds are used, on the other hand, the owner may have only about four months before he or she has to vacate the premises.

Understand the Period of Redemption

Don’t get too excited about a purchase until the sale is finalized. Nearly every state allows the homeowner to enjoy a period of redemption. This means the owner has the right to take care of the financial default, which includes paying all of the costs of the foreclosure as well as paying back the missed principal payments and back interest. If the homeowner manages to accomplish this within the state’s designated timeframe, he or she can regain control of the home. Although this doesn’t happen often, it is possible. In order to gain a better understanding of how this works in your state, it is best to consult with a real estate lawyer.

Make Certain You Can Handle the Emotional Stress

When considering investing in a foreclosure, many people fail to think about the fate of the homeowner. More than likely, however, you will come face to face with the homeowner and the family that is losing its home. This is particularly true when it comes to homes that are for sale by owner. For many people, meeting those people that are losing their home can be quite upsetting and uncomfortable. Therefore, be certain you are mentally and emotionally prepared for this situation before you get started in the purchase process.

Homes go into foreclosure for many reasons. In some cases, the homeowner may have been laid off, fired, or unable to work due to medical problems. Others may have buried themselves in a debt they were unable to repay while others may be going through major life changes, such as divorce or the death of a loved one. These situations can be quite heartbreaking and can make an investor feel guilty about the purchase. At the same time, you may be helping the homeowner get out from beneath a burden that he or she can no longer carry. In that case, it can be a win-win situation for everyone involved.


About the Author: Shannon Kietzman is a well known author and trusted resource. Shannon regularly writes for http://www.electronicappraiser.com/, which is a leading provider of home appraisals that offers a nationwide personalized instant informational report about house values. For more information, please visit www.electronicappraiser.com .

How is Your Home’s Value Appraised?

When it comes to appraising the value of your home, you might be surprised by the vast difference in value of your home when compared to one that is nearby. In fact, in some cases, the appraised value of homes located right across the street can be much higher or much lower than the appraised value of your home. Why is there such a discrepancy in these values? The answer is simple: market value.

Calculating Market Value

In order to determine a market value, appraisers must crunch a variety of different numbers. Obviously, it is impossible to determine the true 100% market value of a home because every house across the nation is not put up for sale each year. Therefore, appraisers have to piece together a variety of information in order to determine the value of your home. This includes looking at the average percent change in value for homes in the neighborhood, which is based on sales information that is available. This information is then used to help determine of a home’s value.

If there is no recent sales information available for the neighborhood, the appraiser may look at similar homes in different communities instead. By looking at homes of similar size and with similar amenities, an appraiser can get a good idea of the value of the home. Nonetheless, the differences in neighborhoods needs to be taken into account, as some neighborhoods are simply more desirable to potential buyers than others. For example, a home located on a golf course is certainly going to have higher appraised value than one that is not, if all other attributes are similar.

Considering Special Circumstances

Of course, there are special circumstances about homes that can make their actual value different from others in the same market. For instance, if your home is located in a part of the neighborhood that is near a highway, your value will likely go down because of the noise and distraction of the highway. On the other hand, a home that is located on a corner lot or near to a park may have a higher appraised value because of the added land or convenience it brings to the homeowner.

Determining the value of a home in a neighborhood where the houses are of varying sizes can also be difficult. In some areas, where each home is of similar in size age and attributes, finding comparable sold homes is easy and appraisals are generally quite accurate. In the neighborhoods where this is not the case, however, the value of one home can be much less or much more than the value of the home located next door.

In order to get an accurate appraisal, a variety of factors need to be taken into consideration. In addition, it is important to remember that an appraisal is not a guarantee of the amount of money you can expect to get for your home. Rather, it is a good starting point for you to use when determining how much you would like to receive when selling your home.
Appraising is an “art”, not a “science”. If you hire two different appraisers to value your home, you most likely will get two different values.


About the Author: Shannon Kietzman is a well known author and trusted resource. Shannon regularly writes for http://www.electronicappraiser.com/, which is a leading provider of home appraisals that offers a nationwide personalized instant informational report about house values. For more information, please visit www.electronicappraiser.com .

Making Money with a Fixer-Upper

If you are looking for a way to make a little extra cash, you may be considering purchasing a “fixer upper” and then making some renovations before putting the home on the market. In the industry, purchasing a home with the intention of selling it shortly after is referred to as “flipping,” and, while flipping can certainly be profitable, there are many things you should take into consideration before you purchase a fixer-upper and start making some changes to it.

Consider the Location
No matter what you do to a home, you won’t be able to make a profit on it if you purchase a home in a bad location. In fact, fixing up the home may actually make it nicer than the other homes in the neighborhood, which will make it even harder to sell. After all, who wants to purchase a nice home that is surrounded by run down houses? So, before you invest in a fixer-upper, make certain the entire neighborhood isn’t also in need of fixing.

Watch the Expenses
Before you purchase a fixer upper, you need to determine the extent of the damages. If the home is in need of major repairs, you likely won’t be able to recoup the cost of the repairs. If the home just needs cosmetic repairs, such as a new paint job or new flooring, you may be able to invest very little for a great return. Therefore, you need to be certain to inspect the home thoroughly and to have a clear idea of how much it will cost to fix it up before you make a purchase.

Assess Your Skills
You also need to be honest with yourself about your level of skill. While painting the walls may not be a problem, you may run into problems when it comes to changing plumbing or installing cabinetry. If you cannot do it yourself, you will need to hire a professional to get the work done. This, of course, can be quite costly. Similarly, if you do the work yourself and you do it poorly, the renovations will do little to improve the value of the home. In fact, it could cause the value to depreciate further.

Think About the Customer
When making renovations to a home with the intent to sell, you always need to keep the potential buyer in mind. Therefore, while you may love the idea of converting a bedroom into an office, most homebuyers are looking for homes with plenty of bedroom space. If they decide to convert a room, they can do that later. In order to attract the largest group of buyers, however, you should focus on providing a living room area, a dining room, and as many bedrooms as possible.

About the Author: Shannon Kietzman is a well known author and trusted resource. Shannon regularly writes for http://www.electronicappraiser.com/, which is a leading provider of home appraisals that offers a nationwide personalized instant informational report about house values. For more information, please visit www.electronicappraiser.com .

How Does Your Backyard Affect the Value of Your Home?

Have you ever thought about how the sunlight may affect the value of your home? Many people have heard that having a backyard that faces the south is a positive attribute when selling a home. While this may be true, whether or not a south-facing backyard is a benefit will largely depend upon the person looking at buying your home. In the end, however, it is unlikely that having a south-facing yard will add any value to your home.

The Benefits of Having a South-Facing Backyard

There are many potential benefits to having a south-facing backyard and, depending upon the person looking at buying your home, these benefits can really help with closing a sale. For example, having a south-facing backyard means that the home will receive plenty of sunlight. If the person is an avid gardener, having this extra sunlight is definitely a benefit. After all, most perennial flowers and vegetable plants need plenty of sunlight in order to thrive.

Having a south-facing backyard is also beneficial to those that suffer from seasonal depression. Although it won’t serve as a “cure all” for depression, the extra sun can go a long way toward helping a person with seasonal depression feel better in the winter months. In addition, the extra sunlight can help prevent moss from forming on the roof of the home. Not only is moss on the roof unattractive, it can be quite damaging as well. Therefore, this can definitely be a selling feature for the home.

The Down Side to Having a South-Facing Backyard

Although there are many benefits associated with having a south-facing backyard, there are downsides to this feature as well. Namely, if the home doesn’t have air conditioning, having a south-facing backyard means the house will likely get quite hot during the summer. If it does have an air conditioner, the cost of running the conditioner may be higher because of the extra heat.

Whether or not a south-facing backyard is an attribute really depends upon the person buying the house. In addition, there are likely to be other factors that will draw the attention of potential buyers more than the location of the backyard. For example, if there is a great view to the south, many homebuyers may prefer a home that faces in that direction instead. Similarly, if a potential buyer enjoys gardening, it may still be possible to successfully maintain a garden even if the backyard faces the north. For these reasons, an appraiser isn’t likely to value your home any higher than he or she would value a home on the other side of the street. On the other hand, if you happen to have a home that is on a corner, your home is likely to get appraised at a higher value because it offers more versatility.


About the Author: Shannon Kietzman is a well known author and trusted resource. Shannon regularly writes for http://www.electronicappraiser.com/, which is a leading provider of on-line home appraisals and offers a nationwide personalized instant informational report about home appraisal. For more information, please visit .
www.electronicappraiser.com .

Should You Renovate Your Kitchen Or Bathroom Before Putting Your Home on the Market?

Many people think that renovating their kitchens and their bathrooms is the best way to add resale value to their homes. While these renovations can certainly help bulk up your home’s value, there are some things you should keep in mind before you start tearing out walls and cabinetry in either of these two rooms.

How Much Can I Get Back From a Renovation?

The amount of value you add to your home when you renovate your kitchen or bathroom will really depend on the status of the room before you got started and the types of renovations you made. For the most part, however, you can expect to get anywhere from 75 to 100% of the money you put into your renovation project back when you sell your home.

Although making these renovations won’t necessarily help you make more money than what you put in, they can help you sell make the home more attractive to buyers. As a result, you may be able to sell the home more quickly. In addition, if you do the work yourself, you may see a much greater return. Just be certain the work is of high-quality, or you may actually decrease the value of your home rather than bring its value up.

What Should I Consider Before Making a Renovation?

When making a renovation in your kitchen or bathroom, your goal should be to modernize the space without making it too personal in terms of taste. In other words, while you might like the thought of having bright red cabinets in your kitchen, many of your potential buyers may not like this color scheme. So, update your room without going over the top with colors and other design elements.

You should also consider the other home in your neighborhood before you start your renovations. If other homes in your neighborhood are mid-market houses and you add the highest-end finishes, you won’t get as much back on your return and you may actually have difficult selling your home. After all, most buyers don’t want to spend a great deal of money on a very nice home that is surrounded by less attractive houses. You should aim to keep the home on the same level as the surrounding homes in the neighborhood in order to get the greatest return.

Completing a bathroom or a kitchen renovation can certainly help to boost the value of your home, but plan out your renovations carefully in order to make certain every dollar you put into your home will come back to you in resale value. Ideally, your renovations should help you earn more than what you have put in, so talk with a real estate agent and ask for feedback and guidance before you start making your changes.


About the Author: Shannon Kietzman is a well known author and trusted resource. Shannon regularly writes for http://www.electronicappraiser.com/, which is a leading provider of on-line home appraisals and offers a nationwide personalized instant informational report about home appraisal. For more information, please visit .
www.electronicappraiser.com .

Increasing the Value of Your Home

Are you considering selling your home? Before you get the value of your home appraised and put it on the market, you might want to consider making some changes to your home that will help to improve its value. You just might be surprised by how much your home value can be improved by a few simple changes.

Creating a Modern Kitchen

One of the best ways to increase the value of your home is to update your kitchen. Most of today’s buyers are looking for large kitchens that offer plenty of workspace. Solid surface counters are also a must in an updated kitchen, as are newer appliances that are in good working order. A kitchen that opens up to another room will also be well-received by potential buyers and you should place a window over your sink whenever possible.

Updating Your Bathroom

After the kitchen, the bathroom will generally have the greatest impact on the value of your home. Bathrooms containing a whirlpool tub or spa are big sellers. Other features that homebuyers look for include separate showers that contain multiple jets or steam and double sinks. A growing number of buyers are also looking for toilets in a separate room and master baths that are nice and roomy.

The physical appearance isn’t all that matters when it comes to the bathroom, however, as the plumbing is also important. Make certain your pipes are large enough to carry enough water and that your hot water heater is big enough to keep the water at a comfortable temperature. At the very minimum, you should have a 75 gallon hot water heater, though most homebuyers will prefer a 100 or 150 gallon heater.

Going Natural

Today’s homebuyers are also looking for homes that contain natural materials. Items such as hardwood floors, ceramic tile, and granite are all positive additions to a home. When it comes to bathrooms and kitchens, buyers are especially interested in avoiding linoleum and having flooring such as wood and ceramic tile. Laminate and wood floors are more popular than wall-to-wall covering in other rooms of the house.

Providing Plenty of Storage

The more storage space you can provide, the happier your potential buyers will be. An oversized garage and attic space are both great assets. Buyers are also looking for closet space to store their personal belongings. His and hers walk-in closets are particularly attractive in the master suite. Don’t look at your basement as your storage space, as homebuyers are more interested in finished basements rather than basements filled with clutter.

Making it Light and Airy

Homes with a light and airy feeling are particularly popular. Therefore, you might want to consider adding additional lighting and finding ways to let in more natural light. Find ways to open up your home in order to create an illusion of spaciousness. Knocking out the wall between your kitchen and your dining room, for example, can really open up your home and make it more appealing to potential buyers.

About the Author: Shannon Kietzman is a well known author and trusted resource. Shannon regularly writes for http://www.electronicappraiser.com/, which is a leading provider of home appraisals that offers a nationwide personalized instant informational report about house values. For more information, please visit www.electronicappraiser.com .

What is A Home Appraisal?

You are ready to make that big purchase, maybe it is your dream home or it could be an investment piece of real estate. Whichever it may be, the purchase of real estate is a complex financial transaction that requires multiple parties to pull it off.

Of the many people involved with a real estate transaction, including the Realtor, mortgage company, title company and financial institution, all want to make sure that the value of the property is in line with the amount being paid.

This is where the appraisal comes in. An appraisal is an unbiased estimate of what a buyer might expect to pay - or a seller receive - for a parcel of real estate, where both buyer and seller are informed parties. To be an informed party, most people turn to a licensed, certified, professional appraiser to provide them with the most accurate estimate of the true value of their property.

To start the real estate appraisal process, first there must be an inspection. An appraiser's duty is to inspect the property being appraised to ascertain the true status of that property. The appraiser must actually see features, such as the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, the location, and so on, to ensure that they really exist and are in the condition a reasonable buyer would expect them to be. The inspection often includes a sketch of the property, ensuring the proper square footage and conveying the layout of the property. Most importantly, the appraiser looks for any obvious features - or defects - that would affect the value of the house.

Once the site has been inspected, an appraiser uses two or three approaches to determining the value of real property: a cost approach, a sales comparison and, in the case of a rental property, an income approach.

The cost approach is the easiest to understand. The appraiser uses information on local building costs, labor rates and other factors to determine how much it would cost to construct a property similar to the one being appraised. This value often sets the upper limit on what a property would sell for. Why would you pay more for an existing property if you could spend less and build a brand new home instead is the reasoning behind the cost approach? While there may be mitigating factors, such as location and amenities, these are usually not reflected in the cost approach.

This is where the sales comparison comes in. Appraisers use the sales comparison method through getting to know the neighborhoods in which they work. They understand the value of certain features to the residents of that area. They know the traffic patterns, the school zones, the busy throughways; and they use this information to determine which attributes of a property will make a difference in the value. Then, the appraiser researches recent sales in the vicinity and finds properties that are ''comparable'' to the subject being appraised. The sales prices of these properties are used as a basis to begin the sales comparison approach.

Using knowledge of the value of certain items such as square footage, extra bathrooms, hardwood floors, fireplaces or view lots (just to name a few), the appraiser adjusts the comparable properties to more accurately portray the subject property. For example, if the comparable property has a fireplace and the subject does not, the appraiser may deduct the value of a fireplace from the sales price of the comparable home. If the subject property has an extra half-bathroom and the comparable does not, the appraiser might add a certain amount to the comparable property.

In the case of income producing properties - rental houses for example - the appraiser may use a third approach to valuing the property. In this case, the amount of income the property produces is used to arrive at the current value of those revenues over the foreseeable future.

Combining information from all approaches, the appraiser is then ready to stipulate an estimated market value for the subject property. It is important to note that while this amount is probably the best indication of what a property is worth, it may not be the final sales price. There are always mitigating factors such as seller motivation, urgency or ''bidding wars'' that may adjust the final price up or down. But the appraised value is often used as a guideline for lenders who don't want to loan a buyer more money that the property is actually worth. The bottom line is: an appraiser will help you get the most accurate property value, so you can make the most informed real estate decisions.


Greg Sullivan is the President of www.electronicappraiser.com, a leading provider of home appraisals offering a nationwide personalized instant home appraisal service. For more information, please visit www.electronicappraiser.com.

Buying a new home, should you wait or purchase now?

Are you looking buy a new home due to a new job, a transfer or just because you are seeking a better neighborhood? If you are someone who has been keeping up on real estate news, the latest housing headlines are far from encouraging: Foreclosures are up, home prices are down and new-home sales are at record lows. All this dismal news has many buyers sitting on the sidelines, afraid to make a move. But, economists say, waiting for the bottom may not be the smartest strategy.

First, there's no agreement on when the U.S. real-estate market will officially touch bottom. If you believe the National Association of Realtors, it will happen later this year. Investment bank Merrill Lynch is much more pessimistic, predicting that U.S. home prices will drop another 15% this year and 10% in 2009, with perhaps even more depreciation in 2010. But even with this knowledge, evaluating your own personal situation, including where you live, how long you have owned your current home and what you plan to do with your new home, all are deciding factors on whether you should buy right now or wait a little longer.

Here Are Five Reasons To Buy Now:

1. Prices in the neighborhood you are interested in are relatively stable. Either they are holding their own or increasing, or the pace of decline is slowing significantly. If you have to move and don't like apartments, the small penalty you pay for missing the bottom may not mean much.

2. You plan to stay in the home for more than five years. If you can stick it out that long before selling, economists say you’ll probably ride out any downturn and come out ahead on price.

3. Your rent rivals a mortgage payment. If you can afford to buy, it can give you one bonus that renting can't: the mortgage-interest deduction on your taxes.

4. You've found the right house in the right area for you. The schools are great. You love the area and know it would be hard to find another house like the one you have your eye on. In a better market, you would most likely have much more competition for that home.

5. You've built equity in your house and are moving to a place where homes are cheaper. In your new market, your money will go a lot further.


Here Are Five Reasons To Hold Off:

1. You've lived in your house less than two years. Chances are you haven't had enough time to accumulate equity in your home. Indeed, you may have negative equity, if you live in many areas such as California, Florida, Arizona or Nevada.

2. Your job security is uncertain. If your company or business is in distress, it's probably better to stay put until the smoke clears.

3. You don't plan to stay in your next house at least five years. While it's not important to buy at the exact bottom of the market, it is important to stay long enough to ride it out completely.

4. You don't have good credit or a decent down payment. Do you have a job and income you can document? As a result of the subprime lending crisis, lenders are much more careful about whom they're giving their money to.

5. You have an existing home to sell in a neighborhood where prices are dropping precipitously or where the number of foreclosures is spiking. In this climate, you're probably better off waiting out the storm.

Greg Sullivan is the President of www.electronicappraiser.com, a leading provider of home appraisals offering a nationwide personalized instant home appraisalservice. For more information, please visit www.electronicappraiser.com.

How A CMA Can Help You

A comparative market analysis, or CMA, is a real estate agent's evaluation based on local listing and sales data used to determine the probable sale price of a property in the current market. For a seller, a CMA can help you determine a listing price. If you are a buyer, the CMA will help you decide on what to offer for a listing.

Although reports can vary from a two-page list of comparable home sales to a 50-page comprehensive guide, the length and complexity of the CMA depends on the real estate agent's business practice. However, standard comparative market analysis reports contain the following data:

1. Active Listings - Active listings are homes currently for sale. Such listings are not completely indicative of market value because sellers can ask whatever they want for their home, but they will give you an idea of averages.

2. Pending Listings - Pending listings are formerly active listings that were under contract. These homes have not yet closed, so they are not yet a comparable sale. Unless the listing agent is willing to share information about the pending sale -- and many are not -- you will not know the actual sold price until the transaction closes. However, pending sales do indicate the direction the market is moving.

3. Sold Listings - Homes that have closed within the past six months are your comparable sales. These are the sales an appraiser will use when appraising your home for the buyer, along with the pending sales (which will likely have closed by the time your home is sold). Look long and hard at the comparable sales because those are your market value.


When examining comparable sales remember to choose homes that most closely resemble your home. It is difficult to compare a tri-level home to a single-story home. Select the homes from this list that are mostly identical to your home in size, shape and condition, such as: similar square footage, similar age of construction, similar amenities, upgrades and condition and similar location.

4. Off-Market / Withdrawn / Canceled - These are properties that were taken off the market for a variety of reasons. This number can be used as a high water mark. The reason these homes are removed from the market may be due to prices being too high. The median prices of this group will almost always be higher than the median prices of comparable sales. However, listings cancel for other reasons such seller's remorse, the DOM was too long, repair requests, or the seller fired the agent.

5. Expired Listing - This group will reflect the highest median sales price because they did not sell and were probably unreasonably priced. Some of the expired listings could also show up as an active listing, listed by a new agent at a new price. Listings also expire because they were not aggressively marketed or because the home was in need of repairs.

A real estate agent's knowledge of the local market can affect the accuracy of a CMA, particularly in a neighborhood with a lot of variability in the housing stock. Unless the agent has actually seen the comparable listings, he or she may not draw the correct conclusions. So pick your agent carefully and you too can benefit from the value of a CMA.

Greg Sullivan is the President of www.electronicappraiser.com, a leading provider of home appraisals offering a nationwide personalized instant home appraisal service. For more information, please visit www.electronicappraiser.com.

Why Should You Use A Realtor®

We all want to save a few bucks when we can. But there are times when scrimping is not worth it and in the end, it could cost your more than you can save.

Hiring a Realtor® is one of those times when it isn’t wise to scrimp. When the stakes are high, as with the investment of purchasing or selling your home, your want a professional on your side.

So what can a licensed Realtor® offer you?

1. Help you determine how much house you can afford. Sometimes lenders have limited options when it comes to purchasing a home. A Realtor® can help you get more creative and possibly even connect you with a lender who can be more flexible with your funding options.

w2. When looking for that ideal home, you either need to have the time to peruse the listings or leave it to a realtor, whose job it is to know all of the listings. By giving your Realtor® an idea of what you are looking for, they can keep their eye open on your behalf while watching the price range.

3. If you are moving to a new city or town, you want to know the ins and outs of the community. A Realtor® can give your local information such as what the zoning rules are, where the local schools are and what the environment is like. All of this can be of great help to you before making your big investment in a town you are unfamiliar with.

4. If negotiating price is your weakness, whether in selling or buying, a Realtor® can help do this for you. The Realtor® can also help you with date of possession, inclusion or exclusion of repairs and furnishings or equipment. The purchase agreement should provide a period of time for you to complete appropriate inspections and investigations of the property before you are bound to complete the purchase. Your agent can advise you as to which investigations and inspections are recommended or required.

5. During the evaluation of your property, your Realtor® will follow up with due diligence. Depending on the area and property, this could include inspections for termites, dry rot, asbestos, faulty structure, roof condition, septic tank and well tests, just to name a few. The Realtor® can assist you in finding qualified responsible professionals to do most of these investigations and provide you with written reports. You will also want to see a preliminary report on the title of the property.

6. When selling your home, the Realtor® can give you up-to-date information on what is happening in the marketplace and the price, financing, terms and condition of competing properties. These are key factors in getting your property sold at the best price, quickly and with minimum hassle.

7. When it comes to promoting your home for sale, the Realtor®, who sees people day in and day out looking for property as well as other realtors, can be your perfect marketing strategy. In many markets across the country, over 50% of real estate sales are cooperative sales; that is, a real estate agent other than yours brings in the buyer.

8. Your Realtor® can help you objectively evaluate every buyer's proposal without compromising your marketing position. This initial agreement is only the beginning of a process of appraisals, inspections and financing -- a lot of possible pitfalls. Your Realtor® can help you write a legally binding, win-win agreement that will be more likely to make it through the process.

9. Last, the Realtor® can answer questions and tie up loose ends before the closing of the house. They complete the paperwork and resolve issues, which can save you many headaches.


About the Author: Greg Sullivan is the President of www.electronicappraiser.com, a leading provider of home appraisals offering a nationwide personalized instant information about house values. For more information, please visit www.electronicappraiser.com.

Improving Your Home’s Resale Value

Are you getting ready to sell your home and want to get the most for the value? If so, there are a few simple things you can do that won’t necessarily cost you a fortune.

First of all, when potential buyers drive up to your house, the first thing they see is the front of your house. Knowing that the exterior of the house usually is a good indicator of the inside of the house, you want your home to have curb appeal and make buyers want to see the rest of the house. So here are some quick things you can do.

1. Mow the lawn regularly while your home is on the market. If you have patches in your yard where grass doesn’t grow, you can either sow some grass seeds or sod the areas. If the bare area is at the base of a tree, you could turn the spot into a flowerbed.

2. While we’re on the subject of flowerbeds, be sure to keep these areas weeded when trying to sell your home. Adding pine straw or mulch can freshen up your yard and make your yard look well cared for.

3. Add some color to your yard by planting flowers. You can use them in beds, hanging baskets, or flowerpots. Planting flowers can help to liven up a house, especially if the home is older or more traditional. And, be sure to pick vibrant colors over pastels or white in order to give the full effect.

4. Clean your windows. People always look out of the windows when they’re viewing a home. So, cleaning the windows will help the view from the interior and the exterior!

5. Use a pressure washer to clean sidewalks and driveways. Pressure washing cement, especially, can make it look as though it was freshly poured.

6. Make your front door inviting. Since most potential buyers enter your home through the front door, you want to pay attention to this part of your home. If there are any shoe marks at the base (or hand marks near the handle), be sure to clean those. Depending on the type of door you have, you can also give it a fresh coat of paint.

7. Examine your home’s exterior. If your home has siding, check to see how clean it is. If you see collected dirt or pollen, you can clean these surfaces fairly easily with a pressure washer. If your home is painted, check to make sure the paint is not chipping away. If your home was painted recently, you may just want to hose off (or gently pressure wash) any visible dirt. If your home is in need of new paint, be sure to choose neutral colors.

8. While your pet may be your pride and joy, even a friendly dog’s barking may frighten a buyer. If you can’t remove your dog, try to confine it to the garage or dog run. Many buyers are allergic to cats, so be sure litter boxes are clean.

9. Remove the clutter from inside your home. If your home has too much furniture, overflowing closets, junk sitting in corners, and crowded kitchen and bath countertops, potential buyers cannot see your home. Removing clutter will make your home appear bigger and brighter

10. Clean your house. Buyers want to move into a clean home. They feel more assured of that prospect if the home is spotless at it’s showing. Clean walls, baseboard trim, window sills, light switches, doors, and light fixtures. Steam clean carpets and dust window blinds. Dust/wash off lint from the washer and dryer, even wash off the furnace and hot water heater. A sparkling clean home is sure to impress!

11. Do everything you can to brighten the interior of your home. Pull back your curtains and drapes so prospects can see how bright and cheery your home is. Let the sun shine in! For an evening showing, turn on all the lights - both inside and outside. Light adds color and warmth, and makes prospects feel welcome. During the winter, maintain a comfortable temperature even if you are away for an extended time.

About the Author: Greg Sullivan is the President of www.electronicappraiser.com, a leading provider of home appraisals offering a nationwide personalized instant home appraisal services. For more information, please visit www.electronicappraiser.com.

Inexpensive Ways To Give Your Home A Facelift

If you are looking to sell your home or even have it appraised, you want to get the most value you can for your money.

Those of you who have taken up home improvement projects know that there is a monetary return for every improvement investment. Although the actual cost and payback for each project can vary, depending on both your home's condition and overall real estate market values in your region of the country, here a few things you can do that will most likely improve your home’s worth.

1. Make your kitchen really cook. The kitchen is still considered the heart of the home. Potential homebuyers make a beeline for this room when they first view a home for sale, so make sure your kitchen looks clean and reasonably updated.

For a few hundred dollars, you can replace the kitchen faucet set, add new cabinet door handles and update old lighting fixtures with brighter, more energy-efficient ones.

If you've got a slightly larger budget, you can give the cabinets themselves a makeover. You don’t need to replace your cabinets, hiring a company to reface them can give you the same results for less money. If you're handy, you can order your own replacement cabinet doors and door fronts from retailers like Lowe's Home Improvement or The Home Depot and install them yourself.

2. Give appliances a facelift. If your kitchen appliances don't match, order new doors or face panels for them. Many dishwasher panels are white on one side and black on the other, so if you are trying to match everything up, slide out the panel and flip it around.

A more cohesive-looking kitchen makes a big difference in the buyer's mind -- and in the home's resale price.

3. Buff up the bath. Next to the kitchen, bathrooms are often the most important rooms to update. They, too, can be improved without a lot of cash. Simple things like adding a new toilet seat and a pedestal sink are pretty easy for homeowners to install, and they make a big difference in the look of the bath.

If your bathroom floor is old and discolored, try replacing tiles with easy-to-apply vinyl tiles or a small piece of sheet vinyl. You may not even need to take up the old floor. You can install the new floor right over the old one.

If your tub and shower are looking dingy, consider re-grouting the tile and replacing any chipped tiles. A more complete cover-up is a prefabricated tub and shower surround. These one-piece units may require professional installation but can still be cheaper than paying to re-tile walls and refinish a worn tub.

4. Step up your storage. Old houses, particularly, are notorious for their lack of closet space. If you have cramped storage areas, try adding do-it-yourself wire and laminate closet systems to bedrooms, pantries and entry closets.

5. Add a room in a week or less. "If you have a three-bedroom house with a den, the only reason the den can't be considered a bedroom may be because it doesn't have a closet. If you add a closet to that room, you've now got a four-bedroom house. That adds a lot of value."

6. Mind the mechanics. Spending a few bucks on nitty-gritty stuff such as repairing leaks, wrapping or fixing loose wires, and fixing any faulty outlets.

7. Look underfoot. Carpeting is another detail that can quickly update a home and make it look cleaner. A professional carpet cleaning is an inexpensive investment, especially if your rugs are in good shape and are neutral colors.

If your carpet is showing serious wear, cover it with inexpensive, strategically placed area rugs. Unless it is truly hideous, most Realtors don't suggest replacing wall-to-wall carpeting right before you sell your house. The new homeowners may want to choose their own carpeting after they move in.

8. Let there be light. If you have boring recessed lights in your dining and living rooms, consider replacing one of the room's lights with an eye-catching chandelier. Home stores offer a wide range of inexpensive, but nice-looking, ceiling fixtures these days. If you have a ceiling fan and light, you can also buy replacement fan blades (leaving the fan body in place) to update the fixture's look.

9. Reframe your entry. Do you have a flimsy little knob on your main entry door? If so, spring for a substantial-looking handle-and-lock set. A nice, big piece of hardware on the front door signals to newcomers that this is a solid home.


About the Author: Greg Sullivan is the President of www.electronicappraiser.com, a leading provider of home appraisals offering a nationwide personalized instant home appraisal services. For more information, please visit www.electronicappraiser.com.

Improving the value of your home with bamboo flooring

If you are looking to increase the value of your home, replacing old carpets or tile with a beautifully laid bamboo floor will certainly help. And if your home isn’t up for resell and you just want to have beautiful flooring, using bamboo is an elegant and affordable way to go.

Bamboo flooring may only be a little over ten years old, but its beauty and environmental factors have spoken for itself. And, floor experts have discovered that bamboo is actually harder than hardwoods such as Maple and Oak. Not only that, bamboo is extremely eco-friendly, and stands up the look, feel, sound, and warmth of its hardwood peers.


When we think of bamboo, we see reeds of tall grasses growing in tropical locations. So how does a grass become transformed into a wood floor? For starters, only a particular type of Bamboo is used, most often the Moso variety. Once Moso poles reach 40 to 50 feet in height, they are harvested and dried. The drying process is slow, typically four years in the sun. The bamboo is then sliced into thin uniform strips and planed on all sides. The pieces are converted into flooring made of either two or three layered horizontal or vertical laminated pieces. Bamboo can either be nailed to a wood subfloor or glued directly to a concrete sub-floor. Floating is not recommended. There is a variety of moldings made available as well to hide expansion gaps and for staircases.

Bamboo flooring comes in a variety of colors. Pretreated, coloring choices are natural and smoky amber. If the product comes to the states untreated, stains can vary from pinks to a variety of browns. Because bamboo is a grass rather than a tree, its finished appearance is very distinctive. Most distinctive is the eye-catching pattern of slightly darker bands produced by its nodes – a feature that clearly sets it apart from wood. Bamboo’s other aesthetic features include the tightness of its grain and the uniformity of its color.

These untreated and stained pieces of bamboo flooring are then given a final coating, typically made up of an aluminum oxide and polyurethane scratch-resistant topcoat. Coatings can be matte or glossy, with glossy tending to scratch more easily than matte.

Bamboo’s popularity has continued to grow with its discovery. The fact that it is a grass, a quickly renewable resource that yields a product 25 times faster than timber, has been of primary interest to the environmentally conscious. The beauty is an added bonus. With the cost of bamboo equivalent to oak flooring, it isn’t hard on the pocketbook either. Bamboo is also easy to clean and considered ideal for allergy sufferers, as they do not harbor dust mites.

When cleaning bamboo, a soft touch is best to prevent minute scratches on the surface. A padded cleaning head on your vacuum cleaner or a damp mop is most appropriate. This method will keep dust and debris from accumulating and scratching your bamboo floor. You should also take care never to over wet your bamboo floor. While it is resistant to moisture due to its tropical origins, it is best to minimize moisture exposure to help preserve the material. Mop spills using a damp cloth and dry immediately.

Putting area rugs on pathways that may experience high traffic. This keeps the bamboo floor from scuffing due to the high amount of traffic in a certain area. To prevent dirt and other debris from coming onto the floor from the outside, place exterior mats in entryways. Gravel and debris stuck in the bottom of shoes may scratch the finish of your bamboo floor.

If you have pets, remember to regularly trim your pets' nails to prevent them from scratching and gouging the bamboo floor. And of course, when moving furniture from one place to another, lift them instead of dragging them along the floor.

So if you are ready to transform the look of your home, putting in bamboo flooring will give you a huge start.

About the Author: Greg Sullivan is the President of www.electronicappraiser.com, a leading provider of home appraisals offering a nationwide personalized instant information about house values. For more information, please visit www.electronicappraiser.com.

What Makes A Home “Green”

Green is the new black, so to speak. Everybody is talking about going green and even building green. So what does it really mean to build green?

Defining green has been a challenge, even for those who are as green as you can get. To sum up green, the question would be – what type of environmental impact does the materials you are using have?

Assessing impact can mean on the front end or the back end. For example, in some instances, the product you use in building your home might not be green to build, but the results of that product can be beneficial. A good example would be if a window is installed in a way that maximizes the collection of low winter sunlight and blocks the summer sun, this saves energy and is green.

Because defining green is difficult, standards are starting to be organized and listed in the GreenSpec directory. This directory bases decisions about products on categories such as energy-consuming appliances and VOC-emitting paints, specific thresholds can be established relatively easily. But for many criteria, the lines are much fuzzier and judgment calls are required.

It is important also to note that multiple criteria often apply—in other words, a product may be considered green for more than one reason. Take recycled plastic lumber, for example: it’s made from recycled waste, it’s highly durable, and it can obviate the need for pesticide treatments. Straw particleboard products are made from agricultural waste materials, and they are free from formaldehyde off-gassing. A product with multiple benefits could qualify for GreenSpec on the basis of its overall environmental performance, even if it doesn’t meet a threshold in any one category alone. Conversely, a product with one or more green attributes might not qualify if it also carries significant environmental burdens. For example, wood treated with toxic preservatives has advantages in terms of durability, but it would not be listed in GreenSpec due the health and environmental hazards it represents.

The primary intent with any green building products directory is to simplify the product selection process.

Another way to build green is to conform to what is called LEED Standards. LEED or ‘The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design’ is a Green Building Rating System™ that encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria.

There are many resources available for consumers so that they can adapt their building materials and design to LEED standards. Building this way is probably the simplest way to go and there are many resources available to assist you.

So should you build green because it is popular? Not necessarily. You should build green because it is what will ultimately provide a ‘green’ future and not a black one.

About the Author: Greg Sullivan is the President of www.electronicappraiser.com, a leading provider of home appraisals offering a nationwide personalized instant home appraisal services. For more information, please visit www.electronicappraiser.com.