For one this is amazing because our appraisers could REALLY use this information to start PROPERLY appraising our Greener Homes.  For Two, this will allow us to tell our Home Owners in the future what features will actually pay off in the long run!

For now, the word is still getting out – I doubt that all homes with Green features are being noted as such.  There is also evidence that some of the homes are tagged incorrectly -Not even 90 days in to having these fields available there is not enough data yet to state whether or not homes with certain features definitely sell for more money than those without -

BUT, there IS enough data to show certain trends that we as Real Estate Professionals are going to start seeing more and more.

Personally I have been amazed at the number of homes in the Houston area that have Solar PV or Solar Hot Water.  The other trend that appears to grow by the week in MLS is the number of homes with Tankless Hot Water Heaters and Older homes with Low-E windows.

Each month we can start tracking more and more but for now here are some numbers on trends for new and existing homes.

Tankless Hot Water Heaters-

• 58 Resales and Rentals
• 85 New Construction

Solar Hot Water/PV-

• 3 Resale
• 15 New Construction

Insulated/Low-E Windows-

• 1850 Built Prior to 2000
• 1090 of which built prior to 1990

HVAC Greater than 13 SEER-

• 455 not New Construction

These are just a few of the new fields available and while they are not on the Public Search side of HAR.com yet – It is a relief to have them available to the agents.  I believe as we continue to track the statistics we will find that the majority of ALL home buyers want Green features – Their requests for those features are just disguised as another term.

Coming up next month?  How many of these homes right here listed will go under contract in September?

If you would like a list of any of these particular homes available, homes with any other green features or for a marketing plan for your specific property I can be reached at Steph@TurningHoustonGreen.com -

————————————————————————————-

Hurricane Ike was only a Category 2 Storm.  Yes it caused a lot of damage, I’m not downplaying that.  But it could have been a lot worse.  To date there are still nearly 500,000 people without power in the Houston area, a full 2 Weeks after the Storm.

On top of that Centerpoint Energy, the company that owns and maintains a Majority of the Lines in and around Houston announced that they were going to charge Homeowners, Renters, anyone who has Electricity $3.50 per 1,000 kwh a month to repair what was broken.

That is not bad.  I will not feel that $3.50 a month as most Homeowners won’t.  BUT that is for 15 years! Let that soak in for a minute.  15 Years.  It was just 3 years ago that we had this SAME problem with Hurricane Rita that was not even as Big of a Storm as Ike was.  So what happens when another storm rolls through? What then?

I think this is absurd.  Why?  Why are we going to pay to repair and have MORE overhead power lines surrounded by trees that fall in the wind and storms, get struck by lightning and take Power Lines down with them. WE ARE IN A HURRICANE PRONE AREA!

Here is the Math behind the Rate Hike:

Everyone pays a MINIMUM of $3.50 a month

Atleast 2.58 Million Customers affected according to recent numbers released in the media

Equals a MINIMUM of atleast $9,030,000 each month

Which over 15 years Equals, well, too much money

So here is my request to Centerpoint Energy.  I think it makes sense.

Dear Centerpoint Energy,  please- instead of adding a measley $3.50 per 1,000 kwh used to my bill every month please add $10.  Heck, make it $20! But here is what I ask that you do with it.

Go ahead and repair what is broken.  However please do not build more poor infrastructure that is so incredibly susceptible to Hurricane and Tropical Storm weather.  Instead offer incentives for Homeowners to go Solar.  A simple 2kw system on a Rooftop would run almost everything in an average home.  It would run a Refrigerator, Fans, Lights, Television….everything but your HVAC system.  Oh, WOW!  That is what people are paying $50-$60 a day right now to run on a Generator!?! By the time you pay $500 for a generator, add $60 a day for gas to run it Homeowners have incurred Well over $1,000 already because of our lines to be taken out.  The residents in and around Houston are the ones that pay you to be in business.  Without us, you would not exist.  Not that it is really relevant, just a reminder.

If you need more reasons why this should be a no brainer, here ya go:

• Solar power is produced MOST when your Grid is the weakest.  Smack in the middle of the day.  That is when Houstonians crank down their A/C to stay cool, Refrigerators work harder to stay at temperature, etc.  You would likely not have to build MORE Grids.
• From the looks of the media right now, your Customer Complaints are at an all time HIGH.  Just imagine what it would be like with a little Solar on every roof.  A whole heck of a lot less.
• Solar Panels sustain Hurricane Force winds, unlike overhead power lines.
• With Solar Thermal Hot Water we could still have Hot Water during outages.
• I could even install a Solar Power HVAC system!
• Rates are still going….UP Power is NOT getting CHEAPER- That means your costs also.

Why would we charge everyone, including renters, $10 a month per 1,000 kwh used?  Don’t.  Keep the hike at $3.50 for Renters and make it $10 a month for Homeowners.  You already ask whether or not people rent or own, right?  That’s reasonable.  Atleast in my mind.

My point is, Hurricane Ike could have been a Category 5 and it is likely that we would still have 1.5 million people without power right now.  How does atleast $9 Million a month justify putting us back in that same, highly vulnerable position?

Incentives for us to go Solar, this really should be a No Brainer.  Thanks.

Discovery Green is actually a LEED Certified Park!  You will find 250 Solar Panels, a Green Roof, Gorgeous Architecture and all of this right across the street from the George R Brown Convention Center and about a block away from Minute Maid Park.

Other things that are there are a Dog Park, a Lake with Remote Controlled Boats, Playground for the kids and splash pad for hot days. Or maybe you would want to go visit the Gardens and take a look at Native Plants, have a bite to eat in one of the two restaurants or picnic at one of the many tables.

To the right you will notice the Outdoor Stage where occasionally there is Live Entertainment or you can host an event.  Speaking of events, there is a Calendar of Activities being offered for both Children and Adults on about every day of the week.

Here is the Calendar

There is so much to do, it can keep you busy for hours.  Don’t Forget, it’s Green in more ways than one. It’s also right in line with Public Transportation, but parking is available-Of all places, right underneath.

You may have to pay for parking but Admission to the park is always FREE!

For a view of what is down there, you make like the slideshow below.

EcoWatt Design
EcoWatt specializes in various sources of Solar Power for both Residential and Commercial.
10900 Northwest Fwy.
Suite 221
Houston, TX 77092
Phone: 1-866-956-3269
Fax: 713-956-0350
Contact: Norma Jean Schaltenbrand
Email: normajean@ecowattdesign.com

Dixie Solar
Affordable Solar Water Heating for Residential and Commercial
1120 Nasa Parkway, Suite 220W
Houston, TX 77058
Contact: Johnny Lee
Phone: 832-606-0566
Fax: 832-626-2007
Email: Info@dixiesolar.com