Thursday, June 25, 2009
New City of Austin Energy Audits
The City of Austin has a new requirement that an energy audit be done to any home before it can be sold. These audits look at the energy efficiency and energy loss of a home. Items looked at are insulation, AC systems, air penetrations and windows among others. So how does it affect a purchase?
The audits are performed by third party inspectors and the reports must be disclosed with the seller's disclosure before a closing can occur. The form looks like this. For a list of qualified inspectors click here. While the audits need to be disclosed to a buyer, there is no requirement that any of the suggested items be done. Much like a Home Inspection that reviews the whole house, the inspector points out everything and the buyer and seller then agree on what if anything will be done.
There are some properties that are exempt from an audit including those built less than 10 years ago and condominiums.
If you plan on getting some of the items on the report done, Austin Energy does offer rebates. For a complete list go to their webpage.
And for more info try http://www.austinenergy.com/About%20Us/Environmental%20Initiatives/ordinance/index.htm.
The audits are performed by third party inspectors and the reports must be disclosed with the seller's disclosure before a closing can occur. The form looks like this. For a list of qualified inspectors click here. While the audits need to be disclosed to a buyer, there is no requirement that any of the suggested items be done. Much like a Home Inspection that reviews the whole house, the inspector points out everything and the buyer and seller then agree on what if anything will be done.
There are some properties that are exempt from an audit including those built less than 10 years ago and condominiums.
If you plan on getting some of the items on the report done, Austin Energy does offer rebates. For a complete list go to their webpage.
And for more info try http://www.austinenergy.com/About%20Us/Environmental%20Initiatives/ordinance/index.htm.
Keep your lawn green
We installed sod in our backyard in April and with some water it really came in thick. Now with this hotter weather, I'm starting to see some dry patches. I did some research on how to prevent these and wanted to share it with you.
1) The first thing is to water longer for fewer times rather than for shorter periods many times. There are two reasons for this. First, if you water it longer the water will penetrate further into the soil and keep it moist longer. Second, if you water for a short time only the surface gets wet which promotes the roots to grow in this area. As the soil dries, the roots are more exposed to dryness and the heat. Longer watering periods will promote deeper root growth, which allows the roots to stay moist longer.
A typical time to water is about 15 to 20 minutes. But this can vary depending on whether you have an automatic system or are handwatering. Try out some different times and you'll see pretty quickly if you have the right time or not.
*I was very happy with the guy that put in my sprinkler system. Let me know if you'd like his number.
2) Another important rule is to water during the early morning. Watering in the morning allows the water to penetrate the soil more and minimizes water lost to evaporation. A start time of 3 or 4 am is considered the optimum time. Don't be temped to water in the evening as letting the moisture sit overnight can cause fungus to develop that will harm your lawn.
3) Mow grass on a taller mower setting. This puts less stress on the grass and also helps to keep moisture in your lawn.
4) If you're in the city there are established watering days. For even numbered addresses you can water Thursdays and Sundays. For odd numbered addresses you can water Wednesdays and Saturdays.
I hope this helps and your lawn stays green all summer!
Bill Conover
America Realty and Lending
billconover@america-lending.com
1) The first thing is to water longer for fewer times rather than for shorter periods many times. There are two reasons for this. First, if you water it longer the water will penetrate further into the soil and keep it moist longer. Second, if you water for a short time only the surface gets wet which promotes the roots to grow in this area. As the soil dries, the roots are more exposed to dryness and the heat. Longer watering periods will promote deeper root growth, which allows the roots to stay moist longer.
A typical time to water is about 15 to 20 minutes. But this can vary depending on whether you have an automatic system or are handwatering. Try out some different times and you'll see pretty quickly if you have the right time or not.
*I was very happy with the guy that put in my sprinkler system. Let me know if you'd like his number.
2) Another important rule is to water during the early morning. Watering in the morning allows the water to penetrate the soil more and minimizes water lost to evaporation. A start time of 3 or 4 am is considered the optimum time. Don't be temped to water in the evening as letting the moisture sit overnight can cause fungus to develop that will harm your lawn.
3) Mow grass on a taller mower setting. This puts less stress on the grass and also helps to keep moisture in your lawn.
4) If you're in the city there are established watering days. For even numbered addresses you can water Thursdays and Sundays. For odd numbered addresses you can water Wednesdays and Saturdays.
I hope this helps and your lawn stays green all summer!
Bill Conover
America Realty and Lending
billconover@america-lending.com
Monday, June 1, 2009
What do condo HOA fees cover?
When owning a condominium, owners have to pay Home Owners Association dues, typically on a monthly basis. The dues are mandatory and the HOA has the ability to put a lien on your property for unpaid dues and to even foreclose.
So since owners have to pay them, how do they benefit the individual owner? HOA dues usually cover: building exterior maintenance, landscaping maintenance, amenity (such as pool) maintenenance, garbage collection, exterior utilities (like parking lot lighting, irrigation water), hazard insurance for the structures, and liability insurance. Depending on the particular condo complex dues can also be used to pay certain utilities that owners individually or collectively use. It's fairly common for dues to include the owners' water and gas bills.
Dues can change as the needs and budget of the HOA change. A common need that comes up is an improvement to the complex. These can be repaving the parking lot, a new roof, repairing the pool, etc. When these items come up the HOA will need to obtain the funds by raising dues if the money isn't already in reserves. This is always a question to ask of the HOA when thinking about buying a condo, Do they forsee any capital improvements coming up and/or are dues scheduled to go up?
As you can see dues take care of many things that an owner of a single family home would have to pay for themselves. And the hazard insurance policy that a condo owner pays for is extremely low compared to what a single family home owner pays.
More questions on condos? Just ask! billconover@america-lending.com
So since owners have to pay them, how do they benefit the individual owner? HOA dues usually cover: building exterior maintenance, landscaping maintenance, amenity (such as pool) maintenenance, garbage collection, exterior utilities (like parking lot lighting, irrigation water), hazard insurance for the structures, and liability insurance. Depending on the particular condo complex dues can also be used to pay certain utilities that owners individually or collectively use. It's fairly common for dues to include the owners' water and gas bills.
Dues can change as the needs and budget of the HOA change. A common need that comes up is an improvement to the complex. These can be repaving the parking lot, a new roof, repairing the pool, etc. When these items come up the HOA will need to obtain the funds by raising dues if the money isn't already in reserves. This is always a question to ask of the HOA when thinking about buying a condo, Do they forsee any capital improvements coming up and/or are dues scheduled to go up?
As you can see dues take care of many things that an owner of a single family home would have to pay for themselves. And the hazard insurance policy that a condo owner pays for is extremely low compared to what a single family home owner pays.
More questions on condos? Just ask! billconover@america-lending.com
April Market Stats
Click on the image for a larger version. Looking pretty good in the Central, North and Southwest areas!
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