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Monthly Archives: November 2014

Going green has never been more high tech

25 Tuesday Nov 2014

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Think going green will cost too much or take too much time? You might be surprised at how much time, energy and money you can save by making a few changes in your home to make it more energy efficient. And don’t worry that it will be too much work because some new high tech tools are making it easier than ever.

 
Green living expert Megan McLendon is the executive producer at http://www.doyourpart.com, and she recommends several options for making a powerful impact.

 
Take stock of the situation
Do you really know how much energy you use to run your household? Think about everything you run or turn on during the day. Consider your heating and cooling systems, appliances and electronics. The average single-family household racks up more than $2,000 in energy bills each year. Home electricity monitors make it easy to see how much energy you use and what you spend on it. A device called The Energy Detective can monitor the energy your home consumes in real time and the exact amount it’s costing you. You can chart 10 years’ worth of data and even review your information remotely. The basic model costs around $200. Then, there are free ways to help you see what’s using the most energy at home and help you target those hot spots. MyEnergy.com compiles information directly from your utility companies and is able to compare your usage to that of some of your neighbors. You can also earn reward points for using less energy.

 
Hit the energy hogs
Now, that you know how much energy you’re really using at home, it’s time to hit those energy hogs hard. Start with making your heating and cooling systems more efficient. So-called “smart” thermostats are now available and are easy to use. The Nest thermostat is one such device that actually learns from your family’s behavior. Soon after installation, it will automatically begin to lower or increase the temperature when you go to bed or leave the house. It even allows you to look at its daily energy use and access the thermostat from your computer or smartphone. 

Going%20green%20has%20never%20been%20more%20high%20tech
There are also other intuitive devices to help you reduce your energy consumption at home. A power strip for sale by Belkin will shut down power going to a series of electronics by simply turning off one of the components. This is a great solution for home offices and entertainment centers. And here’s another smart tip: For those items at home which run off batteries, invest in reusable ones. They will cost a little more than regular batteries but more than make up for that cost in the long run. A gadget that will easily help you make the switch is the Energizer Universal Charger. This device will charge AA, AAA, C, D, and 9V batteries, so you also reduce clutter by only having one charger for all of your battery charging needs. 

 
Put it all together
Once you have the information you need, you can easily put it all together to analyze. EnergyHub has a product that works as a command center for your home. You can access all your energy information in one place so you can control your thermostat, lights and appliances from a central home location or remotely. General Electric is also rolling out a hub system called the Nucleus that does the same thing and is compatible with smart meters.
Knowledge is power. When you know how much energy your home is using, it’s easier to come up with strategies to lower your energy usage and lower your utility bills. It’s another important way to do your part without wasting your energy.
IMAGE CAPTIONS:
——————————————-
Caption 1: Reviewing your energy consumption regularly can help you see how much energy you use and where you can cut down.
Caption 2: Intuitive devices like this advanced power strip and battery charger help you reduce your energy consumption at home.

Easier mortgage processes, positive attitudes inspire renters to buy

24 Monday Nov 2014

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Thirty-two percent of American households are renters, according to the National Multi Housing Council. Generally, more people younger than 30 occupy rentals, while the percentage of people who own their home increases with age, NMHC statistics indicate. People decide to buy a home for many reasons, but the recent real estate market downturn caused many Americans to rethink their assumptions about renting and owning.

Even with many real estate experts predicting the market will continue to improve, it pays to carefully evaluate how home ownership does – or doesn’t – figure into your long-term financial goals. If you’ve been renting and wondering if it’s time to apply for a mortgage and buy your own home, consider these points:

1. Renting isn’t always the cheaper option, and comparing your monthly rent payment directly to a mortgage payment won’t give you a clear picture of the financial impact of either option. Online calculators, like Guaranteed Rate’s rent vs. buy online calculator, can give you a better understanding of the comparison. With mortgage rates consistently low and rental markets competitive across the country, real estate experts agree that in most major metropolitan areas it will still be cheaper in the long run to buy than continue to rent.

2. While the days of zero-money-down mortgages are essentially over, it’s a misconception that you need a huge amount of money to buy a house. Yes, you’ll almost certainly need a down payment, but different lenders will require different percentages. Research your mortgage options before you begin house hunting so you’ll know how much you’ll need to save in order to secure a mortgage – and the home of your dreams.

3. Although the mortgage application process is detailed, it doesn’t have to be drawn out and tedious. Many lenders now allow you to initiate the process online, and Guaranteed Rate has recently overhauled its website to allow borrowers to apply for a loan, track the approval process and receive their home loans all online. The eighth-largest retail mortgage company in the U.S. allows customers to choose and customize their loans, submit an application and receive an official approval letter all at http://www.guaranteedrate.com. Automating the application process compresses the traditional time frame from days – sometimes, even weeks – into minutes. As part of the process, applicants also receive the credit reports from all three major credit bureaus.

4. Buying a home affords you the opportunity to really grow your roots, but the flipside is that in order to get the most out of your investment, you need to stay put for a while. If you anticipate being in your current job and living in your current town for at least five years, the long-term investment of buying a house will make more sense for you. If you anticipate a job change or a move within a few years, you may want to hold off on buying a house. The good news is, doing so gives you more time to save toward a down payment so you’ll look even more appealing to lenders when you are ready to buy.

While only you can decide if homeownership is right for you and your family – and if now is the right time to buy – keep in mind a few statistics from Trulia.com: 42 percent of renters say they regret not having bought a home, and 31 percent say they want to buy a home in the next two years.

Give yourself a better home

19 Wednesday Nov 2014

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Are you looking to buy or build a new home, or renovate your current home? Do you want a home that uses less energy; is more comfortable and healthier to live in; is environmentally friendly and saves on energy costs?

Natural Resources Canada’s Office of Energy Efficiency offers choices for you to buy or build a better home, or to help you renovate your current home.

 

• The EnerGuide Rating System (ERS): This well-established brand for the energy rating and labeling of homes enables builders to choose the most beneficial and cost-effective upgrades for energy efficiency for your new home during the planning phase. It plays an important role in the construction of energy efficient new homes by providing homeowners with an evaluation report and official label that shows the EnerGuide rating of the home.

 

• Energy Star for New Homes: Buying a qualified house means lower energy demand and better performance. Your new home is built to technical standards that incorporate energy efficient guidelines and specifications. An Energy Star qualified home has additional energy saving features that make it an average of 20% more energy efficient than a typical home in your region.

 

• R-2000 Standard: R-2000 certified homes are some of the most energy efficient houses on the market. As a best in class energy efficiency label for 30 years, the standard has not only helped to pave the way for increases in energy efficiency in typical construction practices, but has also established the benchmark for energy efficient new home building in Canada.

Your R-2000 certified home ensures state of the art building techniques, exceptional comfort, increased energy savings and health benefits. And with the energy performance target of this year’s R-2000 Standard increasing by an impressive 50% compared to the 2005 Standard, R-2000 once again positions itself as a leading-edge national voluntary standard for energy efficiency.

 

Both the R-2000 and Energy Star for New Homes initiatives are supported by the ERS.

 

• When Renovating Think EnerGuide: Did you know that you can also get an EnerGuide Evaluation of your existing home to help you make the best decisions to increase your home’s energy efficiency and save money? Having a certified energy advisor undertake an EnerGuide evaluation provides you with a current rating, an assessment of your home’s energy efficiency potential, and a prioritized list of recommended upgrades. It may also qualify you to participate in local incentive programs. And after your retrofits, it’s quick to get a new EnerGuide label attesting to your home’s improved energy performance. EnerGuide Evaluations: the first step in smart home renovation.

Making a difference with socially responsible investing

12 Wednesday Nov 2014

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If you regularly watch the evening news, you likely have seen stories about social activism and massive protests in support of issues like the environment. Not only are they trying to communicate directly with the public, they are also asking some corporations to change. These are noble causes that sometimes involve a level of personal risk. Another way of exacting change is by working with companies from the inside. In other words: investing in them.

 

According to Rosalie Vendette, senior advisor in socially responsible investment (SRI) with Desjardins Group, SRI is an emerging field that is still defining itself. “It’s really about engagement, not activism,” says Vendette. “An engaged investor seeks to persuade management to adopt more responsible environmental, social and governance practices. A common way to sway management is to draw attention to these concerns through direct dialogue. While consumers have the power to decide whether or not to buy a product, investors wield their power in a much more strategic manner. For example, companies that fail to address the environmental impact of their operations can do serious damage to both their public image and their pocketbook. Conversely, companies that reduce their environmental footprint see their stock rise in more ways than one.”

 

Interestingly, there remains a perception that SRIs yield lower returns because performance may be sacrificed in favour of principles. “In the medium to long term, SRI criteria have little impact on fund performance,” says Denis Dion, product manager with Desjardins Investment Fund Development Department. “A study of American funds published in the Journal of Investing found that over an 18 year-period, an index of 400 U.S. companies that met SRI criteria performed comparably to the S&P 500, which indexes 500 major U.S. corporations.”

 

“The point is that SRI is a paradigm shift and we’re eagerly working to spread the news,” says Vendette. “We know that this new approach will continue to transform how we have traditionally invested in companies. And ultimately, we hope that this will contribute to more sustainable corporate practices.”

 

To find out more about Socially Responsible Investing, speak to your financial advisor.

How to get your offers accepted to buy properties

11 Tuesday Nov 2014

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The biggest challenge facing most real estate investors is making acceptable offers, especially when buying properties is the basic foundation of real estate investing.

Unless you buy properties, you cannot make any money.

Here is how to make offers that get accepted.

The offer you make depends on the type of property you are buying.

1) Buying from motivated sellers

If you buy houses from motivated sellers, it is necessary to have the following pieces of information:

a) Market Value

Do your due diligence to find out conservatively how much the house would be worth in perfect condition. You must have this information before you can make any offer.

b) Mortgage balance

You must get this information before you can make an offer. A seller who is not willing to disclose this information is not motivated enough. Move on to a motivated seller.

The mortgage balance must allow you to buy the house and still leave you with a profit. It must allow you to make a profit and own it free and clear.

c) Repairs needed

It is possible to estimate repair costs with the information provided by the seller.

You must know how much you need to fix up the house before you can make an offer. Of course, I like to see the house and do my own repair estimates.

d) Asking price

If the owner is asking for too much money given the above 3 pieces of information, the deal might never happen.

A good asking price must take into account the market value, mortgage balance and repairs. You can then make an offer based on the asking price. Make an offer if the mortgage balance allows you to make a profit.

Even though it is necessary to consider the seller’s needs, no offer can be too low. If they are facing foreclosure, then they probably need some money to move, or their asking price might be just enough to get away from the property.

If the mortgage balance is too high compared to the value of the house, it does not make sense to make an offer. Move on to the next deal.

There is no bad offer, except the one you have not made. Always make the offers that make sense to you. You’ll be surprised how many get accepted.

2) Buying foreclosed properties

The asking price and repairs are the only important considerations to make in this case. Banks selling these properties are willing to negotiate.

Most REOs are listed below market value. Depending on your exit strategy, if the numbers are close to making sense, by all means make an offer.

Lastly, remember to make your offer lower than the asking price.

by: Simon Macharia 

http://www.articlecity.com/articles/home_improvement/article_6984.shtml 

Five ways to invest in gold

05 Wednesday Nov 2014

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If that includes you, you’re not alone. A recent survey shows that nearly half of U.S. investors don’t believe they’re knowledgeable enough about the precious metal to make a decision about adding gold to their portfolios. The World Gold Council highlights these five options to get you started: 
1. Gold Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs)
Since 2004, U.S. investors have been able to buy Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) backed by physical gold through their brokerage accounts on a regulated stock exchange, just like a share of a company’s stock. Ownership of gold ETF shares provides investors with a vehicle that reflects the performance of the price of gold bullion, less expenses of the ETF.  With these gold ETFs, individuals do not need to physically store gold, so no need for a safe or safety deposit box. Different types of gold ETFs are available on the market but not all are 100 percent backed by physical gold, so read the prospectus carefully and ask your financial adviser to help you select the one that best suits your needs. 
2. Gold mining stocks
With this option, you are investing in a gold-mining company, rather than gold bullion. Depending on the company, you may be able to generate income from dividends. While the value of gold stocks has historically been closely tied to the price of gold itself, other factors can determine the value of the individual companies. More than 300 gold-mining companies are listed and publicly traded in the U.S. 
3. Gold Accumulation Plans (GAPs) 
Similar to a conventional accumulation plan, GAPs allow investors to set aside a fixed amount of money every month in order to purchase gold on various days. This cost averaging cushions investors from short-term variations in the price of gold. When the account closes, investors could have one or more of the following alternatives: receiving bullion bars or jewelry or simply selling the gold for cash.
4. Gold bars
Gold bars range in size from just a few grams to the 400 ounce London Good Delivery bars most people have only seen in the movies. There are many different refineries that produce gold bars and most companies that sell gold will offer a variety of sizes to suit various budgets.  
5. Gold coins
Issued by governments around the world, gold bullion coins are a popular choice for investors. Their value is primarily based on their fine gold content. Bullion coins differ from numismatic or collectable coins, which are valued on rarity, design and finish rather than their gold content. Many mints will offer “proof” versions of the bullion coins at a premium to the gold content for collectors and those looking for an heirloom gift for milestone celebrations such as a birthday or wedding. American Eagle coins are a common form of bullion coin in the U.S. and other popular bullion coins that are widely available include the Gold American Buffalo, Canadian Maple Leaf, South African Kruggerrand and Chinese Panda and Austrian Philharmonic.
Where to buy: Both bullion coins and gold bars may be purchased online or by phone from companies that specialize in precious metals.
“There are a number of ways to invest in gold and each can play its own role in your portfolio. Owning an ETF, bars or coins and mining shares may be viewed as complementary investments,” says Juan Carlos Artigas, Global Head of Investment Research at the World Gold Council.
The World Gold Council (www.gold.org) provides useful information on why, how and where to invest in gold.
The information provided is for educational purposes only. Consult your financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

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Ben Rodriguez

Triangle Real Estate LLC

Triangle Real Estate LLC

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