Both immediate and indirect economic savings can come from energy-efficient appliances such as refrigerators, horizontal-axis washing machines, clothes dryers, dishwashers, etc. Immediate and continuing savings accrue from lower utility bills for electricity and/or water. The performance levels of these appliances meet, and generally exceed, those of industry standard models. As a case in point, consider household refrigeration. By the late 1970s, refrigerators reached their most inefficient performance by requiring about 1750 kiloWatt-hours per year to operate. Modern energy-efficient refrigerators provide the same or better service at 450-550 kiloWatt-hours per year, and they are much quieter in operation.

Estimated Cost Savings:
The direct economic savings achieved by efficient appliances are a function of how much the appliance will be used, the performance level of the equipment being replaced, and local costs for utilities. When you replace older equipment, it is not uncommon for electricity consumption for that appliance to decrease by 50% or more. In general, if the appliance being replaced is more than 15 years old, and it is replaced with a state-of-the-art unit, you may expect utility savings of 20%-60% compared with the energy required by the previous appliance. Horizontal-axis washing machines typically save consumers 50% in both electric and water utilities. Additional savings come from reduced quantities of detergent. Your monthly electrical bill is for all electricity used by all electrical loads in the building, so changing a single appliance will lower the bill, but in proportion to the amount of electricity formerly used by that appliance. If refrigeration represents 15-20% of your electric bill, a new refrigerator that is twice as efficient as the unit being replaced will lower your total bill by about 7-10%.Any increase in initial cost is usually more than made up in monthly savings. Availability of the most energy-efficient appliances may be an issue. Sometimes the best equipment is in demand, which can mean that discounts and sale prices are either unavailable or of lower value. Over time, as manufacturers and suppliers clear inventories of less efficient models by offering discounts, expect the price of efficient appliances to come down as well.

Installation (Getting It Done):
Be sure to price shop and to get two or three (or more) prices. Inquire about installation and removal of your old unit. For any refrigeration unit, be sure that the refrigerant will be removed and recycled responsibly. Refrigerants are very potent greenhouse gases and must be captured and contained. Shopping for price and availability will give you perspective on the true costs of equipment and installation in your area.

This article was posted on the EcoBroker website. For more info on environmental issues contact Alvin Fuchs, EcoBroker. alvin@alvintherealtor.com

I did not write in my blog because I have been just very busy showing properties and writing offers and getting into escrows.It is exciting and certainly surprising people whom I meet and with a kind of a “pity” or “concerned” voice ask me “So Claudine how are you doing ? especially in this market ? Are you alright ?” and all I have to say is “I am doing great – I am busy – business is good” Yes business is good. Yes clients who are ready to write offers now are getting some great deals. The sellers are seeing some “action” and offers …which we did not see during 2007. I do not know about recession …all I know is that I am having a fine season. Prices are dropping especially in gated golf communities, properties that are also investment and also for the snow birds personal use.It also sounds like we will be busy until the summer …including the summer.

Very odd times…

Am I living on another planet ? I am just as busy as I have been during the best years of real estate.Running around showing properties, being contacted all day long to answer questions to potential buyers …We are blessed in Palm Springs and the area….The word is out that it is the TIME TO BUY and people are asking us to write offers (yes I must admit sometimes low offers) and after a few back and forth we are in escrow.Buyers are happy to buy a worth while property in our wonderful area , in the sunny Palm Springs and sellers who really want to sell see offers and sell. We are in a micro market very typically outside of all the media ( I am not saying they are lying..but again we are not part of the average calculation of foreclosures and such. The country clubs get most of the attention because the buyers are “snow birds” who will not spend more than a few months in the home they buy. The gated communities are now selling better than the free standing homes in regular areas. I am not complaining…and I will be happy to answer your questions…Please do share with me your thoughts.

While working with a client, it was made clear that they wanted an affordable property that provided them with 100% untreated natural mineral water.  I got some great info from Desert Water Agency who handles Palm Springs and part of Cathedral City and from Coachella Valley Water District who handles most of the remainder of the Coachella Valley.  A majority of the water, from  DWA, is pumped from underground wells and is delivered untreated. There are a few communities that are supported by above ground sources and those are treated with the minimum allowable chlorine. CVWD had a similar explanation. In fact, I was told that the best filtering system you can have is sand. We happen to live in a very sandy area allowing our well water to be some of the best filtered mineral water there is. Additional information is available and can be obtained from either of the two agencies. For those who need to filter out the chlorine, a simple activated carbon filter would be the best. For information about environmental issues regarding your home contact your local EcoBroker certified Realtor. In this case, that would be me. alvin@alvintherealtor.com or 760 219 1504.

I could write more about Real Estate but I would like to share with you some numbers I read in  the Real Estate Magazine this month  by Robert Freedman U.S. Population as of Jan. 1,2008 : 303 146.284

Percent change from Jan. 1,2007 : +0.9%

Rate of U.S. births ; 1 every 8 seconds

Rate of U.S. deaths : 1 every 11 seconds

Rate of International migration to U.S. : 1 every 30 seconds

Total rate of U.S. growth: 1 every 13 seconds 

Economists can argue about the short-term prospects of home sales as consumers ponder the best time to buy. But there’s little doubt among analysts about the market’s long-term prospects. 

The Unided States is adding one person every 13 seconds. At the sart of 2008, the country had surpassed 303 million residents, almost 3 million more than it had at the start of 2007, the Census Bureau says. 

One of the driving forces of this increase is a rise in the U.S. birth rate, now the highest it has been in more than 40 years, according to an Associated Press review of births dating back to 1090.

Fueling the births are higher rates for immigrant households, particularly Hispanics. For real estate professionals, the country’s continuing strong growth is a good sign in today’s challenging times. “With a population increase of 3 million, household formation typically expands by up to 1.5 million,” says NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. 

And because new household formation is the critical first step toward home ownership, the population gains point to robust demand in the years ahead, especially since a significant portion of the increase is fueled by immigrants, who arrive at the rate of one every 30 seconds, the Census Bureau says. 

For Yun, the Census Bureau figures suggest demand for housing will rise. Last year, new household formation totaled only 650,000 units, about half the historical norm. “Many people have evidently doubled up with roommates or have moved back in with family: he says. Masrkets should see more demand once consumer confidence is restored.

To day I decided to “pass” on doing open house the way I have been religiously doing since the beginning of the season….I mean like every year during season since I am in business in Palm Springs area. It is a way to meet potential buyers or sellers. I must admit that 60% of my customers, I have met sometime or another at an open house. But times are changing and when I woke up this morning and went to my computer ..there were 3 emails from people asking for information on properties and how to buy , and taxes…well in fact potential buyers. I took care of that business and I might just sell a condo or a home to one of the three….Does that mean that I should stop doing open houses ? I guess not because I still have to be on the terrain to meet the people and really “hear’ what the market is telling us. Still I love the internet and what it is bringing to our business..Would you start looking on the internet or would you look in a magazine pictures of properties that might be already “expired” or “sold”.  The internet really gives a NOW information. I am quite good at  follow up and I am happy I chose to do so much of my business over the internet