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September 5th, 2010
Finding Surprising Deals … Across America
Some people have asked, “How do you find the good deals?” and I’ve been thinking about that recently since the last deal found me. For me, there are two types of real estate search, On Purpose, and Serendipity.
I get some of my best ideas about business doing something besides business!
On Purpose includes all the normal methods, searching the REO listings, Courthouse Steps, Direct Mail etc … and we need to keep on doing those methods that work for us. But dont miss out on the Serendipity that can happen by Wandering Around with Curiosity and Expectation.
It’s good to wake up each day desiring to be a blessing and receive a blessing, deliver a miracle and receive a miracle. Then just wander around with curiosity and expectation. Dont get too caught up in the hustle & bustle of the regular On Purpose business … or you may miss the Surprise Blessings.
Here’s how it worked out yesterday on my drive across America. I stopped by to see Andrew & Megan Martinez in York Nebraska. Andrew is looking to do his first Green Flip, so we asked Jennifer Martin, my Realtor, for a referral from her network. Judy Miller did a great job of showing us what was available. We settled on 2 and went to look at them today. That’s the standard approach, business as usual.
Opportunity #1 from Wandering Around With Expectation.
Then we set out, Wandering Around. First we went to a nearby lake and went canoeing. Kicked around some ideas and landed one really good idea that we’ll both use for years to come. Then we went to a restaurant where Andrew knew the owner. Fred mentioned a home that had just gone into foreclosure and wasn’t listed yet. We wandered over & the house looked good, Serendipity #1.
As we were beginning to leave, a gentleman who recognized Andrew from last year’s Christmas party joined our conversation. He learned that we were looking to buy a house and volunteered that he had a house that he was thinking of selling. We went over and looked at it. Serendipity #2. It looked even better than the first one and found that it came with assumable financing! Blessing #3. Now all that needs to be negotiated is the total price and how the balance will be paid.
Opportunity #2 from Wandering Around With Expectation. This one is currently on a land contract which can be assumed. A great benefit that we weren't looking for.
So at my stop at York, Nebraska on my trip across the USA, I looked at 4 properties, 2 were business as usual and 2 were from Wandering Around With Expectation. I’m not saying that one is better than the other. The point is to do both.
The benefit of the normal approaches is that you can always and consistently go to work. The problem with these normal approaches is that everyone else is doing the same thing. So great deals and creative financing are more rare.
The benefit of Wandering Around With Expectation is that you are likely to uncover deals that the competition doesn’t know about and creative financing is more common.
The best book that I’ve read recently on living with this type of Expectation is “You Were Born For This” by Bruce Wilkinson. Bruce says that God is looking to bless people and is looking for delivery boys and girls to deliver miracles and blessings. What a great way to live. Expecting to deliver and receive blessings each and every day. And it makes Energy Wise House Flipping more fun … and profitable.
PS. (later) After the previous post, I was sitting around a campfire and Roger mentioned another house available for $5,000. That got my attention, so we went and looked at it before I left … I’ll keep you posted.
August 17th, 2010
Wholesalers Can Save You A Lot Of Time!
Our next project. See that palm tree and fireplace? They both have to go. They are messing up my Solar Exposure!
We are in escrow to purchase our first property from a “Wholesaler.” I didn’t see it coming, but I’m glad I got a call a couple of weeks ago from Sam Okenyi & his partner, Chris Williams. They were familiar with our Green Renovation and Classy Remodeling work from our job sign and our CraigsList ads and knew that we would be the most likely buyer on their list if they could just get us to take a look at it. (See video of my interview with Sam and Chris) They had found a real mess of a house, un-permitted additions, everything worn out, and a previous attempt at a duplex conversion and had it under contract with a few days left to find the buyer.
Fortunately I had just jumped back into the market after taking a break to evaluate my first 10 transactions and make any adjustments to the mission that might be needed. Here’s what I had found:
1. All 10 jobs were complete and sold or in lease or lease option status.
2. We made money on all of them, from $2,000 to $28,000 each.
3. We always sold for about $20K over the rest of the neighborhood because of the value of our renovations
4. Appraisals came in OK except for the last one, which we are providing details the appraiser missed.
5. 2008 – 2009 was a lot different than the beginning of 2010. A contributor to this was the $8K tax credit which stimulated all the players and made good deals harder to find. The “Crazy Time” provided a good opportunity for me to slow down and finish up all projects and evaluate.
6. Time to get back in the market. I made 5 offers in August, one still has life in it. The “retail” market has returned to acceptable levels where some good deals, (not killer deals) are available. In the interim, I had investigated the courthouse steps, (too much work for my taste), direct mail, (lots of sellers wanting to sell, but once again, not my style) So I was ripe for a wholesale offer.
The great thing about buying from a wholesaler if they have secured a really good deal and provided me with a good clear package is the amount of time it saves me. Sam had emailed me a clear package with his analysis and the comps. So when I met him on the job, I was already educated enough on the area to say, “Let’s do it!”
I made it clear to Sam and Chris what we are looking for, Real Ugly Houses. Guess what? Now that they know that, and know that we are real buyers, they will pull out all stops and really start combing the neighborhoods for us. It’s a Win – Win. I’ve added a marketing department to my team. And I dont have to pay them unless they produce. What a country!
Wholesalers are probably like Teachers (I used to be one) The good ones are way under paid and the bad ones are over paid. What makes a good wholesaler that is worth the spread that they earn, between what they secure the property for, and what they sell it to me for? These 3 things are important
1. They aren’t trying to get rich on one job. (They know the buyer has to make a profit, or they wont come back for seconds)
2. They communicate clearly. They know what I want and make a clear presentation
3. They know how to do same day closings and work with an experienced escrow person.
If all that’s in place, a good wholesaler can save you a lot of time. If you’re interested, you can call Sam at 559 394 9505 or Chris at 559 593 2987. Or check out the 3 part Video Interview of me interviewing them
We talked about Wholesaling in General and how wholesalers and investors can work together as a team.
August 5th, 2010
Solar On A Rental: Have I Lost My Mind? Or Found The Key?
Some of my investor friends say I’ve finally lost it, gone completely overboard with this green energy thing … and my wife thinks they may be right.
This week I installed a Photovoltaic Solar System on one of my renovation houses. The fact that it was on a rental is where my friends thought I took leave of my senses.
But I’m liking the idea more and more as the results are unfolding. It looks like the ultimate Win, Win, Win, Win, Win. You see, I had made a classic Investor mistake: I had mis-judged the neighborhood and over built for what the neighborhood would appraise for. I wanted a sale price of $160,000 for the completely renovated 1200 square footer with energy efficient everything in Fresno CA. The appraiser said $153,000, so I could absorb the $7,000 hit or change strategies and play a different game.
Here’s the new game plan:
1. Refinance and get all or most of my money back so I can continue in the Energy Wise Investment game.
2. Advertise for the highest rent in the neighborhood. (This is easy when you’ve mastered the Wow! factor.)
3. Add Solar to bring the Electric Bill close to Zero. (This wont take much, because you’ve built a tight building envelope and a great HVAC system)
4. Tenants will be happy with the rent when they know the utility bill is going to come down more than enough to compensate for it. (Educating the tenant cannot be left to chance)
5. You enjoy a strong positive cash flow. And the tax credit and the rebate.
6. Your tenant is happy and paying less monthly than if you hadn’t added Solar.
7. You know you’re doing the right thing for the planet and the community
8. And to come full circle: —The low-ball appraisal becomes irrelevant.
Unlocking the Puzzle We'll continue to investigate How, Why and When Installing PV Solar makes sense to the Energy Wise Investor.
That’s a lot to like and I’ll be putting Solar on more and more rental homes.
In the first 3 1/2 days the system has generated 100 kilowatt hours. Here in Central California with our 5 tier billing system (PG&E) that means somewhere between $11 and $48. Not bad for the 2.81 KW system in 3 1/2 days. For more details see last Tuesday’s webinar slides in Planetsavers University right here on GreenEarthEquities.com. Next Tuesday, I’ll interview Terry Shelton, the Solar Contractor on the Tuesday Webinar. We’ll talk more about the counterintuitive case where It makes sense for Investors to put Solar on their rentals!!! If you haven’t already, fill out a comment form and we’ll send you an invite with details on each Tuesday’s Webinar.
BTW For some incisive thoughts on our housing stock and Home Star, see Arthur Beekin’s thought provoking piece in the Healdsburg Tribune. Whether Home Star passes or not, Energy Wise Renovators hold a powerful key to fixing our inadequate housing stock and saving our Planet, One House At A Time … Especially when their renovations are tight and efficient and then they go to Near Net Zero with a small PV system! Stay tuned…..
May 25th, 2010
“Top 10″ Home Performance Renovations? What If You Had To Choose?
That was exactly the question that one of the readers from Sacramento asked me last week. I thought it was a good question and worthy of writing an article about. But first the disclaimer and a few caveats. Us humans love lists, especially Top 10 lists. They can be an aid to thinking, especially for the one who has to think them up … but they can also limit the thinking process if you just follow the 10 point recipe, without thinking why each of the Top 10 made the cut, and whether those same criteria are true in their own building. So there’s danger for those who would like to shut down thinking and charge ahead with a list of ingredients for a cookie recipe. On the other hand, it’s a wonderful exercise that everyone in Home Performance should consider on their own property. Check out 100119 The Energy Package
Criteria For Selection And A Little History
In the 1980’s Pacific Gas and Electric had a Weatherization Program that used the “Big 6.” If I remember, it included Attic to R19, Caulking, Water Heater Wrap, Lo Flo Showerheads, Outlet Gaskets and some Pipe Wrap. After a few years of looking at the results, it was decided that the Big 6 was having little impact on Home Performance and in many cases saved no energy at all.
Autopsy: What’s went wrong with the Big 6?
Several factors can lead to disappointing results in energy saving plans.
1. The items were included because they were easy to inspect. They weren’t really the biggest opportunities avaialable at the time
2. There was little customer education or buy-in. Customers would replace the new showerhead with their old one because they liked it better. The program finally had to start collecting and destroying the old models.
3. There was no testing or thought about where to caulk. Contractors knew only, ”get some caulk on the building and bill the program.” Installers knew even less, ”the boss want some caulking, so give him some caulking.” Some even got paid piecework so miles of lap siding got caulked….. until that got stopped.
4. In Sum, It’s not bad to have 6 or 10 or 12 items to focus on. The Big 6 were just the wrong 6 (except for the Attic, and even that was wasted because it wasn’t preceded by a “shell seal.”
5. With no testing or understanding of Building Science, any such prescriptive approach will include a fair amount of waste and provide minimal Home Performance.
But If I Had To Choose:
Home Performance can be broken into Two Basic Goals and Two Basic sets of Safety Questions. If we break it up into systems, this is not rocket science. The 2 goals are building a good envelope and providing a good comfort system. The Safety Issues are Air Quality and Managing Water.
Before insulating the envelope, we must seal it.
1. Shell seal the Attic. The attic floor and knee walls and other BTU leakers
2. Seal under any Raised Floor. Shell sealing materials are the same as used in the attic. Sealing the crawl space is an option here.
3. Seal Thermal Bypasses and The Band Joists and other areas between the floor and ceiling. This may be a little invasive, perhaps removing some siding to gain access or drilling. Sealing around new or existing windows.
4. Seal the Ducts. It’s almost always better to replace these and do it right than try to repair and seal existing ducts. This is because even if you seal them, they will still be the wrong size, running to the wrong places, poorly insulated, dirty, and near the end of their lifespan (if they are flex) These should be tested to leak no more than 3% of the air going thru them. If you think about it they are really part of the building envelope. Just like the envelope is part of the plenum. All leaks hurt building performance, and none more than duct leaks.
Stop and measure. With these 4 items addressed, it’s time to break out the blower door and duct blaster and run some tests.
There’s no use adding insulation to a leaky envelope or leaky ducts.
5. Attic Insulation. After a tightly sealed attic floor, and addressing all heat producers you can proceed. Getting Rid of Recessed Lights or properly treating them for air tightness must be addressed at this point. Plan your buildings to last 100 years. Usually add about double what others are putting in.
6. Wall Insulation. If it hasn’t been done previously consider dense pack cellulose. All knee walls need some help. 2 inches of FSK insulation usually covers it. For deeper retrofits adding rigid foam to the outside walls can be a huge energy saver.
7. Comfort System. With Mini Split Heat Pumps producing SEER ratings up to 26 and able to heat down to near zero degrees, I am recommending them almost everywhere. These should be tested to ensure that they are delivering the listed amount of BTU’s into the building. No use paying for big claims and not getting delivered performance.
8. Energy Efficient appliances and Lighting including Controls.
9. Safety. This of course includes Carbon Monoxide testing. It can include other Air Quality testing such as Volatile Organic Compounds VOCs etc. If our sealing efforts have been successful, we must Ventilate on Purpose with mechanical ventilation. I recommend an Energy Recovery Ventilator or a Heat Recovery Ventilator for all jobs where the CFM50 rating is less than the floor area in square feet.
10. Water. This includes three aspects, saving it, heating it, & keeping it out of our building. Two stage toilets, water saving shower heads, low water landscaping plants and drip irrigation all address the saving issue. Solar hot water, Heat Pump water heaters or condensing water heaters along with right sized PEX delivery systems and a simple heat recovery drain system are our tools of the trade for heating water efficiently. Keeping water out may include grading to drain it away, french drains, & house wrap and a studious concern with the vapor barrier.
So there you have it. A Top 10 list that would be appropriate for Home Performance in the “Average House” (in my part of California) Of course most houses aren’t average. I’ve been told repeatedly that there are no average houses in Nevada City or Berkeley! And in the Mixed Humid Climate of Virginia,where I’m going, things will will obviously change. But because this list is based on Principles, rather than just a cook book, they wont change that much.
Determining exactly how these 10 will be modified on your particular building will make you think … and that’s a good thing!
I’d like to hear your version of a Top 10 list. Post them in the Comments Section or over on the FaceBook Discussion Tab.
January 4th, 2010
For Real Home Performance… Monitor The Bills
(Reprinted from Nov, 2009)
There’s been a lot of talk about “Really Green” vs “Greenwashing.” The biggest hit has been taken by LEED with Henry Gifford’s blistering presentation in April this year. (Skip to the last paragraph for Henry’s true feelings.) Henry showed how LEED and other points-based rating programs can entice designers to specify gizmos that are currently popular at the expense of tried and true design concepts that dont garner as many points.
First Time Homebuyers, Juan, Corrin & their new son. Although they didn't receive a plaque or certificate or a computer prediction, they are happy about their new home and especially the low utility bills and the comfort of the home.
This results in many LEED buildings costing more to operate than the equivalent non-LEED buildings. Henry suggests that simply monitoring the energy usage (and continuing to monitor it and publish it) is the best way to move us toward energy independence.
What a great idea, Henry! That’s what we do here at GreenEarthEquities. Today I stopped by to pick up the utility bills of one of our buyers participating in our “We Pay Half” program. That’s where we pay half of the Utility Bills for a period of time, usually 2 years. It allows us to put our money where out mouth is and stand behind our claims of energy efficiency… and at the same time keeps the customer motivated toward efficiency because they are paying the other half.
Here are the first 6 months of bills, May thru October. The home is a 40 year old 1200 square foot tract home in Fresno where the summers are really hot. Perhaps even more important is that the homeowner was pregnant with her first child and kept the thermostat at 70 degrees all thru the summer.
Month Gas Electric Total
May 11.06 43.70 55.62
June 5.20 40.36 45.97
July 6.92 109.32 116.88
August 5.09 112.77 118.31
September 6.17 109.97 116.72
October 6.51 71.15 78.24
The home got no certification or plaque. No HERS rating required. No third party testing or computer modeling. The project was designed toward the main thing that counts = the bills. And the bills are about half of what the rest of the neighborhood experiences. Is the homeowner happy? Ecstatic is more like it. Sad that they didn’t get a rating or a plaque? Dont think so. So what’s to not like about that? The deliverable was delivered.
Henry Gifford’s critique was directed at LEED, primarily for commercial buildings. But Residential Programs are not far behind. How much non performance from Home Performance programs will the tax payer allow? Is there political will to demand transparency and performance?
Would the real efficiency of Energy Efficiency Programs improve if the following were implemented:
1. ”We Pay Half” where contractors & developers paid half the utility bill for two years. OR
2. Contractors & Developers wait a year for 50% of their incentive payment and receive it only if the promised deliverable was really delivered.
3. Allow rate payers to see the “Neighborhood Average” along with their bill every month.
Pretty simple stuff really. Please comment in the comments section below. Do you think it’s too simple? Would it work to deliver more energy independence? Or is there too much investment in the testing and modeling and certifying industry that is providing so many of the good new Green Jobs that dont always deliver what the programs promise?
December 20th, 2009
See Two Unique Fresno Attractions Tuesday!
Attendees at the Open House this Tuesday will be treated to two sights that can be seen NO WHERE ELSE. It all happens this Tuesday, Dec. 22 asGreenEarthEquities opens up it’s finished homes and construction projects for a tour. Starting with lunch and mingling at Me n Ed’s Pizza on the corner of Ashlan and Fowler at 11:30 for lunch. Nationally renowned mural artist, Mark DeRaud gives us a whimsical view of Renaissance Art and Life on the walls of the restaurant A former Renaissance employee, we still call on Mark for some of our faux painting requirements.
After some good pizza and Q&A we will visit our second Unique attraction. The most recently completed GreenEarthEquities Energy-Wise Renovation features a totally new type of Air Conditioning and Heating System, a rarely seen Heat Recovery Ventilator system and the adaptation of a New Constructions technique rarely seen in Renovation.
The home is featured on the front cover of Home Energy Magazine. The cover photo shows the Mini Split Heat Pump but the article is mainly about the whole concept of Energy Wise Renovation.
F
inally, (for this stop on the tour) we’ll reveal the reason that all this Energy Efficiency sells so easily in what most people call a depressed market. I’ll also talk about the current sales efforts to sell this home with some new techniques that we are developing right now.
Then we’ll visit the house referred to in previous blogposts as the “Ugliest House In The County” It is about 50% complete and not really ugly anymore…. just in the middle of renovation.
Then we’ll finish with another project that we just started last week. You’ll see it in full demolition mode.
I hope you’ll be able to join us. Please RSVP in the Comments section. And bring all your questions about Energy-Wise Renovation. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be the next to jump into the business of Saving The Planet, One (foreclosed) House At A Time
December 6th, 2009
Influence The Appraisal With Your Open House Brochure?
Today we had an Open House at a newly renovated home. Several people commented about the brochure that we provided, so I decided to post it. 
If you click the images they will expand to full size. It’s our standard 4 page brochure which is more extensive than the standard one page photocopy provided by most realtors.
Each page has a purpose and there is a whole series of slides in PlanetSavers University explaining why we feel it’s worth the extra effort. The first page mentions my Realtor, but just barely. Pictures are obviously important but it also includes neighborhood information, Rent vs Own comparison costs and finally contact info.
Page 2 we call our “Preponderance of Evidence.” This is the “Logic” that allows the buyer to validate in his own mind the emotional decision that got 90% made when his wife walked into the kitchen! (Sorry, that’s the way us humans work)
It really is a long single spaced list. But unless someone points these things out, many of them will be missed, and the decision will default to “Price.” 
It’s our job to “Make The Invisible, Visible” and this page really earns its place when the prospective buyers are conferring later, comparing the homes their Realtor has shown them. This is their crib sheet to remind them that they made a good decision to buy this home! It competes well against the one page Quickie Brochures that they collected at the other homes.
One of the uses of our brochures is to leave a supply of them on the counter after the sale. Appraisers have a hard job on our houses because they sell for quite a bit higher than the rest of the neighborhood. So we use the brochure to give the appraiser the ammunition they need in order to justify the price that my buyer and I have agreed on.
Of course these last two pages help the buyer justify their decision. None of us want to make poor decisions and pay too much. With these pages we are showing them that others are making similar decisions in the same neighborhood.
Check it out. Let me know what you think. Send me a copy of great Open House brochures you’ve used or seen. I’m always looking for ways to improve.
November 29th, 2009
91124 A Better Way To Live?
November 14th, 2009
On The Radio Again
It was good to be back on the radio talking about Home Performance again. Last weekend I interviewed with Cyndy Dole on her Home Wizards show on KFWB, the CBS affiliate in Los Angeles.
Click the image to listen to the interview or download the MP3
It reminded me of the show that Gary Richardson and I did in Fresno for about a year on AM 690 talk radio……… until the station was sold and became another sports station….go figure, here we are saving the planet, one house at a time and it’s decided that we need another sports station more! Oh well, maybe it just wasn’t time.
But maybe now’s the time. I’ve discussed resurrecting the show with Joe Kounen, who is also a veteran of Home Performance Talk Radio. He’s ready as soon as we both find the time? and the venue. With the technology, it doesn’t matter that he’s in Arkansas. Actually having the different perspective from the different climate zone would be a benefit so we would take calls from everywhere that we could get on the air.
The format was “Call In” talk radio with an occasional guest speaker. Mainly talking about the challenges of the Home Performance Contractor from the “Live Ammunition” that we had run into that week. What do you think? Should we do it again? Would you tune in? Any topics you’d like to hear? Let me hear from you. Post your comment…. Thanks,
October 27th, 2009
You’re Invited! Ducted Mini Split “Open House”
The newest GreenEarthEquities Ducted Mini Split Heat Pump system should overcome the last bit of American Resistance to the use of the superior Mini Split technology with its ducted delivery to every room. (Mini Splits are the standard in the rest of the world and are even sold in convenience stores in Asia and Europe but are shunned in America)
Gary Richardson completing the charge on the roof mounted Mini Split.
Its for sure the only one its kind as it was designed on the hood of my truck by Gary Richardson and myself. It will be the centerpiece of our FALL 2009 HOME TOUR of GreenEarthEquities projects that will be held on November 4th. The half day tour will start with breakfast at Sandy’s Country Junction at 7:30 AM
Sandy's Country Junction
and will proceed to two houses that are in process including the one featuring the Ducted Mini Split and a couple of finished homes. Those in a hurry and desiring to just see the Ducted Mini Split please RSVP with your preference in the comment section for schedule details.
We will explore:
Why and how we buy where we buy.
What causes our houses to sell quickly.
What we stay away from.
What goes into the “Energy Package”
How the Done, Wow! & Energy Packages work together.
There will be lots of time for questions and poking around in the renovation projects. I look forward to seeing a lot of you there. Please RSVP in the comment section or by email.
GreenEarthEquities kitchen with custom tile back splash & imported granite.
Other Opportunities: The November full day training for PG&E in Tulare was cancelled due to low pre-registration. If you missed out on that one, you can still sign up for the December 4th class on Energy Wise House Flipping in Sacramento on the PG&E site. There is also a 3 day class for CBPCA November 12th -14th. See the CBPCA website.
I get some of my best ideas about business doing something besides business!
Opportunity #1 from Wandering Around With Expectation.
Opportunity #2 from Wandering Around With Expectation. This one is currently on a land contract which can be assumed. A great benefit that we weren't looking for.
Wholesalers Can Save You A Lot Of Time!
Our next project. See that palm tree and fireplace? They both have to go. They are messing up my Solar Exposure!
We are in escrow to purchase our first property from a “Wholesaler.” I didn’t see it coming, but I’m glad I got a call a couple of weeks ago from Sam Okenyi & his partner, Chris Williams. They were familiar with our Green Renovation and Classy Remodeling work from our job sign and our CraigsList ads and knew that we would be the most likely buyer on their list if they could just get us to take a look at it. (See video of my interview with Sam and Chris) They had found a real mess of a house, un-permitted additions, everything worn out, and a previous attempt at a duplex conversion and had it under contract with a few days left to find the buyer.
Fortunately I had just jumped back into the market after taking a break to evaluate my first 10 transactions and make any adjustments to the mission that might be needed. Here’s what I had found:
1. All 10 jobs were complete and sold or in lease or lease option status.
2. We made money on all of them, from $2,000 to $28,000 each.
3. We always sold for about $20K over the rest of the neighborhood because of the value of our renovations
4. Appraisals came in OK except for the last one, which we are providing details the appraiser missed.
5. 2008 – 2009 was a lot different than the beginning of 2010. A contributor to this was the $8K tax credit which stimulated all the players and made good deals harder to find. The “Crazy Time” provided a good opportunity for me to slow down and finish up all projects and evaluate.
6. Time to get back in the market. I made 5 offers in August, one still has life in it. The “retail” market has returned to acceptable levels where some good deals, (not killer deals) are available. In the interim, I had investigated the courthouse steps, (too much work for my taste), direct mail, (lots of sellers wanting to sell, but once again, not my style) So I was ripe for a wholesale offer.
The great thing about buying from a wholesaler if they have secured a really good deal and provided me with a good clear package is the amount of time it saves me. Sam had emailed me a clear package with his analysis and the comps. So when I met him on the job, I was already educated enough on the area to say, “Let’s do it!”
I made it clear to Sam and Chris what we are looking for, Real Ugly Houses. Guess what? Now that they know that, and know that we are real buyers, they will pull out all stops and really start combing the neighborhoods for us. It’s a Win – Win. I’ve added a marketing department to my team. And I dont have to pay them unless they produce. What a country!
Wholesalers are probably like Teachers (I used to be one) The good ones are way under paid and the bad ones are over paid. What makes a good wholesaler that is worth the spread that they earn, between what they secure the property for, and what they sell it to me for? These 3 things are important
1. They aren’t trying to get rich on one job. (They know the buyer has to make a profit, or they wont come back for seconds)
2. They communicate clearly. They know what I want and make a clear presentation
3. They know how to do same day closings and work with an experienced escrow person.
If all that’s in place, a good wholesaler can save you a lot of time. If you’re interested, you can call Sam at 559 394 9505 or Chris at 559 593 2987. Or check out the 3 part Video Interview of me interviewing them
We talked about Wholesaling in General and how wholesalers and investors can work together as a team.
August 5th, 2010
Solar On A Rental: Have I Lost My Mind? Or Found The Key?
Some of my investor friends say I’ve finally lost it, gone completely overboard with this green energy thing … and my wife thinks they may be right.
This week I installed a Photovoltaic Solar System on one of my renovation houses. The fact that it was on a rental is where my friends thought I took leave of my senses.
But I’m liking the idea more and more as the results are unfolding. It looks like the ultimate Win, Win, Win, Win, Win. You see, I had made a classic Investor mistake: I had mis-judged the neighborhood and over built for what the neighborhood would appraise for. I wanted a sale price of $160,000 for the completely renovated 1200 square footer with energy efficient everything in Fresno CA. The appraiser said $153,000, so I could absorb the $7,000 hit or change strategies and play a different game.
Here’s the new game plan:
1. Refinance and get all or most of my money back so I can continue in the Energy Wise Investment game.
2. Advertise for the highest rent in the neighborhood. (This is easy when you’ve mastered the Wow! factor.)
3. Add Solar to bring the Electric Bill close to Zero. (This wont take much, because you’ve built a tight building envelope and a great HVAC system)
4. Tenants will be happy with the rent when they know the utility bill is going to come down more than enough to compensate for it. (Educating the tenant cannot be left to chance)
5. You enjoy a strong positive cash flow. And the tax credit and the rebate.
6. Your tenant is happy and paying less monthly than if you hadn’t added Solar.
7. You know you’re doing the right thing for the planet and the community
8. And to come full circle: —The low-ball appraisal becomes irrelevant.
Unlocking the Puzzle We'll continue to investigate How, Why and When Installing PV Solar makes sense to the Energy Wise Investor.
That’s a lot to like and I’ll be putting Solar on more and more rental homes.
In the first 3 1/2 days the system has generated 100 kilowatt hours. Here in Central California with our 5 tier billing system (PG&E) that means somewhere between $11 and $48. Not bad for the 2.81 KW system in 3 1/2 days. For more details see last Tuesday’s webinar slides in Planetsavers University right here on GreenEarthEquities.com. Next Tuesday, I’ll interview Terry Shelton, the Solar Contractor on the Tuesday Webinar. We’ll talk more about the counterintuitive case where It makes sense for Investors to put Solar on their rentals!!! If you haven’t already, fill out a comment form and we’ll send you an invite with details on each Tuesday’s Webinar.
BTW For some incisive thoughts on our housing stock and Home Star, see Arthur Beekin’s thought provoking piece in the Healdsburg Tribune. Whether Home Star passes or not, Energy Wise Renovators hold a powerful key to fixing our inadequate housing stock and saving our Planet, One House At A Time … Especially when their renovations are tight and efficient and then they go to Near Net Zero with a small PV system! Stay tuned…..
May 25th, 2010
“Top 10″ Home Performance Renovations? What If You Had To Choose?
That was exactly the question that one of the readers from Sacramento asked me last week. I thought it was a good question and worthy of writing an article about. But first the disclaimer and a few caveats. Us humans love lists, especially Top 10 lists. They can be an aid to thinking, especially for the one who has to think them up … but they can also limit the thinking process if you just follow the 10 point recipe, without thinking why each of the Top 10 made the cut, and whether those same criteria are true in their own building. So there’s danger for those who would like to shut down thinking and charge ahead with a list of ingredients for a cookie recipe. On the other hand, it’s a wonderful exercise that everyone in Home Performance should consider on their own property. Check out 100119 The Energy Package
Criteria For Selection And A Little History
In the 1980’s Pacific Gas and Electric had a Weatherization Program that used the “Big 6.” If I remember, it included Attic to R19, Caulking, Water Heater Wrap, Lo Flo Showerheads, Outlet Gaskets and some Pipe Wrap. After a few years of looking at the results, it was decided that the Big 6 was having little impact on Home Performance and in many cases saved no energy at all.
Autopsy: What’s went wrong with the Big 6?
Several factors can lead to disappointing results in energy saving plans.
1. The items were included because they were easy to inspect. They weren’t really the biggest opportunities avaialable at the time
2. There was little customer education or buy-in. Customers would replace the new showerhead with their old one because they liked it better. The program finally had to start collecting and destroying the old models.
3. There was no testing or thought about where to caulk. Contractors knew only, ”get some caulk on the building and bill the program.” Installers knew even less, ”the boss want some caulking, so give him some caulking.” Some even got paid piecework so miles of lap siding got caulked….. until that got stopped.
4. In Sum, It’s not bad to have 6 or 10 or 12 items to focus on. The Big 6 were just the wrong 6 (except for the Attic, and even that was wasted because it wasn’t preceded by a “shell seal.”
5. With no testing or understanding of Building Science, any such prescriptive approach will include a fair amount of waste and provide minimal Home Performance.
But If I Had To Choose:
Home Performance can be broken into Two Basic Goals and Two Basic sets of Safety Questions. If we break it up into systems, this is not rocket science. The 2 goals are building a good envelope and providing a good comfort system. The Safety Issues are Air Quality and Managing Water.
Before insulating the envelope, we must seal it.
1. Shell seal the Attic. The attic floor and knee walls and other BTU leakers
2. Seal under any Raised Floor. Shell sealing materials are the same as used in the attic. Sealing the crawl space is an option here.
3. Seal Thermal Bypasses and The Band Joists and other areas between the floor and ceiling. This may be a little invasive, perhaps removing some siding to gain access or drilling. Sealing around new or existing windows.
4. Seal the Ducts. It’s almost always better to replace these and do it right than try to repair and seal existing ducts. This is because even if you seal them, they will still be the wrong size, running to the wrong places, poorly insulated, dirty, and near the end of their lifespan (if they are flex) These should be tested to leak no more than 3% of the air going thru them. If you think about it they are really part of the building envelope. Just like the envelope is part of the plenum. All leaks hurt building performance, and none more than duct leaks.
Stop and measure. With these 4 items addressed, it’s time to break out the blower door and duct blaster and run some tests. There’s no use adding insulation to a leaky envelope or leaky ducts.
5. Attic Insulation. After a tightly sealed attic floor, and addressing all heat producers you can proceed. Getting Rid of Recessed Lights or properly treating them for air tightness must be addressed at this point. Plan your buildings to last 100 years. Usually add about double what others are putting in.
6. Wall Insulation. If it hasn’t been done previously consider dense pack cellulose. All knee walls need some help. 2 inches of FSK insulation usually covers it. For deeper retrofits adding rigid foam to the outside walls can be a huge energy saver.
7. Comfort System. With Mini Split Heat Pumps producing SEER ratings up to 26 and able to heat down to near zero degrees, I am recommending them almost everywhere. These should be tested to ensure that they are delivering the listed amount of BTU’s into the building. No use paying for big claims and not getting delivered performance.
8. Energy Efficient appliances and Lighting including Controls.
9. Safety. This of course includes Carbon Monoxide testing. It can include other Air Quality testing such as Volatile Organic Compounds VOCs etc. If our sealing efforts have been successful, we must Ventilate on Purpose with mechanical ventilation. I recommend an Energy Recovery Ventilator or a Heat Recovery Ventilator for all jobs where the CFM50 rating is less than the floor area in square feet.
10. Water. This includes three aspects, saving it, heating it, & keeping it out of our building. Two stage toilets, water saving shower heads, low water landscaping plants and drip irrigation all address the saving issue. Solar hot water, Heat Pump water heaters or condensing water heaters along with right sized PEX delivery systems and a simple heat recovery drain system are our tools of the trade for heating water efficiently. Keeping water out may include grading to drain it away, french drains, & house wrap and a studious concern with the vapor barrier.
So there you have it. A Top 10 list that would be appropriate for Home Performance in the “Average House” (in my part of California) Of course most houses aren’t average. I’ve been told repeatedly that there are no average houses in Nevada City or Berkeley! And in the Mixed Humid Climate of Virginia,where I’m going, things will will obviously change. But because this list is based on Principles, rather than just a cook book, they wont change that much.
Determining exactly how these 10 will be modified on your particular building will make you think … and that’s a good thing!
I’d like to hear your version of a Top 10 list. Post them in the Comments Section or over on the FaceBook Discussion Tab.
January 4th, 2010
For Real Home Performance… Monitor The Bills
(Reprinted from Nov, 2009)
There’s been a lot of talk about “Really Green” vs “Greenwashing.” The biggest hit has been taken by LEED with Henry Gifford’s blistering presentation in April this year. (Skip to the last paragraph for Henry’s true feelings.) Henry showed how LEED and other points-based rating programs can entice designers to specify gizmos that are currently popular at the expense of tried and true design concepts that dont garner as many points.
First Time Homebuyers, Juan, Corrin & their new son. Although they didn't receive a plaque or certificate or a computer prediction, they are happy about their new home and especially the low utility bills and the comfort of the home.
This results in many LEED buildings costing more to operate than the equivalent non-LEED buildings. Henry suggests that simply monitoring the energy usage (and continuing to monitor it and publish it) is the best way to move us toward energy independence.
What a great idea, Henry! That’s what we do here at GreenEarthEquities. Today I stopped by to pick up the utility bills of one of our buyers participating in our “We Pay Half” program. That’s where we pay half of the Utility Bills for a period of time, usually 2 years. It allows us to put our money where out mouth is and stand behind our claims of energy efficiency… and at the same time keeps the customer motivated toward efficiency because they are paying the other half.
Here are the first 6 months of bills, May thru October. The home is a 40 year old 1200 square foot tract home in Fresno where the summers are really hot. Perhaps even more important is that the homeowner was pregnant with her first child and kept the thermostat at 70 degrees all thru the summer.
Month Gas Electric Total
May 11.06 43.70 55.62
June 5.20 40.36 45.97
July 6.92 109.32 116.88
August 5.09 112.77 118.31
September 6.17 109.97 116.72
October 6.51 71.15 78.24
The home got no certification or plaque. No HERS rating required. No third party testing or computer modeling. The project was designed toward the main thing that counts = the bills. And the bills are about half of what the rest of the neighborhood experiences. Is the homeowner happy? Ecstatic is more like it. Sad that they didn’t get a rating or a plaque? Dont think so. So what’s to not like about that? The deliverable was delivered.
Henry Gifford’s critique was directed at LEED, primarily for commercial buildings. But Residential Programs are not far behind. How much non performance from Home Performance programs will the tax payer allow? Is there political will to demand transparency and performance?
Would the real efficiency of Energy Efficiency Programs improve if the following were implemented:
1. ”We Pay Half” where contractors & developers paid half the utility bill for two years. OR
2. Contractors & Developers wait a year for 50% of their incentive payment and receive it only if the promised deliverable was really delivered.
3. Allow rate payers to see the “Neighborhood Average” along with their bill every month.
Pretty simple stuff really. Please comment in the comments section below. Do you think it’s too simple? Would it work to deliver more energy independence? Or is there too much investment in the testing and modeling and certifying industry that is providing so many of the good new Green Jobs that dont always deliver what the programs promise?
December 20th, 2009
See Two Unique Fresno Attractions Tuesday!
Attendees at the Open House this Tuesday will be treated to two sights that can be seen NO WHERE ELSE. It all happens this Tuesday, Dec. 22 asGreenEarthEquities opens up it’s finished homes and construction projects for a tour. Starting with lunch and mingling at Me n Ed’s Pizza on the corner of Ashlan and Fowler at 11:30 for lunch. Nationally renowned mural artist, Mark DeRaud gives us a whimsical view of Renaissance Art and Life on the walls of the restaurant A former Renaissance employee, we still call on Mark for some of our faux painting requirements.
After some good pizza and Q&A we will visit our second Unique attraction. The most recently completed GreenEarthEquities Energy-Wise Renovation features a totally new type of Air Conditioning and Heating System, a rarely seen Heat Recovery Ventilator system and the adaptation of a New Constructions technique rarely seen in Renovation.
The home is featured on the front cover of Home Energy Magazine. The cover photo shows the Mini Split Heat Pump but the article is mainly about the whole concept of Energy Wise Renovation.
Finally, (for this stop on the tour) we’ll reveal the reason that all this Energy Efficiency sells so easily in what most people call a depressed market. I’ll also talk about the current sales efforts to sell this home with some new techniques that we are developing right now.
Then we’ll visit the house referred to in previous blogposts as the “Ugliest House In The County” It is about 50% complete and not really ugly anymore…. just in the middle of renovation.
Then we’ll finish with another project that we just started last week. You’ll see it in full demolition mode.
I hope you’ll be able to join us. Please RSVP in the Comments section. And bring all your questions about Energy-Wise Renovation. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be the next to jump into the business of Saving The Planet, One (foreclosed) House At A Time
December 6th, 2009
Influence The Appraisal With Your Open House Brochure?
Today we had an Open House at a newly renovated home. Several people commented about the brochure that we provided, so I decided to post it. If you click the images they will expand to full size. It’s our standard 4 page brochure which is more extensive than the standard one page photocopy provided by most realtors.
Each page has a purpose and there is a whole series of slides in PlanetSavers University explaining why we feel it’s worth the extra effort. The first page mentions my Realtor, but just barely. Pictures are obviously important but it also includes neighborhood information, Rent vs Own comparison costs and finally contact info.
Page 2 we call our “Preponderance of Evidence.” This is the “Logic” that allows the buyer to validate in his own mind the emotional decision that got 90% made when his wife walked into the kitchen! (Sorry, that’s the way us humans work)
It really is a long single spaced list. But unless someone points these things out, many of them will be missed, and the decision will default to “Price.” It’s our job to “Make The Invisible, Visible” and this page really earns its place when the prospective buyers are conferring later, comparing the homes their Realtor has shown them. This is their crib sheet to remind them that they made a good decision to buy this home! It competes well against the one page Quickie Brochures that they collected at the other homes.
One of the uses of our brochures is to leave a supply of them on the counter after the sale. Appraisers have a hard job on our houses because they sell for quite a bit higher than the rest of the neighborhood. So we use the brochure to give the appraiser the ammunition they need in order to justify the price that my buyer and I have agreed on.
Of course these last two pages help the buyer justify their decision. None of us want to make poor decisions and pay too much. With these pages we are showing them that others are making similar decisions in the same neighborhood.
Check it out. Let me know what you think. Send me a copy of great Open House brochures you’ve used or seen. I’m always looking for ways to improve.
November 29th, 2009
91124 A Better Way To Live?
November 14th, 2009
On The Radio Again
It was good to be back on the radio talking about Home Performance again. Last weekend I interviewed with Cyndy Dole on her Home Wizards show on KFWB, the CBS affiliate in Los Angeles.
Click the image to listen to the interview or download the MP3
It reminded me of the show that Gary Richardson and I did in Fresno for about a year on AM 690 talk radio……… until the station was sold and became another sports station….go figure, here we are saving the planet, one house at a time and it’s decided that we need another sports station more! Oh well, maybe it just wasn’t time.
But maybe now’s the time. I’ve discussed resurrecting the show with Joe Kounen, who is also a veteran of Home Performance Talk Radio. He’s ready as soon as we both find the time? and the venue. With the technology, it doesn’t matter that he’s in Arkansas. Actually having the different perspective from the different climate zone would be a benefit so we would take calls from everywhere that we could get on the air.
The format was “Call In” talk radio with an occasional guest speaker. Mainly talking about the challenges of the Home Performance Contractor from the “Live Ammunition” that we had run into that week. What do you think? Should we do it again? Would you tune in? Any topics you’d like to hear? Let me hear from you. Post your comment…. Thanks,
October 27th, 2009
You’re Invited! Ducted Mini Split “Open House”
The newest GreenEarthEquities Ducted Mini Split Heat Pump system should overcome the last bit of American Resistance to the use of the superior Mini Split technology with its ducted delivery to every room. (Mini Splits are the standard in the rest of the world and are even sold in convenience stores in Asia and Europe but are shunned in America)
Gary Richardson completing the charge on the roof mounted Mini Split.
Its for sure the only one its kind as it was designed on the hood of my truck by Gary Richardson and myself. It will be the centerpiece of our FALL 2009 HOME TOUR of GreenEarthEquities projects that will be held on November 4th. The half day tour will start with breakfast at Sandy’s Country Junction at 7:30 AM
Sandy's Country Junction
and will proceed to two houses that are in process including the one featuring the Ducted Mini Split and a couple of finished homes. Those in a hurry and desiring to just see the Ducted Mini Split please RSVP with your preference in the comment section for schedule details.
We will explore:
Why and how we buy where we buy.
What causes our houses to sell quickly.
What we stay away from.
What goes into the “Energy Package”
How the Done, Wow! & Energy Packages work together.
There will be lots of time for questions and poking around in the renovation projects. I look forward to seeing a lot of you there. Please RSVP in the comment section or by email.
GreenEarthEquities kitchen with custom tile back splash & imported granite.
Other Opportunities: The November full day training for PG&E in Tulare was cancelled due to low pre-registration. If you missed out on that one, you can still sign up for the December 4th class on Energy Wise House Flipping in Sacramento on the PG&E site. There is also a 3 day class for CBPCA November 12th -14th. See the CBPCA website.
Here’s the new game plan:Unlocking the Puzzle We'll continue to investigate How, Why and When Installing PV Solar makes sense to the Energy Wise Investor.
“Top 10″ Home Performance Renovations? What If You Had To Choose?
That was exactly the question that one of the readers from Sacramento asked me last week. I thought it was a good question and worthy of writing an article about. But first the disclaimer and a few caveats. Us humans love lists, especially Top 10 lists. They can be an aid to thinking, especially for the one who has to think them up … but they can also limit the thinking process if you just follow the 10 point recipe, without thinking why each of the Top 10 made the cut, and whether those same criteria are true in their own building. So there’s danger for those who would like to shut down thinking and charge ahead with a list of ingredients for a cookie recipe. On the other hand, it’s a wonderful exercise that everyone in Home Performance should consider on their own property. Check out 100119 The Energy Package
Criteria For Selection And A Little History
In the 1980’s Pacific Gas and Electric had a Weatherization Program that used the “Big 6.” If I remember, it included Attic to R19, Caulking, Water Heater Wrap, Lo Flo Showerheads, Outlet Gaskets and some Pipe Wrap. After a few years of looking at the results, it was decided that the Big 6 was having little impact on Home Performance and in many cases saved no energy at all.
Autopsy: What’s went wrong with the Big 6?
Several factors can lead to disappointing results in energy saving plans.
1. The items were included because they were easy to inspect. They weren’t really the biggest opportunities avaialable at the time
2. There was little customer education or buy-in. Customers would replace the new showerhead with their old one because they liked it better. The program finally had to start collecting and destroying the old models.
3. There was no testing or thought about where to caulk. Contractors knew only, ”get some caulk on the building and bill the program.” Installers knew even less, ”the boss want some caulking, so give him some caulking.” Some even got paid piecework so miles of lap siding got caulked….. until that got stopped.
4. In Sum, It’s not bad to have 6 or 10 or 12 items to focus on. The Big 6 were just the wrong 6 (except for the Attic, and even that was wasted because it wasn’t preceded by a “shell seal.”
5. With no testing or understanding of Building Science, any such prescriptive approach will include a fair amount of waste and provide minimal Home Performance.
But If I Had To Choose:
Home Performance can be broken into Two Basic Goals and Two Basic sets of Safety Questions. If we break it up into systems, this is not rocket science. The 2 goals are building a good envelope and providing a good comfort system. The Safety Issues are Air Quality and Managing Water.
Before insulating the envelope, we must seal it.
1. Shell seal the Attic. The attic floor and knee walls and other BTU leakers
2. Seal under any Raised Floor. Shell sealing materials are the same as used in the attic. Sealing the crawl space is an option here.
3. Seal Thermal Bypasses and The Band Joists and other areas between the floor and ceiling. This may be a little invasive, perhaps removing some siding to gain access or drilling. Sealing around new or existing windows.
4. Seal the Ducts. It’s almost always better to replace these and do it right than try to repair and seal existing ducts. This is because even if you seal them, they will still be the wrong size, running to the wrong places, poorly insulated, dirty, and near the end of their lifespan (if they are flex) These should be tested to leak no more than 3% of the air going thru them. If you think about it they are really part of the building envelope. Just like the envelope is part of the plenum. All leaks hurt building performance, and none more than duct leaks.
Stop and measure. With these 4 items addressed, it’s time to break out the blower door and duct blaster and run some tests. There’s no use adding insulation to a leaky envelope or leaky ducts.
5. Attic Insulation. After a tightly sealed attic floor, and addressing all heat producers you can proceed. Getting Rid of Recessed Lights or properly treating them for air tightness must be addressed at this point. Plan your buildings to last 100 years. Usually add about double what others are putting in.
6. Wall Insulation. If it hasn’t been done previously consider dense pack cellulose. All knee walls need some help. 2 inches of FSK insulation usually covers it. For deeper retrofits adding rigid foam to the outside walls can be a huge energy saver.
7. Comfort System. With Mini Split Heat Pumps producing SEER ratings up to 26 and able to heat down to near zero degrees, I am recommending them almost everywhere. These should be tested to ensure that they are delivering the listed amount of BTU’s into the building. No use paying for big claims and not getting delivered performance.
8. Energy Efficient appliances and Lighting including Controls.
9. Safety. This of course includes Carbon Monoxide testing. It can include other Air Quality testing such as Volatile Organic Compounds VOCs etc. If our sealing efforts have been successful, we must Ventilate on Purpose with mechanical ventilation. I recommend an Energy Recovery Ventilator or a Heat Recovery Ventilator for all jobs where the CFM50 rating is less than the floor area in square feet.
10. Water. This includes three aspects, saving it, heating it, & keeping it out of our building. Two stage toilets, water saving shower heads, low water landscaping plants and drip irrigation all address the saving issue. Solar hot water, Heat Pump water heaters or condensing water heaters along with right sized PEX delivery systems and a simple heat recovery drain system are our tools of the trade for heating water efficiently. Keeping water out may include grading to drain it away, french drains, & house wrap and a studious concern with the vapor barrier.
So there you have it. A Top 10 list that would be appropriate for Home Performance in the “Average House” (in my part of California) Of course most houses aren’t average. I’ve been told repeatedly that there are no average houses in Nevada City or Berkeley! And in the Mixed Humid Climate of Virginia,where I’m going, things will will obviously change. But because this list is based on Principles, rather than just a cook book, they wont change that much.
Determining exactly how these 10 will be modified on your particular building will make you think … and that’s a good thing!
I’d like to hear your version of a Top 10 list. Post them in the Comments Section or over on the FaceBook Discussion Tab.
January 4th, 2010
For Real Home Performance… Monitor The Bills
(Reprinted from Nov, 2009)
There’s been a lot of talk about “Really Green” vs “Greenwashing.” The biggest hit has been taken by LEED with Henry Gifford’s blistering presentation in April this year. (Skip to the last paragraph for Henry’s true feelings.) Henry showed how LEED and other points-based rating programs can entice designers to specify gizmos that are currently popular at the expense of tried and true design concepts that dont garner as many points.
First Time Homebuyers, Juan, Corrin & their new son. Although they didn't receive a plaque or certificate or a computer prediction, they are happy about their new home and especially the low utility bills and the comfort of the home.
This results in many LEED buildings costing more to operate than the equivalent non-LEED buildings. Henry suggests that simply monitoring the energy usage (and continuing to monitor it and publish it) is the best way to move us toward energy independence.
What a great idea, Henry! That’s what we do here at GreenEarthEquities. Today I stopped by to pick up the utility bills of one of our buyers participating in our “We Pay Half” program. That’s where we pay half of the Utility Bills for a period of time, usually 2 years. It allows us to put our money where out mouth is and stand behind our claims of energy efficiency… and at the same time keeps the customer motivated toward efficiency because they are paying the other half.
Here are the first 6 months of bills, May thru October. The home is a 40 year old 1200 square foot tract home in Fresno where the summers are really hot. Perhaps even more important is that the homeowner was pregnant with her first child and kept the thermostat at 70 degrees all thru the summer.
Month Gas Electric Total
May 11.06 43.70 55.62
June 5.20 40.36 45.97
July 6.92 109.32 116.88
August 5.09 112.77 118.31
September 6.17 109.97 116.72
October 6.51 71.15 78.24
The home got no certification or plaque. No HERS rating required. No third party testing or computer modeling. The project was designed toward the main thing that counts = the bills. And the bills are about half of what the rest of the neighborhood experiences. Is the homeowner happy? Ecstatic is more like it. Sad that they didn’t get a rating or a plaque? Dont think so. So what’s to not like about that? The deliverable was delivered.
Henry Gifford’s critique was directed at LEED, primarily for commercial buildings. But Residential Programs are not far behind. How much non performance from Home Performance programs will the tax payer allow? Is there political will to demand transparency and performance?
Would the real efficiency of Energy Efficiency Programs improve if the following were implemented:
1. ”We Pay Half” where contractors & developers paid half the utility bill for two years. OR
2. Contractors & Developers wait a year for 50% of their incentive payment and receive it only if the promised deliverable was really delivered.
3. Allow rate payers to see the “Neighborhood Average” along with their bill every month.
Pretty simple stuff really. Please comment in the comments section below. Do you think it’s too simple? Would it work to deliver more energy independence? Or is there too much investment in the testing and modeling and certifying industry that is providing so many of the good new Green Jobs that dont always deliver what the programs promise?
December 20th, 2009
See Two Unique Fresno Attractions Tuesday!
Attendees at the Open House this Tuesday will be treated to two sights that can be seen NO WHERE ELSE. It all happens this Tuesday, Dec. 22 asGreenEarthEquities opens up it’s finished homes and construction projects for a tour. Starting with lunch and mingling at Me n Ed’s Pizza on the corner of Ashlan and Fowler at 11:30 for lunch. Nationally renowned mural artist, Mark DeRaud gives us a whimsical view of Renaissance Art and Life on the walls of the restaurant A former Renaissance employee, we still call on Mark for some of our faux painting requirements.
After some good pizza and Q&A we will visit our second Unique attraction. The most recently completed GreenEarthEquities Energy-Wise Renovation features a totally new type of Air Conditioning and Heating System, a rarely seen Heat Recovery Ventilator system and the adaptation of a New Constructions technique rarely seen in Renovation.
The home is featured on the front cover of Home Energy Magazine. The cover photo shows the Mini Split Heat Pump but the article is mainly about the whole concept of Energy Wise Renovation.
Finally, (for this stop on the tour) we’ll reveal the reason that all this Energy Efficiency sells so easily in what most people call a depressed market. I’ll also talk about the current sales efforts to sell this home with some new techniques that we are developing right now.
Then we’ll visit the house referred to in previous blogposts as the “Ugliest House In The County” It is about 50% complete and not really ugly anymore…. just in the middle of renovation.
Then we’ll finish with another project that we just started last week. You’ll see it in full demolition mode.
I hope you’ll be able to join us. Please RSVP in the Comments section. And bring all your questions about Energy-Wise Renovation. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be the next to jump into the business of Saving The Planet, One (foreclosed) House At A Time
December 6th, 2009
Influence The Appraisal With Your Open House Brochure?
Today we had an Open House at a newly renovated home. Several people commented about the brochure that we provided, so I decided to post it. If you click the images they will expand to full size. It’s our standard 4 page brochure which is more extensive than the standard one page photocopy provided by most realtors.
Each page has a purpose and there is a whole series of slides in PlanetSavers University explaining why we feel it’s worth the extra effort. The first page mentions my Realtor, but just barely. Pictures are obviously important but it also includes neighborhood information, Rent vs Own comparison costs and finally contact info.
Page 2 we call our “Preponderance of Evidence.” This is the “Logic” that allows the buyer to validate in his own mind the emotional decision that got 90% made when his wife walked into the kitchen! (Sorry, that’s the way us humans work)
It really is a long single spaced list. But unless someone points these things out, many of them will be missed, and the decision will default to “Price.” It’s our job to “Make The Invisible, Visible” and this page really earns its place when the prospective buyers are conferring later, comparing the homes their Realtor has shown them. This is their crib sheet to remind them that they made a good decision to buy this home! It competes well against the one page Quickie Brochures that they collected at the other homes.
One of the uses of our brochures is to leave a supply of them on the counter after the sale. Appraisers have a hard job on our houses because they sell for quite a bit higher than the rest of the neighborhood. So we use the brochure to give the appraiser the ammunition they need in order to justify the price that my buyer and I have agreed on.
Of course these last two pages help the buyer justify their decision. None of us want to make poor decisions and pay too much. With these pages we are showing them that others are making similar decisions in the same neighborhood.
Check it out. Let me know what you think. Send me a copy of great Open House brochures you’ve used or seen. I’m always looking for ways to improve.
November 29th, 2009
91124 A Better Way To Live?
November 14th, 2009
On The Radio Again
It was good to be back on the radio talking about Home Performance again. Last weekend I interviewed with Cyndy Dole on her Home Wizards show on KFWB, the CBS affiliate in Los Angeles.
Click the image to listen to the interview or download the MP3
It reminded me of the show that Gary Richardson and I did in Fresno for about a year on AM 690 talk radio……… until the station was sold and became another sports station….go figure, here we are saving the planet, one house at a time and it’s decided that we need another sports station more! Oh well, maybe it just wasn’t time.
But maybe now’s the time. I’ve discussed resurrecting the show with Joe Kounen, who is also a veteran of Home Performance Talk Radio. He’s ready as soon as we both find the time? and the venue. With the technology, it doesn’t matter that he’s in Arkansas. Actually having the different perspective from the different climate zone would be a benefit so we would take calls from everywhere that we could get on the air.
The format was “Call In” talk radio with an occasional guest speaker. Mainly talking about the challenges of the Home Performance Contractor from the “Live Ammunition” that we had run into that week. What do you think? Should we do it again? Would you tune in? Any topics you’d like to hear? Let me hear from you. Post your comment…. Thanks,
October 27th, 2009
You’re Invited! Ducted Mini Split “Open House”
The newest GreenEarthEquities Ducted Mini Split Heat Pump system should overcome the last bit of American Resistance to the use of the superior Mini Split technology with its ducted delivery to every room. (Mini Splits are the standard in the rest of the world and are even sold in convenience stores in Asia and Europe but are shunned in America)
Gary Richardson completing the charge on the roof mounted Mini Split.
Its for sure the only one its kind as it was designed on the hood of my truck by Gary Richardson and myself. It will be the centerpiece of our FALL 2009 HOME TOUR of GreenEarthEquities projects that will be held on November 4th. The half day tour will start with breakfast at Sandy’s Country Junction at 7:30 AM
Sandy's Country Junction
and will proceed to two houses that are in process including the one featuring the Ducted Mini Split and a couple of finished homes. Those in a hurry and desiring to just see the Ducted Mini Split please RSVP with your preference in the comment section for schedule details.
We will explore:
Why and how we buy where we buy.
What causes our houses to sell quickly.
What we stay away from.
What goes into the “Energy Package”
How the Done, Wow! & Energy Packages work together.
There will be lots of time for questions and poking around in the renovation projects. I look forward to seeing a lot of you there. Please RSVP in the comment section or by email.
GreenEarthEquities kitchen with custom tile back splash & imported granite.
Other Opportunities: The November full day training for PG&E in Tulare was cancelled due to low pre-registration. If you missed out on that one, you can still sign up for the December 4th class on Energy Wise House Flipping in Sacramento on the PG&E site. There is also a 3 day class for CBPCA November 12th -14th. See the CBPCA website.
First Time Homebuyers, Juan, Corrin & their new son. Although they didn't receive a plaque or certificate or a computer prediction, they are happy about their new home and especially the low utility bills and the comfort of the home.
See Two Unique Fresno Attractions Tuesday!
Attendees at the Open House this Tuesday will be treated to two sights that can be seen NO WHERE ELSE. It all happens this Tuesday, Dec. 22 asGreenEarthEquities opens up it’s finished homes and construction projects for a tour. Starting with lunch and mingling at Me n Ed’s Pizza on the corner of Ashlan and Fowler at 11:30 for lunch. Nationally renowned mural artist, Mark DeRaud gives us a whimsical view of Renaissance Art and Life on the walls of the restaurant A former Renaissance employee, we still call on Mark for some of our faux painting requirements.
After some good pizza and Q&A we will visit our second Unique attraction. The most recently completed GreenEarthEquities Energy-Wise Renovation features a totally new type of Air Conditioning and Heating System, a rarely seen Heat Recovery Ventilator system and the adaptation of a New Constructions technique rarely seen in Renovation.
The home is featured on the front cover of Home Energy Magazine. The cover photo shows the Mini Split Heat Pump but the article is mainly about the whole concept of Energy Wise Renovation.
Finally, (for this stop on the tour) we’ll reveal the reason that all this Energy Efficiency sells so easily in what most people call a depressed market. I’ll also talk about the current sales efforts to sell this home with some new techniques that we are developing right now.
Then we’ll visit the house referred to in previous blogposts as the “Ugliest House In The County” It is about 50% complete and not really ugly anymore…. just in the middle of renovation.
Then we’ll finish with another project that we just started last week. You’ll see it in full demolition mode.
I hope you’ll be able to join us. Please RSVP in the Comments section. And bring all your questions about Energy-Wise Renovation. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be the next to jump into the business of Saving The Planet, One (foreclosed) House At A Time
December 6th, 2009
Influence The Appraisal With Your Open House Brochure?
Today we had an Open House at a newly renovated home. Several people commented about the brochure that we provided, so I decided to post it. If you click the images they will expand to full size. It’s our standard 4 page brochure which is more extensive than the standard one page photocopy provided by most realtors.
Each page has a purpose and there is a whole series of slides in PlanetSavers University explaining why we feel it’s worth the extra effort. The first page mentions my Realtor, but just barely. Pictures are obviously important but it also includes neighborhood information, Rent vs Own comparison costs and finally contact info.
Page 2 we call our “Preponderance of Evidence.” This is the “Logic” that allows the buyer to validate in his own mind the emotional decision that got 90% made when his wife walked into the kitchen! (Sorry, that’s the way us humans work)
It really is a long single spaced list. But unless someone points these things out, many of them will be missed, and the decision will default to “Price.” It’s our job to “Make The Invisible, Visible” and this page really earns its place when the prospective buyers are conferring later, comparing the homes their Realtor has shown them. This is their crib sheet to remind them that they made a good decision to buy this home! It competes well against the one page Quickie Brochures that they collected at the other homes.
One of the uses of our brochures is to leave a supply of them on the counter after the sale. Appraisers have a hard job on our houses because they sell for quite a bit higher than the rest of the neighborhood. So we use the brochure to give the appraiser the ammunition they need in order to justify the price that my buyer and I have agreed on.
Of course these last two pages help the buyer justify their decision. None of us want to make poor decisions and pay too much. With these pages we are showing them that others are making similar decisions in the same neighborhood.
Check it out. Let me know what you think. Send me a copy of great Open House brochures you’ve used or seen. I’m always looking for ways to improve.
November 29th, 2009
91124 A Better Way To Live?
November 14th, 2009
On The Radio Again
It was good to be back on the radio talking about Home Performance again. Last weekend I interviewed with Cyndy Dole on her Home Wizards show on KFWB, the CBS affiliate in Los Angeles.
Click the image to listen to the interview or download the MP3
It reminded me of the show that Gary Richardson and I did in Fresno for about a year on AM 690 talk radio……… until the station was sold and became another sports station….go figure, here we are saving the planet, one house at a time and it’s decided that we need another sports station more! Oh well, maybe it just wasn’t time.
But maybe now’s the time. I’ve discussed resurrecting the show with Joe Kounen, who is also a veteran of Home Performance Talk Radio. He’s ready as soon as we both find the time? and the venue. With the technology, it doesn’t matter that he’s in Arkansas. Actually having the different perspective from the different climate zone would be a benefit so we would take calls from everywhere that we could get on the air.
The format was “Call In” talk radio with an occasional guest speaker. Mainly talking about the challenges of the Home Performance Contractor from the “Live Ammunition” that we had run into that week. What do you think? Should we do it again? Would you tune in? Any topics you’d like to hear? Let me hear from you. Post your comment…. Thanks,
October 27th, 2009
You’re Invited! Ducted Mini Split “Open House”
The newest GreenEarthEquities Ducted Mini Split Heat Pump system should overcome the last bit of American Resistance to the use of the superior Mini Split technology with its ducted delivery to every room. (Mini Splits are the standard in the rest of the world and are even sold in convenience stores in Asia and Europe but are shunned in America)
Gary Richardson completing the charge on the roof mounted Mini Split.
Its for sure the only one its kind as it was designed on the hood of my truck by Gary Richardson and myself. It will be the centerpiece of our FALL 2009 HOME TOUR of GreenEarthEquities projects that will be held on November 4th. The half day tour will start with breakfast at Sandy’s Country Junction at 7:30 AM
Sandy's Country Junction
and will proceed to two houses that are in process including the one featuring the Ducted Mini Split and a couple of finished homes. Those in a hurry and desiring to just see the Ducted Mini Split please RSVP with your preference in the comment section for schedule details.
We will explore:
Why and how we buy where we buy.
What causes our houses to sell quickly.
What we stay away from.
What goes into the “Energy Package”
How the Done, Wow! & Energy Packages work together.
There will be lots of time for questions and poking around in the renovation projects. I look forward to seeing a lot of you there. Please RSVP in the comment section or by email.
GreenEarthEquities kitchen with custom tile back splash & imported granite.
Other Opportunities: The November full day training for PG&E in Tulare was cancelled due to low pre-registration. If you missed out on that one, you can still sign up for the December 4th class on Energy Wise House Flipping in Sacramento on the PG&E site. There is also a 3 day class for CBPCA November 12th -14th. See the CBPCA website.
If you click the images they will expand to full size. It’s our standard 4 page brochure which is more extensive than the standard one page photocopy provided by most realtors. It’s our job to “Make The Invisible, Visible” and this page really earns its place when the prospective buyers are conferring later, comparing the homes their Realtor has shown them. This is their crib sheet to remind them that they made a good decision to buy this home! It competes well against the one page Quickie Brochures that they collected at the other homes.Of course these last two pages help the buyer justify their decision. None of us want to make poor decisions and pay too much. With these pages we are showing them that others are making similar decisions in the same neighborhood.91124 A Better Way To Live?
November 14th, 2009
On The Radio Again
It was good to be back on the radio talking about Home Performance again. Last weekend I interviewed with Cyndy Dole on her Home Wizards show on KFWB, the CBS affiliate in Los Angeles.
Click the image to listen to the interview or download the MP3
It reminded me of the show that Gary Richardson and I did in Fresno for about a year on AM 690 talk radio……… until the station was sold and became another sports station….go figure, here we are saving the planet, one house at a time and it’s decided that we need another sports station more! Oh well, maybe it just wasn’t time.
But maybe now’s the time. I’ve discussed resurrecting the show with Joe Kounen, who is also a veteran of Home Performance Talk Radio. He’s ready as soon as we both find the time? and the venue. With the technology, it doesn’t matter that he’s in Arkansas. Actually having the different perspective from the different climate zone would be a benefit so we would take calls from everywhere that we could get on the air.
The format was “Call In” talk radio with an occasional guest speaker. Mainly talking about the challenges of the Home Performance Contractor from the “Live Ammunition” that we had run into that week. What do you think? Should we do it again? Would you tune in? Any topics you’d like to hear? Let me hear from you. Post your comment…. Thanks,
October 27th, 2009
You’re Invited! Ducted Mini Split “Open House”
The newest GreenEarthEquities Ducted Mini Split Heat Pump system should overcome the last bit of American Resistance to the use of the superior Mini Split technology with its ducted delivery to every room. (Mini Splits are the standard in the rest of the world and are even sold in convenience stores in Asia and Europe but are shunned in America)
Gary Richardson completing the charge on the roof mounted Mini Split.
Its for sure the only one its kind as it was designed on the hood of my truck by Gary Richardson and myself. It will be the centerpiece of our FALL 2009 HOME TOUR of GreenEarthEquities projects that will be held on November 4th. The half day tour will start with breakfast at Sandy’s Country Junction at 7:30 AM
Sandy's Country Junction
and will proceed to two houses that are in process including the one featuring the Ducted Mini Split and a couple of finished homes. Those in a hurry and desiring to just see the Ducted Mini Split please RSVP with your preference in the comment section for schedule details.
We will explore:
Why and how we buy where we buy.
What causes our houses to sell quickly.
What we stay away from.
What goes into the “Energy Package”
How the Done, Wow! & Energy Packages work together.
There will be lots of time for questions and poking around in the renovation projects. I look forward to seeing a lot of you there. Please RSVP in the comment section or by email.
GreenEarthEquities kitchen with custom tile back splash & imported granite.
Other Opportunities: The November full day training for PG&E in Tulare was cancelled due to low pre-registration. If you missed out on that one, you can still sign up for the December 4th class on Energy Wise House Flipping in Sacramento on the PG&E site. There is also a 3 day class for CBPCA November 12th -14th. See the CBPCA website.
Click the image to listen to the interview or download the MP3
You’re Invited! Ducted Mini Split “Open House”
The newest GreenEarthEquities Ducted Mini Split Heat Pump system should overcome the last bit of American Resistance to the use of the superior Mini Split technology with its ducted delivery to every room. (Mini Splits are the standard in the rest of the world and are even sold in convenience stores in Asia and Europe but are shunned in America)
Gary Richardson completing the charge on the roof mounted Mini Split.
Its for sure the only one its kind as it was designed on the hood of my truck by Gary Richardson and myself. It will be the centerpiece of our FALL 2009 HOME TOUR of GreenEarthEquities projects that will be held on November 4th. The half day tour will start with breakfast at Sandy’s Country Junction at 7:30 AM
Sandy's Country Junction
and will proceed to two houses that are in process including the one featuring the Ducted Mini Split and a couple of finished homes. Those in a hurry and desiring to just see the Ducted Mini Split please RSVP with your preference in the comment section for schedule details.
We will explore:
Why and how we buy where we buy.
What causes our houses to sell quickly.
What we stay away from.
What goes into the “Energy Package”
How the Done, Wow! & Energy Packages work together.
There will be lots of time for questions and poking around in the renovation projects. I look forward to seeing a lot of you there. Please RSVP in the comment section or by email.
GreenEarthEquities kitchen with custom tile back splash & imported granite.
Other Opportunities: The November full day training for PG&E in Tulare was cancelled due to low pre-registration. If you missed out on that one, you can still sign up for the December 4th class on Energy Wise House Flipping in Sacramento on the PG&E site. There is also a 3 day class for CBPCA November 12th -14th. See the CBPCA website.
Solar PV System for 3405 N. Miami
Interior 3405 N. Miami, Fresno CA
Exterior 3405 N. Miami, Fresno CA
3332 N Ezie $165,000 PENDING
5967 E Fedora $160,000 Pending
3328 N Purdue SOLD
145 Gettysburg SOLD
5741 E Bernadine SOLD
5664 E Bernadine SOLD
4440 N Eddy SOLD
3915 E Townsend 135K Pending
