The Home Connection

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Before you sign an agreement with a building contracting company, make sure you know the following information:

• Find out which employees are doing the work. Make sure the workers are licensed.
• Gather information about the ratings, efficiency, and quality, and recommended usage for the brands the building contractor prefers.
  
• Ask about payment. Clarify payment details before signatures and work are received.
  
• Get a written proposal from the contractor that explains the plan and schedule for the work, including start and finish dates. Make sure the proposal also includes a time for inspection by the municipality, if necessary.

Most importantly, read about the type of project you’re hiring the contractor to do so that you can better discuss the project and have an idea about what it costs and what’s involved.

With all the buzz about going green, how can home owners determine if their home meets neighborhood standards for environmental responsibility? An energy efficient home consumes less power to perform usual household energy functions, like water heating and climate control. Going green not only helps the environment and makes a great conversation starter with the neighbors, but green homeowners also save money on monthly utility bills. In residential homes, energy efficiency generally refers to how the home insulation methods, heating and cooling system, water heating, and appliances work to effectively reduce household energy consumption.

Increase your home's energy efficiency to be an energy thrifty homeowner and save a buck by investigating the most essential green household solutions:

Heating and Cooling: If your heating or air conditioning system is more than 9 years old, use a high efficiency replacement to reduce energy consumption and lower your power bill. Even if the initial replacement is pricey, investing in environmentally responsible climate control solutions provides long term energy savings . Of course, solar heating systems, which collect energy from the sun with solar panels to power your home, are the most efficient, but if you're still using electric or oil, at least switch to gas fast.

Insulation: To achieve desired energy savings with a high efficiency heating and cooling system, use appropriate home insulation methods. Adequate insulation reduces energy needed to maintain the home temperature. Ensure that heated and cooled air doesn't escape through the attic and basement by properly insulating your home. Update old widows and doors with energy efficient replacements. Energy efficient windows and doors help regulate the home temperature by preventing drafts and air leaks.

Water heating system: Electric water heaters on a timer provide the most energy efficient water heating. For the greatest hot water efficiency with out switching to electric water heating, use an energy recovery system, such as Thermodrain or Power Pipe. Energy recovery systems use hot water collected from showers, dishwashers, and other appliances to heat cold water entering the water heater.

Electrical appliances: Purchase household appliances - especially big energy users, such as refrigerators, freezers, and washers and dryers - with an Energy Star rating.

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Preventing fires in homes and apartment building might just start in residents' kitchens. Since hot oven ranges and so many other household electrical appliances belong in the kitchen, it's not surprising that fires typically start in kitchens. To prevent an accidental fire, please take the following precautions for kitchen fire safety.

• Unplug kitchen appliances, such as coffee makers, toaster ovens, mixers, and can openers. They're a fire hazard if they remain plugged in while they're not in use. Appliances also continue to use electricity, even when they're not turned on. To save on your power bill and prevent sparks from unnoticed damage to cords and outlets, unplug appliances when not in use.

• Keep appliance cords away from the stove top, toaster oven and other hot surfaces. Heat is a common cause of damage to cords, and damaged cords cause fires.

• Check electrical cords frequently for damage, and don't use appliances with damaged cords. If you notice damage to the cord but must use the appliance, at least wrap the damaged cord with electrical tape until you can get a replacement.

• Never forget to turn off the stove burners and oven after you've finished. Remembering to turn off the stove, especially during a busy holiday, can be easier said than done. At least be in the habit to never set tableware and serving dishes on the range in case you accidentally forget to turn it off. Plastic can melt on the range. Besides damaging the stove's heating elements, melted plastic can catch fire. Even more dangerous than plastic, ceramic left on a hot range will explode.

• Don't wear loose fitting clothing while you cook. Bath robes, gauzy frocks, and baggy sweaters could ignite if you they got caught in the waffle iron.

• Don't overload outlets, and make sure you use proper fuses in your home.

Of course, each kitchen should be equipped with a fire extinguisher, and children should be well versed in putting out minor kitchen fires.

Foreclosed homes provide the best deals in real estate today, but they can also be the biggest money pits on the market. Although foreclosure properties generally sell for 15 to 20% less than the market value, houses at auction are also sold as-is, and buyers don't get a complementary tour of the inside of the home before purchase. The houses are often left trashed and stripped of anything inside that could be sold, even to the copper piping. There might also be liens against the property that carry over to the new owner. So, investing in foreclosures can be a gamble. If you've ever attended a public auction, you'll know also how difficult it is to secure a good deal in a desirable neighborhood beside cash bidders and other aggressive buyers.

Given the abundance of foreclosures created by the housing market crash and underemployment in America, their are currently hundreds of thousands of foreclosure listings, with even more to come in 2010. Becoming involved in foreclosed home purchases, therefore, requires a lot of time, research, discernment, and avid, hard work. If you're willing to do the homework and make educated wagers, however, you can find great properties at an impressive discount. Not everyone has a bad experience buying foreclosed and preforeclosure properties; in fact, they comprise 37% of home sales in the last half of the quarter.

Purchasing pre-foreclosed homes through short sales is a less risky venture that also yields great savings. Short sales are houses that the bank agrees to sell for less than the balance of the existing loan against the property. Because it's a sale through the bank, they usually clear any liens and title issues before offering the property for purchase. Also, short sales are done through a real estate agent who will help you through the short sale process. Short sales still take homework, though. Check out listings on bank websites. Big names in foreclosures include Bank of America and Wells Fargo. When you find a property you like, contact the listing agent on the ad to make a date to see the property. Another plus to buying homes in preforeclosure: potential buyers can make their purchase contingent on a home inspection. Potential buyers could be waiting for a while, however. The downside to short sales is that good listings receive dozens of offers and it will likely be months before you hear from the bank, if you ever do at all. And average buyers still face competition from investors with cash in hand. Freddie Mac and Fannie Mac, the government's mortgage lenders, have programs in place to help secure offers of non-investment buyers, so use their listings to keep from being outbid by cash over and over, if you'll need a bank to take a larger mortgage for you to finance your home.

Homeowners who purchase energy efficient products save money by reducing their utility bills. The U.S. government provides additional incentives for green improvements by offering income tax credit on energy saving products. Eligibility for tax credits requires that improvements are made to the homeowner's principal residence. Unfortunately, rental properties and new construction do not quality. Offers expire between December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2016, depending on the product.

Home owners should apply for a tax credit - up to $1500 or equal to 30% of cost - on energy saving products for their existing, primary residence on the following qualifying items:

• Biomass stoves, which burn biomass fuel (wood, grass, and other plant fiber) to heat water and provide home heating
• Energy efficient heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) products, such as:
• Advanced main air circulating fans
• Air source heat pumps
• Central air conditioning
• Hot water boilers used for residential heating
• Gas, propane, and oil heaters
• Geothermal heat pumps
• Insulation
• Water heaters
• Windows, Doors, and Skylights, including storm windows and storm doors
• Small residential wind turbines
• Solar Energy Systems, such as: solar panels & solar water heaters
• Fuel Cells

For more information about government tax credits for green home improvements, including qualifying product specifics, please visit Energy Star's Tax Credit Index.