Charming Bernal Home on desirable Prospect Avenue off Cortland
Warmth and charm beckon you. Garden gate opens to darling porch and winsome front door. Bright and cheery - period detail with modern upgrades blend architectural interest with the convenience of modern living.
Sitting Room with deco fireplace opens onto the First Bedroom.
Second bedroom enjoys quiet garden view.
Updated eat-in kitchen with prized Wedgewood Stove, Miele dw, granite counters, modern task and ambient lighting on sliders, with gorgeous, updated cabinetry.
Sunny porch/Laundry Room off of kitchen is exceptionally practical.
Enjoy your private garden retreat of cobblestone patio trimmed with established flowering plants – attractive to butterflies and people alike!
Bonus Lower Level:
(Unwarranted, expansion potential; 3 sets of drawings; already built out; hardwood floor)
3 sets of architectural plans give options for an interior stairway to Media Room and Master Bedroom suite downstairs.
Master Bedroom serenely gazes upon garden; adjacent Master Bathroom; Media Room possibility.
Breathtaking Views • Innovative Design • Sustainable Living
Built by celebrated architect Jeremy Kotas as his own home, this contemporary four bedroom, two and a half bath, three-level house will take your breath away.
Upon entering the Great Room, you realize the uniqueness of this home…the dramatic circular cut-out lifts your eyes and your spirit as the two-story-high ceiling soars above you. Abundant natural light pours in through the wall-to-wall sliding doors on both the main and the mezzanine floors. Two decks encourage enjoyment of the panoramic vistas of downtown SF, the sparkling Bay Bridge and the picturesque hills of Bernal Heights, Noe Valley and the East Bay.
Located on one of San Francisco’s most coveted streets, this home is walkable to so much: the 30th & Church commercial area with great restaurants and a local grocery, the village-like neighborhood of Glen Park, as well as public transportation and easy access to Hwy 280 and downtown SF.
Features
Spacious Combined Living Room, Dining Room & Kitchen
Master Suite with Lounge & Private Deck
Additional 3 Bedrooms & 1.5 Bathrooms
Exposed Beam Ceiling and Granite Counter
Custom-built Infrared Sauna & Hot Tub
4 kW Commercial-grade PV Solar Panels
0 and Low-VOC Paints Throughout
rPET Recycled Carpeting and Potential for Custom Flooring
Verdant and Deep Garden with Mature Landscaping
Extra Large Lot includes Attached Garage
Museum officials decided early on to go for the highest LEED rating
possible, and October 7 they learned that the U.S. Green Building
Council awarded the Renzo Piano-designed building 54 points, enough to
secure a platinum rating. A building must earn 52 points to be
considered platinum.
The new building houses an aquarium, planetarium and natural history
museum and opened to the public on September 27. Sustainability is
built into its physical structure as well as into all museum exhibits.
Six different categories are considered and measured to determine
LEED ratings: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and
atmosphere, materials and resouces, indoor environmental quality and,
finally, innovation and design process.
William McDonough aims to create buildings that produce oxygen, sequester carbon, and produce more power than they use.
At a pessimistic time when “development” is often taken as a
euphemism for environmental destruction, architect William McDonough
offers an optimistic possibility: What if our buildings and the
materials used to construct them could make the world a better place?
As one of our most forward-looking architects, McDonough has racked up
three U.S. presidential awards and numerous blue-chip clients by
delivering on that seemingly radical hope. He calls his design
philosophy Cradle to Cradle—a
vision of a continuous cycle of use and reuse of materials without any
waste. He hopes to create a new Industrial Revolution through
sustainable designs. The former “green dean” of the University of Virginia School of Architecture, McDonough has parlayed his thinking into the influential book Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, an international movement, and a thriving business.
As realized by William McDonough + Partners,
his architecture and community design firm based in Charlottesville,
Virginia, McDonough’s projects have garnered wide acclaim. Ford Motor
Company gave him $2 billion in 1999, with which he transformed the
company’s ancient Rouge complex in Dearborn, Michigan, into an icon of
green design, complete with the largest living roof on the planet: a
10.4-acre assembly-plant roof blanketed with sedum, a drought-resistant
ground cover. The firm has done similar work for Gap Inc., Herman
Miller, Oberlin College, and Chicago’s city hall. McDonough has also
recently drawn up plans for a number of new, ecologically friendly
cities in China. Separately, MBDC
(McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry), the company he cofounded with
German chemist Michael Braungart, consults on the creation of healthy
products and processes, such as utilizing sustainable materials for
Nike sneakers.
DISCOVER caught up with the architect and designer at his Charlottesville office.
How do you see the future of architecture and design?
Given
the obvious concerns for human ecological health—in terms of climate
change, heavy metal toxification, indoor air quality, air pollution,
plastics in the oceans, and things like that—there will be a
large-scale trend to buildings that start to act like organisms. The
green-roof movement, for example, will be promulgated so that buildings
make oxygen. We’ll also see roofs that make energy, as in solar energy.
In effect, the buildings will become photosynthetic and make either
oxygen or energy, or both. We’ll see materials that are derived from
healthy sources and are designed for reuse and recapture.
The upside in looking for a new home during these uncertain economic times is that it’s easier to get expert help to find a home that is green and healthy. Now there’s over 4,000 Realtors who've become Ecobrokers.
Their environmental curriculum covers everything from energy efficiency
to solar energy, indoor air quality and green financing. An Ecobroker can help you assess the green features of a home and recommend changes if you are selling or buying.
Some firms have an impressiveteam of green experts. A shining example is Green Key Real Estate (the first and only green real estate company in San Francisco), led by Chris Bartle. He’s
also on the board of Build It Green, a member of the California
Association of Realtors Green Task Force and a Certified Green Building
Professional.” Ecobroker, Carson Matthews writes that “A tight well built house gives you the foundation to add all of these other (green) ingredients.” Just be sure that your well-sealed home doesn’t keep more air pollutants inside. You want your home to be green and healthy.
The housing market may have had a rough time of late, but there are
still plenty of us out there looking for a new home. Whether you are a
first time buyer or a seasoned veteran, it is worth remembering that
buying a house is one of the biggest decisions you can make, and not
just financially. The location, size and style of your house, along
with what you chose to do with it, can have a huge impact on your
ecological footprint. So choose wisely, ask all the right questions,
and check out some of our handy hints below. Happy hunting!
Top 10 Tips
1. Get good help
Not long ago, if you’d have told your realtor that you were looking
for a green house, they’d have handed you a gallon or two of
emerald-hued paint. Nowadays, with increased eco-awareness and energy
prices going through the roof, it’s not just us TreeHuggers that are
worried about things like indoor air quality and energy efficiency.
When screening potential realtors, ask them how much they know
about home energy performance and other environmental issues that
matter to you. Alternately, services like EcoBroker, Modern Green Living, and other green residential tips can help you seek out a green real estate pro. Learn more about what to look for in a green realtor in our post on Verdant Vocations: A Real Estate Agent?
2. Conduct an energy audit
If your green realtor is on their game, this one will go without
saying, but it's not an automatic. You can tell a lot just by taking a
careful look around. Check out the heating and cooling systems
carefully and make sure they are in good working order and sized
appropriately. Take a gander at the windows, and check if they're
single or double-paned, and at the doors, to see if you feel a draft
coming through around the edges. Be on the lookout for missing or
inadequate insulation, or signs of mold.
To get really good info, though, we recommend hiring a
professional for your audit. They'll use things like infrared cameras
and special fans to pressurize your house and determine how leaky it
is; this will help you determine if your potential new house needs any
big efficiency upgrades, and if something like new insulation will make
sense. Sister site Planet Green has more info on the benefits of a home energy audit.
3. Remember: location, location, location
New Yorkers have the some of the lowest ecological footprints in the
United States, and it’s not because they are all amazingly
eco-conscientious. Rather, it’s because they tend to live close to
shops, entertainment, and places of work. If they don’t live close to
all those things, they live close to a subway or a bus line that will
take them to these locations. The lesson here? Choose your location
carefully. Even if the countryside is definitely for you, it’s worth
thinking about commuting distances, proximity of local facilities, and
how you are going to get around. How to begin? Visit Walk Score to locate restaurants, parks, grocers and other businesses and amenities within walking distance of your possible future home.
4. Buy small, live large
It’s the closest thing TreeHugger has to a mantra: small really is the new big, and less is the new more.
The smaller your living space, the less energy is needed to heat and
light it, and the less you have to spend on utilities too. With some
thoughtful, careful interior design, you can create beautiful living
environments out of some surprisingly small spaces; we recommend multi-functional and transformer furniture to help you get the most out of your space.
5. Kick the tires
Unless you really luck out, your new home will almost certainly
require a few aesthetic and maybe even a few structural changes.
Slapping on a fresh coat of low-VOC paint is easy, affordable, and won't contribute to poor indoor air quality;
ripping up old, off-gassing, difficult-to-recycle wall-to-wall
carpeting to refinish the hardwood underneath is tougher on you and on
the planet; replacing leaky, rusty, lead-leaching plumbing is a taller
order yet, so be sure to "kick the tires" of the houses you're looking
at, so you can get an idea of the changes you'll want or need to make
to create a greener, healthier home.
The news is full of financial chaos. Every day we enter frightening
new territory we thought impossible a few days earlier. Last Thursday
WAMU failed. Now a $700 billion bailout is needed we’re told. What will
tomorrow bring?
And yet there is more going on the world than just this, and the news is not all bad.
I was at the 2008 West Coast Green
conference in San Jose, California last week. Inside the show there was
a whole different story happening than what was happening outside in
the news. The Convention Center was full of thousands of people focused
on every aspect of green building and broader issues of the green
business movement. Outside, the news is scary, dominated by fear of
this crisis and where it might lead. Inside the convention hall the
mood was hopeful, forward-looking, with people busy building businesses
and working on solutions for the environment and the economy. The
difference is striking, extraordinary really – what’s going on here?
Are the green folks delusional? Wide-eyed dreamers? Don’t they see what’s happening?
I think they do. We all know the story. There is fear in the air and
serious problems to be dealt with, but beyond the financial crisis of
today there are pressing long-term issues to be addressed in the
environment and economy, and massive opportunities for entrepreneurs
who can solve them. Greening our buildings is a great place to start.
Some will say that green buildings are an expensive luxury we cannot
afford right now, but now more than ever we cannot afford to waste
energy. Energy is expensive and money is tight – we need to be smart
with money and energy, getting greener than ever. Greening our
buildings is a smart business move and provides huge opportunities for
businesses in many fields.
One problem with our buildings is that they waste energy and waste money.
We have over 110 million homes in the US, and we throw away billions of
dollars on wasted energy every year in our homes. The rising price of
energy is driving more homeowners to do something about it, and
entrepreneurs to help them. The majority of these homes could be better
insulated, and our leaky air ducts can be easily sealed. We don’t see
our air ducts or think about them hidden away in the crawl space, but
the average air duct leaks 30-40% of the air it carries, and wastes
30-40% of your heating bill in the process. By putting solar panels on
top of our buildings we can fight climate change, reduce pollution,
build the economy, and keep energy costs stable. Even while we worry
about the economy, we are blowing money out the door by not taking
simple steps like these.
Another impact of greening our buildings is on productivity. Acclaimed co-author of Natural Capitalism and founder of Natural Capitalism Solutions,
Hunter Lovins described at West Coast Green the business case for
greening our buildings, including a potential $258 billion increase in
productivity due to reduced sick time and other factors.
Sustainable Spaces
in San Francisco has grown steadily by helping people waste less power
while having healthier more comfortable places to live. Sustainable
Spaces home performance retrofitters audit the performance of homes for
their efficiency, looking at their insulation, windows, appliances, air
ducts, lighting, weatherstripping, and all of the other factors that
affect how well homes perform. They work closely with the homeowner to
fashion the plan that makes the most sense for them, finding the most
energy efficient and cost effective solution while maintaining comfort.
Pratap Mukherjee, the CEO at Sustainable Spaces, reports that “business
is better than ever.” Developing a set of best practices, they are
working to take this solution nationwide.
Our energy goes
down the shower drain in the hot water that briefly hits our body
before heading for the sewer. Ecodrain of Montreal, Canada has
developed plumbing hardware to change this, capturing the heat from
water as it goes down the drain. The Ecodrain heat exchanger is
installed beneath the shower, taking the hot water and using it to heat
cold water headed for the shower head. Looking to scale up production
and partner with builders, they may soon be bringing their product to
the US as another way to make our homes more efficient.
Agilewaves
has developed the Resource Monitor to measure how much gas, water, and
electricity our buildings use, how much this costs us and what kind of
impact it’s having on the environment. Founded by three NASA
scientists, they place sensors on each of these systems in a building
and feed constant data from these sensors to a centralized real-time
display of how the building is doing. The display can be on a computer
screen at home, a smart phone, or other device. The information in a
monthly bill does not do much to help consumers use energy or water
more efficiently, but AgileWave already has feedback from customers
that real-time information can change the decisions they make
throughout the day, helping them use resources more wisely and save
money in the process.
The energy efficiency solution is as
simple as turning off the lights when nobody is in a room, but bad
habits like leaving lights on can be hard to change. An easy answer is
to install sensors connected to light switches, making the lights turn
off automatically. Wattstopper
makes a variety of occupancy sensors that turn off lights when nobody
is in a room, working with sensors detecting heat or motion that are
selected for each unique circumstance in a home or business. They have
been building their business for years with these products, supported
in part by expanding green building standards encourage the
installation of efficiency measures.
Green Key Real Estate
in San Francisco is working with home owners, green or not, to help
more of our buildings to go green. Their business is not just about
buying and selling green homes, but about working with homeowners to
let them know about the opportunity that greening their homes offers.
There’s a connection between the financial crisis and the environmental
crisis - the ceaseless focus on the short term, and a denial of the
long term consequences. At West Coast Green Al Gore described how
ignoring the risks in the subprime mortgage market was similar to how
we continue ignoring the risk created by pumping billions of tons of
greenhouse gases into the atmosphere every day.
But we are
not just faced with problems, but with opportunities to take action now
and change the world. A growing number of consumers and entrepreneurs
are doing just that. They see what lies ahead, and the opportunity that
lies before us to take a different track. They question the assumption
that nothing can be done or that taking action will be too costly, a
drag on the economy. Building businesses that green our buildings is a
great way to do well even in a down economy, making money, growing our
economy, and helping the environment at the same time. “Those who make
it first to the future,” by leading the way in green economy, “Will be
the billionaires of tomorrow,” said Hunter Lovins at the meeting. Not a
bad deal. Greening our buildings requires thinking of the long term,
investing in our homes, our futures and the planet. But when the
current financial crisis fades, and our lives continue the planet will
still be here and we’ll still be living on it, hopefully in a green and
prosperous world.
Inspiring greener living in charming Martinez! 627 Theresa Street - $586,000
Tucked away on a quiet cul-de-sac and nestled among majestic trees along Alhambra Creek, this extraordinary custom-built home is truly a rare find. Masterfully constructed with eco-friendly techniques in mind, this fabulous two-story home provides generous living space in its 2055 square feet and boasts 3 large bedrooms and 3 full baths, with a bonus media room that could easily transform into a 4th bedroom or office… so many possibilities! With an open kitchen and dining/living room area, the convenient floor plan and large backyard with spacious deck are ideal for entertaining with friends and family. Centrally located with easy access to Highway 4, and just minutes from the Marina and charming downtown Martinez. Walking distance to Alhambra Senior High School and Contra Costa Regional Medical Center. Minutes from John Muir National Historical Site and Briones Regional Park. Move right in to this delightful, sustainable home!
Features
• Open and airy floorplan
• New construction with bamboo and concrete floors, granite countertops throughout
• Spacious master with walk-in closet, separate bath and vanities areas with double sink
• Energy-efficient features including dual-pane windows throughout
• Featured on Build It Green’s Home Tour in June 2008
• Featured on the upcoming Martinez Historic Home Tour
• Green Point Rated: 210 pts
• Energy Efficiency =
• Resource Conservation =
• Indoor Air Quality =
• Water Conservation =
• Community =
GREEN FEATURES
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
• Solar water heating system: flat-plate collector, 50 gallon storage tank (salvaged collectors, Sun Light & Power installer)
• 4 kW photovoltaic system (Mitsubishi panels, Sun Light & Power installer)
• Structural insulated panel (SIP) construction (Premier)
• Insulated concrete form foundation (Greenblock)
• Insulated hot water pipes
• 41.4% more efficient than Title 24
• Hydronic radiant floor heat
• 84% efficient tankless water heater (Noritz) for domestic hot water and space heating
• Energy Star® 16 cu ft refrigerator (Sun Frost)
• Energy Star® 3 gal/cycle dishwasher (LG)
Resource Conservation
• 50%+ recycling of construction waste
• 10% fly ash, 40% slag concrete, (Central Concrete)
• Engineered lumber: I–joists, OSB
• 24 inch overhangs and gutters
• Bamboo flooring (Green Fusion)
• Exposed concrete as finished floor
• Extensive salvaged materials from other construction projects, including light fixtures, doors and cabinets
• Exterior lights shielded to reduce light pollution
Water Conservation
• On-demand recirculation pump (Metlund)
• Excavated topsoil stored and protected onsite for reuse in landscaping
• Native, drought tolerant, turf-free landscaping planned
• Permeable driveway pavers (Drivable Grass)
Indoor Air Quality
• Energy Star® bathroom fan vented to the outside (Panasonic)
• Kitchen range hood vented to the outside (NuTone)
• Whole house ventilation system (American Aldes Ventergy)
• No-VOC interior paint
• Tightly sealed air barrier between garage and living area
• High-efficiency HVAC filters: MERV 8
SHOWINGS
Sunday Open Houses, 9/29 & 10/5, 2:00-5:00pm
Broker’s Tour, 9/30, 11:00am-2:00pm
Twilight Tour, 10/2, 6:30-8:30pm
On Lockbox and by Appointment
We're very much intrigued by the white paper released yesterday by Michelle Kaufmann Companies. Officially entitled "Nutrition Labels for Homes: A Way for Homebuyers to Make More Ecological, Economical Decisions,"
the white paper presents the case for a universal label for homes.
Note that last sentence, though. This isn't a label for just green
homes, it's a label for all homes. It's a universal label to educate
people on a home's sustainability (or unsustainability) profile. Every
home gets a label -- you can imagine the power this gives buyers and
green home sellers.
You can also imagine how powerless it makes non-green home sellers.
There will likely be some push back from some homeowners, but only from
the ones that have the most to lose (i.e., those that own energy hogs, inefficient McMansions, sprawling monster homes and the like).
Those that invest in sustainable home improvements will likely fetch
a return on their investment, though, so these labels could be an
impetus to a thorough and enormous market transformation.
The UK has a version of nutrition labels called the Energy Performance Certificate.
Over there, all large buildings in the UK will be required to display
their EPCs in a prominent location. The EPC is different from the
version discussed in this white paper, though, because it provides an
estimate of the potential for improvement based on installing certain
upgrades. But the general idea and concept is the same.
This blue planet we call home is covered in water – from majestic
mountain lakes, to expansive seas, to windy creeks, to home faucet
flows. With a seemingly endless supply of fresh potable water coming
through our pipes each day, its easy to remember that the Earth’s
Surface is 71% H2O, but difficult to articulate how our individual
consumption habits contribute to worldwide water shortages and
pollution. With the average US citizen consuming between 100 gallons
per day, according to the EPA,
we continue to drink up, soak up, and waste up, this finite resource,
even as one third of the world’s population live in countries
experiencing moderate to high water stress.
But don’t fret just yet. Read on to find out how you can minimize your
water consumption through smart choices in appliances >
Consider that 10% of US water consumption comes from residential use –
and lessening this 10% gives consumers the opportunity to help slow
this growing trend (even while we wait for agricultural and industrial
consumers – accounting for 87% of the consumption in the US - to catch up). While we at Inhabitat don’t believe in buying our way
out of this looming global crisis, we do admit that we can go a long
way toward mitigating our personal and household water usage by making
smart purchases for our water-consuming appliances and using them to
their maximum efficiency.
Choosing Water Efficient Appliances
Frontload the Expense:
While energy efficient appliances may cost more in the store, you will
see continued financial savings in your utility bills, as well as
helping to save physical resources. When buying new, consider the
cumulative future savings you will have made by opting for a highly
efficient model. Most major appliances will last you many years
(Refrigerators last an average of 13 years; room air conditioners and
dishwashers, about 11 years each; clothes washers, about 9 years,
according to the U.S. Department of Energy, and over time these savings can help you recoup the higher-initial purchase price of your efficient appliance.
It’s not the size that counts - its how you use it:
Yes, the old adage holds true, for appliances as well as for other
forms of… err… equipment. Once you’ve made the command decision to
replace an old appliance with a new, first assess your needs, space
constrictions, and your current and future use of the product. As one
person living in a one-bedroom apartment you may not need a full sized
dishwasher (or it may not fit in your kitchen), but as a family of four
a larger fixture may be necessary. The goal is to maximize efficiency –
as oversized and underused (running a dishwasher or washing machine
while only half full) appliances waste materials and resources. When
possible, opt for a machine needing fewer gallons/liters of water, or
Kwhs of power, per use; or for a smaller model, both in terms of size
and utility consumption.
Get Certifiable:
You know about Energy Star certification (in the US), but do you know about its water counterpart, WaterSense?
WaterSense certified products are independently third party tested to
meet or exceed EPA’s standards for water efficiency, across a growing
number of product categories. WaterSense
labels are currently available for toilets and faucets, and will be
available for showerheads, urinals, irrigation tools, and single-family
homes, in the near future. As an added bonus, using WaterSense certified products in your home could qualify you for a rebate from your utility company, in certain locals.
Dreaming of Dishwashers:
When choosing a new dishwasher compare the average water consumed/load.
Features which allow you to skip the pre-rinse cycle, and economy mode
settings, that allow you to adjust temperature settings and water
amounts, depending on how dirty and how full your washer is, are common
on many newer machines. In addition, check the appliance’s manual for
the water temperature recommendations; the internal water heater inside
may allow you to set the water temperature in your home to a lower
temperature (120°F), saving energy.
Water-Saving Washing Machines:
While you may not be ready for a waterless washing machine,
modern clothes washers have made huge strides toward curbing water
consumption. Generally, front load washers not only allow you to save
water, energy, and detergent while in use, when compared with top load
alternatives. Front loaders also help to reduce the wear and tear on
your clothing, by using gravity, rather than an mechanical agitator to
circulate your clothes. In addition to temperature controls (the colder
the better – in terms of energy savings), look for water usage
controls, such as “suds-saver” features, and spin cycle adjustments.
Two Step Toilets:
Toilets are the largest consumers of water in the home, accounting for 30% of residential water consumption. According to the EPA,
switching to a WaterSense certified toilet will cut 20% of this
consumption, and on average will save a family of four $90/yr in
reduced water utility bills. Whether or not your toilet to be is
certified efficient, the key is looking for the least amount of
water/flush in a model. Dual flush toilets, with different water usages
allocated to the two main body-toilet function, can greatly help curb
your toilet water use as well.
Of course the above-mentioned products are only a few of the
culprits of home water consumption. Sinks, showers, coffee makers, and
other fixtures and appliances also contribute to your household H2O
use. As with dishwashers and toilets, the key is to compare and
contrast water and energy use across models, look for certifications
which will help you identify more efficient models, choose products
with economy or energy efficiency settings, and then to use these goods
properly, to minimize their use of utilities.
Use it or Lose it:
Remember that choosing the right energy and water efficient appliance
will only take you half the way toward curbing your utility consumption
– the other half relies on personal behavior shifts and maintenance
tricks. Our greener appliance series will take you the rest of the way,
as you learn how to maximize your coffeemaker, dishwasher,washer, dryer, and refrigerator.
The solar industry is elated after Congress passed an eight-year
extension to the solar investment tax credit as part of the $700
billion financial industry bailout package.
The president signed the legislation Friday morning.
The bill included $128 billion in tax incentives and breaks
including the $18 billion solar energy tax credit that offers 30
percent credit to both commercial and residential solar installations.
The industry has been pushing for the extension, saying it’s needed to
scale the industry and drive down the costs of solar to compete with
fossil fuel sources.
“What you’re going to frankly see now is a tremendous herding of
investors who want to get into the marketplace,” said Alex Welczeck,
CEO of Mill Valley-based Solar Power Partners.
And despite widespread support among both Chamber of Congress,
multiple bills extending the tax credits that would have expired at the
end of the year, failed to pass because of disputes that included White
House veto threats over how to fund them.
The House of Representatives had voted on the legislation seven
times in the current legislative cycle, while the Senate had voted on
an extension 10 times.
The extension that finally passed in the bailout bill lifted a
previous $2,000 cap on residential installations – meaning residential
projects will qualify for a 30 percent credit no matter the size of
those systems.
Utilities for the first time will also be eligible for the credits,
something the utility industry been urging Congress to approve for
years.
California will benefit the most from the credit, as it’s the largest solar market in the country.
The San Francisco Civic Center will become an archetype of sustainability under a new partnership the city has forged with the Clinton Global Initiative.
Plans for the Civic Center include an 80 percent reduction in water
use, a 45 percent reduction in wastewater discharge, a 35 percent of
peak power met by renewable energy sources, 33 percent annual energy
reduction and greenhouse gas emissions reduction of 2,225 tons.
“San Francisco’s Civic Center sits at the core of one of the most
visited cities in the world,” said Mayor Gavin Newsom, in a release
announcing the partnership. “What better way to educate the world on
sustainability than by transforming that core to showcase how we can
use water more efficiently, promote food security and reduce our
dependence on fossil fuels.”
The city will officially launch a three-year plan October 20. And
initial projects including solar rooftops, water conservations
fixtures, living roofs and a public wi-fi connection will be installed
in late 2009.
A spokesman for Mayor Newsom said that the PUC has set aside 6.5
million dollars for the initial phase of the project — the installation
of solar panels on the library and City Hall. This installation will be
completed in 2009.
Lower Nob Hill Penthouse - Price Reduced to $799,000!
Top floor condo located in quiet building located next to fine restaurants and transportation.
- Two Bedrooms/ Two Full Baths
- Gourmet Kitchen with Viking Gas Range
- Formal Dining Room with French Doors to Living Room
- Living Room with Wood Burning Fireplace
- Large Private Terrace off Living Room
- Three Skylights/ Great Closet Space
- In Unit Washer/Dryer
- One Car Parking and Additional Deeded Storage Space
- HOA Dues: $344.10 Per Month
Buyer’s Incentives of up to $25,000 in flex–credit plus an additional $2,500 incentive for gala attendees.
Come enjoy San Francisco’s Indian Summer in Arterra’s courtyard. Experience the pleasure of a Green lifestyle firsthand and savor the end of summer’s bounty at our cocktail social with local, organic, and sustainable hors d’ oeuvres provided by Sarah Henkin, CUESA’s Market Chef.
Arterra is San Francisco’s first condominium development registered to attain LEED Certification, the nation’s premier Green-building standard. Green homes are in demand, and now you can tread lightly while living in style.
We have negotiated special Buyers’ Incentives for this night’s attendees. An RSVP assures your space at this event and qualifies you for exclusive savings.
Rare SF opportunity to sustainably build your own, new and perfect Single Family Home in the Mission! Located steps from BART and the hot, up-and-coming 24th Street Corridor, this location offers the best of the sunny Mission District with excellent restaurants, clubs, public transportation, gyms, yoga and dance studios and much more. Just a few blocks from Bernal Heights and Noe Valley, convenient access to 101 and 280 Freeways. Recently converted to residential.
New lot approved variance allows for one, brand new (approx) 2200 square foot SFH with parking to be built on the footprint of existing warehouse. Design sketches of building mass and envelope (shape) approved by City to be built pending final permit process. Sketches available upon request. Owner financing available.
Contact James Rogers for more information and showings:
The Public Utilities Commission, the Department of Public Health,
and the Department of Building Inspection have partnered to encourage
the safe use of rainwater for irrigation and toilet flushing without
requiring special treatment. Systems designed to collect and treat
rainwater for any potable uses will be inspected and permitted on a
case- by-case basis.
What is rainwater harvesting?
Rainwater
harvesting is the practice of collecting and using rainwater from hard
surfaces such as roofs. It is an age-old technology that is growing in
popularity as people look for ways to use water resources more wisely.
Communities in ancient Rome were designed with individual cisterns and
paved courtyards, which captured rainwater to augment supply from the
city’s aqueducts.
Until recently, urban areas served by municipal water have tended to
overlook rainwater as a water resource. San Francisco would like to
change that by raising awareness about rainwater harvesting and
promoting its use.
Why harvest rainwater?
When you install a
rainwater harvesting system at home, you are helping to maintain the
health and beauty of San Francisco’s urban watershed in many ways. By
harvesting rainwater you:
Keep relatively clean water out of the combined sewer system and make it available for use
Reduce the energy and chemicals needed to treat stormwater in
San Francisco’s combined sewer and the energy expended transporting
water from far away
Reduce the volume and peak flows of stormwater entering the sewer, thereby reducing flooding and combined sewer overflows
Reduce the volume of potable water used for non-potable applications such as irrigation and toilet flushing
There will be an evening of celebrating this new milestone on September 23 5:30 at the Bayview Boat Club. There will be snacks and a no-host bar at 5:30 and jazz at 8 p.m. The Bayview Boat Club is located at 489 Terry Francois Blvd. (formerly China Basin St.)
LEED®, GreenPoint Rated, USGBC, FSC-Certified, ENERGY
STAR. You've likely heard these terms pop up in conversations or news
stories recently as green building surges into the mainstream. Knowing what
they mean, both in general and to your clients, will become increasingly
necessary in the years to come, and may even be a helpful marketing tool in
a tight housing market.
Green building refers to an approach
to building that reduces energy usage through efficient heating, cooling,
and lighting systems; reduces water needs through the use of efficient
plumbing systems; and uses renewable, non-toxic building materials, which
include everything from wood certified as sustainable by the Forest
Stewardship Council (FSC) to finishes, such as recycled glass countertops.
The practice has gained popularity in California's commercial real estate
sector over the past two decades as developers, contractors, and facilities
managers have benefited both financially and reputation-wise from the
decision to build green.
Now, with energy prices at an all-time high, the federal government set to
renew and possibly increase incentives for improvements such as energy
efficiency and renewable energy systems in homes, and climate change on
consumers' minds more than ever before, green building is infiltrating the
residential market. While the focus on oil prices and energy costs is
reminiscent of the 1970s boom in renewable energy, even critics of the
"green" movement believe this time it's here to stay. You only have to look
at one of the thousands of "green" issues put out by consumer magazines
last year or tune in to one of the hundreds of green-themed television
shows to see why: This time around, mainstream consumers are riding the
green wave.
Although hard data on the marketability of residential green building don't
exist, Tom Cody, a principal with green building-focused developer Gerding
Edlen, is optimistic. "Consumers are beginning to really vote with their
feet and wallets in terms of green," he says. "In the coming years, I think
a lot of data will support the value of residential green building."
Your Place in Green Building
So, what role can real estate agents play in California's green housing
boom? A crucial one, according to San Francisco-based agent Chris Bartle.
"The best time to get people interested in green building is right after
they buy, before they move in, and REALTORS® have such an opportunity to
influence those decisions," he says.
When customers come to a REALTOR® looking for a "green" home, as more and
more Californians are beginning to do, according to a report released last
year by McGraw-Hill Construction, Bartle says it is sometimes difficult to
find a home that is already green. Like a handful of other like-minded
brokers, Bartle's firm, Green Key Real Estate, focuses on greening
buildings as much as possible and promoting green remodels. To that end, he
recently helped to connect two of his customers with local green building
professionals who are helping them with "green" remodels. Providing this
sort of service can help green-minded REALTORS® to differentiate themselves
in the marketplace, and endear themselves to customers, who will likely
list their higher value green homes with the same broker if and when they
decide to sell.
Cutting through Greenspeak
To help clients interested in green homes, real estate agents need to be
well versed in more than just jargon. "There are some misperceptions out
there about green building, starting with the fact that it's more
expensive," says Bartle.
"If you're comparing it to a super-cheap Home Depot remodel, then yeah,
it's more expensive," he explains. "But if you're comparing it to a
high-end remodel with granite countertops and things like that, then a lot
of times it's actually cheaper."
Rampant greenwashing is something
else agents need to be aware of. As all things green grow in
popularity, the number of companies touting the environmental features of
various green products is increasing daily, and agents need to be able to
help clients navigate through a flood of marketing claims. Bartle cites
bamboo as a prime example. "Bamboo is really hot right now and it's
overhyped," he says. "A lot of it comes from China, and it's questionable
how green something is that's shipped halfway around the world when it's
compared with local, FSC-certified wood."
Bartle says quality issues also come up with companies jumping on the green
bandwagon, and companies putting out low-quality products that donÕt last
could tarnish the reputation of green home products.
-1 Bedroom
-1 Bath
-All Appliances Included.
-Assumable Loan.
-Next Door to Sutter Medical Center.
-Close to many amenities.
Also available:
$279,000
-2 Bedroom
-2 Bath
Contact Thomas Neece:
cell: 415-215-5826
The Phoenician at Roseville, CA. offers most luxurious condominiums in
the area. Please contact me for a personal guided tour of our complex.
Interior Design Features, Prestigious 8-foot solid metal-clad entry
door with brushed nickel hardware and dead bolt, Dramatic 9-foot high
ceilings in living area and master bedroom, Washer and dryer with
convenient built-in shelving over laundry area for extra storage,
Pre-wired for internet access, satellite television, telephone and
security to accommodate all of your hi-tech needs. Ceiling fans in all
bedrooms for your comfort.
Gourmet Kitchens, Napa-style wood cabinets, Quality General Electric
kitchen appliances, Gas range with self-cleaning oven, Built-in
microwave oven, Multi-cycle dishwasher, Attractive granite countertops
with backsplash
Energy Saving and Water Conserving Features, Hydronic energy-saving
forced central heating and 12-SEER air conditioning system, Fully
insulated R-13 exterior walls, R-30 ceiling insulation, Pre-plumbed for
easy connection of optional soft water system, Floor and ceiling sound
transmission coefficient with an STC rating of 55 between the second
and third floor
Community Amenities Include:
• Prestigious location with scenic views of the High Sierra
• Private gate entrance with remote access
• Lush landscaping with elegant lighting, water features and statuary
• Two picturesque park areas with mature oaks and abundant landscaping
• Flourishing community garden
• Exquisite on-site clubhouse with sophisticated furnishings
• Lavishly-decorated outdoor recreation area including two pools, three
spas, an inviting gazebo, a barbeque and entertainment center, and a
unique oversized chess game board
• Fully-equipped fitness center with expansive views of the natural surrounding environment
• Game room with billiards table, dart board, ping pong table, and shuffleboard table
• Media room with big-screen television and leather furniture
• Executive-style conference room perfect for committee meetings
• Craft room for scrap-booking or quilt-making with your neighbors
• Full kitchen available for those events that require a little more space
• Secure indoor centrally-located mailroom
San Francisco wants to be the new
“Windy City.” It has a quite a ways to go to becoming wind-energy
dependent—there is yet to be a single wind-powered municipal
building—but the city is trying to make it easier for home and
small-business owners to harness this mighty renewable resource. Here’s
a breakdown of the necessary steps to follow and a list of
manufacturers and distributors who make and sell wind turbines in San
Francisco and beyond.
Earlier this year the city created an
Urban Wind Power Taskforce, which met for the first time in mid-July.
The overarching goal is to help bring more wind power to more people
more efficiently, with specific goals including reworking wind permit
requirements, collecting more information about San Francisco wind
patterns, and creating an online wind resource map, much like its
existing online solar map or Sungevity’s online solar resource map.
I called San Francisco Department of the Environment's
renewable energy program manager Johanna Partin, who is coordinating
the Urban Wind Power Taskforce, for tips on how to set up a wind
turbine system.
How to: Become Wind-Energy Dependent
(1) Test your available wind power. Before
you can decide what type of wind turbine best suits your needs, you
have to find out what your needs are. By installing an anemometer where
you intend on installing a wind turbine and recording data for 6
months, you’ll know what your home’s average wind speed is and what
type of wind you experience (gusts, steady wind, etc.) Anemometers are
sold at many hardware stores and usually cost $75-150.
(2) Pick your turbine.
The data you collected will help you determine what kind of turbine
system you need. Bring your data with you when you meet with a turbine
system distributor.
(3) Apply for a permit.
In San Francisco, this requires submitting plans—including drawings and
details about the turbine system that will be installed—to the
Department of Building Inspection and the Department of Planning.
Permits are reviewed on a case-by-case basis but the city hopes to
create a streamlined process when the demand for residential and small
commercial turbines increases.
(4) Install your turbine. Once you’re issued a permit, you’re ready to power up. If you choose to connect to the grid, you need to take one more step.
(5) Connect to the grid.
Similar to using solar energy, connecting your wind power to the grid
allows you to qualify for net metering. When your system creates more
energy than you need, it pumps it into the grid and you receive energy
credits. When you use more energy than your system is creating, you can
use power from the grid and cash in your credit or pay for the addition
energy you use that’s not from your renewable system. There is no
disruption in service when you switch from using power from your
turbine system to power from the grid and vice versa. Contact your
local power authority to connect your system to the grid.
Now that even Wal-Mart has started putting solar panels on its roof,
shouldn't you take a look at what's on your own? Consider installing a
living or green roof. Plants on your roof can reduce your heating and
cooling bills and protect your house's waterproofing. That's /in
addition/ to all the other good things, like cleaning air, filtering
water and providing a feast for your senses.
Get a structural engineering report for the live load
of the structure. A standard roof is built to take about ten to twenty
pounds of pressure per square foot. A three-foot-square garden won't
add a significant amount of weight; however, a twenty-foot-square
garden, complete with wet soil and plants, can weigh thousands of
pounds. After investing time and effort on a beautiful garden, the last
thing you want is for it to come crashing down.
Shore it up. Reinforcing your intended structure
entails more than putting supports under the roof; likely, your
structure will require lateral supports as well. Imagine holding a kite
string: The wind exerts pressure not only on the kite itself, but your
body. Any wind and rain will exert the same force on your rooftop
plants.
Lay down the liner. You may want to consult a roofer
to install a commercial seamless roof. If you're building on top of an
uninhabited structure, lay down a standard pond liner. The liner will
keep the water from seeping into the building; it will also keep the
plant roots from eating into the building structure.
Set up the lattice. Skip this step if your roof is
flat. Roofs with a slope will need a grid set up over the liner to keep
the dirt from sliding off.
Consult a look book. How much effort are you willing
to invest? Obviously, more ornate plants are going to require more work
than minimalist moss. Wildflowers and their seeds will attract birds
and butterflies; scattered items like logs will attract small rodents
(and give you a place to sit down). Grasses will need to be mowed
occasionally, and moss, while low-maintenance, is...moss. Now might
also be a good time to consult your engineering report and decide how
heavy your plant load can be.
Mix and lay down your potting soil. Depending on your
choice of plant life, the soil will probably have to be custom-mixed.
The separate components usually consist of mineral content, such as
sand or dirt; organic matter, such as coconut husk or peat moss; and a
water-hoarding material like SoilMoist. The organic matter will
decompose, fertilizing your garden; SoilMoist absorbs water and
releases it as the soil dries out.
Plant your plants! Seedlings, or plugs, are slightly less frustrating than seeds.
Sunday's federal takeover of
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will likely translate into lower mortgage
rates and greater availability of credit, experts said. Rates could
drop by 1 percentage point from the stubbornly-high 6.39% for a 30-year
fixed rate mortgage.
"This could be good for would-be
homeowners," said Tom LaMalfa, managing director, Wholesale Access, a
research and consulting firm. "It would reduce the cost of financing at
the new and improved Fannie and Freddie."
The government bailout
is aimed at making mortgages easier to obtain and afford. By shoring up
the mortgage financing giants, they can continue buying mortgages from
lenders and injecting much-needed cash into the system.
"Fannie
Mae and Freddie Mac are crucial to turning the corner on housing," said
Treasury Henry Paulson. "Therefore, the primary mission of these
enterprises now will be to proactively work to increase the
availability of mortgage finance. Our economy and our markets will not
recover until the bulk of this housing correction is behind us."
Didn’t think that
you would ever be able to buy a property in San Francisco?Recent shifts in the real estate market
combined with broader qualifying factors in First-time Homebuyer Programs are
creating many new opportunities for first-time homebuyers.
Green Key Real
Estate is the first certified green real estate company in the San Francisco Bay
Area, helping make the region sustainable by incorporating green principles and
socially responsible practices into all areas of our real estate business.
“With
our commitment to environmental and social responsibility it is natural that we
would have a team dedicated to serving this population of first-time
homebuyers.”says Chris Bartle, CEO of Green Key Real
Estate.
Newly formed
Team
Shepherd Oliver specializes in
serving first-time homebuyers, in particular those who may be eligible for the
Mayor’s Office of Housing (MOH) First-time Homebuyer
Programs.
Team Leader
Callista Shepherd directs outreach to San Francisco’s modest to medium
income-earning workers from all sectors of the City with a special focus on
reaching green-economy employees and professionals from the environmental and
sustainability advocacy areas.
Johnny Oliver
brings a wealth of in-depth knowledge and experience from his tenure with MEDA
(Mission Economic Development Agency) counseling first-time homebuyers on the
Mayor’s Office of Housing Affordability Programs.
“As of
Spring 2008, qualifying maximum income levels and property purchase-price levels
have increased considerably, making these programs attractive and relevant to
our local market.” reports Johnny
Oliver, Team Shepherd Oliver’s First-time Homebuyer
Consultant.
Green Key Real
Estate’s Team
Shepherd Oliver will be at the
San Francisco Homeownership Fair 2008 on Saturday, September 6th,
from 11am – 3pm at St. Mary’s Cathedral.
For more information about the Homeownership Fair or about MEDA, please visit their website at www.MEDASF.org.
Green Key Franchising Corporation hires COO, Director Franchise Operations and Promotes Director Environmental Impact
We are very pleased to announce that Carolyn Pistone will be joining the company as our Chief Operating Officer (COO) reporting to me effective immediately. Carolyn comes to us with an impressive executive operations background including leadership positions at Cushman & Wakefield and Dreamworks. She has built her own consulting practice with an enviable client list including E! Entertainment Television, CB Richard Ellis, and most important, Green Key Real Estate. Carolyn has been working with Green Key in a consulting role for 15 months and has been instrumental in the development of our franchise offering and the business plan around our national expansion - as well as playing an integral role in developing our mission and vision. In this new role, Carolyn will be responsible for helping to grow the organization and supporting all franchisees after they join the Green Key team, and ensuring all tools and systems are in place to facilitate our franchisees' success.
We are also very pleased to announce that Eric Hoffman will be joining the company as Director of Franchise Operations reporting to Carolyn Pistone. Eric has a background in management and IT consulting with Accenture and is a certified Life Coach. As a consultant, Eric has been driving the development of Green Key Real Estate's unique, organizational, coaching-based training program. In this new position, Eric will continue to develop and manage our training programs as well as our technology support tools. He will also oversee the final development and ongoing maintenance of our new web site scheduled to launch in October.
Finally, Tiffany Elston has been promoted to Director of Environmental Impact reporting to me. Tiffany comes to us with a background in environmental and development studies in both national and international contexts. She has been an integral component in developing the franchise business model, particularly as it pertains to operating as a green business and the promotion of green building. In this newly created position, Tiffany will be responsible for keeping Green Key true to its mission of greening residential real estate. She will establish metrics to track the impact that the work of our clients and agents have on the environment and our climate, and she will establish the critical relationships needed to maximize our impact on reducing global warming and our environmental footprint.
Welcome Carolyn and Eric, and congratulations Tiffany!
1278-82 Church Street represents a unique opportunity to acquire a stunning modern home within two blocks of the heart of the 24th Street shopping district. These contemporary residences, executed with painstaking care and thought towards design, quality of finishes and layout, are simply spectacular.
"Green" materials were used extensively including radiant heat, energy-efficient appliances and more. Each unit has 3 BRs and 2 to 3 baths. Baths, open plan kitchen have the highest quality tile and fixtures, including Bertazoni, Bosch, Caesarstone and custom cabinetry as well as deep-soak Jacuzzi tubs and multi-head showers. Each also has gorgeous open primary living areas, kitchens and private decks or patio. There is garage parking for each unit.
Completed in July 2008, this property's many new improvements include hardwood flooring, foundation, plumbing, radiant heat and electrical systems. Extensive soundproofing materials were utilized for floors and windows. Finishes include exotic tile, stone and woods, fabulous lighting, fireplaces and central audio systems. All physical infrastructure is in place to facilitate condominium conversion. TIC agreement by Sirkin.
1278-82 Church Street is within 2 blocks of the 24th Street shopping district, renowned for its epicurean cheese, pasta and wine stores, in addition to clothing, books, music and more. Noe Valley enjoys proximity to highways 101, 280 and the SF airport as well as a commute to downtown San Francisco in approximately 20 minutes and some of the best weather in the City.
1282 Church: 3BRs, 2 baths; 1280 Church: 3BRs, 3 baths; 1278 Church: 3BRs, 2.5 baths
Chef's kitchens with Bertazzoni ranges, Bosch refrigerators and dishwashers
Custom cabinetry, Caesarstone counters and exotic tile throughout
Master baths feature deep-soak Jacuzzi tubs and separate showers
Rear decks with eastern exposure for top units; exclusive back yard for ground unit
Fully wired with Category 5, network, cable and central audio system
Extensive use of "green" building materials throughout
Sustainable hardwood flooring on all levels: teak, Russian birch, black oak
Dedicated garage space for ground and upper unit
Free Smart Car with purchase of middle unit
All physical infrastructure in place for condominium conversion
Renovation completed in July 2008
Walking distance to the heart of 24th Street shopping
Take a deep breath, smell the fresh sea air and listen to the waves crash onto the sandy shore. Come be part of a landmark, earth-friendly development along the Northern California coast
integrating state-of-the-art solar, wind and water harvesting technologies that will make this one of the
most sustainable developments in the country. This 67-acre development will only have 14 homes all
of which will be surrounded by dozens of acres of open space, habitat and sanctuaries for birds and
butterflies. It will be the Sea Ranch of the San Francisco Coast.
Create your own personal resort. Wake up everyday and be on vacation in your own home. Our team of nationally recognized, environmentally conscious architects from Field Architecture can help you
design your dream home overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Marin Headlands and the Farallon Islands.
Every lot has gorgeous, white water ocean views. Conveniently located just 20 minutes to downtown
San Francisco, 15 minutes to SF Airport, 30 minutes to Stanford and less than an hour from San Jose
and Silicon Valley. Each estate home site is more than one acre and each of the six remaining lots
are just $1.5M each.
About the project:
Harmony @ 1 is an eco-friendly sustainable development. Developed by two local Pacificans, this landmark project highlights solar, wind, gray water recapture, water harvesting, native
plants surrounded by dozens of acres of open space. There are miles of hiking and biking trails
as well as convenient shopping and amenities. Across the street are pristine beaches excellent for surfing, picnics and unforgettable sunsets.
About the area:
The property sits directly at the edge of the Pacific Ocean less than a half mile from Sharp Park Golf Course. Less than 10 miles to the world class Olympic Country Club, San Francisco Golf
Club, Lake Merced Golf & Country Club and Harding Park Golf Course. Pacifica is near major
universities, business centers, financial districts and some of the world’s most famous
landmarks, restaurants and tourist attractions.
Homeowner Scott Ayres has experienced a few surprises with his new
Oakland home. The house is missing the kitchen sink and a toilet in one
of the bathrooms. A minor termite problem needs to addressed. But, the
biggest shock for Ayres is that he could afford the house at all on his
salary as a receptionist.
Ayres, 51, is like hundreds of other first time homebuyers in the
Bay Area who were once priced out of the housing market but are now
taking advantage of plunging prices, an ample supply of homes and
various government-sponsored mortgage assistance programs.
The trend not only helps homebuyers but also lenders that now rely
on government-backed loans to stay in business. While the number of
those loans has not increased, their steady stream provides lenders
some stability.
“Buyers recognize this as a window of opportunity that won’t last
for very long,” said Dick Eubanks, East Bay district manager with
National City Mortgage in Walnut Creek. “It used to be that government
loans were 25 percent of our business and now it’s 75 percent.”
Public entities like the California Housing Finance Agency or the
Federal Housing Administration offer low-interest mortgages for low- to
moderate-income homebuyers who meet strict criteria. Many cities offer
programs that lend buyers money for a down payment and closing costs.
First-time buyers are often defined as those who have not owned
property in the past three years.
Those programs have existed for decades, but the recent housing boom
and its skyrocketing housing prices kept many buyers out of the market
until now.
Median home prices in Alameda County sunk 25 percent in the last
year to $455,000 during June compared with $605,000 in 2007 according
to DataQuick, a real estate research firm in La Jolla. Meanwhile,
notices of default, which indicate the start of foreclosure, more than
doubled during the second quarter of this year to 3,812, a 137 percent
hike from 1,612 during the same period last year.
Ayres’ snagged his new home, a three-bedroom, two-bath house in East Oakland, for $199,500. The previous owner paid $475,000.
“I think my timing was incredible,” he said. “I’m still kind of pinching myself.”
He first applied for a home loan from a bank in May. At the time,
Ayres qualified for up to $130,000, which boiled down his options to a
studio condo or a serious fixer-upper. He then secured $75,000 through
Oakland’s mortgage assistance program for first-time buyers.
C.A.R. GREEN TIP OF THE WEEK: CHOOSE A LEAD-FREE PDA
Your PDAs, cell phones, and batteries contain lead that can end up in the groundwater supply if not disposed of properly. The next time you are updating your PDA, consider gigabytes and lead. Look for devices that are RoHS- (Restriction of Hazardous Substance Directive) compliant. These devices adhere to directives that ban the use of hazardous materials in their manufacture--lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers. For more information>>>
One strategy taxpayers have used to avoid paying capital gains taxes has been to convert a rental property into a primary residence and later sell the property to take advantage of the Homeowner's Exemption.
The Homeowner's Exemption (Section 121 of the Tax Code) allows a taxpayer to exclude up to $250K ($500K for married couples) of gain realized on the sale of a primary residence. An example of a common strategy has been:
Taxpayer acquires rental property in 2000 for $100K.
Taxpayer rents the property out for three years.
In 2003, taxpayer moves into the property as his/her primary residence.
In 2005, taxpayer sells the property for $600K.
Taxpayer (married couple) avoids paying taxes on the entire gain ($500K).
Unfortunately, The Housing Assistance Act of 2008, recently signed by President Bush, includes a modification to the Homeowner's Exemption that renders the above strategy less effective.
Effective January 1, 2009, the Homeowner's Exemption exclusion will not apply to gain that is allocable to periods of "non qualified use".
Non qualified use refers to periods that the property was not used as the taxpayer's primary residence. In our example above, the three (3) years the property was rented out is considered non qualified use, so three fifths (3/5) of the gain is ineligible for tax exclusion.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
Non qualified use prior to January 1, 2009 is not taken into account. So a property rented from 2006 to 2009, then lived in from 2009 to 2011 would qualify for the full exclusion.
The allocation rules only apply to periods prior to conversion to a primary. Thus if a property was lived in for 2 years, then rented out for 3 years, and sold, the taxpayer will still receive the entire exclusion amount.
If you have questions regarding the changes, please call Asset Exchange Company at 877-471-1031. It is always advisable to consult with a tax or legal advisor on these issues.
1001 Pine Street - Stunning Sunset Views - $385,000
Building has common roof deck, common coin laundry, library, security office, professional property management and party room with kitchen available for private parties. For showings please contact Jan Small:
36 Valencia Rd. Charming, Sustainable Living in Scenic Orinda- $935,000
Nestled in the Orinda Hills this cozy, scenic home is within walking distance of top-rated schools. Conveniently located you will also find downtown Orinda, BART and freeway access a few, short miles away. Berkeley and San Francisco are a close distance.
Tucked away in a pocket of natural, majestic serenity this 5 bedroom, 4 bath home offers endless possibilities. The top level with original hardwood floors opens up into a spacious living room with huge scenic windows showcasing the variety of rustic trees and abundant natural light that envelope this peaceful sanctuary. Enjoy the charming vintage kitchen with a cup of coffee as you are kissed by the morning sun. The ground level consists of two rooms that can be used as separate units for your wonderful in-laws or as rentals. Situated on approx .24 acres this is a fruit and vegetable haven! You won’t have to go to the produce section of your grocery store again! Asparagus, rhubarb, garlic, goji berries, plums, pomegranates, pluots, apples, tomatoes, zucchini, grapes and much more grow year-round. Solar paneling keeps energy costs reduced greatly.
Great access to hiking and biking trails. This home truly offers convenience, access to great education, with a head start towards environmental consciousness.
For more information and to arrange a showing contact Marcella Costellanos:
Four Unit Townhouse - 442-444 Fell Street - $1,450,000
High, long and open visual lines showcase this 1890's four unit townhouse. The owners unit features original plasterwork and rustic finishes. It is a 3 bedroom on bath 2 story unit with living space downstairs and bedrooms and bathrooms up. The three other units are one bedroom units that have been well maintained by both tenants' and building owner.
Other features:
- Updated kitchen
- Forced air furnace
- Refinished softwood floors
- Large open dining and living space
- A two car tandem parking garage exclusive to the owners unit
Building shown by appointment only. Please contact Keith Hodge for more information:
