HOUSE THAT FLOATS!

Those of you who reside in Dallas know that we've been experiencing heavy rains over the last few weeks! This article in yesterday's Dallas Morning News caught my eye. What do you think?

A house capable of floating atop rising floodwaters made its debut this week in New Orleans alongside more than a dozen other homes built through actor Brad Pitt's Make It Right Foundation.

Find out more about the House That Floats!

JUST LISTED! rare opportunity to BUILD GREEN!

LOCATION

LOCATION

LOCATION

LAKE VIEW

DALLAS SKYLINE

NATIVE GRASSLANDS

SPECTACULAR SUNSETS

• Must-see rare 17,185 Sq Ft Lot on the White Rock Peninsula
• Overlooks White Rock Lake with an unobstructed view of downtown Dallas skyline
• 174 Ft of protected frontage on White Rock Lake
• Borders on native Black Lands Prairie of White Rock Lake Park
• North-South lot orientation is ideal for PASSIVE SOLAR CONSTRUCTION
• Walk to jogging and biking trails, Corinthian Sailing Club, Bath House, and Cultural Center
• Original 2 Bedroom/2 Bath 1947 Ranch Style home (1540 sq ft) on private cul-de-sac

For additional information visit 9302Waterview.com!

"Easy Being Green" (Wall Street Journal 5/29/09)

22 Vanguard Way (Urban Reserve)

It was so exciting earlier this week to be contacted by The Wall Street Journal about one of my listings at Urban Reserve! 22 Vanguard Way was one of 3 green homes featured in the Relative Values column of Friday's Wall Street Journal. "Easy Being Green" took a look at homes in Dallas, Chicago, and Julian, CA, designed "with the environment in mind".

Of course, there was not enough space to share all the details about this fabulous property. To learn more, visit www.22vanguard.com and/or www.urbanreserve.net.

My listings at Urban Reserve also include 19 Vanguard Way (www.19vanguard.com) and 18 beautiful lots. Call me at 214.528.5888 for a personal tour of Urban Reserve!

it's back....ENERGY STAR tax holiday

This Memorial Day weekend ENERGY STAR appliances can be purchased from Texas retailers tax-free. The 2009 Energy Star sales tax holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, May 23, and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, May 25 (Memorial Day).

Eligible items include: air conditioners, refrigerators, ceiling fans, light bulbs, clothes washers and dishwashers. There is no limit on the number of qualifying items one can purchase during this sales tax holiday, and an exemption certificate is not required.

Click here to find out more.

another improvement to the First-Time Homebuyer Credit

The following article appeared in the latest issue of REALTOR Magazine. jc

Daily Real Estate News :: May 12, 2009

Shaun Donovan, secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, on Tuesday said that the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is going to permit its lenders to allow home buyers to use the $8,000 tax credit as a down payment. Previously, most buyers wouldn't receive the funds until after they filed their tax return, and that deterred some people from using the credit. The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® has been calling for the change. “We all want to enable FHA consumers to access the home buyer tax credit funds when they close on their home loans so that the cash can be used as a down payment,” Donovan says. His remarks came in an address to several thousand REALTORS® gathered Tuesday morning at "The Real Estate Summit: Advancing the U.S. Economy," at the 2009 REALTORS® Midyear Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo in Washington, D.C.. He says FHA’s approved lenders will be permitted to “monetize” the tax credit through short-term bridge loans. This will allow eligible home buyers to access the funds immediately at the closing table.Other Solutions for Today's MarketDuring his address at the summit, Donovan went on to say that the Obama administration plans to further stabilize the housing market. “I do think we have some early signs that the market overall is stabilizing,” Donovan says. “Since January we’ve seen both home sales moving up and down around a relatively stable number and we are seeing the first signs that the rapid decline in home prices is starting to abate.”The morning session included a panel discussion that was moderated by CNBC’s Ron Insana. Panelists examined cutting-edge solutions necessary to promote and preserve homeownership and real estate development, stimulate the economy, and protect the nation’s taxpayers. They also shared their ideas on what the role and responsibility of the federal government is in the revitalization effort. “Right now the Federal Reserve is the market,” said panelist Jay Brinkman, chief economist for the Mortgage Bankers Association. “What will be the effect when the Fed stops buying?” Brinkman explained that an exit strategy must be planned for the long-term; the federal government cannot continue to support the mortgage markets indefinitely.“We are thrilled that so many high-caliber individuals were able to join us today at this important meeting to promote stability in the housing market and the U.S. economy,” said NAR President Charles McMillan. “We look forward to an ongoing dialogue and action toward this goal, during our midyear meetings this week and beyond.”The real estate summit is part of the 2009 REALTORS® Midyear Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo. During the week ending May 16, more than 8,500 REALTORS® will attend meetings, visit lawmakers and inspire action on Capitol Hill.

Source: NAR

going modern in Texas

There was an interesting article in the Real Estate Section of the Wall Street Journal on Friday, May 1st by Nancy Keates. The focus of the article was........you guessed it.........Urban Reserve! Whether or not you favor modernist/contemporary or traditional homes, you've got to admit that Urban Reserve has been getting alot of press. Of course, you already know how much I love the feeling of living in the country while being only minutes from downtown Dallas!

I was talking with one of the Urban Reserve owners last week and asked if he liked his geothermal heating & cooling system. The response was an unequivocal YES! In addition to the geothermal system they insulated with soy-based foam insulation. Their average utility bills for a 1600 sq ft house are $90/month! Now THAT is cool!

Click here to read the WSJ article.

I JUST LISTED two of the new construction homes at Urban Reserve. If you want to read about all their awesome energy-efficient features and see interior and exterior photos check out these links! Let me know what you think!

http://www.19vanguard.com/

http://www.22vanguard.com/

Dallas and North Texas - best places for jobs

As reported in today's Dallas Morning News, Texas cities dominate a new list of the best places for jobs, with the top five large metropolitan areas for job growth all located in the Lone Star State, according to Forbes magazine.

Nine of the top 20 cities on Forbes' overall list are in Texas, with Odessa ranked No. 1.
Dallas-Plano-Irving ranked No. 5 in the magazine's list of the best large-size cities and 32nd overall.

click here to read the entire article

good housekeeping GREEN seal

One hundred years ago the Good Housekeeping Seal was introduced to protect consumers against fraudulent products. This year, in the April issue of Good Housekeeping magazine, a green version of the seal is being launched to “help consumers make the wisest and healthiest choice for themselves and their families," said Rosemary Ellis, editor in chief of Good Housekeeping.

Click here to find out how products earn the seal.

EPA introduces Indoor airPLUS program

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently introduced its Indoor airPLUS program in response to growing consumer concern over indoor air quality (IAQ). The Indoor airPLUS new home label is only available to ENERGY STAR® qualified homes. ENERGY STAR for New Homes requires builders to adhere to stringent EPA specifications. The goal of the EPA, builders, raters, utilities and public health and indoor environmental organizations is to help address issues such as mold, radon, carbon monoxide, toxic chemicals, and other poor air quality issues linked to a host of health problems.

Indoor airPLUS-labeled homes will include more than 30 verifiable additional home design and construction features (click here to view the list) compared to homes built to minimum code.

View a consumer brochure or visit the EPA Indoor airPLUS Program website for additional information.

Cole residence

This is exciting! Our architects, Specht-Harpman, made recent changes to their website. You can now view the "Cole Residence" on their site. Check it out at this link:

the cole residence

hazards of timing the market

According to the January issue of REALTOR Magazine, some buyers are holding out because they are gambling that home prices will come down and interest rates will hold steady or drop. The impact of changing interest rates on the actual monthly costs of home ownership is truly amazing! Even a 10% drop in home prices is immediately nullified by a mere 1% increase in interest rates on a 30-year mortgage loan.

And the timing gets even better if you are a first-time homebuyer who qualifies for the $8000 tax credit. Buyers who are holding out for the perfect time when both home prices and loan rates are at optimum levels could find themselves holding an empty bag!

a must - visit the Trinity River Audobon Center

Yesterday I had the incredible opportunity to accompany David Rodriguez, LEED AP and Vice President of Ware Architecture, on an interview at the Trinity River Audobon Center. The Trinity River Audobon Center is the Winner of the Dallas Business Journal's Best Real Estate Deals 2008 - Best Green Project. It's so exciting to have this world-class project just a hop, skip, and a jump from downtown Dallas!

David and I met for a conversation with Anne Hildenbrand and Gary DeVries with BRW Architects and Chris Culak, Audobon Center Director. The interview was preparation for an article that David is writing about sustainable, high performance architecture.

Both the building and the 120-acre site exemplify the City of Dallas commitment to sustainability. The project began with the restoration of the Deepwood Landfill site comprised of 1.5 million tons of illegally-dumped construction debris. The 21,000 sq ft building is in the process of obtaining LEED certification and the project will be the first LEED-certified Dallas Park and Recreation project.

Sustainable features of the project include:

• Remediation of the Brownfield (landfill) site.


• The creation of a series of wetland marshes and ponds to capture, filter, and cleanse water runoff prior to returning the cleansed water to the river.


• Planting native trees, prairie grasses, and plants to be irrigated through the use of rainwater harvesting.


• The usage of light-colored permeable paving materials.


• A "green" roof on the administration wing and a light-reflecting roof on the remainder of the building to minimize heat absorption.


• Installation of low-flow and waterless fixtures to reduce water consumption by at least 20%.


• High efficiency heating, cooling, and electrical systems.


• Low-e windows, natural lighting, and cross ventilation.


• Utilization of locally-produced, recycled, and low-to-no maintenance construction materials.

If you want to learn more about the site's sustainable features pick up a copy of Builder Insider and look for the article by David Rodriguez.

You will want to experience this site in person! Take a day-trip to visit the exhibits and see the diverse plant and animal species as you hike one of a number of nature trails. Don't forget your picnic lunch and be sure to pack your sneakers!

Click on this link to find out about directions, hours of operations, etc. Happy hiking!

http://tx.audubon.org/Trinity.html

first time homebuyer credit - revised

When President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act last week the First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit ended up with some major modifications. Here is a summary of the program as it now stands:

• The maximum amount of the credit has increased from $7500 to $8000. The amount is now the lesser of 10% of the cost of the home or $8000.
• All single family principal residences, including condos, co-ops, and townhomes, are eligible.
• The amount is credited directly toward your income tax liability. Purchasers will received a refund for any unused amount of the credit.
• Income limits do apply. The full amount of the credit is available if your adjusted gross income is no more than $75,000 ($150,000 jointly). Above the $75,000 income cap the credit phases out up to $95,000 ($170,000 jointly).
• The credit applies only to first-time home buyers or purchasers who have not owned a principal residence in 3 years.
• Purchasers who utilize revenue bond financing can still use the credit (this is a change to the old bill).
• No repayment is required for purchases between January 1, 2009, and December 1, 2009. This is also a revision to the previous bill.
• If you sell your home within 3 years of purchase the entire amount of the credit is recaptured on sale of the property.

In addition to the first-time homebuyer credit, the bill reinstates the 2008 loan limits for FHA, Freddie Mac, and Fannie Mae loans. It provides $2 billion in additional funding for the Neighborhood Stabilization Program, which provides grants to states and localities to address problems that can be created when whole neighborhoods are decimated by foreclosures.
Commercial real estate will be primarily affected through provisions of the bill which focus on green building, energy efficiency, and business tax incentives. HR 1 provides significant funds for state energy programs, which could be used to support commercial property owners' investment in energy-efficiency upgrades.

The White House has launched a new Web site, Recovery.gov, dedicated entirely to the 1,100-page American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Click on the link to find out everything you wanted to know about the new bill!

http://www.recovery.gov/

townhome for sale!

Congratulations to our future neighbors at Urban Reserve who recently moved into their new home! Now that they're settled on Vangard Way, they have listed their Oak Lawn townhome. This is a fabulous location close to downtown, nightlife, and restaurants. It will be a wonderful home for a young professional who wants to step up from renting to property ownership. And there couldn't be a better time to buy - interest rates are at all-time lows and Congress has included the $8,000 tax credit (no longer a loan) for new home buyers! Here's the link. Call me to find out more!

Click here for details!

how does your credit score affect your loan rate?

MyFico.com is an interesting site which allows you to see the effects of a strong credit rating on your loan rates. Check it out!

http://www.myfico.com

the pro's and con's of tankless hot water heaters?

The jury's still out for me on tankless hot water heaters. I was catching up on my reading today and saw an article in Friday's Dallas Morning News Home Center that did a good job of explaining the pro's and con's of going tankless.

PROS:
1. Tankless hot water heaters are 50-70% smaller than traditional water heaters.
2. They generally provide an endless supply of hot water.
3. Tankless hot water heaters use less energy because they don't reheat large capacities of water over time.

CONS:
1. Tankless heaters generally use 15-30% more water and since they require extra warm-up time before they generate hot water.
2. They squeeze water through constricted coil pipes to heat a smaller volume of water which means a reduction in water pressure.
3. The up-front cost of a tankless, on-demand system averages 2-4 times higher than a traditional water heater.

Seems to me like there will be situations where tankless is the way to go and other situations where it would be best to stick with an energy-efficient traditional water heater. There are other options: a solar water heating system or the production of hot water as a by-product of a geothermal HVAC system. Looks like each situation requires a look at all the options to find what is best for you!

NAR's Green Designation

Yesterday I received notification from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) that I had successfully completed requirements and have been awarded NAR's Green Designation. NAR's Green Designation was developed in response to growing consumer awareness of benefits of resource-efficient homes and buildings.

I'm proud to be a member of the first group of NAR's Green Designees and continue to help my clients realize their green real estate and lifestyle goals.

For more information about NAR's newest designation, visit their website at:http://www.greenresourcecouncil.org/

what to do with our old tv's?

The switch to digital is upon us and environmentalists have concerns about the potential waste problem when people throw away their old TVs as they make the switch to digital. Some feel the manufacturers should take the lead on the issue. This morning I heard a report by Shia Levitt on public radio about this issue.

Here's a link to Shia's report, followed by a link to the EPA with tips about how and where to donate your old electronic products.

http://marketplace.publicradio.org/www_publicradio/tools/media_player/popup.php?name=marketplace/morning_report/2009/01/15/marketplace_morning_report0450_20090115_64&starttime=00:04:23.0&endtime=00:06:51.23

http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/ecycling/donate.htm

the greener side

I guess you could call me a "news junkie." Every morning our alarm goes off to the sound of the news on KRLD News Radio. What a pleasant surprise this morning to wake up to this delightful story about the sustainable development at Urban Reserve by Barbara Schwarz. The links below will take you to Barbara's news story, tell you a bit about Barbara, and finally take you to AlexColeRealEstate.com where you can see view the floorplans for several spec homes at Urban Reserve.

http://www.krld.com/topic/play_window.php?audioType=Episode&audioId=3288760

http://www.krld.com/pages/2859.php?contentType=4&contentId=93753

http://www.alexcolerealestate.com/lots_new_homes.htm

I'd love to hear from you! Please email me: joan@AlexColeRealEstate.com.

recent news about our architects

The zeroHouse was designed by our architects, Scott Specht and Louise Harpman, and is being featured in the February 09 issue of Dwell magazine.

"We’re heading into an uncertain future, but two things are clear: Technology is getting better and the environment is getting worse. Fortunately, the former offers solutions for the latter, as zeroHouse sets out to prove. This prefab concept uses the tools of today to paint a digital picture of the house of tomorrow...."

Pick up a copy of the February issue or click on the link to read the article in it's entirety.

http://www.dwell.com/homes/prefab/36198509.html

happy new year!

The first major city to mark the start of 2009 was Auckland, New Zealand, with a spectacular display of fireworks from its Sky Tower. (Photo courtesy of BBC).