Efficiency is becoming more and more attractive in the Denver real estate market. Zero-energy-cost homes are being built more readily and promise homeowners enormous savings over time.  Of course, zero-energy-cost sounds great but how can current homeowners benefit from this trend?  Luckily, there are ways to improve efficiency in existing homes and the upfront costs can be assuaged by tax credits and long term savings on utility bills.

Popular energy efficient changes to existing homes include adding solar addition for heating hot water, a relatively easy addition to a home.  While completely changing a home’s system is more extensive, it can be done but at a greater cost than implementing systems to new construction.  The bonus is that tax credits exist for adding solar panels, a savings that when added to lower utility bills can increase over time.

Energy efficient homes have two side effects that attract buyers: they are environmentally friendly and save money on utility bills.  Being green and saving money are important to today’s consumer so if you are remodeling with the intention of selling in the near future consider energy efficient improvements and make your home more attractive to potential buyers!

For more information on the benefits of energy efficient homes, please contact TeamCox Realtors at 303-400-6060.

Click here to read “Is Solar-thermal Hot Water for You?” from House Logic.

 Sourced from: Internal Kinetic Real Estate Library

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Have you been looking for an excuse to get rid of your old appliance? The Colorado State Energy-Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, known as “Cash for Appliances,” begins April 19th! The mail-in rebate program is to encourage customers to replace older appliances with new Energy-Star appliances.

Eligible appliances include:

• Clothes washers — $75
• Dishwashers — $50
• Refrigerators — $100 w/ proof of recycling, $50 w/out proof of recycling
• Furnaces — gas condensing $500
• Hot water heater — gas condensing/high performance $200 
• Hot water heater — gas tankless $300
• Gas boilers — $400

Click Here for More Information

Check our blog soon for information on other rebate programs for homeowners, including residential energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. For more information on Cash for Appliances, or regarding how upgrading appliances can help the value of your home, please contact TeamCox Realtors – Denver real estate specialists – at 303-400-6060.

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Denver has been ranked seventh among  America’s “green cities.” The “Green Cities Index” ranks 43 U.S. metro areas on a variety of environmental factors, including traffic congestion, transit use, water quality, carbon emissions, LEED-certified projects, and the number of “green” jobs. Other “green” cities include San Francisco, Honolulu, Austin, Boston, and Seattle.

On another “green note,” Denverites, don’t forget about earth hour! On Saturday, March 27, 2010 from 8:30-9:00 p.m. the world will send a powerful message that climate change is an important priority. By turning off non-essential lighting for one hour – Earth Hour – hundreds of millions of people across the globe will demonstrate their support for lasting action in protecting the earth’s natural resources.

Established by the World Wildlife Fund, Earth Hour has grown from a citywide effort in 2007 to a global phenomenon that has captured the world’s attention. Each year, individuals, organizations, businesses and state and local governments unite to show their support by turning off the lights at home, the workplace and iconic landmarks such as the Empire State Building, the Las Vegas Strip, Sydney’s Opera House and more. In 2009 alone, nearly one billion people spanning 4,100 cities in 87 countries on seven continents “turned out” for Earth Hour.

For information on living in Denver, Colorado, please contact TeamCox Realtors – Denver real estate specialists – at 303-400-6060.

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Are you a Denver-area homeowner who is thinking of “greening” your home? TeamCox Realtors has found an event for you! This month’s Parker Library Café Current is covering,“Principles of LEED + Greening Your Home.” The event is on Tuesday, July 14 at 7:00pm at the Warhorse Inn (19420 E. Mainstreet) in historic downtown Parker. Bill Blomberg, a LEED-accredited consultant, will explore energy efficiency issue, along with the benefits of efficiency home projects. He is an expert in energy conservation, energy-efficiency technologies and strategies, focusing on solar energy.

For tips on making your home more environmentally friendly, please contact TeamCox Realtors  –  your Denver real estate specialists – at 303-400-6060. We are a certified Ecobroker, and have gone through extensive training on many environmental issues pertaining to real estate.

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Stapleton, Lowry, and the Geos Neighborhood Among Denver’s Eco-Friendly Communities!

Since we are at the midpoint of a two-day Eco-Broker seminar, I am truly inspired to recognize a few environmentally friendly neighborhoods in the Denver metro area. TeamCox Realtors commends these communities for their true dedication to our environment.

• Stapleton: It is hard to believe that Stapleton, the site of Denver’s old airport, is the largest urban-infill redevelopment project in the country. The trendy community, recently ranked third among Natural Home Magazine’s, “Best Green Housing Developments,” is truly committed to green building and energy preservation. One of the highlights on Stapleton’s lengthy “green” resume is that all homes are Energy Star certified, meaning that Stapleton builders must adhere to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s stringent guidelines. In addition, Stapleton implemented a prairie habitat restoration project, completed an extensive eco-restoration of Westerly Creek, showcases 1,100 acres of parks and open space, and boasts many homes with solar panels. 

• Lowry:  Lowry’s new EastPark neighborhood, by McStain Neighborhoods, will focus on water efficiency and preservation. A joint project between Denver Water, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and McStain Neighborhoods, the project will feature approximately 40 homes with high-efficiency packages, ultimately saving approximately 28,000 gallons of water per year that will significantly lower residents’ utility bills.   

• Geos Neighborhood: The nation’s largest zero-energy, master-planned community will be located in Arvada. Construction on the 250-unit project is slated to begin this fall, and the homes will be start in the $200’s. According to a statement issued by the developer, the Geos Neighborhoods’ “on-site solar and geothermal systems are designed to supply 100 percent of the community’s energy needs and work in conjunction with energy consumption patterns that are markedly lower than those found in the nation’s average homes.” This is a truly amazing project, and will hopefully be a model for future developments.

For more information on environmentally friendly Denver real estate, please contact TeamCox Realtors at 303-400-6060.

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As a follow up to yesterday’s blog, I wanted to post a few suggestions on greening your lifestyle. Happy (Belated) Earth Day!

It’s Easy Being Green!
5 tips for greening your life

The choices we make everyday have a direct impact on our planet. Here’s some helpful suggestions to consider:
 
1) Carpool, Walk, Ride a Bike or Take the Bus: Using mass transit or human power is one of the best ways to reduce your carbon footprintwww.ecocycle.org  About 80% of what Americans throw away is recyclable, yet our recycling rate is just 28%. ~Environmental Protection Agency. You can feel good about helping our economy at the same time: recycling creates 6 times as many jobs as landfilling. ~ Colorado Recycles

2) Go Zero Waste:

3) Buy local and Buy Green Products: Purchase Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) Bulbs instead of regular bulbs. If you change just 3 bulbs in your house, you can reduce your carbon emissions by over two tons! You can find compact fluorescent light bulbs at most general purpose stores such as McGuckins, Home Depot, Lowes, and Target.

4) Unplug: From Treehugger.com: When you’re not using your electronics, appliances, and lamps, unplug them. Or better yet, plug them into a power strip and turn off the power strip when you’re not using them. Appliances and electronics pull power even when they are turned off. The cell phone charger is the biggest offender. Your cell phone charger pulls the same amount of power whether your cell phone is plugged into it or not. So unplug your cell phone charger when you aren’t charging your phone. By unplugging you can save up to 40% on your electric bill. Who said going green is more expensive?"

5) Offsets Won’t Save Us, But Are a Useful Tools: Carbon offsets can help compensate for the greenhouse gases you contribute to Earth’s atmosphere. While making real changes in your life will have more impact than any carbon offset you purchase, you can still help reduce the impact of your lifestyle on global climate change by purchasing offset credits.

It’s Easy Being Green Part II

4 things the federal government can do

Our Federal government can play an important role in reducing the emissions of global warming pollutants. Here are some ideas I will work on in Congress that can help America play a leadership role:

1) Set a high goal: At least an 80% reduction in emissions of climate changing pollutants by 2050;

2) Increase the standard mileage that cars get to 50 miles per gallon by 2020, and require that 10% of vehicles sold in the country are electric vehicles within five years;

3) Support a renewed national commitment to research into renewable fuels, both to make production more cost effective, and to facilitate distribution. Federal dollars for renewable energy research should be doubled immediately and new outcome-based funding models should be used to more effectively allocate some of the increased funding;

4) Encourage conservation by providing incentives through a revenue-neutral "feebate" approach to energy-consuming products such as vehicles, refrigerators, housing, and appliances. Feebates charge fees on inefficient products and use the funds to provide rebates for efficient ones. Rather than saving $1.63/month on an energy efficient refrigerator, consumers could recognize $200 off the purchase price, which is 10 years of energy savings.

As a matter of personal and collective integrity, we need to stand up for the environment by initiating and supporting policies that emphasize sustainability through innovation and collaboration. Rejecting the false dilemma that pits economic growth against environmental stewardship, we should focus on solutions that achieve both of these important goals. Listen to an Earth Day discussion of the most pressing issues our world faces.

Happy Earth Day!

TeamCox Realtors – Your Denver Real Estate Specialist

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As an Eco-Broker, I am increasingly aware of the legacy that we are leaving to future generations by not being better stewards to our planet. It is up to each of us to make a difference. I have made a personal commitment in recent years to thoroughly evaluate each purchase I make. Is it really going to enhance my life? How much petroleum did it take to manufacture this item? How much energy did it require to actually get it to me, sometimes from the opposite end of the world? By being more mindful, I have not only reduced my expenditures, but I am doing my own part to save our earth!

For this Earth Day, let’s focus on positive aspects of our lives, and bring together friends and family to celebrate this important milestone. With global warming and environmental destruction threatening not just us, but all living creatures, what could be more important this year than Earth Day? I encourage you to use today as an occasion to discuss these important issues with your families and friends.

For more information on eco-friendly properties in the Denver metro area, please contact TeamCox Realtors at 303-400-6060 – your Denver real estate specialist.

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Don’t miss today’s Denver Post real estate section that features, “A lesser-known Park Hill,” by Christian Toto. My expertise on the Park Hill neighborhood is showcased in the article, which examines the “unofficial” Park Hill neighborhood, lying to the east of Monaco Parkway. Many of TeamCox’s buyers are attracted to the vibrant Park Hill neighborhood, including a young couple who will be arriving this week for a house-hunting trip. The couple, a newly minted doctor and her husband, is searching for an affordable home in the dynamic northeast Denver neighborhoods of Park Hill or Stapleton. 

The attractiveness of the Park Hill neighborhood is endless – it is not only a short distance to the Anschutz Medical Campus, home to Children’s Hospital and the University of Colorado Health Science Center, but boasts lower home prices than neighboring areas. As mentioned in the Denver Post article, Park Hill’s eastern section’s close proximity to the highly popular Stapleton community could equate to substantial future equity for its homeowners.

This particular young couple has several other factors to consider, including safety and environmental issues. Buyers are willing to pay a premium if an older home has high-energy thermal windows, or an energy efficient heating and air conditioning system. Since sophisticated buyers are willing to pay a premium for products that will save energy dollars in the future, they easily recognize the inherent value of features like Energy Star rated appliances.

Park Hill real estate, which ranges in price from the $200s into the millions, features a diverse mix of architectural styles, including the famous Denver Square, Colonial, Mediterranean and Queen Anne. Similar to other Denver neighborhoods, many homes in Park Hill have been extensively renovated. 

For more information regarding the Park Hill, Mayfair, Congress Park, City Park, Hilltop, Hale or Montclair neighborhoods, please contact TeamCox Realtors at 303-400-6060 - our intricate knowledge of the Denver real estate market allows us to lead our buyers to the very best homes available!

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Downtown Denver’s office space market in is absolutely thriving, especially in the “LoDo” area. According to a recent article in the Colorado Springs Business Journal, rents in LoDo and the Central Platte Valley, trendy sections of downtown Denver, are running up to $10 higher than those in the Denver Tech Center. Several new existing developments and exciting future plans are fueling this hip area’s growing popularity. 

According to the Downtown Denver Partnership, Downtown Denver’s office space has seen a rate increase of 23% in the past year high-end spaces are now going for more than $30 per sq. ft). There are several new developments in Lower Downtown and Central Platte Valley that will be adding more than two million square feet of office space including new offices on Wewatta Street, Wynkoop, Larimer and Blake Street. 

Sunshine Development of Colorado Springs is planning a $175 million project just north of Denver’s Union Station on Wewatta Street. The Denver Post and Colorado Springs Business Journal have broken the news that the firm is planning the 1.83-acre development that will include offices, shops, restaurants and even a boutique hotel. It is expected that the project will meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. Construction is slated to begin in 2009. This is exciting news for the already thriving neighborhood surrounding Union Station. 

It is obvious that LoDo continues to be a great investment opportunity for buyers not only searching for properties near their downtown offices, but close to Denver’s trendiest restaurants, shopping and nightlife. For more information on up and coming areas in the Denver real estate market, please contact TeamCox Realtors. Click here to search for homes in LoDo.

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TeamCox Realtors recently completed both the EcoBroker Energy Advantage and the Environmental Advantage Courses, which gives us a greater appreciation of environmentally friendly real estate projects. Two eco-friendly projects that deserve recognition are Greenwood Village’s new Palazzo Verdi, a new Class AA, 15-story, LEED Certified office building, and McStain Neighborhood’s new LEED-certified home at Stapleton.

Palazzo Verdi, which is located in the prestigious Greenwood Plaza Office Park, is our new neighbor since it is next to the Re/MAX Masters office, the Plaza Tower One Building at 6400 S. Fiddler’s Green Circle. Our newfound knowledge gives us a much better understanding of how the Palazzo Verdi will function beyond the capabilities of the beautiful Plaza Tower One Building, which was built in 1985. The high-performance Palazzo Verdi masterpiece will be proudly performing well into the next century. Light rail access immediately out the back door compliments the Palazzo Verdi’s beautiful exterior and built-green concept. This is what Denver’s office space will look like in future. Up to 285,000 GSF of office space is available for lease and occupancy in the first quarter of 2008.

On the residential side, McStain Neighborhoods recently completed the first LEED-certified home at Stapleton, which is one the most environmentally friendly homes in the Denver area. The LEED home, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, features many upgrades including plumbing that conserves water, low-maintenance landscaping, tightly sealed framing and drywall and a natural ventilation system. The 2,872 sq. ft. home is priced at $621,562.

According to some experts, LEED homes, which are slowly catching on with the homebuilding industry, have an energy savings of up to 45 percent. Having completed the real estate ECO-brokers Energy Advantage Course as well as the Environmental Advantage Course, I truly believe the most energy efficient homes are the homes that buyers are willing pay a premium price to own. What is now being written as a new trend will almost certainly be a "very normal home" in 2015!

For more information on environmentally friendly real estate projects, please contact TeamCox Realtors at bonnie@teamcox.com.

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