Austin Real Estate Blog

As the green movement has taken hold of the nation, Austin has endeavored to stand before the trends. Years ago Austin took the stand to become the most green oriented city in the country, and as a whole a greener Austin is surfacing. To help this along, the local government has created avenues to make it easier for families to achieve a green home goal.

Among the options is an unsecured loan intended to update a home’s energy efficiency. the Power Saver^TM Program. The goal of this program is to make it easy for a home owner to update air conditioning, duct work and other area’s of energy concerns. As these improvements are made a home becomes more affordable, and develops better value. The loans hold no sway against the home or the improvements made. The interest rate is kept low, especially in this market, which keeps the payments low.

If you desire more information you can find it:
Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®-Loan

Application for Energy Star Loan

The Pedernals Electric Coop has implemented several measure to help their members save on energy costs and improve home value. The first of these is the PEC Home Energy Center, an online tool to help members conserve electricity, save on monthly bills, and reduce carbon emissions. Using the tool can create a clear understanding what improvements need to be made. They also have a rebate program for HVAC improvements.

“…our HVAC Rebate Program. HVAC systems can account for more than 50 percent of a member’s energy consumption, so we provide rebates to those who install energy-efficient units. In 2007, PEC paid more than $548,000 in rebates to members who upgraded their HVAC systems…”

Don’t forget AustinEnergy’s Rebate program.

Austin companies and city have really taken the time to create the resources home owners need.

June first is just days away, are you ready for the energy efficiency ordinance? The city of Austin’s Energy Efficiency Ordinance requires energy audits are conducted and disclosed for a vast majority of properties listed with in Austin City Limits. If you are wondering about your home, or the ordinance, you can review the details here: Energy Efficiency Ordinance and homes not effected fall into this exemption list.

Building green homes, and green construction overall is changing how people purchase homes and make renovations. Energy efficiency is one of the primary ways consumers measure a green factor to home or construction. For many it is a vital aspect of planning a home’s affordability. By developing a solid energy efficient home, a new home owner will better be able to maintain payments and keep their home.

As people become more aware of energy and its effect on the environment and their wallet, green building continues to grow. Many homeowners have taken the time to review and evaluate their home based on energy efficiency, and many Austin area companies are offering resources to improve. If you take a moment you will find many resources and suggestions on this and other websites that focus on Austin. It is well worth it to reach for and achieve the ordinance goals for every home.

Austin has been a front runner for green living almost since the topic became a mainstream ideal. The city has created many incentives for homeowners to select a more energy efficient way of life.

As a way of continuing this venture, Austin has recently signed into law an ordinance that requires homeowners to have their homes inspected for energy usage before they are able to put it on the market. This new law will go into effect this year. The ordinance is just another way that Austin is truly trying to go green.

Homeowners who are planning to place their homes on the market may need to do a few upgrades to be sure they are prepared for the energy audit. In Austin, energy is mostly used to heat and cool the home; therefore it is important to learn about any leaks in the duct work, cracks in doors and windows, and updating insulation within attics. While the energy audit is required before placing a home for sale, the upgrades are not currently required prior to purchase. Any potential buyer must be made aware of the energy audit results.

These upgrades may not be the most noticeable when looking at buying a home, but can save money in the long run. The bottom line is, the less energy you use to heat and cool your home, the more you will save on utility bills throughout your life there. Austin has recognized the importance of these small, but important, parts of a home. The new law enables buyers and sellers to be on the same page at the time of sale.

Starting this June, those who wish to sell a home in Austin will be required to have their home inspected for energy efficiency. This new ordinance does not require the seller to upgrade any leaks or other problems that may be found, but it does state that the buyer be made aware of the outcome of the audit via disclosure. Of course, given the current market and economy, anything that may decrease the value of a home should be repaired prior to sale. Buyers don’t want to think of what needs to be fixed when looking at a home, so it will be better to make any necessary upgrades before putting the house on the market.

The energy audit will be looking into four areas of energy efficiency. There will be a duct pressure check on the air conditioning unit to check for leaks. Weather stripping around doors will be inspected. Shades and screens, especially on the east, west, and south sides of a home will be looked at, as will the type of insulation found in an attic. Energy Raters can be found online at Austin Energy’s Website, and will generally run about $300 for every 2,000 square feet. If you decide to go ahead with the upgrades, the home will need to be inspected again when complete.

There is another option considered in compliance with the new ordinance. Homeowners can participate in the Home Performance with Energy Star Certificate program. Homes that have already done so within the last ten years are exempt from the ordinance. In this case, a home performance contractor will inspect the home, sometimes for free with a bid for work. The same areas will be reviewed as with the energy audit, and then the information will be sent to Austin Energy for review. To receive a certificate of completion, three of the requirements must be met or the homeowner must have received a rebate of $500 or more from Austin Energy.
In either case, Austin Energy must approve the upgrades for energy efficiency. The information must be contained within the Seller’s Disclosure and is good for ten years.

Many people purchase manufactured homes (mobile homes) over traditionally constructed homes but either don’t consider having the home inspected, don’t think one is necessary or don’t think the inspection process is available for a manufactured home, but an inspection by a professional inspector is critical part of purchasing any home. Whether it is a brand new or pre-owned manufactured home, many important safety, and structural and mechanical factors should evaluated before moving in. Some of these are:

• Is the home properly secured to the ground such as with tie down straps? Are the straps and anchors correctly installed?
• What type of foundation/support is being used under the home and is it proper e.g. concrete block, steel jacks, type of pad used under the piers, etc?
• If multi-wide, are the two sides (double wide) mated and secured properly?
• Has the roof been joined/installed properly in this area?
• Are proper connections made to utilities such as electricity, gas, sewer and water?
• Do items such as appliances, outlets, fixtures, heat and air, sinks, toilets etc. work inside the home?
• Are there leaks in HVAC duct work, or plumbing underneath the home?
• Is the underside floor insulation still in tact?

These and many other safety, functionality and livability factors should be evaluated for a manufactured home. Make sure that you have a professional inspector who is familiar with manufactured homes evaluate your home before you move in. This will help you be more knowledgeable and have peace of mind about the home you are purchasing.

Photos of things we see on manufactured home inspections are shown below.

Exposed, hanging electrical wiring under the home.

Overheating circuit breaker panel. Note charring of bus and burned labels on breaker.  Bus temp. measured over 350°.

Improperly installed chimney flashing – missing collar – allowing water to come into the house.

Termite tunnels on wood skirting in contact with the ground under the home.

Disconnected HVAC ductwork and missing under floor insulation and moisture barrier.

For more information contact:

Jerry Schmidt

Professional Building Consultant
Inspections, Home and Termite Inspections
512-501-3560 (Austin), 512-942-6071 , 254-421-0612 (Bell County)
888-871-5740 (toll free)
sunviewinspections.com, customer_care@sunviewinspections.com
TREC 9102, 9437, TPCL 13863

When it comes to the single factor responsible for heat loss or gain in any building, one needs only to look out, or at, the windows.

While many windows allow for much daylight, which is essential to human health and lowers lighting costs, it can also lead to increased heat transfer – whether out in cooler weather or in during hot summer days – which is an energy drain either way. Today’s window glazing methods attempt to reduce this energy loss.

A low-e window is coated with a low emissive glazing. It reflects more long wave radiant heat, keeping the sun from heating a room or preventing a warm room from radiating heat to the outside. The lower the emissivity number, the better the heat loss protection.

Sunlight not only heats a room, but can damage furniture and carpeting. Visible transmittance is the percentage of visible light rays that get thought the glass. Windows can be tinted or have film applied to block out the damaging end of the spectrum, or to reduce the radiant heat waves.

Double- or multi-glazed windows are perhaps the most economical means of preventing heat transfer. These windows integrate two or more panes of glass in one sash with an inert gas injected between them to provide insulation against heat loss or gain. This type of window prevents heat transfer while still allowing healthy sunlight into the room.

The type of glaze or tinting for a room’s windows depends on the application: one may wish to reduce heat transfer while another’s main concern is light damage to delicate furnishings. Either way, technology is available to fill these needs.