29 Jul 08 
Santa Fe, New Mexico Builders Going Green!
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Last week several home builders, construction firms, and architects attended the Santa Fe Home Builders Association to learn about building more energy-efficient homes. With the demand for “green” homes steadily increasing, it is no surprise that this was the topic of discussion as Kim Shanahan, the association’s president, and other Santa Fe home builders addressed the conference attendees.
The overall consensus is that energy efficiency can be improved upon, while reducing green-house gases, without jeopardizing the quality or affordability of homes. In fact, members discussed proposed changes to Santa Fe’s building code, that would require new homes to meet green building standards.
One proposed change would require new homes to meet a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) score of 70 points, at most. The standard new home, built to code, has a HERS rating of 100. A HERS of 70 signifies a new home is 30 percent more energy efficient than today’s standard home.
Santa Fe builder – Bob Kreger, stated that a house with a HERS of 60 or lower qualifies for significant tax credits.
Dalinda Bangert, a HERS rater, explained to the audience that the difference between a HERS of 100 and a HERS of 70 could result in up to $900 a year less in utility fees for the average homeowner.
Tags: bob kreger, dalinda bangert, energy efficiency, Go Green, green homes, green-house gases, hers, Home Builders, home energy rating system, kim shanahan, new mexico, new mexico home builders, santa fe home builders, santa fe home builders association
26 Jun 08 Permian Basin Home Sales Up
According to a report by Kathleen Thurber, of MyWestTexas.com, home sale prices in the Permian Basin area have increased about 7 percent from the same time last year. The Permian Basin region is located in west Texas just south of Lubbock, to Midland-Odessa, and extending westward to neighboring state New Mexico.
There are over 400 units for sale in the area, up from around 250 from the same time last year, according to Carroll Nall, member services director of the Permian Basin Board of Realtors.
Home prices in the region are selling at the average price of $169,700, an increase of $8,700 from May 2007 – Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University.
Thurber also mentions that area builders are reporting that homes are being bought at the same rate they are being built. The Permian Basin Home Builders Association is stating that more than 300 building permits have been issued this year, up roughly 30 percent this year.
To read more about these developments, read Thurber’s story Real Estate Season Kicks off with Summer.
Image credit - Wikipedia
Tags: average home price, carroll nall, home prices, home sales, home values, kathleen thurber, lubbock real estate, midland real estate, new mexico, odessa real estate, permian basin, permian basin board of realtors, permian basin home board of realtors, permian basin home builders, permian basin home builders association, real estate center texas a&m, texas a&m university, Texas Real Estate, west texas real estate
