Efforts to Boost Green Building
The U.S. Green Building Council is hoping to help remove barriers in the construction industry that are impeding the progress of environmentally friendly and energy-efficient buildings. The non-profit plans to release a report the week of April 28 that will detail steps the federal government can take to "significantly accelerate the mainstreaming of high-performance building practices in the industry while saving taxpayer dollars." Green buildings use products and feature designs that are more energy- and water-efficient and provide a better atmosphere for tenants and their workers. Among the recommendations the council will push are establishing a national green building tax credit; allowing federal building projects to be evaluated based on the long-term costs of building green, instead of initial design and construction costs; and boosting government research funding on such topics as developing materials and technologies. The council's proposals are the direct result of an informal hearing last year in front of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. (www.wsj.com)
Wall Street Journal (04/23/03) P. B8; Muto, Sheila
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Plots & Ploys: Charitable Condos
In hopes of drumming up sales in the Brazilian Court condo-hotel project while also donating to a charitable cause, the team behind the Palm Beach, FL, development is giving $2,500 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation every time a buyer takes a unit off the market. "We don't expect people to buy the condos simply because of the donation, but we hope that they'll spread the word," explains Richard Schlesinger of Ceebraid Signal Corp., which is converting the condo-hotel from a 1920s luxury lodging property. The contribution includes $1,500 from Ceebraid and another $1,000 from the project's sales and marketing firms on the sale of each of the units, which owners can rent as hotel rooms when they are not using the property themselves. The units are selling for $450,000 to $2.5 million. Ceebraid is not the first residential builder to embrace this approach to sales; Dallas-based Centex Homes, for example, has given $35 to the Nature Conservancy for every home that it builds and sells. Since it started the drive in 1999, the company has contributed an estimated $3 million to the group. (www.wsj.com)
Wall Street Journal (04/23/03) P. B6; Muto, Sheila
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Whys and Why Nots of Wi-Fi: Great for Home, Iffy for Office
While Synergy Research Group reports that 2002 spending on wireless fidelity, or Wi-Fi, devices retreated 8% among business users to $808 million, it surged 79% among home owners to $985 million. The technology's success with residential customers is grounded in the fact that some 57 million households in the world have fast Internet connections. Through Wi-Fi, they can use a single Internet connection for multiple computers and wirelessly link other devices. Home owners also are warming up to Wi-Fi because its prices keep coming down. With the growth in consumer interest, more and more manufacturers are looking to that market for profitability. Business users, meanwhile, are being deterred by decreased technology spending; security issues; the desire for products that use all three wireless standards — 802.11b, 802.11a and 802.11g; and the complexity of network configuration. (www.investors.com)
Investor's Business Daily (04/21/03) P. A1; Angell, Mike
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Pretty Houses Sell First
Lawn & Garden magazine reports that home owners are spending a record $17.4 billion on landscaping, which enhances property value and gives prospective buyers a good first impression. Home owners should concentrate on the front of the dwelling for maximum curb appeal, saving backyard improvements for their own pleasure. According to a study in the International Society of Arboriculture's "Guide for Plant Appraisal," attractive landscaping can boost a home's sale price by as much as 5%; while poor landscaping can slash sales prices by 8%-10% in comparison to similar neighborhood properties. Though home owners can create a beautiful yard themselves, more and more are hiring landscape architects, horticulturalists, carpenters, masons and landscape technicians to save and accentuate the valuable trees and vegetation already on the property, as well as to create elaborate gardens. Tree experts, meanwhile, can determine the value of a home's landscaping by considering the size, species, condition and location of trees on the property. Says landscape architect Catherine Mahan, "When a potential customer sees the landscaped building, she thinks, 'Oh, someone loves this house — I'd be proud to live here.'” (www.sunspot.net)
Baltimore Sun (04/20/03) P. 1L; Guhne, Joni
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The Tear-Down Trend: A Developing Situation
The lack of prime lots in South Florida has forced luxury builders to purchase and raze existing homes, often replacing them with so-called McMansions. Critics blame tear-downs for rising property taxes and changes in a neighborhood's architectural character, which prompted officials in Miami Beach two years ago to outlaw the demolition of pre-1942 homes without special permits. Elsewhere, Lighthouse Point's property tax revenue surged nearly $30 million last year due to the sale of 28 new homes built in the stead of an equal number of more modest properties; their value soared 300% from $11.7 million to more than $48 million. Shear Construction & Development's Dana Shear drives through upscale neighborhoods looking for homes in poor condition, and she says builders benefit by negotiating with home owners before the home hits the market. Though builders usually see potential tear-downs as worthless structures taking up valuable space, many home owners disagree. According to Coldwell Banker agent Carlos Justo, "Some will sell their house for less value to someone who's going to keep it, rather than to someone who is going to tear it down." (www.miami.com)
Miami Herald (04/20/03) P. 1E; Hanks III, Douglas
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Tree Ordinance Proposal Toppled Again
In Florida, the Citrus County Commission decided not to pass the Department of Development Services' proposed tree ordinance, which would have required builders to leave a certain number of trees untouched when clearing a parcel for development. The commission threw out the ordinance for the eighth time, mainly because it would have encroached on landowner rights. The proposed ordinance is confusing to many, especially because it would have prohibited builders' tree-cutting activity during development while letting home owners cut down as many of the trees on their property as they wished once they took title to the land. In response, Citrus County Builders Association attorney Clark Stilwell said the group believes a simple ordinance is necessary for area builders to effectively compete with those in nearby counties. Meanwhile, commission chairman Jim Fowler and commissioner Roger Batchelor showed disdain for scrub oaks and blackjack oaks, pressing for an exemption that would allow the native trees to be clear-cut. (www.sptimes.com)
St. Petersburg Times (FL) (04/23/03) P. 1; Raeke, Richard
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Victory on Home Front in Military Housing
The Defense Department reports that 100,000 military housing units will be privatized by the end of next year, and 6,000 of the 30,000 units that have already been turned over to the private sector have since been renovated or rebuilt. The $7 billion program is an attempt to improve military housing, over 60% of which is in poor condition and many of which additionally are too small to meet the needs of military families. By involving the private sector, military housing is replaced or repaired much more quickly. In fact, Actus Lend-Lease plans to build 974 new units and renovate 4,600 units at Fort Hood, TX, by 2009; the project would not have been completed until 2031 if the military were left in charge. Also in the works is Warwick, RI-based Picerne Real Estate Group's $460 million plan to rebuild 3,107 homes at the Fort Meade Army base near Baltimore, and GMAC commercial Holding Capital Corp.'s drive to complete over $800 million in redevelopment projects at Fort Meade, Fort Bragg, NC, and Fort Pendleton, CA. Research shows that better-quality housing can drive up military retention rates by as much as 15%. (www.wsj.com)
Wall Street Journal (04/23/03) P. B1; Chittum, Ryan; Starkman, Dean
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Builders Team With Ultimate Electronics to Offer Home Networking Solutions for New Homes in Colorado
Ultimate Electronics Inc. will join forces with D.R. Horton, the Genesee Company, Lennar Homes, Oakwood Homes, Richmond American Homes, US Home, Sivage Thomas Homes, Peninsula Quality Builders, Taylor-Morley Homes and local custom builders to install structured wiring, security systems, home theater and multi-room audio packages in about 7,500 new homes in Colorado, Arizona, Iowa, Missouri and New Mexico. These residential networking solutions will give home owners a cost-effective way to equip their properties with the newest technologies. Forrester Research estimates that 58% of all new homes in the United States will be networked by next year. (www.prnewswire.com)
PRNewswire (04/23/03)
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Devotional Sanctuaries
In Corpus Christi, TX, and other parts of the Coastal Bend, prayer rooms are becoming popular among home owners. These spaces, which can be incorporated into the design of a new home or carved out during a remodel, are used for Bible-reading and meditation. They may feature bookshelves, wooden altars, statues and crosses. One home owner designed the prayer room to resemble a small county church with a single pew, handrails and a stained glass window. Home owner Sherre Ernster says of the prayer room in her Rockport-based home, "I wanted to create a simple, solitary place to go apart from life and be alone with God." (www.caller-times.com)
Corpus Christi Caller-Times (04/20/03) P. K12; Bratten, Mike
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Immigrants Playing Role in Energizing Home Sales
As part of the growing evidence that U.S. immigrants are an increasingly dynamic part of the homeownership market, a recent National Association of Realtor® study found that immigrants have contributed to roughly 33% of the household growth in the United States over the last seven-plus years. A similar study conducted by Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies determined that foreign-born home owners currently have over $1.2 trillion in residential property wealth, which accounts for 10% of the nationwide total. Harvard researchers further learned that the average price of houses purchased by foreign-born buyers is $150,000, which is 50% higher than that of native-born, first-time home buyers. Finally, the study determined that of the various ethnic groups, Asian home buyers have the tendency to make the highest downpayments; however, all immigrant buyers tend to plunk down a bigger share of the home-purchase price than native-born, first-time buyers. (www.statesman.com)
Austin American-Statesman (04/19/03) P. F1; Santos, Michele Chan
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The Winsulator: Window Insulation System Has an Added Selling Point in a Post-9/11 World
Florida-based South Sun Energy Conservations Inc. created the Winsulator — an acrylic sheet used to insulate single-pane glass windows — to offer energy savings to residential customers by keeping their homes cool in the summer. By fortifying the Winsulator's acrylic panels with a steel frame, Ed VerVane has re-engineered his product into one that traps broken glass during explosions. However, unlike other anti-terrorism window systems, the Winsulator offers both blast mitigation and energy savings. With a low-hazard Level 4 rating, the improved Winsulator may soon be installed at Jacksonville's Naval Air Station and other government and private sector buildings. According to VerVane, "If a car bomb went off, say 50 feet away, instead of blasting glass all over the room, now the glass will not be blasted across the room and shred you to pieces." VerVane anticipates sales to grow from $4 million this year to upwards of $10 million over the next two or so years. (www.herald-trib.com)
Sarasota Herald-Tribune (04/20/03) P. D1; Shopes, Rich
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What Baby-Boomer Buyers Want
According to NAHB Seniors Housing Council consultant Margaret Wylde, baby boomers — born from 1946 to 1964 — base their real estate decisions on their lifestyle rather than on their age. NAHB's survey, "Boomers on the Horizon: Housing Preferences of the 55+ Market," found that most individuals in this age category want one-story, single-family homes in the suburbs, with younger boomers more likely to have their dwellings custom built and older boomers more likely to purchase an existing property. A majority prefer homes ranging from 1,500 to 1,900 square feet, smaller than the average size of 2,300 sq. ft. The survey additionally found that nearly 50% prefer two-car garages, but that those in the South Atlantic and South Central region want carports. Spacious kitchens and three bedrooms are also in demand; and respondents said the extra bedrooms would be made into guest rooms, home offices, sewing rooms, hobby rooms, exercise rooms, media rooms, sitting rooms or storage spaces. Most boomers want two bathrooms with white fixtures; laundry rooms near the kitchen; low maintenance, durable and appealing brick exteriors; bays, skylights, greenhouse and other specialty windows; and exterior lighting. Younger boomers also prefer French doors, crown molding, fireplaces, light wood cabinets, solid-surface countertops and decks, while more affluent boomers desire lawn sprinkler systems and brick pavers. The survey also revealed that boomers consider amenities when choosing a home, such as walking and jogging trails and proximity to public transportation, among others. (www.philly.com)
Philadelphia Inquirer (04/20/03) P. J1; Heavens, Alan J.
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Zoning Out: Exclusionary Rules Exacerbate Affordable-Housing Woes
The affordable housing shortage can be attributed to the lack of funds to build new projects and replace enough low-cost units to keep pace with demand, as well as to an exclusionary situation created by zoning laws, land-use rules and restrictions on lot size and multifamily construction. A major challenge to affordable housing, according to Brookings Institution senior fellow Anthony Downs, is the tendency for middle- and upper-income households to move from low-income areas and block poorer residents from moving into their neighborhoods. In response, PolicyLink's "equitable development toolkit” is designed to allow low-income residents to reap the benefits of growth and development and features strategies such as "inclusionary zoning," which lets developers increase density and forego land donations if they set aside a certain number of units for low-income households. Meanwhile, Downs believes the federal government should require cities to provide a "fair share" of affordable housing, reserve land for multifamily construction and let home owners rent out part of their homes as granny flats. Other strategies include limited-equity housing cooperatives; first-time buyer programs, such as downpayment assistance and low-interest mortgages; and location-efficient mortgages, which provide more favorable terms to borrowers living near public transit. However, University of Southern California urban planning and demography professor Dowell Myers says more affordable multifamily rentals — not owned townhouses — are needed to meet demand. (cbs.marketwatch.com)
CBSMarketWatch.com Online (04/17/03) Kerch, Steve
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Some Like It HOT
A study by Alain Pinel Realtors Vice President and Director of Relocation Margaret Morgan finds that 46% of home sellers in the San Francisco Bay area are moving out of California rather than staying in the state. Of the more than 200 sellers polled in seven counties, only 37% remained in California; and only about one-fourth of those opted to stay in the Bay Area. At the same time, 46% of those surveyed defected out of state — with Arizona, Colorado, Texas and Nevada as the most popular destinations. While many are doing so due to job relocations, others have based their decision on the lower cost of living, better schools, lower taxes and the lack of natural disasters. Moreover, many Bay Area sellers are motivated by sky-high housing values that allow them to obtain a steep price for their property and purchase a larger and nicer home in another state for significantly less. Scottsdale Convention and Visitors Bureau Public Relations Manager Michelle Streeter, for example, says that home owners can move to the Arizona city and “get three times the size house here for the price of the one you sold in California.” (www.sfgate.com)
San Francisco Chronicle (04/20/03) P. G1; Fornoff, Susan
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New 'Fixed Wireless' Is Perched to Expand
More and more people may choose to use fixed wireless to get broadband Internet service as technology improves and federal regulators make efforts to free up additional spectrum. Today, about 1,800 Internet providers use fixed wireless systems to deliver broadband access to homes and businesses, according to In-Stat/MDR. The technology is most popular in rural areas that lack DSL or cable. But unlike widely scattered cell phone signals, fixed wireless consists of a targeted beam pointed to a specific location from installations on towers or rooftops, says Owen Griffin of Continental VisiNet Broadband in Hampton Roads, VA. This can be convenient for businesses or homes that want instant broadband connections without relying on phone lines or cable. But a clear line of sight is necessary for the broad service to be properly delivered, says Chuck Blount, vice president of Atlantic Communications in Newport News, VA. However, he says equipment for receiving fixed wireless is now available at hundreds of dollars less than conventional gear. But Michael S. Ryan, president of Pinnacle, warns that small companies may be unable to afford the cost of getting roof rights or tower locations from property owners, which can run in the thousands of dollars. (www.pilotonline.com)
Norfolk Virginian-Pilot (04/21/03) P. D1; Duke, Dan
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In Battle to Block Spam, Two Products Stand Out
Without a federal bill prohibiting spam, computer users must simply choose the spam-fighting software that best meets their needs. Cloudmark's Spamnet, for instance, lets users decide whether a message is spam by sending particular messages to a separate spam folder. However, important messages could be considered spam, which makes it important for users to scan the folder. Each time the user tells the system which messages are spam and which are not, Cloudmark uses the information to improve its filtering techniques. The product weeds out 95% of unsolicited e-mails. Mailblocks, meanwhile, uses the more dependable “challenge response” method to combat spam. For $9.95 per year, users create a white list of acceptable senders, and senders not on the white list receive an automatic reply. Spammers cannot reply to the message, but legitimate human senders can be easily added to the white list. Though the automated challenge messages can frustrate friends and business contacts, Mailblocks is the only anti-spam filter with near perfect results. (www.boston.com/globe)
Boston Globe (04/21/03) P. C2; Bray, Hiawatha
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