Frederick County Short Sale Blog | Homes for Sale in Frederick Md

Frederick Home Owners Want Energy Efficient Homes

Energy efficiency is on the mind of 89% of homeowners, according to a national survey conducted by A Washington D.C.-based research company, Clarus Research Group.  The study was conducted earlier this month (Sept. 2010) on a sample of 800 homeowners, or those who plan to purchase within the next year.

The Key Findings:

• 89% of respondents said that making their home more energy efficient is important to them.
  
  
  • Yet... less than one in three believe their homes are "very" energy efficient
  • While the majority reported knowing "a lot" about how to make their homes energy efficient, they mistakenly identified "older windows" as the top energy-loss culprit. **
    
    
• 90% said it is important to have a professional energy auditor who is "certified by an independent national organization.
• 80% said that if they were in the market to buy a home, an energy audit conducted by an "unbiased professional" would be important to them.

Lessons for home sellers:

• Any energy-efficient upgrades you can do will be valuable in the mind of a buyer.
  

• Marketing any and all energy-efficient upgrades in your home is wise. As we see in this study, perception is often more powerful than facts.   
• Having an energy audit before you put your home on the market can be a good idea...
  
  
  • If your home scores high on energy efficiency...
  • not such a good idea if your home scores low.
  
  

• See Benefits of a Home Energy Audit
  

Lessons for home buyers: 

• Do your research, all energy efficient upgrades are not equally valuable.
• Learn the facts about home energy ratings.
  
  
  
  Find out more at Residential Energy Services Network
  

 ** Simple, cheaper fixes are usually more cost-effective energy-saving measures, like caulking around windows and doors, or sealing cracks around air-conditioning and heating ducts.

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Helpful Tools: 

10 Ways to Make a Small Room Look Larger

RISMEDIA, October 25, 2010--Most people have one: that room in the house that they wish was just a little larger. What many don't realize is that with a little work and some TLC, they could have exactly what they're looking for.

Here, Lowe's offers 10 designer tricks to help you make any room look larger:

1. For the illusion of a larger room, use a color scheme that is light rather than bright or dark. Pastels, neutrals and white are all color possibilities.

2. Use a monochromatic color scheme on the furniture, rugs and walls. Select different shades and textures of your single color.

3. Lighting is a key element in opening up a space. Recessed spot lighting is visually appealing and is perfect for a small space. A torchiere light is great for bouncing light off of the ceiling and back down on the room.Skylights and solar tubes are natural alternatives for adding light to a room.

4. Limit the number of accessories to avoid the cluttered feeling.

5. The floor and the ceiling are the fifth and sixth walls of every room. A light-colored flooring such as light oak or a light-colored carpet will make the room appear brighter and more open. The same applies to the ceiling—use a light color or white to "open up" the space above.

6. Increase the appearance of the size of the room by adding wall mirrors. They not only reflect images, they reflect light and color. Be a little daring! Use mirror tiles to mirror an entire wall. Your room will appear to double in size.

7. Don't place too many pieces of furniture in a small space. A love seat may work better than a full-size sofa depending on the size and shape of the room. Add two medium-sized chairs or two small wood chairs. Place the chairs closer to the wall and then pull them into the area when additional seating is needed.

8. Add paintings or prints to the walls. One large painting works better than a group of small paintings.

9. The visual balance of a room is also important. A large, brightly colored element can overwhelm a room and decrease the appearance of space.

10. A glass table, whether it is a dining, coffee or end table, will keep the appearance of an open and free space.

For more how-to project ideas, visit Lowe's How-To Library at http://www.lowes.com/cd_How+To+Library_615580068_.

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Helpful Tools: 

The Highland Group