Would you like to live in a 100-square-foot house? What if you could buy it for $50,000, pay no mortgage or no utilities? Believe it or not, this is attractive to some people! Sure, it’s small group, but it is gaining in popularity. One company at the forefront of this trend is Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, and its founder Jay Shafer has been living in houses of this size since the 90s. He now runs his own company and sells these homes (either plans or the whole house), and they run in size from “tiny” (65 – 140-square-feet) to “small” (250 – 840-square-feet).... [more...]

Did you know small homes are popular? It’s called the “Small House Movement,” and it’s very real for some people, to different degrees and for different reasons. There are two big forces in the country right now: The Economy and The Environment. These forces are causing people to buy more fuel efficient cars, for instance. It’s also leading people to favor smaller houses. In terms of home building, home sizes fell every quarter of 2008, ending up with new homes 7% smaller overall from the previous year — the first year of declines since 1994. Not only is it more... [more...]

If you’re planning on updating one of the major components in your house that affect energy efficiency, consider purchasing something that meets high enough requirements to earn you a tax credit. It’s becoming common sense that if you are choosing a new appliance or even lightbulbs, that you’ll want to pick those labeled Energy Star for the most efficiency. Well, there’s also components like windows, heat pumps, furnaces, insulation and others that can have the energy star rating (of different degrees). And if you’re willing to figure out the details when choosing... [more...]

While our celebration of Mother Earth is still fresh and our Cincinnati weather is improving, let’s head outdoors! There are some “green” things you can do in your yard and garden that can make a huge difference to your wallet and to Mother Earth. Composting: Composting is a great way to reduce waste and help your garden. And it’s quite easy. You can collect food waste such as fruit and vegetable peels, grain products, coffee grounds and filters and even some paper products like food-soiled napkins. Thanks to modern technology, you no longer have to keep compost in a pile in your yard.... [more...]

In honor of Earth Day, April 22, we’re going to take a tour through the HGTV Green Home! Not only is this home beautiful, it’s earth friendly. And you could even have a one-in-a-million chance of winning it! This model of a home is located in the town of Tradition in Port St. Lucie, Florida (near West Palm Beach). The location was selected because of it’s walkable atmosphere — almost everything in the town is accessible by foot, offering a very sustainable lifestyle. The house planner, Jack Thomasson, who selected the site said, “I wanted to find a place where we could send a sort... [more...]

It’s a no-brainer: your listing MUST BE CLEAN! And before we describe some “green” ways to keep your house spic-and-span, remember that you should do whatever it takes to remove built-up dirt, stains or other such remnants of life in your home. That being said, traditional cleaning products (especially heavy stain removers, mildew-killers, and many aerosol sprays) can contain many harmful chemicals that are released into the air in your home and left on surfaces. If you are cleaning your home on a daily basis to stay showing-ready, you are building up a lot of these chemicals. You don’t... [more...]

Going green is all the rage. Can it help you in hour home buying or selling? YES! It’s something to keep in mind as you prepare to put your home on the market, or in your house hunt. People are becoming more aware about green living. I talked with James Gerdsen, President of Apollo Heating and Cooling in Cincinnati about ways to upgrade a home — or things for potential buyers to look for — that can improve your efficiency. Improving your efficiency not only keeps your costs down, but reduces your carbon footprint. And, of course, those things sound good. If you’re a seller, there... [more...]

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