Oakington Realty

Green is the Utilmate Today

Steven Kleiman — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:04:00 GMT

Hold on to your hats, folks. If you want to keep up with the Jones’ on the housing front, going bigger isn’t going to cut it anymore. Today, for the Jones’ and others on the forefront of home trends, it’s all about how much green you’ve got...and I’m not talking about money.

Green homes, or eco-friendly houses as they’re sometimes called, are “what’s hot” in housing today That’s because of two reasons:

(1) Green homes are designed (literally) to save the environment.

(2) Living in a green home is easier on the pocketbook than a traditional home.

So, as you go out green house hunting, whether you’re a sightseer or a buyer, here are some features to look for:

? Solar panels on the roof, but make sure the technology is current. (No pun intended.)

? Insulated windows above and beyond traditional double panes

? Tank-less Water Heaters

? Low-flow faucets and showerheads and low-volume flush toilet tanks

? Fluorescent or LED lighting throughout the house

? Environmentally friendly flooring (i.e. Bamboo instead of hardwoods)

? Rainwater collection system and drip irrigation in the flowerbeds

? Appliances with high EERs (energy efficiency ratings)

? Low-maintenance- Xeriscape landscaping http://tinyurl.com/cd8yk

If you’re thinking about custom building a green home or purchasing a newly constructed home from a green new home builder, consider requesting the following:

Recycled Building Materials. The home should make good use of recycled materials and / or biodegradable materials. For example, use salvaged wood instead of newly cut wood for building and use recycled glass for countertops instead of marble or granite.

Rooftop Landscaping: Another emerging trend in green homes, though less common to see in your everyday neighborhood, is rooftop gardens. It’s not just for downtown high-rise buildings in Manhattan anymore. They’re great if you have the opportunity to add one on because the vegetation will help to regulate your home’s temperature.

It may not be easy to find a green home with many, if not all, of the “green” features listed above, but more and more consumers are demanding “greener” homes when they build or remodel. To have a green home that’ll one-up the Jones’, make sure that the home is built by a green builder and / or is certified green through an organization such as the U.S. Green Building Council (http://www.usgbc.org/).

Do you live in a Houston-area green home? Have you seen the benefits of going green? Great!

Tell me why you went green and how going green has changed how you live.

Steven Kleiman is CEO and Founder of Houston based Oakington Realty, which specializes in “Inner Loop” homes as well as urban-in-fill properties, working with buyers, sellers, developers and homebuilders. Steven is a member of the National, Texas and Houston Association(s) of Realtors®. Readers comments welcome at 713-875-9040 713-875-9040 or steven@oakingtonrealty.com. Follow Steven on Twitter at http://twitter.com/StevenTXRealtor.

Making the Perfect Offer

Steven Kleiman — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 20:38:00 GMT

It is never easy to come up with the perfect offer when buying a home. Believe me when I say there is no silver bullet. Obviously no one wants to pay too much for a home or submit such a low offer that the seller gets offended, is not willing to work with you, or worse of all accepts another offer. Here are 3 things to consider when trying to decide how much to offer:

Ask your realtor to prepare a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) for the subject property. This should include Active, Pending, and Sold homes from the past 6 months. The more recent the comparables the better! Pay special attention to the list price versus the sales price as well as the number of days the house was on the market. The more homes that are available for sell in your market, the better it will be for you as a buyer! Don't rely on national news for your individual market conditions.
Once you have the CMA prepare, ask your realtor to contact the listing agent to see what information they can find out about the seller's current situation. How motivated are they? What is the seller's time frame? Is the seller a bank or individual? Is there a relocation company involved? Has the seller already purchased another home? Is there currently another offer working on this property? You will be surprised on how much information you will be given by just asking! Remember, the listing agent wants to make a sale as well!
What is your personal situation? Prior to submitting your first offer it is important to understand what your mortgage payments would be based on that amount. Know prior to going into the negotiations with the seller what the most you are comfortable spending on the home. Make sure you are true to yourself.

At the end of the day...How attached are you to the home? Will you be heartbroken if you don't get it? Those are the big factors in deciding on your Perfect offer.

For more information on making the perfect offer, feel free to give me a call or send me an email.

Steven Kleiman is CEO and Founder of Houston based Oakington Realty, which specializes in “Inner Loop” homes as well as urban-in-fill properties, working with buyers, sellers, developers and homebuilders. Steven is a member of the National, Texas and Houston Association(s) of Realtors®. Readers comments welcome at 713-875-9040 or steven@oakingtonrealty.com. Follow Steven on Twitter at http://twitter.com/StevenTXRealtor.

This blog was originally written and posted by Steven Kleiman on August 24, 2009

Single Story For Sale in Houston Heights

Steven Kleiman — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Great Location

• single story - MLS® $165,000 - Lot Value (Cleared)

Houston Heights, Houston - Live in a neighborhood filled with charm, Houston Heights! Property will be cleared and sold for lot value. Being sold with 227 W. 24th Street or independently. $165,000 each. Close to Yale! 50' X 131'. This is a great location to build your dream home or hold the lot for an investment. Other new construction throughout neighborhood. Great family neighborhood with an active "mom's group"!

Property information

2 Story For Sale in Southampton

Steven Kleiman — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Modern Luxury

• 4,541 sq. ft., 4 bath, 4 bdrm 2 story "Modern" - MLS® $1,295,000 - Reduced!

Southampton, Houston - You have just previewed 2328 Bartlett in the Southampton area. This is a new construction home designed by DCA Design and built by RWayne Builders. This 4 bedroom, 4 1/2 bathroom, 2 story true modern masterpiece showcases unique features such as commercial storefront glass doors, bamboo cabinetry, concrete floors, interior stucco accent walls, marble countertops, top of the line appliances and tank-less water heaters. With over 4,500 square feet on a lot that is over 6,000 square feet you will have plenty of space to spread out and even room for a pool.

Property information

Single Story For Sale in Marilyn Estates

Steven Kleiman — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 06:00:00 GMT

• 2,131 sq. ft., 2 bath, 3 bdrm single story - MLS® $244,900

Marilyn Estates, Houston - Charming brick traditional on oversized corner lot in highly desired Marilyn Estates. Natural light, w/large rooms & great storage, home is great for entertaining w/airy den overlooking covered patio & giant yard. Well maintained w/recent paint '09, AC '08, roof '04. 2 car attached garage w/BONUS boat or RV parking behind gate. Tremendous value for area & perfect timing ahead of new school year, as home is walking distance to exemplary (& State recognized) Kolter Elem, & Johnston Middle.

Property information