Link: http://www.worldwatch.org/resources/go_green_save_green

How can we live lightly on the Earth and save money at the same time?

1.Save energy to save money.

◦ Set your thermostat a few degrees lower in the winter and a few degrees higher in the summer to save on heating and cooling costs.
◦ Install compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) when your older incandescent bulbs burn out.
◦ Unplug appliances when you're not using them. Or, use a "smart" power strip that senses when appliances are off and cuts "phantom" or "vampire" energy use.
◦ Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible. As much as 85 percent of the energy used to machine-wash clothes goes to heating the water.
◦ Use a drying rack or clothesline to save the energy otherwise used during machine drying.

2.Save water to save money.

◦ Take shorter showers to reduce water use. This will lower your water and heating bills too.
◦ Install a low-flow showerhead. They don't cost much, and the water and energy savings can quickly pay back your investment.
◦ Make sure you have a faucet aerator on each faucet. These inexpensive appliances conserve heat and water, while keeping water pressure high.
◦ Plant drought-tolerant native plants in your garden. Many plants need minimal watering. Find out which occur naturally in your area.

3.Less gas = more money (and better health!).

◦ Walk or bike to work. This saves on gas and parking costs while improving your cardiovascular health and reducing your risk of obesity.
◦ Consider telecommuting if you live far from your work. Or move closer. Even if this means paying more rent, it could save you money in the long term.
◦ Lobby your local government to increase spending on sidewalks and bike lanes. With little cost, these improvements can pay huge dividends in bettering your health and reducing traffic

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Realestateweb

Homes continue to shed value this year, but the residential market expected to improve early 2010. New stats for small, medium, large houses.

Absa's House Price index showed South Africa's house prices continuing to shed value. However, the bank's analysts expect the residential market to improve in early 2010.

Absa's senior property analyst Jacques du Toit said house prices dropped further in nominal terms in June, by 4,4% year-on-year, while in real terms, prices were down by 11,1% year-on-year in May.

"Price deflation is expected to continue for the rest of 2009, slowing down towards the end of the year. The lagged effect of lower interest rates and a gradual recovery in the economy in the second half of the year are factors which are set to lead to an improvement in property market conditions from early next year," he said.

The "average" middle segment house as measured by Absa peaked in value in May 2008 at R967 300. In June, the value had dropped by R42 700.

Generally, houses are now selling at the same prices they were going for two years ago. Inflation, however, means the figure is closer to what a house was worth in 2005.

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Property 24

Finding a really excellent estate agent can take a lot of stress out of a property deal and save consumers time and money.

The question, says Dr Willie Marais, national president of the Institute of Estate Agents (IEASA), is what makes an agent a great agent – and how does one find such an agent?

"There are of course some intangible qualities that catapult some agents into an exceptional class of their own. However, there are some clear pointers that consumers who want to identify a top agent can follow," he says.

Here are 10 of the best:

– Choose a full-time agent. Part-time dabblers in real estate have mostly been pushed out of the industry – and it is with good reason that full-time professionals have weathered the challenges of the current property market.

– Speak to satisfied clients and ask them what made their agents special to start you off on your search.

– Look for an agent who displays passion, drive, enthusiasm and dedication and who will gladly go the extra mile when called upon to do so.

– Find a local agent with a good grasp of the market where you intend buying or selling.

– Find an agent who can think creatively and who can come up with solutions that will satisfy sellers as well as buyers in tough negotiations.

– Make sure your chosen agent is comfortable with technology. The internet is playing an ever greater role in property transactions and top agents know how to use technology to the best advantage.

– Look for an agent that has access to related experts, especially if you are buying property in a strange town. An agent who can refer you to a reliable plumber in the middle of the night can be worth his weight in gold.

– Make sure your chosen agent is respected by his peers – respect is a key ingredient when an agent has to network with others to find you a buyer or a property.

– Check support systems. A good agent is a busy agent and you need to know that a capable assistant can help you when your agent is tied up elsewhere.

– Finally, listen to your instincts and choose an agent you can trust and feel comfortable with. A good rapport with an agent will go a long way towards concluding a satisfactory transaction.

Property 24

What factors need to be taken in consideration when investing in these properties?

Dina Porteous, Margate area principal for Pam Golding Properties, says one should never submit an offer to purchase which includes the furniture, as although this is a common practice it has a monetary tax and commission implication for sellers and a rates and transfer cost implication for buyers.

"Banks also don't take the value of the furniture into consideration, should you apply for a loan. Negotiate the furniture at a separate, market-related price as often the cost of moving or storing it would outweigh the financial benefit for the seller."

"Most of these beachfront properties have excellent rental potential and currently there is a high demand for self-catering accommodation on the coast, which is driven by the current economy and a new emerging market.

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Property 24

Although it has to be admitted that the recession probably has another nine months to run, optimism is now returning to the residential property sector.

"But while this new optimism is very welcome, it has, predictably, caused some sellers once again to try and set unrealistic prices - as was so often done when the previous boom tailed off," says Lanice Steward, managing director of Anne Knight Porter Frank (APKF).

Serious residential sellers, says Steward, have come to accept that there has been zero growth in home market prices for some 18 months and since the peak period of late 2007/early 2008 certain homes have, in fact, actually dropped in value.

"As before, the temptation to overprice is increased by a small handful of unscrupulous agents who deliberately over-value property so as to secure the mandate - and later come up with a range of apparently plausible reasons why the high price cannot be met. This tactic, in our experience, often results in the home eventually selling below its true market value."

Home sellers, says Steward, must get their agents to justify their valuations by producing the sales figures recently achieved in similar properties in the area.

"It is, surprising how often even reputable agents cannot do this."

The Cape residential market, adds Steward, is moving, but it is significant that the FNB property economist, John Loos, has shown that 26% of sales today are as a result of people downscaling to cope with the current more stringent economic times, while a further 19% are downscaling so as to be able to embark on a new 'life stage' - which usually means retirement or semi-retirement.

"Obviously, with so large a percentage of the market (45%) downscaling rather than buying up, the conditions are not yet ripe for price rises - even though these will inevitably eventually come. Sellers must bear this mind when they are trying to establish the correct price at which to market their home," says Steward.