energy

Home Energy Audits Explained

by Jim Simcoe | June 4, 2011

Over the last several months I’ve talked about the importance of using energy audits in your projects. However, I’ve not (my apologies) ever really explained what they are and what the goals of doing them . . . here goes: The goals of an energy audit Determine the overall efficiency in the energy usage of [...]

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Housing

Why Exercising Could Make You a Wealthier Investor

by Jason Hanson | October 7, 2009

I hate running. I pretty much hate any form of exercise. I have no problem doing my real estate work, but when it comes to working out, I’ll admit I’m very lazy and lack discipline.

I remember many of my mentors telling me how important it was to exercise on a daily basis and how exercising was often the first thing they did in the morning. I’ve also read the same thing in many books written by successful people. I recall one successful entrepreneur/writer saying that no matter what, he does three things every single day: 1) He writes 2) He promotes his business 3) He exercises.

This is What Happens When You Get Older

I’ve heard this advice for years and I just ignored it and didn’t think it had anything to do with success. Well, I must be getting older because a few weeks ago I started feeling run down and I didn’t have as much energy as I used to. Come 9:00 at night I’d be ready to pass out, even though I had just sat at my computer all day and hadn’t had a stressful or rigorous day.

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Landlord Tenant

Landlords: More Details on Transferring Utility Costs

by Brendan O'Brien | August 11, 2009

FOLLOWING CARBON FOOTPRINTS TO YOUR BANK--CAP ... Last year I had a gas bill for $1400. That was almost one-third of my entire rent for that property for the month. This year, however, I could get bills that are even higher. Meteorologists are predicting the coldest and snowiest winter for the Northeast in years.

In this property, I currently pay for heat (natural gas) and water/sewer. The water/sewer bills aren’t actually that high around here, although they are the lion’s share of utility costs for many property owners in Western states. Regardless of location, however, utility costs are killing landlords. They are rising much faster than inflation. Rents, on the other hand, are rising much more slowly than inflation, if at all.

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Real Estate Investing

Transferring Utility Costs – Opportunities and Challenges

by Brendan O'Brien | July 25, 2009

Electric meter Rising utility costs are one of the many challenges we multifamily landlords have been facing in this “perfect storm” economic climate. Landlords who traditionally paid for utilities are searching for ways to transfer those costs to tenants.

If your utility costs are worse in the winter, as they are here in New Hampshire, now is the time to look into a submetering or RUBS (ratio utility billing services) system. Of course, any benefits from transferring utility costs will begin as soon as you implement the system.

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Real Estate

Saving Money With a Home Energy Audit

by Brendan O'Brien | February 7, 2009

Although my personal home is only eight years old, I’ve known for a while that it’s not as energy-efficient as it could be. My heating bills aren’t outrageous, but they could be lower. Also, as you walk around my house, you can feel the cold spots. My son’s room is the coldest bedroom in the [...]

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Economy

Gas Prices Alter Housing Values

by Anwell Tsai | December 18, 2008

Perhaps the biggest challenge facing the Obama administration is implementing a new energy program. As gas prices rocketed skyward 6 months ago, calls for energy reform were rampant. As the economy slides further into a recession, focus has shifted towards the financial markets, manufacturing, and stabilizing housing prices. Economist have long argued that even with [...]

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Economy

Fuels Costs, High Gas Prices and the Real Estate Investor

by Michael Creel | April 3, 2008

Fuel prices are already taking a huge slice out of family budgets with soaring heating and energy cost; but thats only the beginning. As gas prices skyrocket, the money to buy it must come from the family budget, making it even harder to keep up with the bills and the mortgage payments. When many homeowners [...]

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