The City of Aventura announces a call for Builders and Developers who follow the Green Iniciative.

This Green initiative is one more step that the City of Aventura in South Florida is taking towards helping the environment and turning our city into a green friendlier town.

The new resolution will include marketing of green buildings on site construction signs. Plaque on the building designating the project under the Program.

Through this ongoing effort the City of Aventura, once again, tackles this important issue that will ultimately benefit all of us.

To read more about this program to can log on to the City of Aventura website.

Are you looking to move to South Florida? Are you interested in selling your Aventura Home? If you are ready you should work with someone you know and trust. Let me help you and show you how you can sell your condo for the highest profit possible in the least amount of time.

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I don’t refer to our beautiful Landscape, it’s about how environmentally friendly are we. I could not find much data about how much of Weston’s waste is recycled but I am sure we can do much better.

There are so many ways to become Greener!

Fortunately or City Government is taking it seriously and our City Commission discussed on July 2nd an amendment to the Recycling Program to provide for Single Stream Recycling which if approved will make it easier for us. No more sorting…all the recyclable materials go in one bin and it is separated at the recycling facility. As I understand it will be for Residential dwellings only.

What happens with Commercial Waste? Probably the best way to start is one step at a time, and we can start by recycling more. Every week when I take out my bins at home I get amazed of how many opportunities to recycle we miss. If you have never been next to a copier in an office for more than 20 minutes you might have no idea how much paper is used and wasted every day. Even though we are all conscious about the environment most businesses revolves around paper. Much of it has to be kept and filed but the rest goes to waste. How many trees do we kill each day?

I am not an expert on the Topic but I have been concerned for a long time about Recycling in Commercial Facilities. About two years ago I contacted the company who handles the Recycling Services for Weston to find out how we could start recycling the TON of paper we discarded. The process was complicated and costly, it didn’t make sense at the time. Lately I have been thinking again on how to make Weston Greener.

Please help me promote recycling in Commercial Properties. If you live in Weston we need your support to make Weston a model for other cities! If you want to learn more about how to make Weston Greener go to: http://www.howgreenismytown.org, there are many ways to contribute and soon we will be able to be rated as a Green Town.

Weston goes Green-er!

Green Lodging Designation Program

When attending a Miramar Chamber of Commerce Networking event at the Hampton Inn Hotel in Pembroke Pines, the General Manger Christian Riofrio mentioned that the Hotel earned the Green Lodging Program Designation. Curious, as I am, I researched what other Hotels were part of the program to fin out that as of June 1st there are 498 “Green Hotels” in the State of Florida and new applications are received every day.

There are five hotels in the Southwest Broward Area with the designation:

-Hyatt Regency Bonaventure in Weston

250 Racket Club Rd Weston,Fl 33326
(954) 616-1234

-Weston Courtyard
2000 N Commerce Pkwy Weston,FL 33326
(954) 343-2225

-Hampton Inn Pembroke Pines
1900 NW 150 Av Pembroke Pines,Fl 33328
(954) 441-4242
Special Discount for Miramar Chamber of Commerce Members

-Miramar Courtyard
14500 Hotel Rd Miramar,Fl 33027
(954) 450-1801

-Miramar Residence Inn
14700 Hotel Rd Miramar,Fl 33027
(954) 450-2717

Lodge Green!!!

It’s been six weeks since my last blog and a lot has happened in our journey to rebuild our home. The impact windows and doors are installed and drywall is in process and the exterior is getting ready to receive stucco. The air-conditioning, electrical, gas line and plumbing rough installations are complete and the roofer already has the roofing permit and the tile approved.

The only delay is due to some changes I had to make on the structural drawings to accommodate some field conditions and coordination problems. The City of Coral Gables like other government agencies is cutting staff and a number of inspectors and plan processors were laid off.

So my drawings have been in the City now for almost three weeks and every day when I check status, they are still in pending…that means no one is looking at them. I have a few more field condition revisions to submit and that may be the weak link that  may keep us from finishing by July 4th.

The contractor is moving fast and the sub-contractors are arriving on the scheduled date.

The budget was blown when the roofing sub-contractor told me I had to replace the rest of the roof…that set me back another $25K. But if I did not do that I could see that I was going to have a problem with the warranty — every time there would be a leak the cause was always going to be the old roof…whether it was or not.

I’ve been focusing on some of the benefits provided by the Stimulus Package. When I bought appliances I received $150 credit for buying an energy and water efficient washer. I am also pursuing $1500 credit for the AC, Insulation and tankless gas water heaters. In addition I am also getting another $1000 credit from FPL for the AC and $300 for the insulation. I am also installing dual flush high efficiency toilets and shower heads and that will get me some small credits from the Water & Sewer Dept.

So far I can’t say I regret doing this work at this time. The project is moving fast; the quality is better than average; the sub contractors are showing when promised and the City until now has been very responsive and helpful. The prices are also much better than two years ago when I first priced the project.

In the next few weeks I expect stress levels to rise as we start finishing. There are some open issues that need to be resolved in the next few weeks that will be likely create some tension and conflict. But the contractor I am working with is being very accommodating, so I expect to finish the project without any major difficulty.

Four architects came up with specific plans for energy-sustaining homes, and some of their ideas are downright intriguing. William McDonough forsees creating a treelike effect, with a photosynthetic layer on the surface of the house, mimicking a leaf capturing sunlight. The solar panels would be interwoven into the exterior and would heat water and generate electricity for the home (also creating oxygen for the atmosphere).

Another hot item in GREEN buildings is the ”living roof” …. sodded, planted green space in the sky, with drainage and irrigation, and a safe haven for bugs and birds … and a ready supply of oxygen.  Returning green space, taken away by the construction itself,  makes sense.  We already have roof top pools,  so why not living roofs?

Things You Need to Know about Chinese Drywall

When selling and buying real estate, either homes or condos in South Florida, there is nothing better than an informed buyer and seller.

Here in the area of Aventura, Sunny Isles and Hollywood we have heard too many stories about developers being in trouble because of the suspected use of Chinese Drywall.

Well,  I bet we are all worried if this poses a health threat to us, our families or pets. However,  the Division of Environmental Health has yet to determine it.

The DOH does not have the necessary resources to visit homes and collect material samples for analysis. And, unfortunately the most definitive method to date is finding a “made in China” marking on the back of the sheet of drywall.

For more answers to your questions you can always visit Floridas Health site.

There is now an Chinese/Defective Drywall Addendum that buyers should require to be included in the buyers/sellers contract. Buyer may choose to conduct a risk assessment or inspection for the presence of Chinese/defective drywall.

If you would like to receive more information I can email you the addendum and guide you through your purchase especially if the home or condo you are looking to buy has been built or updated after 2003.

Please, leave me a note and I will respond.

I am proud to live in a green conscious Town.

The City of Aventura has launched a Green Initiative which aims at reducing our impact on climate change and conserve natural resources.

As part of this effort I am gathering a list suppliers, appliances and green friendly tips that home and condo buyers can benefit from.

You will be able to see the list shortly. And do not miss the opportunity to see the properties that I have for sale in Aventura and Sunny Isles  by logging in to my blog.

· must be “placed in service” from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2010. (The IRS defines “placed in service” as when the property is ready and available for use)· must be for taxpayer’s principal residence, EXCEPT for geothermal heat pumps, solar water heaters, solar panels, and small wind energy systems (where second homes and rentals qualify)

· $1,500 is the maximum total amount that can be claimed for all products placed in service in 2009 & 2010 for most home improvements, EXCEPT for geothermal heat pumps, solar water heaters, solar panels, fuel cells, and small wind energy systems which are not subject to this cap, and are in effect through 2016

· must have a Manufacturer Certification Statement to qualify. (A Manufacturer’s Certification is a signed statement from the manufacturer certifying that the product or component qualifies for the tax credit. The IRS encourages manufacturers to provide these Certifications on their website to facilitate identification of qualified products. Taxpayers must keep a copy of the certification statement for their records, but do not have to submit a copy with their tax return.)

· improvements made in 2009 will be claimed on your 2009 taxes (filed by April 15, 2010) — use IRS Tax Form 5695 (2009 version) — it will be available late 2009 or early 2010

For more information go to http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_tax_credits#c2. Go to this website as there are additional tax credits available for buying certain hybrid cars, plug in hybrids and many other energy saving measures. The great thing about these tax credits is that these improvements will continue to save you money even beyond the tax credit. So if you are not a tree hugger or if you don’t believe in Global Warming, don’t sweat it…do it for the money. You can save $1500 or more in your taxes and save on energy costs thereafter — it is definitely a win-win-win situation.

]]> http://blog.ewm.com/2009/04/26/real-estate-going-green-can-save-you-green/feed/ 0 http://miamirealestatecafe.com/2009/04/24/earth-week-12-best-tips-to-green-your-home-for-less/ http://miamirealestatecafe.com/2009/04/24/earth-week-12-best-tips-to-green-your-home-for-less/#comments Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:30:48 +0000 Vicki Restivo http://miamirealestatecafe.com/2009/04/24/earth-week-12-best-tips-to-green-your-home-for-less/ Is your home eco-friendly and energy efficient, or are those hard-earned dollars of yours  going down the drain?

In honor of Earth Day and Earth Week,  here are a handful of ways to  “Green Your Home For Less”:

Here are the 12  Top Eco-friendly Homeowner Tips to Green Your Home and Save Money:

# Top Ranked Eco-friendly Savings Solutions

1.     Window/Door           Impact glass/double-panes

2.     Water Usage             Low flow toilet/showerhead

3.    Water Efficient           Tankless water heater

4.   Appliances                    Energy Star Rated:Washer/Dryer/Dishwasher /Oven/Refrigerator

5.   Insulation                     Sprayed/Rolled/Radiant Barrier (attic,exterior walls)

6.   Pool                                Operate Pool pump  4-6 hrs

7.  Electricity                      Energy efficient bulbs

8.  Heating/Cooling          High Efficiency A.C. Unit/frequent filter changes

9. Electric Usage                Reduce high energy culprits: Oven& Iron

10.Renovations                  Incorporate recycled materials

11: Shade                              Plant trees and  Install Awnings

12: Back to Basics              Air dry dishes & clothes

The author’s personal favorites, both green certified  and energy star rated Miami properties, are The Venetian Coral Gables Townhomes and Smather’s Four Fillies Farm in Pinecrest.

In honor of Earth Day I thought that I would feature all of the “Green” houses we have for sale here in Coconut Grove.  As you can see they are very pricey, we are talking $1,000,000 and up.  I’m not sure why someone hasn’t capitalized on affordable green housing  in Coconut Grove.  While the below houses are nice, they are out of reach for many.  And there are certainly many people in all price ranges who are looking to make their footprint smaller.

A word of caution, aside from the house on Kumquat which will be “LEEDS certified” I am a tad skeptical of other homes that are just touted as “Green”.  To me that could mean any number of things.   If you are interested in knowing exactly how green they are, I can certainly find that information out for you.

On a similar note, I was just in The Mutiny Hotel on South Bayshore Drive and they had a sign up that said they had gone green, I think the same goes for The Sonesta.  Good for them.

3075 Munroe Drive, Camp Biscayne, South Coconut Grove

• 6 Bedrooms, 6 Baths
• A “Green” Home
• 275 degree views of Biscayne Bay
• 500 feet of water frontage on 2 sides
• Tropical South East Asian Atmosphere
• Located in Camp Biscayne one of Coconut Grove’s premiere Gated Communities
• Still Under Construction
• Listed by Sotheby’s
• Asking Price: $9,650,000

3861 Kumquat Avenue, South Coconut Grove

• 6 bedrooms, 7 baths
• 5,000 square feet
• 7,200 square foot lot
• Leeds Certified
• Hurri-Green Construction
• Reinforced Concrete Roof
• Impact Windows and Doors
• Low-E Glass
• Solar Panels
• Tankless Water Heaters
• Still Under Construction
• Listed by Coldwell Banker
• Asking Price: $2,199,000

3835 Kent Court, South Coconut Grove

• 5 bedrooms, 5.5 baths
• 5,379 square feet
• 7,450 square foot lot
• “Smart Home”, “Green” home
• Short Sale
• Listed by Colwell Banker
• Asking Price: $1,490,000

You may also be interested in: Solar Powered Electricity For Your Coconut Grove Home, Saline Pools – Fresher, No Chemicals and Easier to Maintain