Archive for June, 2011

Green Building Projects in Jackson Hole



Whether it is residential or commercial, the trend to build green in Jackson Hole, WY is growing at a rapid pace. There are many homes and commercial developments aspiring to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification in Teton County. The LEED green building rating system is a measurable tool that is evaluated by a third party in regards to sustainability and performance. The four different levels of green that you can achieve include: certified, gold, silver, and platinum levels.

 At Teton Village, the newly built Hotel Terra is tracking to receive silver LEED certification which will place it in the elite group of the 5 LEED certified hotels in the United States and the first LEED certified hotel in the state of Wyoming. The hotel’s green features include: low or no VOC paint, dual flush toilets, maximizing use of natural light, organic mattresses and bedding, and many more.

Another green project is Pine Glades, located near Snow King in the Town of Jackson. This high-end, townhome community is being built with environmental preservation in mind as all of the units will be utilizing only five out of the property’s seventeen acres leaving the remaining twelve as open space. One of the main goals of the project is to remove as few trees from the site as possible.  They will be accomplishing this by having the road which takes you through the development located underneath a portion of each structure.

In nearby Victor, Idaho, five homes in the Mountainside Village community were the first to be LEED for Homes Certified in the state of Idaho. In 2006, the Mountainside Village neighborhood received the Idaho Smart Growth Award in addition to being the pilot neighborhood for the US Green Building Council’s LEED for Neighborhood Development program. This community includes features such as walkable streets, bike paths and a convenient mixed-use center.

All of these projects are examples of how green building is on the rise. In a country where our homes our responsible for 21% of our nation’s greenhouse gas emissions, building green can greatly help stop the causes of climate change. Not only does it help protect our environment, but it also lowers energy use in addition to protecting our health. The green train is coming and it seems that Jackson Hole, Wyoming is getting on board.

The Edge of Real Estate Agents



In today’s world, people would oftentimes prefer doing things on their own. This is due in part to the effects brought about by the recent financial crisis. There is, however, one area where DIY may see to be a little off – the real estate industry.

Because of how varied and large the scope of the real estate industry is, doing things on your own when it comes to buying or selling your house may seem to be a bit tricky. You cannot just think of a number and set that as the price of the property that you are selling. This is what makes real estate agents important. But, is there really a need to hire one?

If you are selling property, your real estate agent’s educational background as well as experience in selling will be of immense help in getting your property off the market. On the other hand, if you are buying a piece of property, their negotiation skills will be able to secure the best deals for you.

When buying homes for sale in Reston VA, your real estate agent can help you determine just how much you would need to spend. If you are selling properties, however, your real estate agent can guide you on how to properly price your real estate in order to get many quality buyers.

The existing network of your real estate agent can also help you choose from various Reston VA homes for sale. If you are a seller, this would mean getting buyers for your property fast. Your real estate agent can also handle any paper work related to your buying or selling of property. They could also act as buffer and could weed out serious buyers or sellers from among those that are at your door. If your prospective buyer has some questions about your property or you need more information about a real estate that you are eyeing, your agent can help you get it across.

Your real estate agent would not just be a great help when choosing or putting homes for sale in Reston VA. They could also form a long lasting relationship with you and help you in all your real estate needs.

Foreclosures and Real Estate Investing



Real estate investing is said to be one of the most profitable investments you can make, but taking advantage of foreclosures in real estate investing can yield much bigger profits, if you know where to find the properties and how to grab them before anyone else.

The first and one of the most important strategies is being able to get the announcements before everyone else.  Once a property hits the court docket and the Internet, this opens the door to competitors, so getting knowledge of properties first gives you a chance to make a deal.

Of course, the local newspaper lists foreclosure properties, but by then all of the other investors have knowledge of it as well.  The courts post foreclosures as well as the public court records, but again, by this time the other investors in your area have the information.

So how does one go about getting the information first?  Networking works by aligning yourself with individuals in the real estate business, i.e., attorneys, real estate brokers, and Internet foreclosure listing services.  Getting close to real estate attorneys is pretty easy to do.

In fact, you probably already have a few associates who would already give you some insider information if you asked them.  Brokers may be a little more difficult because they’re trying to find deals just like you, but they might be willing to toss you a bone every once in a while and brokers who buy and sell quickly may be able to get you information on potential foreclosures.

Real estate listing services are considered one of the best sources for information gathering.  With all of the information right at your fingertips, you can save yourself a considerable amount of time — not having to frequent the courthouse to get the latest listing.  With a click of your mouse, you have access to foreclosures in your area.  You can pick and choose which ones you are interested in and pursue them further on your own.  This makes foreclosures and real estate investing a win/win situation for you, the investor.