Environmentally friendly behavior among consumers in 10 of 17 countries has increased over the past year, according to a survey by the National Geographic Society and international polling firm GlobeScan. The Greendex survey measures consumer behaviors that have an impact on the environment, including transportation, household energy and consumption of consumer goods. The United States’ index score reached 45.0 in 2010, a 2.9 percent increase from 43.7 in 2009. Source: Green Resource Council
Much of the increase was due to more sustainable behavior in the housing category, in which the survey measures the energy and resources consumed by people’s homes. Americans saw increases in this area as consumers made moves to improve the energy efficiency of their homes, according to survey data.
Here is an article showing a perspective on green features and how this is gaining momentum in the Northeast. If you are making home improvements consider making eco friendly choices. It is not only better for the environment but is better for your health and ultimately your pocketbook. Check it out.
Homeownership rates are down 2 percentage points from their 2006 peak, but could fall another 5 percentage points in the next couple of years, according to a study by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
Source: The Wall Street Journal, Nick Timiraos (06/07/2010). Realtor Magazine
Digital photo frames are green right? I know I have boxes of old photos that just didn’t make it into the album and some of which are duplicates I got but didn’t need because the film processor was offering them for free. Gone are those days. Now all my photos are stored electronically and I am not killing any trees in the process.
When it comes to electricity usage, consider turning the power off or unplugging your digital photo frames when you don’t really need to have the display on. Over the course of the year, leaving one on costs about $9. This is not a lot but certainly interesting to note especially when you think about the collective impact to be had by a thousand people who might do the same thing. Another thing to think about is all the small devices you have in your own home and how much your energy bill would decrease by turning them all off. Even small measures add up to make a real difference.
Economists speaking at the recent annual meeting of the National Association of Real Estate Editors said the housing market likely will not recover until 2013.
Stan Humphries, Zillow chief economist, said home prices continue to decrease, and he sees the “tremendous amount of shadow inventory” delaying recovery. “We think the market will be flat in nominal terms for three to five years,” remarked Humphries. “We are not going to hit bottom and see a V-shaped recovery.”
Meanwhile, Fannie Mae chief economist Doug Duncan said it will be another three years before new household formation and housing starts pick up. Duncan believes home prices will fall another 1 percent to 3 percent before bottoming out in the third quarter.
Both Humphries and Duncan said the federal home buyer tax credits shifted demand so that buyers took action earlier than they would have otherwise. “We’re going to see a payback in July and August,” noted Humphries.
Source: Inman News, Glenn Roberts Jr. (06/07/10) Realtor Magazine
