Yes, most of us hope that our lifestyles will have a minimal impact on the planet; but, most of us are also too busy to research the in’s and out’s of a conservation lifestyle. Fortunately, some home builders are picking up on that – and offering everyday homeowners convenient resources for learning quick, easy tips to increase your home’s eco-friendliness.

One such builder is Brookfield Homes, the builder responsible for Rockrose at the Foothills (one of the most eco-friendly communities of Carlsbad new homes you’ll encounter). At Rockrose at the Foothills, the energy efficient advantages are practically endless; but a home built with sustainable materials, wired for water conservation, and featuring premium indoor air quality is only the beginning.

Rockrose at the Foothills also offers buyers a resource for learning about their own role in preserving the environment around their homes. It’s a series of hands-on workshops, and it commences on February 26 – right on site at Rockrose at the Foothills. Here, those interested in minimizing their environmental impact can learn from eco-savvy experts, and enjoy:

- Conservation tips from their water expert
- Pointers on herb garden creation and innovation
- Natural cooking tips (and samples!) prepared by their chef

Trust us: This is no boring seminar…again, it’s hands on! And best of all, it’s free! If this sounds like something you can benefit from, contact the Rockrose at the Foothills new home sales team at (888) 514-9296 – or, submit your RSVP to infosdrv@brookfieldhomes.com. Rockrose at the Foothills is located at 3538 Glen Avenue, Carlsbad, CA 92010.

By DoorFly.com

Do you wish that someone would break-down the process of buying your first home in plain English? Well, one of the best ways we know to do this is presented right here. We will attempt to walk you through the basics of what you need to know as a first time home buyer. This won’t make you a real estate pro, but it will allow you to be able to hold a good conversation with a quality REALTOR. So on with the show… Here are the ABC’s for first time home buyers:

 A - Adjustable Rate Mortgage
      This is a type of mortgage which generally starts off with a low interest rate and then gets adjusted every year based upon a defined index. These can be both good and evil in that they keep payments low initially but can quickly spiral out of control. If you are considering an ARM, you might want to plan to refinance if you see interest rates start to rise.

B - Buyer’s Market
      It’s always good to pay attention to whether or not you are in a buyers or sellers market. When demand for homes is low and the inventory of houses is high you are generally in a buyer’s market. This is a great time to make your move and get your first home.

C - Closing
      The closing that everyone is referring to is that final day of reckoning when you sign the loan papers and the title transfers over into your name. This is closely tied to closing costs another important “C” term to know as it defines the amount of money you have to bring to the closing.

D - Down Payment
      Most of us are familiar with the term down payment. This is the amount of money that you put down on the house when you apply for the mortgage. The more you put down, the less you have to get a loan for. If you put too little down then you may have to get mortgage insurance (see PMI below).

E - Escrow
      This is an amount of money that is held by a third party until both the buyer and seller have come to terms and have reached the release of the escrow. An example is the earnest money that you provide when you make an offer on a home. That is held in escrow usually until the closing occurs (sometimes it is released earlier).

F - Funding
      The funding generally happens behind the scenes unless you are buying your first home with cash. This is when the mortgage company actually funds the loan on your behalf (pays the seller or the seller’s bank).

G - Government Loans and Grants
      The government is generally very helpful to first time home buyers offering various first time home buyers grants and special loans from various departments (FHA, DVA, etc.). You should be sure to explore all types of Federal aid with your REALTOR and lender.

H - Homeowner’s Associations
      If you are buying a home in a planned community it is very likely that they will have a homeowner’s association that has covenants or restrictions that tell you what you can and can’t do with the home. For instance, you may have to get the approval of the HOA to remove or plant trees, build a fence, etc.

I - Insurance
      You will need to invest in a good homeowners insurance policy. There are many different insurance brokers out there and most will also give you a discount if you insure an automobile as well with them. Be sure to check out all of your options and also that your lender will accept insurance from that broker.

J - Judgement
      You need to be aware of any judgements agains the home that you are buying. This basically means that the previous owner failed to pay a contractor or another party and that a court put a judgement on the home that needs to be cleared (aka paid) before the home can be sold to you.

K - Kickbacks
      Well call it what you want but there are several people along the way of you buying a home that need to get a few bucks in their pocket. It’s all legal, but it doesn’t make it any less of a kickback.

L - Legal Description
      The legal description of a home is something you generally would not recognize. It is not the address but dates back to the days when settlers were settling on the land for the first time and the government divided up the tracts of land all the way down into lots and sub-lots.   

M - Mortgage
      The American dream of owning a home is generally accompanied by a big fat loan from a mortgage company. These are normal but you do want to try and keep the payment under 30% of your monthly income (the lower the better of course).

N - No Points Loan
      The lender may require you to pay some “points” in order to lock you in at a specific rate. If you go for a no points loan you generally just end up with a slightly higher interest rate (make sure you check the option out).

O - Origination Fee
      The origination fee on a loan is basically the number of points a person has to pay to get a loan. On a government based loan the origination fee is generally 1%. Basically, this results in just more money that you have to bring to the closing.

P - Private Mortgage Insurance
      Generally if the loan-to-value ratio is 80% or higher your lender will require you to purchase private mortgage insurance. This is one of the reasons why you often hear people say that you should put down 20% or more on the house. If you can’t, don’t worry that is what PMI was created to solve.

Q - Quitclaim Deed
      This is just a really simple way to convey the interest in a title to another party. The person signing the quit claim deed no longer has an interest in the title once the deed is filed and recorded.

R - Recording Fees
      Several of the many, many papers you sign at the time of closing have to be sent to various governmental agencies to be filed. Generally these each require a fee for processing which is also called a recording fee.

S - Survey
      One thing that is required as a part of the process of buying a home is making sure you have a current survey which just makes sure that the legal description and what is on record is correct among other things.

T - Title Insurance

In order to make sure that the seller has a clean title to convey, it is generally required for you to get title insurance or in the State of Iowa the abstract has to be made current to make sure the title is clean.

U - Underwriting
      Underwriting is a normal part of the lending process where your credit and various other aspects associated with the deal are analyzed by people in the mortgage company to determine if they want to loan you the money.

V - VA Mortgage
      If you are a veteran of the U.S. armed forces then you should make sure to take advantage of the various benefits like the Department of Veterans Affairs guaranteeing your loan.

W - Walkthrough
      Especially if you are buying a new home but even a pre-existing home generally the buyer requires a walkthrough (inspection) of the home before closing.

X - X-terminate
      Okay, X is a rough letter but it is important to make sure you check for pests and get the home exterminated before you move your stuff into it. An empty home is much easier to exterminate.

Y - Yards
      You should make sure that the yardwork is kept up on the house that you are buying and that none of the neighbors are encroaching onto the land.

Z - Zoning
      There are several zoning considerations that you need to keep in mind when buying a home and that a lender will consider as well as the appraiser. If the adjacent property is zoned to be commercial or multi-family for instance, it can impact the value of your property.

In this new year, there’s more news to grab your attention in the Atlanta real estate market. As it turns out, the number of homes for sale in Atlanta is up from December – by nearly 2,000 homes, as a matter of fact. Not great news for sellers, who may or may not see any activity for awhile. However, there’s great news for buyers; and of course, it’s in regards to price (that’s the best kind of news, isn’t it?)

Currently, the median home price in Atlanta is $175,900, down from the $189,900 median we saw in December. As the Yahoo! Snapshot shows us, that’s a price drop of 7.4%. Wow! Unfortunately, the number of foreclosures has risen, but experts concede that this is to be expected. Plus, it’s great news for those seeking Atlanta foreclosure homes.

If you like to monitor Atlanta real estate market conditions, check back here in February to see what kind of progress the market has made. We’ll do our best to give you the most accurate information possible.

1. Carry cash and use it instead of your credit card or ATM card. This tip will help you spend less because you’ll see the dollars coming out of your wallet. When you use a credit card, it is easy to spend money that you don’t have yet. Then you end up with credit card balances that you can’t pay in full each month.

3. Carry a notepad with you for 14 days and document every penny you spend. I know this may sound like a hassle, but you’ll be surprised at how much money you spend on things you don’t need.

3. The last is the hardest one to do… Every time you get your paycheck and have paid off all your bills, pay your credit card balances down to $0. This will maximize your credit score and will make you feel like you always have a cushion for a rainy day.

When the autumn chill turns to winter cold and the sun sets earlier in the day you may find that your yard that was once full of color during summer is now gray and dull.  When it becomes more difficult to create that inviting look, that grabs attention to your beautiful home, follow these simple tips to add winter curb appeal to your new home.

1. Make the front door the focal point of your yard with a large wreath adorned with colorful artificial flowers and ribbon. Also add vibrant planters filled with evergreens near the door.

2. By adding green and purple plants, grasses, and evergreens you can liven up a home’s winter landscape. Growing tall grasses, such as fountain grass which can survive the harsh winters, will allow green tones to be seen during winter. Plants from the cabbage family will also add color with their vibrant purple hue and they too can withstand the chills of late fall and early winter.

3. Have a fountain or bird bath that you keep dormant during winter? Bring it back to life with a seasonal display of twigs, red berries, winter greenery and large glass balls of various colors for that finishing touch.

4. Light it up.! No, I don’t mean with your Christmas lights.  Use exterior spotlights to focus on your new home’s architectural features. This light also bounces off white snow to create a warm, inviting glow. 

5. The simplest and most important thing you can do to make your home look inviting and alive in the winter is to shovel the driveway and sidewalks leading to your home. 

From deciding when to buy your first home to obtaining financing, FearlessHomebuyer.com walks first-time homebuyers through the real estate transaction process.  Fearless Homebuyer was created by Portland, Oregon husband and wife Dave and Darci Axness. As a principal broker and office manager at Axness & Kofman Real Estate the Axness’s launched their site in October of last year.

"We made a lot of mistakes buying that first home that could have been avoided with some simple lessons beforehand. So, when I became a real estate agent, I made sure that none of my clients made the classic mistakes that I had," says Dave Axness.

The site offers 50 or so lessons along with colorful videos and step-by-step guides relevant to homebuyers anywhere in the U.S. The lessons include almost everything you need to know about purchasing your first home from, “Getting Your Financial House in Order" all the way through to "What Happens Now That I'm a Homeowner?"

If you are a first time home buyer and are in need of some guidance, check out Fearless Homebuyer.com. For tips on the home loan process, check out the Home Loan Help Center for all you mortgage questions including the best places to get your home loan and what steps you need to take to gain your first mortgage.

Finally, there is news to report regarding the Atlanta real estate market; but unfortunately, it’s not good news for sellers. Since November, the median price of homes in Atlanta has dropped a stunning 5% (as the Yahoo! Snapshot below indicates). As for new homes, though, prices have stayed the same. Take a look at the official Atlanta real estate market conditions for December 2010:

Listing Type              Number      Median Price     Price Change

Homes for Sale           9,356          $189,900           -5.0%

New Homes                 23              $244,900             0.0%

Foreclosures               4,849          $134,000            +2.3%

However, there is good news if you’re a buyer – really good news! After all, a 5% drop in price is definitely a perk for buyers on a budget. Plus, those interested in Atlanta new homes can rest assured that prices (predictably) haven’t climbed. And there is good news for one sector of the selling population: foreclosure investors. It appears that if you’re in the business of buying up Atlanta foreclosures, you can make a pretty profit this holiday season.

Of course, Atlanta real estate market conditions for December 2010 can morph into greater improvements in the new year. So, stay tuned for news that may be bigger and better in January!

The newly popular trend of building “Green” homes has become this year’s light of hope in home sales. As one of few things that went right for a number of production home builders in 2010 was their strategic embrace of energy efficient homes accompanied by an attractive price tag.

The strategic sale of energy efficient or “Green” homes makes sense for most home builders during these tough economic times. Think about it, you can build a home that materially differs from your competitors, plus you can offer your consumers ongoing savings on their utility bill. What better way to compete in these horrific economic times when your consumers are finding below market deals on the courthouse steps. 

Energy Star certification is one way home builders are gaining a competitive edge. However, Energy Star is raising the bar on compliances for 2011. As new home builders begin preparation for the new Energy Star’s Version 3.0 guidelines, that will become effective Jan. 1, 2012, many are having to rethink whether they will be able to afford building “Green” homes with the newly established restrictive guidelines.

Fortunately, the EPA, which oversees the Energy Star brand for materials, homes and products has been receiving input from subcontractors, and home builders for a fair amount of time on the Energy Star transition Version 2.5 that they have had available for months now in preparation for Version 3.0.

The sad fact is, now that home builders see improvement in sales with the development of energy efficient homes, they are once again faced with a new checklist of requirements and new standards in Version 2.5; which will greatly impact what home builders will be able to build starting in the New Year.

Jonathan Passe, Energy Star’s new homes program communications coordinator says,  “We are not unsympathetic to the companies’ concerns when it comes to the greater costs involved to meet these new standards, but that’s part of the brand’s promise to consumers, that Energy Star means significantly more energy efficient. We are by definition an above-code program” according to Housing Crises.com.

Since the Energy Star new home program has achieved 25% market share with new home construction, Passe comments that it’s time to make the hurdles higher.

Despite the economy, the lines in every store I’ve been to are just as long as ever.  Nonetheless, I am full of holiday cheer (and bourbon laced eggnog) and ready to pass on my tips for a green holiday, whatever that holiday might be!

• Plan your shopping in advance: save gas by making one horrendous day of shopping rather than a multitude of small trips and get as much at one store as you can.

• Send E-cards and gift cards!

• When shipping: small items require less packing, try to pack items in recycled newspapers rather than Styrofoam.

• Instead of wrapping gifts for the kids, hide them and give them a list of clues.  When you do wrap, reuse as much paper, bags, and ribbons as possible.  Wrap items in newspaper (comics are great), brown paper grocery bags, and kids artwork from school.

If every family reused just two feet of ribbon there would be enough to tie a bow around the entire planet!

For tips on energy saving dinners and parties check out my Thanksgiving blog.

Have a safe and happy holiday season everyone!

It’s the season for giving…and Brookfield Homes is embracing it fully! This San Diego homebuilder just announced a Holiday Incentives program for buyers in December, and it applies to a variety of those who would purchase their Carlsbad new homes. For those interested in buying at Rockrose at the Foothills, it means up to $10,000 and a new, low tax rate of only 1.21%. But the sharing and caring doesn’t end there! Brookfield is also offering similar (though not identical) offers at the following communities:

- Mahogany at Old Creek Ranch
- Serenity at Stonebridge Estates
- Trellis at Winding Walk
- Cordova at Winding Walk

Each of these communities offers a holiday incentive that’s compatible with the median price of homes in the neighborhood. For buyers at Rockrose at the Foothills, the 1.21% tax rate is appropriate because Rockrose is already one of the lowest priced estate communities in Carlsbad! And yes, you still have access to the same energy efficient perks, including a home built with sustainable materials, wired for water conservation, and featuring premium indoor air quality.

For many buyers, there’s nothing better this time of year! If you’re one of them, why not give Rockrose at the Foothills a call? Let them know you’re excited to take advantage of your holiday incentive at the Brookfield Year End Sale! Contact Rockrose at the Foothills at (888) 514-9296, or stop in for a visit to 3538 Glen Avenue, Carlsbad, CA 92010.