Tag Archives: west hollywood real estate

JUST LISTED AT $499,000! 999 Doheny Dr. #902 West Hollywood, CA 90069 – Chic condo with unbelievable views!

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Please contact Julie Kryukova at (310)402-8181 or jkryukova@gmail.com for showing and questions.

999 Doheny #902 #2 999 Doheny #902 #3  999 Doheny #902 #5 999 Doheny #902 #6 999 Doheny #902 #7 999 Doheny #902 #9  DSC_0012 DSC_0013 DSC_0015 DSC_0016 DSC_0018 DSC_0019   DSC_0038 DSC_0039 DSC_0040 DSC_0042 DSC_0043  exterior lobby lobby2

 

Year-over year US home prices up sharply in November

U.S.  home prices in November extended their steady recovery from the housing bust,  rising 7.4 percent compared with a year ago. It was the biggest year-over-year  increase in 6½ years.

CoreLogic,  a private data provider, said Tuesday that prices also rose 0.3 percent in  November from October. The month-to-month figures are not seasonally adjusted.  CoreLogic compiles its indexes by tracking sales of the same homes over time,  using data on sales in all 50 states.

The  gains in home prices have been widespread across most of the country. And  CoreLogic forecasts that prices will increase 6 percent this year.

Prices  in November were higher than in November 2011 in all but six states. And only 13  of 100 large cities that CoreLogic studies reported year-over-year price  declines. That was down from 20 cities in October.

The  sharpest increases were in Arizona, Nevada and Idaho. North Dakota and  California rounded out the top five.

Steady  price increases are helping fuel the housing recovery. They’re encouraging some  people to sell homes and enticing would-be buyers to purchase homes before they  get more expensive. Rising prices also reduce the number of homeowners who owe  more on their mortgages than their homes are worth.

“All  signals currently point to a progressive stabilization of the housing market and  the positive trend in home price appreciation to continue into 2013,” said Anand  Nallathambi, CEO of CoreLogic.

Despite  the gains, home prices nationwide are still nearly 27 percent lower than in  April 2006, when prices peaked during the housing bubble.

Some  of the biggest gains have been in states that were hurt the worst. Prices in one  of them, Arizona, have jumped nearly 21 percent in the past year, the most of  any state. But prices in that state are still nearly 40 percent below  their peak.

And  prices in Nevada have risen 14.2 percent in the past year but remain 53 percent  below peak levels.

The  states where prices continue to fall include Delaware, where they are 4.9  percent below a year ago, and Illinois, down 2.2 percent. Connecticut, New  Jersey, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania are also reporting declines.

Prices  rose 24 percent in Phoenix in the past 12 months, the most of any large metro  area. Riverside-San Bernardino, Calif. was next with a 9.7 percent rise. It was  followed by Los Angeles, where prices rose 8.4 percent.

Source: Sfgate.com

Top Reasons to Opt for Seller Financing!

Seller Financing

The son of a longtime friend recently caught me at a Friday night high-school game and informed me he and his wife had turned down an older home in the neighborhood they always wanted, for a new home in a subdivision.

They also declined the possibility of no-cost seller financing from the owner of the older home because the builder offered a slightly lower rate on the new home.

“We just felt like we wouldn’t have to do anything on the home for years,” Patrick said. “We couldn’t afford any expensive surprises.”

While I disagreed with him on both topics, I kept my opinions to myself because he had already made his decision and was looking forward to moving into his new home. Here’s why I would have chosen differently.

First and foremost, you can always repair or remodel a home, but you can never single-handedly fix a neighborhood. If you know the schools, churches and streets that are important to you, it’s usually best to buy where you have done your primary research. And, new homeowners often underestimate upkeep.

But just as important are the credit and cash needed to get a loan today. Lenders are being more cautious and are demanding more skin in the game.

Recently, Fair Isaac Co., the developer of FICO scores, revealed that 78.5 percent of all consumers have scores that fall between 300 and 749. The FICO score ranges from 300 to 850. So only about one in five American have a FICO score of 750 or higher.

Ellie Mae Inc., a provider of mortgage origination software to lenders,reports that borrowers approved for mortgages in September had an average FICO score of 750. What message does that send to prospective home buyers?

Besides high credit scores, borrowers are coming in with higher down payments to satisfy lender requirements. According to Ellie Mae, home buyers who used a Fannie or Freddie loan had, on average, a 21 percent down payment. Homeowners who refinanced had average equity in their homes of 30 percent.

Doug Duncan, Fannie Mae’s chief economist, recently said he thought that loan standards will eventually ease as banks reduce some extra risk-based fees that they have added to benchmark quotes since the mortgage meltdown.

But is there a viable plan B? What if you didn’t have to go to a lender for a home loan?

Seller financing is an underestimated benefit not only because of today’s increased lender scrutiny, but also because the buyer dodges most all the fees associated with the loan. For example, in Patrick’s case, he decided on a 3.5 percent loan from a lender rather than a 4 percent loan from the homeowner.

Let’s say the total costs of a $200,000 loan come to 2 percent of the loan amount, or $4,000. The monthly difference between a 3.5 percent loan and 4 percent loan is approximately $57 a month. Not only would Patrick have to borrow more or come out of pocket with the extra funds (in addition to the down payment needed on the house), but he would also need more than seven years to make up the monthly difference.

While many owners make “cash-out, conventional” financing a requirement when selling a home, others are more than willing to negotiate price and terms. Homes are selling quickly in many neighborhoods, but others continue to sit. It’s those owners who can be “all ears” if it means closing a deal and moving on with their lives.

And, some sellers, particularly seniors with no high-rate place to park their cash, are not opposed to accepting a healthy down payment and “carrying the paper” on their real estate as long as they are guaranteed 4 percent interest on their money. In most cases, it’s difficult to get that rate in non-risk accounts.

Buyers and sellers can build in safety features to make carrying the paper palatable for both sides. If you are a buyer, there’s no harm in asking. You could save time, anxiety and a lot of cash — an inexpensive surprise.

If you’re looking to buy, lease, or lease – please contact me at 310.402.8181 or jkryukova@gmail.com

Click here to visit my website

Source: Inman news

Shadow Inventory: It’s Not as Scary as It Looks

The housing market is improving because there are more buyers chasing fewer homes. Skeptics of a housing bottom, however, often point to a scary set of numbers: the “shadow inventory” of potential foreclosures—the millions of mortgages that are either in foreclosure or in seriously default.

It’s true that home prices are unlikely to see brisk gains once they do hit bottom because it will take years to absorb this glut. But will this phantom inventory derail the incipient housing bottom?  Maybe not, say a number of housing analysts.

There are several reasons why the shadow inventory isn’t as scary as it sounds: It’s concentrated in a handful of markets—it isn’t inherently a national phenomenon. It is being offset by improved demand, particularly from investors. And the housing vacancy rate is low, a product of very little new home construction over the past few years that could counterbalance continued high inventories of foreclosed homes.

We’ll address each of those in subsequent posts. But first, let’s examine the actual size of the shadow inventory. While the shadow is very large, one often-overlooked fact is that the shadow isn’t nearly as large as it was two years ago.

There are a wide range of estimates of shadow inventory. A common measure are loans that are either in the foreclosure process or that are three months or more delinquent. These are mortgages that are among the most likely to ultimately become bank-owned properties.

Barclays Capital estimates that at the end of May there were around 1.8 million mortgages in the foreclosure process and another 1.45 million where borrowers have missed at least three payments. That puts the total number of properties that could be repossessed and resold by banks at around 3.25 million mortgages.

 

‘The concept of a huge shadow inventory is preposterous,’ says one economist.

If those homes hit the market all at once, housing would be in deep trouble. Last year, for example, there were 4.4 million sales of previously owned homes. The figure is still higher than any time before June 2009.

But it is down from a peak of 4.25 million in February 2010. And unless mortgage delinquencies begin to accelerate sharply, the shadow inventory won’t be growing. Barclays estimates that at the current rate, this figure could fall to around 2.4 million loans.

“The concept of a huge shadow inventory is preposterous,” says Christopher Thornberg, a housing economist with Beacon Economics in Los Angeles. “The number of mortgages in distress is way down from one year ago. It’s clear there are fewer distressed properties out there.”

Housing analyst Ivy Zelman has a slightly larger estimate of shadow inventory—around 6.3 million homes at the end of last year—that includes more newly delinquent mortgages and potential re-defaults. She says that in a normal market, there’s a comparable shadow inventory of 2.9 million homes. So the key figure—the excess level above the historical trend—is around 3.4 million homes.

Ms. Zelman published an in-depth research note earlier with the title: “Shining a bright light on the shadow: Why what’s lurking doesn’t concern us.” In it, she explains how it’s more important to focus on the pace at which foreclosures are being liquidated, and not the absolute number.

“Just like the Wizard of Oz, shadow inventory is not very intimidating once you pull back the curtain,” the report said. That isn’t to dismiss the magnitude of the problem and headwind it will continue to pose for any housing recovery, she wrote. “The bathtub is almost full, but the water has stopped rising, and we are most concerned with how fast it drains.”

Certainly, there are many other  risks to housing. There are at least 11 million homeowners that are underwater, owing more than their homes are worth. There are even more than that who don’t have enough equity to make a 10% down payment on their next home, plus pay a real-estate broker’s sales commission, in order to trade up to a bigger home or downsize to a smaller one.  And it’s still very difficult to get a mortgage.

But the shadow inventory is often the big trump card used to quiet any housing-happy talk. Tomorrow, we’ll offer a deeper look at how demand factors into this equation, and how the shadow is being disposed.

 

Source: LA TIMES

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS When applying for a Mortgage!!

When applying for a mortgage, certain rules must be followed so that you are able to secure financing and successfully close escrow:

1) Thou shall not change jobs, become self-employed or quit your job. When applying for a mortgage, job consistency and security are one of the key elements of the approval process. If you change jobs, you have to have worked at least 30 days and provide a paystub verifying at least a 30 day history. If you change the method of employment, wage earner to self employed or commissioned, you may not be able to verify any income because the mortgage guidelines require a minimum of a 2 year history.

2) Thou shall not buy a car, truck or van (or you may be living in it)! This is a big deal. If you are approved for a mortgage loan and then buy a car, the added debt if you finance the car may make your commitment invalid. When qualifying for a mortgage, your income vs. your debt is analyzed, we actually check your credit right before closing and we require you to explain any inquiries on your credit report in writing as to who inquired, why and whether new credit was extended as a result of those inquiries.

3) Thou shall not use charge cards excessively or let your accounts fall behind. Since your credit report is what is used to verify your credit worthiness, your willingness to pay back the mortgage loan, your credit another key component to your mortgage approval. The higher your credit score the more likely you will get approved and the credit score will determine what interest rate you are qualified for.

4) Thou shall not spend money you have set aside for closing. Buying a home is costly, between the down payment and your closing costs. Before you enter into any real estate transaction your mortgage professional should give you a good estimate of how much money you will need to close.

5) Thou shall not omit debts or liabilities from your loan application. Getting a mortgage today is not like it was in the olden days (like prior to 2008), so if you omit debts or liabilities, we will find out about it. We do many background checks and verifications prior to closing a loan.

6) Thou shall not buy furniture or appliances on credit before the close of escrow. Any added debt can affect you qualifying for your loan. If we discover this prior to closing on that last minute credit check your rate and approval can be affected.

7) Thou shall not originate any inquiries into your credit. Same as above, this can cause your credit score to be affected and thus affect your rate and approval.

8) Thou shall not make large deposits without first checking with your loan officer. All Large deposits need to explained and verified. It is not good enough to say that someone returned a loan, or it was cash in the house or someone gave it to you without verification, documentation and written explanations. Banks want to make sure that you are not taking on additional debt, if these deposits were loans. It doesn’t matter how good your credit is, how much money that you have in the bank or how much you earn all large deposits are verified.

9) Thou shall not change bank accounts. If you need to change accounts, discuss it with your loan officer. This creates a paperwork nightmare. We have to verify the withdrawal and deposit into a new account. The most important thing to watch out for is that many banks put a hold the initial deposit, even if it is a certified or bank check for 10 business days and this can affect your ability to get a certified check for your closing and you may have to delay your closing.

10) Thou shall not co-sign a loan for anyone. A cosigned loan is the same as your loan. The debt is on your credit as if it was yours. It affects your borrowing ability. After a year’s time most lenders will accept 12 months canceled checks from the other party and then the debt will not affect you except if it is delinquent.

 

For all of your real estate needs, please contact me at (310)402-8181 or jkryukova@gmail.com

www.juliekproperties.com

Give the housing market a high five…finally!

First, existing home sales in April jumped more than three percent over March numbers. Also, overall inventory was down and, the biggie, according to the National Association of Realtors, is that median home prices were up more than 10 percent from last year. Another plus is that new home starts are moved to an annualized rate of 717 homes—the highest level since 2008. Even better, those stats are for all four regions of the country. On the West Coast, for example, existing-home sales in April were 7.3 percent above last year and the median price ($221,700) soared 15.9 percent. In Los Angeles and nearby communities, for example, multiple offer situations are increasing. Real estate gurus like NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun credits “job growth, low interest rates, bargain home prices and an improving economy.” Add to the mix pent-up demand, rising rents and the realization that record low interest rates won’t last forever, and becoming a homeowner is looking good for the rest of the year. Increased sales of new homes will provide new hope where foreclosure inventory is high, predicts Celia Chen, a housing analyst for Moody’s Analytics. She says buyers “will forgo distressed homes that tend to be in disrepair in favor of newly built homes.” That’s more than speculation, too. Toll Brothers, Inc., the largest luxury home builder, just reported a higher-than-expected quarterly profit and a strong jump in new orders.

Start smiling. The housing market is!

Hot Deal of the Week: Large lot, Pool, and tons of Charm in the heart of West Hollywood!

1246 N. Genesee Ave.  West Hollywood, CA 90046

Asking Price – $583,300

2bed/1bath with guesthouse including 1 bath

Lot size – 5,998 Sq. Ft

Zoning - WDR2

House needs some TLC and there is plenty of space to expand.  The lot itself is a dream, lush landscaping, full size beautiful pool, with potential to create a private, beautiful oasis in the heart of West Hollywood. Walk to Whole Foods Market, Sunset Strip, and easy access to Hollywood, Downtown, the Valley, and the Westside.  There is a ton of potential to fix this property, while maintaining its charm or possibly tearing it down to built apartments.   If building is too much, then consider a light remodel and moving right in or renting the property for income. Consistently renting for $4,000 – $3,800 for month in it’s current condition.  This property is a foreclosure.

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Please contact me for showings and more information.

www.juliekproperties.com 

Listing courtesy of  Ed H. Park DRE 00929035

Large lot with tons of potential to expand and improve!

Home Ownership Matters

Home ownership has a significant impact on net worth, educational achievement, civic participation, health, and overall quality of life. And, home ownership helps create jobs—lots of them—right here at home.

Home Ownership matters…to people, to communities, and to America. Why?

  • For every two homes sold, one job is created in the U.S.
  • Each purchase generates as much as $60,000 in economic activity over time.

Buy a home or investment property: Call Today 310.402.8181

 

We work with buyers, sellers, investors, and those looking to lease in most of Los Angeles including: Hollywood Hills, West Hollywood, Hollywood, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, North Hollywood, Los Feliz, Silverlake, Beachwood Canyon area, all the way to Santa Monica and Venice! www.juliekrproperties.com

 

 

Bill would encourage foreigners to buy U.S. homes

American consumers and the federal government haven’t been able to bail out the sinking U.S. real estate market. Now wealthy Chinese, Canadians and other foreign buyers could get their chance.

Two U.S. senators have introduced a bill that would allow foreigners who spend at least $500,000 on residential property to obtain visas allowing them to live in the United States.

The plan could be a boon to California, which has become a popular real estate market for foreigners, particularly those from China.

Nationwide, residential sales to foreigners and recent immigrants totaled $82 billion in the 12-month period ended March 31, up from $66 billion the previous year, according to the National Assn. of Realtors. California accounted for 12% of those sales, second only to Florida.

“Overall, Los Angeles is the perfect place for investors,” said YanYan Zhang, an agent with Rodeo Realty in Beverly Hills, who travels to China several times a year to meet potential clients.

Sandra Miller, a broker at Engel & Volkers in Santa Monica, an international real estate firm that caters to foreign clients, said about 10% of the luxury market now is composed of foreign investors. She estimated that offering them U.S. visas would triple that figure, as well as help sales elsewhere.

“California, Florida, New York, Colorado, Hawaii and Texas — those states will see a huge increase in demand,” she said. “The whole Westside would certainly benefit.”

The bipartisan proposal, part of a package that also would make it easier for international tourists to visit the U.S., is similar to an existing program that puts foreigners on a fast track to a green card if they invest at least $500,000 in an American business that creates at least 10 jobs.

“Many people want to come and live in the United States,” said Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), who introduced the legislation Thursday along with Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah). “They will be here spending money and paying taxes, and the most important thing is they’ll sop up the extra supply of homes we have right now compared to demand, and that’s what’s dragging our economy down.”

The legislation would create a new homeowner visa that would be renewable every three years, but the proposal would not put them on a path to citizenship. To be eligible, a person would have to buy a primary residence of at least $250,000 and spend a total of $500,000 on residential real estate. The other properties could be rented.

The program would come with several restrictions.

The purchase would have to be in cash, with no mortgage or home equity loan allowed. And the property would have to be bought for more than its most recent appraised value, Schumer said.

The buyer would have to live in the home for at least 180 days each year, which would require paying U.S. income taxes on any foreign earnings. Buyers would no longer be eligible for the temporary visa if the property were sold.

The buyer would be able to bring a spouse and minor children to live in the U.S. but would need to apply for a work visa to hold a job. Neither the buyer nor dependents would be eligible to receive Medicaid, Medicare or Social Security benefits.

“The bill does not limit people from being productive,” Schumer said. “It simply prevents them from coming here and taking jobs that otherwise would go to Americans.”

Billionaire investor Warren Buffett and others have advocated boosting the U.S. economy by attracting foreign investment.

The Visa Improvements to Stimulate International Tourism to the United States of America Act, or VISIT-USA Act, aims to do that by also making several other changes to visa policies.

Among them are allowing Chinese tourists to receive a five-year visa that permits multiple visits. They now must apply for a new visa every year. Canadians would be allowed to stay in the U.S. for more than 180 days without having to obtain a visa.

Schumer and Lee have lined up support from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the U.S. Travel Assn. and the American Hotel & Lodging Assn. Schumer said he was working to get the backing of the Obama administration, which received the bill’s details Thursday.

“For too long, we have created barriers, and too many hoops and hurdles, which act to deter visitors from other countries coming to the United States to spend their money and create jobs,” said Chamber of Commerce President Thomas Donohue. “This is a loss we can ill afford in today’s economy.”

Robert Toll, executive chairman of Toll Brothers Inc., a Pennsylvania builder of luxury homes, joined Schumer on a conference call with reporters to back the foreign home-buyer proposal. He said it was no different from tax breaks designed to attract businesses.

Lee described it as a free-market way to boost demand in the real estate market after “big-government programs have failed to work.”

10.21.11 http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-visas-home-buyers-20111021,0,6715779.story

DIY Energy Audits

The first step to saving  energy and money around the house is to find out how much you are already  using.

Energy costs continue to rise, placing ever-greater pressure on households.   And the energy you use to heat and cool your home is a large part of your carbon  footprint.

By knowing what to look for you can conduct your own home energy audit.  Here’s how to get started.

1. Get to Know Your Energy Bills

Bills are never fun, but don’t forget that they contain valuable information  along with the pain. Compare your heating and cooling costs by month for as many  years past as you can, and look for trends in usage or obvious changes. Do you  see any spikes? Can you remember why? Your utility can make older bills  available to you by calling customer service.

Note both the kilowatt hours you are typically using as well as the amount  your utility is charging per KWH. Get to know what it is that you are paying for  every month.

2. Check out The Daily Green’s Checklist

Download our checklist here so you’ll be able to keep track of what you find, and  prioritize improvements based on importance and your budget.

3. Locate Air Leaks

Simple leaks can sap home energy efficiency by 5 to 30% a year, according to  the U.S. Department of Energy. So take a close look at places where two  different building materials meet, such as corners, around chimneys, where pipes  or wires exit and along the foundation. Make sure good seals form around doors  and windows, and that no mortar is cracked. Any gaps or holes should be plugged  and/or caulked.

Use the incense test: carefully (avoiding drapes and other flammables) move a  lit stick along walls; where the smoke wavers, you have air sneaking in. And  heating or cooling sneaking out.

Make sure the floor of your attic, including the hatch, is insulated, and  that the material isn’t crumbling or compacted, which means it has lost its  effectiveness. Similarly, check your basement ceiling, as well as basement  walls. Hot water pipes and furnace ducts should be insulated. So should exterior  walls (determine this by carefully removing the cover from a power plug, or  drill a small hole in the back of a closet).

If you live in snow country, a simple test of insulation levels is to see if  snow melts from your roof faster than from neighbors’ roofs. If so, you are  probably losing too much heat.

If you find any problems, call in a professional, or go DIY and buy some  fresh insulation yourself. Learn more about insulation here.

4. Examine Heating and Cooling Equipment

Not surprisingly, heating and cooling usually account for the biggest home  energy loads. To reduce waste, check to see if your furnace filters look dirty.  If so, swap them out (usually needed every month or two during the heating  season). Or invest in an electrostatic permanent filter, which cuts down on  waste and does a much better job of cleaning the air. If you have central air  conditioning, check the coils both inside (usually in the basement) and outside.  If they have dirt on them, carefully vacuum it off (you may need to first remove  the protective grilles).

Make sure all your vents are open in rooms you want conditioned, but close  the ones in rooms you hardly use. Ensure vents are clean and unobstructed.  Vacuum away any dust.

Examine ductwork for dirt streaks, which mark leaks. You can often fix  problems with duct tape or insulation. If your ducts look very dirty or worn,  call a professional to get an estimate on a thorough cleaning or replacement.  Also put on your calendar: annual pro inspection of your entire heating and  cooling system.

5. Analyze Your Appliances

Appliances are major energy users, so your task should be to identify models  that may be costing you a lot, and to find ways to trim waste. Buy or borrow a Kill A Watt Electric Usage Monitor. All you do is plug it into  a wall socket, and then insert the plug for the electronic device that you wish  to monitor. It will give you detailed info on energy use, and even has a “money  button” to show you how much the unit costs you to operate.

Begin by checking your major appliances with the Kill A Watt. If older units  are found to cost you a lot, you have motivation to upgrade to a new  high-efficiency model (and make sure it is Energy Star certified).

If your fridge and freezer are using too much juice, you may simply need to  turn down the temperature dials, or clean or repair seals. In general the EPA  recommends keeping refrigerators at 37 degrees F and freezers at 3 degrees.  You  may also not have realized how much certain appliances require, from hair dryers  to heated water beds, so you may decide to use less important items more  sparingly.

If you don’t have a Kill A Watt, you can still estimate how much energy an  appliance uses with the following formula: (Wattage x Hours Used Per Day ÷ 1000  = Daily Kilowatt-hour (kWh) consumption (1 kilowatt (kW) = 1,000 Watts). The  wattage of an appliance will be stamped on the item. To get the annual  consumption, multiply this by the number of days you use the appliance during  the year (divide the time by 3 to account for the idling time of your  refrigerator). Calculate the annual cost to run an appliance by multiplying the  kWh per year by your local utility’s rate per kWh consumed.

6. Look for Energy Vampires

Ever heard of an “energy vampire” or “phantom load”? When electronics like  TVs, DVD players and cell phone chargers are plugged in but not on, they still  draw power, resulting in about 8% of our annual electric bills.

It’s simple to stop the drain: look around your house, and unplug any unused  devices you find! To make it even easier, plug your electronics into a power  strip, and switch that off when you are finished channel surfing, jamming or  charging up. It will keep the energy vampires at bay.

7. See the Light

Lighting eats up about 10% of a typical electric bill. Swap out high-wattage  bulbs with lower users, ideally CFLs.  Start with one or two bulbs in the places where you have lights on the longest;  you don’t need to rush out and try to replace every bulb all at once. Also be  aware that rapid on and off switching decreases the life of CFLs, so it may not  be worth it to install the pricier bulbs in places like closets, where you  rarely have the lights on.  In such areas, try a lower-wattage regular bulb,  like a 40 W instead of a 60 W.

Consider how you use lighting in each room. Instead of always hitting the  main overheads, would your lifestyle be better served by installing some  low-wattage task lighting? Think desk and reading lamps or even night-lights  instead. Get rid of halogen torch-style floor lamps, which use a tremendous  amount of energy. Also consider installing motion detectors, which are  especially good for halls and exterior lights, since you don’t have to worry  about people accidentally leaving them on.

8. Gauge the Results

After you have made some improvements, revisit your audit steps in a month or  two. Get our your energy bills, and compare. Did your usage drop? Consider going  back through the steps above, looking for any appliances or areas you missed  before. Want more savings? Go deeper with a Web-based audit tool, such as this one.

It also may be time to bring in the pros for a full-service, high-tech energy  audit. Call your utility to see if it subsidizes the service (some offer it free  during part of the year), and ask if it can recommend local providers. Learn  more about the industry here.

Read more: http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/DIY-home-energy-audit-2#ixzz1b3pSwKhE

 

Source: www.Thedailygreen.com
Read more: http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/DIY-home-energy-audit#ixzz1b3p7pmIJ