new home or remodel

EERE Consumer's Guide: Designing and Remodeling a Home Search Help More Search Options Search EERE Information Center Professional Services Find an Architect American Institute of Architects Federal Government Resources Energy-Efficient Rehab Advisor U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Related Links A Construction Technology Showcase Homes Across America Energy & Environmental Building Association Decisions for Environmental Buildings Green Tree Green Building Home Guidelines National Association of Home Builders Research Center Reading List Related Publications Printable Version Designing and Remodeling a Home Before you design a new home or remodel an existing one, you should consider investing in its energy efficiency. You'll save energy and money in the long run. It's also a good time to invest in a renewable energy system that will provide your home with electricity , water heating , or space heating and cooling . If you'd like to design an energy-efficient home, no matter what type of design, you should use what's called the whole-house systems approach . If you're remodeling a home, conduct an energy audit to help you determine what energy efficiency improvements should and can be made to your home. Learn how to optimize energy efficiency with the following home designs and construction techniques: Advanced House (Wall) Framing Techniques Reduce lumber use and waste—improving energy efficiency—in the construction of a traditional wood-framed house. Earth-sheltered Homes Incorporate earth into their structure and design for durability and energy efficiency. Log Homes Use wooden logs to provide structure and insulation. Manufactured Homes Feature energy-efficient options for new homes and improvements for older homes. Passive Solar Homes Take advantage of climatic conditions, especially the sun, for heating in the winter and cooling in the summer. Straw Bale Homes Use straw bales to provide all or part of their structure and insulation. Zero Energy Homes Produce more energy than they use. You should also explore your options for financing an energy-efficient home or improvements . Printable Version Skip footer navigation to end of page. Webmaster | Security & Privacy | Consumer's Guide Home | EERE Home U.S. Department of Energy Content Last Updated: September 12, 2005

buy property in France

French property in France. Guide to French real estate and sales in france For property buyers >Buying guide Buying property in France Property prices vary across France, with property near Paris and on the south coast costing much more than property in less well-connected areas of the country. You can buy a four-bedroom property in the Loire for up to £200,000, or a two-bedroom apartment in Cannes for about the same price. It all depends on your preference for areas, how remote you want to be, and whether you need to commute to work. Click here to locate a French Property Generally, buying a property abroad is a good way of reducing the cost of living, but buying a property in France is not necessarily an investment as it has been in the UK: property prices are much more stable compared to the English property market, with prices really only rising in line with inflation and not adding much value to the property in real terms. There are also the taxes and costs associated with buying property in France to consider when planning your investment. Looking for property abroad is therefore more often associated with investing in your future life - somewhere to spend your holidays or somewhere to retire when the time comes. When you buy property in France bear in mind that the costs are different to those in the UK. There are more taxes for a start, including income, wealth, property, capital gains, and residential taxes. This can add up to quite a hefty sum. Even though the government has pledged to reduce income tax by a third in the coming years, tax in France is still quite high. Late payment of taxes incurs a charge of around 10%, so make sure you pay your dues on time! If you rent out your property in France, whether this is to a friend for a few weeks' holiday or 52 weeks of commercial rent, you will have to declare and pay income tax on the rental income (revenu foncier) even if you live abroad. Property tax covers your contributions to local services like rubbish removal and street lighting and varies greatly depending on the region: oddly enough, the Paris area has some of the lowest rates in the country. You pay wealth tax if your annual income exceeds €720,000. Residential tax applies to properties with a rental value over €4,600 on 1 st January. Even if you rent or sell the property from 2nd January onwards, you have to pay the full year, not the new tenant or owner. Capital gains tax (CGT) is rather more complicated: suffice to say that the sale of second residences incurs CGT and the EU tax authorities are working together to track anyone who tries to dodge paying it! Having said all this France is a great place to live - the quality of life is better, the roads are a joy to drive on and the weather is better than the UK! For holiday makers For property buyers For property owners Buying guide Find an agent Find a property Property services Life in France Short List -- About us Advertise your property Contact us Site map Accessibility -- WebConnection Ltd. Advertise your property Terms of use Privacy policy Site map Quick links Contact us --

Colorado Real Estate :

Colorado Springs Real Estate agriculture antiques & collectibles art automotive beauty and fashion business to business computer & internet construction dining education employment entertainment featured sites film & video gifts government graphic arts greeting cards health & fitness home improvement hotels insurance jewelry kid stuff legal services money music new sites non-profit pets products real estate religion relocation senior citizens services shopping sports & recreation teen sites travel & tourism weddings & events Colorado Springs Real Estate Colorado Springs Mortgage Services Sub-categories in Real Estate : Agents and Agencies | Apartments and Townhomes | Appraisal and Inspections | Development | Home Warranty | Listings | Mortgage | Office Space | Planned Communities | Property Management | Relocation Services | Timeshares | Title Insurance More Colorado Real Estate : Aurora | Boulder | Canon City | Castle Rock | Denver | Englewood | Fort Collins | Grand Junction | Highlands Ranch | Lakewood | Littleton | Longmont | Manitou Springs | Monument | Parker | Pueblo | Thornton | Westminster | Wheat Ridge | Woodland Park real_estate page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 Found in Real Estate: Mortgage in Colorado Springs CO Colorado Springs Mortgage Services Featured link! Colorado Springs Mortgage Services has the experience to handle your mortgage needs. CSMS provides state-of-the-art processing services, the most complete range of competitive programs and hassle-free funding. By assisting you in prequalifying, CSMS can help you determine the right price home and make you a cash buyer. CSMS provides financing options for all credit grades serving our customers, REALTORS® and homebuilders. 24/7 online loan approval! Now serving 48 states, not just Colorado Springs real estate. Colorado Springs Mortgage Services PAGE STATUS: 9.13 FIRST LISTED: 10/21/2003 TOP Found in Real Estate: Agents and Agencies in Colorado Springs CO Choice REALTORS® Featured link! Find the home you want! Rely on a proven REALTOR® who is qualified to guide you in buying or selling your next home. Use our experience in finance, contracts, negotiating, and marketing to your best Colorado Springs real estate advantage. Choice REALTORS® PAGE STATUS: 9.12 FIRST LISTED: 9/1/2002 TOP Found in Real Estate: Property Management in Colorado Springs CO Sunflower Management Featured link! Property management is all we do, from resident screening to move out cleaning. Sunflower Management dedicates itself to providing the highest quality services to all our clients. We provide full property management services, including comprehensive resident screening and leasing, advertising, property evaluation, lease enforcement, investment analysis, and capital project planning. Let us prepare a review and comparison of our Colorado Springs real estate management services for your property. We will show you how we can put your investment to work for you. PAGE STATUS: 9.01 FIRST LISTED: 9/7/2005 TOP Found in Real Estate: Relocation Services in Colorado Springs CO Colorado Springs Real Estate Featured link! Use this site to explore El Paso County communities and find the neighborhood that fits your likes and priorities. This site has extensive community information, consumer links, school information, free reports , real estate answers, Colorado Springs info and more. Colorado Springs Real Estate PAGE STATUS: 9.00 FIRST LISTED: 9/1/2001 TOP Found in Real Estate: Agents and Agencies in Canon City CO Homes of Southern Colorado Featured link! For BUYERS and SELLERS in Canon City, Florence, Penrose, and Mountain Areas. Complete set of online search tools and calculators. KEYWORDS: Canon City Real Estate, Florence Real Estate, Penrose Real Estate, Fremont County, El Paso County, Royal Gorge Country. Homes of Southern Colorado PAGE STATUS: 8.00 FIRST LISTED: 5/15/2005 TOP Found in Real Estate in Woodland Park CO Woodland Park, Colorado Springs Realtor Featured link! The most comprehensive web site available for real estate in the Woodland Park, Colorado Springs, Pikes Peak Colorado area. If you are looking to buy or sell a home, you have come to the right place. Homes For Sale, Real Estate, Realtor, Agent, Real Estate Agent, Brian Lloyd, Real Estate Broker, Relocation. KEYWORDS: WOODLAND PARK COLORADO WOODLAND PARK Homes Real Estate For Sale Woodland Park Colorado Springs Colorado Realtor Teller County Divide Pikes Peak Colorado Springs Real Estate Woodland Park, Colorado Springs Realtor PAGE STATUS: 8.00 FIRST LISTED: 1/20/2005 TOP Found in Real Estate: Timeshares in Hampton NH Timeshares Sell rent or buy timeshares on the timeshare resale market at prices far below vacation resort prices! Click for timeshare news . KEYWORDS: timeshares - timeshare - time share - time shares - timeshare resales - timeshare resale - sell timeshare - buy timeshare - vacation - resorts - rentals Timeshares PAGE STATUS: 7.10 FIRST LISTED: 10/11/2005 TOP Found in Real Estate: Listings in Colorado Springs CO Colorado Springs Townhomes Choice REALTORS® provides listings including all of the available town homes in Colorado Springs. Sherry Romero CRS, GRI Colorado Springs Townhomes PAGE STATUS: 7.01 FIRST LISTED: 1/18/2004 TOP Found in Real Estate in Colorado Springs CO Top Producer Amy Secundy Can Help Dedicated to assisting you with one of the most important steps in your life! Call today - 719-238-2255 Top Producer Amy Secundy Can Help PAGE STATUS: 7.01 FIRST LISTED: 2/3/2005 TOP Found in Real Estate: Listings in Colorado Springs CO 35 Ravenglass Way This property is set against the magnificent beauty of Cheyenne Mountain and surrounded by both natural and manicured landscaping. This Acuff & Rhodes Columbine model boasts 5355 sq. ft., 5 bedrooms, three bathrooms & a 3-car garage. 35 Ravenglass Way PAGE STATUS: 7.00 FIRST LISTED: 1/8/2003 TOP Found in Real Estate: Development in Colorado Springs CO Acuff Homes High quality - well designed homes. KEYWORDS: home builders - construction - new homes Acuff Homes PAGE STATUS: 7.00 FIRST LISTED: 3/2/1999 TOP Please_send_comments_&_suggestions_to: citystar_support search | site_map | add_your_site | about_us

Land Loan With a

15-Year Fixed Rate Land Loan Thursday, December 29, 2005 Serving our 'Fire Family' since 1935 ©2005 Los Angeles Firemen's Credit Union 15-Year Fixed Rate Land Loan With a fifteen year term, you'll have a shorter loan life and pay less in interest than a thirty year term. And, if a low payment is not a priority, then you'll receive a greater savings benefit from a lower rate. Features: No fees 15-year fixed rate loan 50% loan to value $359,650 loan limit 45 Day Rate Lock from date of completed application Only two (2) land loans permitted per household Available in all states that the Credit Union currently lends in, subject to verification of all applicable State laws > Apply Now > Check Rates This loan is a 15-year fixed rate loan, 50% loan to value with a limit of $359,650 (secondary market conforming loan limit.) Loans may not be used for business purposes and may not be located in a commercial or manufacturing area. Rates are subject to change daily. A one-point fee, if applicable, is based on the loan amount. Year-end rebates may apply at the discretion of the LAFCU Board of Directors. Participation in this program will not be confirmed until the completed application has been submitted to the Real Estate Department. All requests will be processed and must meet LAFCU's underwriting guidelines. Funding of these loans is subject to credit approval and verification of employment, equity, and all other related file documentation necessary to qualify applicant(s). The principal and interest payments for a 15-Year Fixed Trust Deed Land Loan in the amount of $180,000 at 7.75% results in monthly payments of $1,694.66. Mortgage Loans > Check Mortgage Rates > First Trust Deeds > Second Trust Deeds > Home Equity Lines > 7/23 > 15 Year Fixed > 15 Year Fixed Land Loan > 20 Year Fixed > 30 Year Fixed > Construction Loans > Non-owner occupied properties > Vacation / 2nd Home > Rental / Investments

House Rent

Renting a House RENTING A HOUSE If you rent a house, rather than an apartment, you'll have some additionalconcerns: Lawn care and snow removal will probably be your responsibility. City codes require that lawns be mowed. If you think the landlord is providing either of these services, make sure your lease says so. Garbage hauling is not a municipal service in Champaign-Urbana. Unless your lease says that the landlord provides and pays for hauling, you'll have to call a private hauler and arrange service. Look in the yellow pages under "garbage." (Note: references in your lease to sanitary fees are for the sewer system, not for garbage hauling). Don't assume the garage comes with the house; make sure the lease says you are renting the "house and garage." If the house has no garage but you plan to park in the driveway, make sure the lease says Lessee may park in the driveway at no extra cost. Be sure the lease states the number of bedrooms in the house, especially if any bedrooms are in the basement or attic. If any area containing bedrooms becomes unfit for habitation while the rest of the house is still habitable, you'll be in a better bargaining position with your landlord if you can prove that the uninhabitable space was leased to you for living and sleeping purposes. Zoning laws prohibit more than four unrelated adults from living together in a single family home. The tenants, as well as the landlords, can be held liable by the city for violating the law. Enforcement is complaint-driven. If you live in Urbana near the U of I campus, or if you live anywhere and annoy your neighbors with noise or illegally parking cars on the lawn, you are a likely target for enforcement. See section of this handbook on " Zoning ." Be especially careful about including in your lease a list of all appliances that the landlord will "provide and maintain." Don't assume the washer and dryer in the basement will be repaired by the landlord if one breaks down. They may have just been left in the house by previous tenants. Protecting your deposit is a bigger job with a house. Many tenants report being charged at the end of the lease for leaving trash in the yard, damage to a porch, lawn care, cleaning out the basement, etc. Both when you move in and when you move out, you should take photographs of the basement, attic, front and back yards and the porch , in addition to photographs of walls, floors, insides of oven, fridge and cabinets and all fixtures. Damage deposit refund law does not cover houses (except in the City of Urbana). If the house is in Champaign, Savoy or anyplace other than Urbana, be sure your lease states the time period for refund of the deposit and requires the landlord to provide you with an itemized statement of damages within a certain time period. A sample clause appears in the section of this handbook on signing a lease. Return to Home Page Return to Table of Contents