As most Santa Cruz real estate agents will tell you, remodeling, decorating or repairing your home can go a long way towards getting it sold.  For that matter, it can add value to your property in case you want to sell later – that is, if you don’t choose the wrong places to buy cheap:

• Windows – Never buy a window based on which one is cheapest.  You want windows that look good, and, as most Santa Cruz real estate agents will recommend, you want energy-efficient windows.  During 2009 and 2010, you may be eligible for a Federal Tax Credit for Energy Efficiency of up to $1500 when you purchase Energy Star windows.

• Paint – Paint is one of the biggest places people skimp when it comes to cost, and a big no-no.  Cheap paint may take several coats to look…

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From household cleaning supplies to clothing, everything is going green. The same goes for the real estate market. Many potential home buyers want eco-friendly Santa Cruz real estate. Before you simply buy a home that's touted as green, consider these few tips for finding a truly green home.

1.  Work with an expert
It may be difficult for you to figure out what criteria designate a green home. That's why it's important to seek out a green real estate professional whose main focus is to help you sort through fact from fiction in the green housing industry.

2.  Buy in an eco-friendly neighborhood
Purchasing green Santa Cruz real estate doesn't necessarily mean the location will be environmentally friendly. Unfortunately, buyers may not factor in this…

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Even if you don't have the money for extensive remodeling, you can still live greener in your Santa Cruz home with just a few simple changes. Every little improvement we make in the way we live is a step in the right direction toward making our world healthier.

Low-Cost Ways to Green Up Your Home

• Catch the rain: Conserving water by putting in new low-flow fixtures is one way of helping to conserve the planet's resources, but it isn't the only way. You can build a rain water reservoir using old barrels or other large containers to catch rain and use it for watering your garden or washing your car.

• Light up your life: Change the incandescent bulbs in your light fixtures to the new florescent bulbs designed for use in a regular light socket. They last…

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The environment is a major news issue and everyone is thinking green. Sometimes it seems difficult to go green in your everyday life, but just a few simple steps can move you down the path to a green Santa Cruz home.  You won't even have to break a sweat or crack open a can of paint.

In the Laundry Room

Pick machines for your Santa Cruz home that have an Energy Star rating for peak performance to conserve water and electricity. According to Planet Green, an Energy Star washer saves enough water over the machine's life to provide drinking water for six people for a LIFETIME. It will also save you hundreds of dollars in utility bills over an average 11 year machine lifespan. Use natural drying when possible. Hang clothes on a clothesline in the sun on…

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We all know it’s important to go green in our Santa Cruz home, but did you know that you can take steps to make your existing bathroom green?  You can pick up everything you need to begin at your local home improvement store. 

Here are a few ideas:

• Change out the showerhead.  You can replace your inefficient one with a low flow showerhead with very little effort.  The unexpected benefit of a low flow is lower water heating costs.

• Install a new toilet. Though toilets are better designed these days, the average fixture uses anywhere from 1.5 to 7 gallons of water per flush. You can reduce your water usage by installing a low flow (or low flush) toilet.  Additionally, you can save up to a gallon a flush by displacing the toilet bowl water.  It’s…

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Here are a few simple things you can do to go green if you own a Santa Cruz condo:
 
Going Green With Electricity
Saving electricity is an effective way to go green.  An environmental agency called McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), reported that energy efficiency could save two-thirds of the Earth’s emissions and help get the world halfway to the goal of reduced global warming gases.  This has never been more critical to our future as it is now.  Here are four suggestions for reducing your electricity usage in your Santa Cruz condos
 
• Invest in a more energy efficient refrigerator.  Each year this saves 200 terawatt hours in America.

• Turn the lights off when you leave your home or when you leave a room.  I know this sounds overly simple, but many of us…

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All the talk is about how the President's stimulus plan helps out new and first time home buyers.  The good news is that it also helps homeowners.  You can get stimulus plan benefits from your existing Santa Cruz real estate too.  Add a little green living to your environment and you'll be pocketing some change at the end of the year from your income tax return.

Under the stimulus plan, both eco-friendly new home purchases and eco-friendly improvements on existing homes are tax deductible. Now's the time to make your home more energy efficient and get a break at the end of the year for your efforts.

Going green saves money, makes your living environment healthier, and improves the world we live in. To reap the benefits from the stimulus plan, you can…

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