About: Liz Benson
Posts by Liz Benson:
 EnergySmart: Helping Us Save Energy & Money.by Liz Benson on Nov 1, 2012 Source: budgetclowns.com via Jason on Pinterest I wanted to let you know about a great program offered for homeowners (and landlords) in my community. EnergySmart is funded through a grant from the Department of Energy for homeowners and businesses of Boulder County, Colorado. (Note: Your municipality might have a similar program. Find out at the [...] 65 views |
Which Home Remodeling Projects Pay Off Now.by Liz Benson on Feb 7, 2012 The trend is towards updating rather than extravagant remodels from the looks of the new 2011/2012 Cost vs. Value Report from Remodeling Magazine. The report measures how much 35 common home improvements cost compared to how much they will re-coup when a home is sold. The top pay-offs (between 70% and 78% of their cost) [...] 57 views |
 Top 9 US Cities with Rising Home Valuesby Liz Benson on Jan 7, 2012 Tulsa and Oklahoma City, OK top the list and Boulder, CO barely makes the cut at number 9. I suppose it is a sign of the times that an increase of just .2% will put you in the top 9. Most of the cities are fairly small too and 5 of them have affordable median [...] 97 views |
 Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus . . . At Least Until January 2ndby Liz Benson on Dec 8, 2011 Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac along with some of the nations biggest banks announced that they will not evict any of their homeowners in foreclosure around the holidays – roughly between Dec. 19th and January 2nd according to a report on CNNmoney.com. I guess that’s a good thing, but it’s a pretty lame goodwill gesture. If they [...] 41 views |
The Cost of your Commute: a thought-provoking graphic shows how much your car costs you in time & money.by Liz Benson on Nov 8, 2011 Click image to enlarge: Via: Streamline Refinance Liz Benson: The assumption they are using is if two people each drive 30 miles each way to work and value their time at $25/hour, then they could take the cost of their commutes in money and time (valued at $25/hr) and spend that money on their mortgag…e [...] 2,066 views |
 Uncle Sam Wants You! – As a Tenant?by Liz Benson on Nov 1, 2011 Could this be one of the answers to the home foreclosure crisis? Ken H. Johnson, Ph.D. from Florida International University and Editor of the Journal of Housing Research makes the case for why the federal government should hold onto their stockpile of foreclosed homes and lease them out. ” The program should slow down the [...] 44 views |
 Your cat will be jealous of this home . . .by Liz Benson on Sep 29, 2011 I would say “Now I’ve seen it all”, but I know it gets much weirder than this house in Japan designed for the enjoyment and amusement of the family cat. It also reminds me of a hipper version of Ben and Jerry’s house where there were all those holes in the wall for the mouse. [...] 373 views |
What your Home Address Number says about you.by Liz Benson on Sep 15, 2011 My house number could explain my lack of ambition… I just consulted an online psychic who does something akin to astrology…for houses…based on your house address number. It sounds kinda kooky, but the reading for my own house (and the people who live here) was spot-on. This caused me to look up the house numbers [...] 1,862 views |
 Where Home Prices Are Headed Through 2015 – 108 experts weigh inby Liz Benson on Jun 28, 2011 Everyone seems to have an opinion on where home prices are headed. Housing bulls are saying prices may start rebounding as early as later this year. Some housing bears are saying that prices may still drop another 10-15%. What actually is going to happen? No one knows for sure. However, Macro Markets, a financial technology [...] 93 views |
Imagine finding out your house is built on a trash dump, or…by Liz Benson on Jun 23, 2011 …that it’s infested with snakes! Yikes – both of these stories are strange but true according to an article in AOL Real Estate. When a bulldozer began to to clear away dirt for an in-ground pool in Brian Dyer’s back yard, the Lakeland, Fl, homeowner got the surprise of his life: mountains of trash emerged [...] 152 views |
 Boulder: Affordable Homes Open House this Sunday.by Liz Benson on Jun 22, 2011 The City of Boulder Affordable Housing Program is hosting an Open House this Sunday, June 26th from noon – 3 pm. Interested home buyers have an opportunity to tour 18 affordable properties and register to win a $50 gift card to McGuckins or Alfalfa’s Market. Homes available for viewing include condos, townhomes and single family homes starting at [...] 114 views |
 6 Tips from The Wharton School’s Mortgage Professor on How to Improve Your Credit Score.by Liz Benson on May 21, 2011 Though it’s details are a mystery to most of us, we all benefit by having the highest credit score possible. Calculated from information in your credit report, it is a measure of how good a risk you are to a credit grantor. The score can determine whether or not you qualify for credit, and if you [...] 220 views |
Where are homes selling the fastest right now?by Liz Benson on Apr 28, 2011 The answer may surprise you. Anchorage, Iowa City, Tulsa? They don’t exactly spring to mind as real estate hot spots, but maybe they should. They made it into the list of 11 Cities Where Homes Sell the Fastest according to housing data from Realtor.com California (not so surprisingly) boasted the highest number of cities where [...] 155 views |
Do Americans prefer walkable communities with public transit options over mass suburbia?by Liz Benson on Apr 15, 2011 Yes. It’s not just in progressive cities and towns, but nationally, home buyers prefer walkable, mixed-use communities over those burbs that require a car to get anywhere. According to a new survey by the National Association of Realtors, 56% of respondents prefer smart growth communities that have better access to work, schools and recreation. Walkable communities [...] 337 views |
Wharton Magazine: A look at today’s housing market crisis, no magic bulletby Liz Benson on Feb 21, 2011 This is a great article by Steven Kurutz on the housing market from a national perspective… 108 views |
The SAVE Act – Michael Bennett wants to make it easier for you to purchase an energy efficient homeby Liz Benson on Feb 15, 2011 We all know that energy efficient homes save money for their owners – money they can use to more easily pay their mortgage and maintenance costs. Current mortgage underwriting guidelines, developed in the 1940′s, don’t take this into account. They ignore the potential hundreds of dollars in savings that an energy efficient home can provide, compared [...] 93 views |
 Obama wants me to buy a new (Energy Star) fridge—+ will help me pay for it.by Liz Benson on Jan 26, 2010 by Liz Benson First, there was Cash for Clunkers and the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit, later expanded to all home buyers. But, what if you don’t need a new car or want to move? Now, you have another chance to get in on the economic stimulus money – rebates for buying a new [...] 483 views |
 Moody’s economist predicts real estate prices for 2010 – only one city expected to see an increaseby Liz Benson on Dec 16, 2009 by Liz Benson The chief economist from MoodysEconomy.com predicts a price decline for most of the country with only Pittsburgh seeing a home price increase - by a modest .41%. His prediction for Denver – a decline of 2.79% in 2010 followed by an increase of over 3% in 2011. He seems to think the market will improve, but [...] 816 views |
 Home Buyer Tax Credit Extended and Expanded to Include Many More Buyersby Liz Benson on Nov 10, 2009 I love to be the bearer of good news and this is some of the best news for home buyers and sellers in a long time. I just called a client of mine who already had her home under contract and scheduled to close on November 30th. She is also buying a new place in [...] 542 views |
 Recent changes that effect home buyers and sellersby Liz Benson on Oct 19, 2009 If you are thinking of buying or selling a home, there are some regulatory changes at the state and federal level that you need to know about. Let’s start with the easy stuff. Carbon Monoxide Detectors: Due to some tragic incidents of carbon monoxide poisoning in the last year, the Colorado legislature established a new law requiring [...] 186 views |
 Geithner touts success of mortgage modification program. But has it helped you?by Liz Benson on Oct 8, 2009 Despite claims of major frustration by troubled home owners attempting to modify their mortgages, the Treasury Secretary announced that over a half million households have been helped by the Obama administration relief plan. A great milestone in our road to economic recovery! Read the full article from the NY Times. Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner (photo by Luke [...] 115 views |
 Solar Home Tour and Green Jobs Fair in Denver this Weekendby Liz Benson on Sep 30, 2009 If you missed last week’s Tour of Solar Homes in Boulder, you can still check out the 2009 Tour of Solar Homes in Denver this Saturday, October 3rd. Sponsored by the Colorado Renewable Energy Society, this event is also part of National Solar Tour, which coordinates similar events nationwide. Take a tour of a sustainable community, [...] 215 views |
 One Way to Save Money on a Solar Installation – Organize!by Liz Benson on Sep 10, 2009 I just heard about this company that organizes neighborhoods for bulk pricing on installing home solar systems. One Block Off the Grid operates in just a few cities including Denver and Boulder. Here’s how it works. They gather together many homeowners who are interested in getting a quote for a solar system installed in their home that [...] 113 views |
 2009 Renewable Energy in Buildings Awards + Details of Upcoming Renewable Energy Conference in Golden, COby Liz Benson on Aug 25, 2009 The Colorado Renewable Energy Society (CRES) has announced the winners of its “Renewable Energy and Sustainable Design in Buildings” Awards for 2009. Residential Building Category: Aspen Homes’ “Juniper Showhome” The Juniper Showhome was designed and built with all solar concepts in mind in an effort to achieve the concept of a Net-Zero home that [...] 541 views |
 Business Week names Boulder #1 Real Estate Market in the Countryby Liz Benson on Aug 23, 2009 Just two days ago, I wrote that Zillow.com had ranked Boulder as the #4 Best Place to Sell a Home in the Country. Now, BusinessWeek Magazine, using Zillow’s stats, drew their own conclusion and ranked Boulder the #1 Strongest U.S. Housing Market. They cite the fact that 59.9% of homes here appreciated since last year and the [...] 528 views |
 Take Control of How Your Home Uses Energy – Upcoming Class Offered in Boulderby Liz Benson on Aug 19, 2009 Right now, somewhere, somehow, your home is wasting energy. In fact, every year the average American spends $450 on energy wasted through holes and cracks in their home. To help you start saving energy today, there are thousands of dollars of overlapping incentives available from local utility rebates, state and city programs, and national tax [...] 133 views |
 Zillow.com lists Boulder in Top 10 Places to Sell a Houseby Liz Benson on Aug 12, 2009 According to Zillow.com “Flat is the new Up” in a real estate market during a recession, but some rare communities (just 11 of them nationwide) are actually increasing in value. Announced on Good Morning America yesterday, Zillow ranked the Top 10 Places to Sell a Home and our fair city came in at number four. Their stats – Median [...] 319 views |
 2nd Round of Climate Smart Financing Now Availableby Liz Benson on Aug 11, 2009 Boulder County’s Climate Smart Loan Program has opened a second round of financing for home energy efficiency and/or renewable energy improvements. The program is available to area residents to finance projects through loans that will then be paid back through an increase in the home owner’s annual property tax bill. This program is being administered by Climate Smart , [...] 190 views |
 At least one Boulderite thinks we should have made Kiplinger’s “Best Cities” Listby Liz Benson on Jun 2, 2009 Boulder has perennially been a main stay on those “Best City for this or that” lists -Best City for Cycling, Best Places to Retire , 10 Best Places to be Steeped in Tea-but this time around was snubbed by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine in their latest 2009 Best Cities List . Pam Metzger, Relocation Director [...] 167 views |
 Considering Green Improvements to Your Home? – How to calculate your return on investmentby Liz Benson on May 8, 2009 The Boulder Green Building Guild offers seminars on Residential and Commercial Green Building Topics. They are open to the public as well as green building professionals. Next week, they are offering a Brown Bag called Green Return on Investment. If you are considering making some minor green improvements to your home or planning a big remodel, [...] 207 views |
 Boulder County Property Tax Notices are in the Mailby Liz Benson on May 1, 2009 It is that time again. Every other year Boulder county re-values properties and sends out a Notice of Value along with the property tax bill for the current year, payable in the following year. Here is everything you need to know about your assessed property value in Boulder County and how to appeal if you think the [...] 718 views |
 Foreclosure/Bank Owned Properties in Boulder County – Stats for the 1st quarter of 2009by Liz Benson on May 1, 2009 My colleague, Pam Metzger at Colorado Landmark , crunched the numbers and here is the latest on foreclosure activity and bank owned (also called REO which stands for Real Estate Owned) property sales in Boulder County. There were conflicting reports this past week about the foreclosure activity in Boulder County. The first report that came out [...] 530 views |
 Need some more space? How about a Studio Shed.by Liz Benson on Apr 20, 2009 Boulder’s own Studio Shed offers an alternative to traditional “barn-style” sheds and costly remodels. Studio Shed is a prefabricated space that embraces the emerging lifestyle of smaller but smarter living. An inspired room with a variety of uses: a home office, an art studio, a kid’s playroom, or simply a place to store a mountain [...] 2,781 views |
 Obama’s Plan for Mortgage Modifications – New Rules Nationwide.by Liz Benson on Apr 13, 2009 Finally, some good news for homeowners who are struggling to make their mortgage payments. A new plan from the Obama administration sets national guidelines for loan modifications. These modifications are intended for homeowners who can’t afford their current monthly mortgage payments due to a hardship. It does not help those who can afford their mortgages [...] 2,635 views |
 Review: Terracycle Household Cleanersby Liz Benson on Mar 24, 2009 My shiny kitchen counters say it all – This stuff works! I tried these natural cleaners from Canadian eco brand Terracycle. They are among the first consumer products to carry the Zerofootprint seal which means that in addition to following sustainable business practices, the company also purchases meaningful offsets to minimize their impact. The bottles are [...] 221 views |
Finance Your Energy Upgrades through New Boulder County Programby Liz Benson on Mar 10, 2009 There is a new way to pay for those energy efficiency upgrades that you’ve been putting off, without having to come up with the money in uncertain times. It’s a new program available to Boulder County residents which will finance projects through loans that will be attached to the property owner’s annual tax assessment. This program [...] 1,890 views |
 Green Energy Wins Big in Stimulus Package – Rebates for hybrid cars, tax credits for solar & wind, weatherization and moreby Liz Benson on Feb 27, 2009 President Obama’s record-breaking, historic stimulus package, contains big bucks in the form of subsidies for green energy. Some of which may directly save you money. Here is an abbreviated summary of the numerous energy-related provisions: $2 billion to increase the tax credit for hybrid cars to $7,500 $300 million for consumer rebates for energy-efficient appliances $268 million to [...] 4,476 views |
 More Details Released about the Obama Plan for Housing Affordability – or How the Federal Government will help people stay in their homesby Liz Benson on Feb 23, 2009 President Obama announced a $75 billion dollar mortgage relief plan intended to keep struggling homeowners in their homes and slow down the current housing crisis. The plan aims to help as many as 9 million homeowners by allowing them to refinance at a lower, more affordable interest rate. For a Q & A on how the new [...] 586 views |
 $8000 Home Buyer Tax Credit in New Stimulus Planby Liz Benson on Feb 20, 2009 The new Economic Stimulus Plan includes an $8000 Tax Credit for First Time Home Buyers OR those who have not owned a home for 3 years. Unlike the $7500 tax credit from last year, this credit does NOT have to be re-paid as long as you own the home as your primary residence for at least [...] 3,940 views |
 Home Energy Audit – Do it Yourselfby Liz Benson on Feb 16, 2009 You may have heard about Home Energy Audits. You hire someone to come out to your house and evaluate how much energy you are using now, what steps you could take to save energy, how much those steps will cost you, and finally how much money and energy you [...] 638 views |
 Fun and Fine Art on the Cheapby Liz Benson on Feb 6, 2009 I was a student at CU during the 80′s when Tuesday was $1 movie night, Cafe Gondolier had all you can eat spaghetti for $1.99, and Red Robin had free beer until someone went to the bathroom (and no I did not make that last one up). I also had a bad perm and wore [...] 239 views |
 Recycled Roof Shingles Find New Use in Boulder County Roadby Liz Benson on Jan 28, 2009 I always love to hear about a new way to divert anything from landfills and the local Roofs to Roads Project has a great one. Collect tons of used asphalt shingles that have been removed from homes and other buildings and use them to pave a test road on North 63rd St in Boulder County. [...] 823 views |
 Home Prices End the Year Mixed in Boulder County – Some communities fared better than othersby Liz Benson on Jan 26, 2009 The 2008 home sales figures for Boulder and surrounding communities are in…and let’s just say there is good news and bad news. Broomfield and Superior were the only communities that saw an increase in their median single family home price compared to 2007, while Longmont and the Suburban Plains saw the largest decrease. Attached homes (i.e. condos and [...] 442 views |
 Ten Tips to Avoid Buying the Wrong Houseby Liz Benson on Jan 9, 2009 Photo Courtesy US Geological Survey, Kona, Hawaii When shopping for a home, it’s crucial to consider numerous factors beyond price and curb appeal. Here are some suggestions to ensure that your little piece of paradise doesn’t turn out to be a pit of endless problems. Humorist, Jeffrey Shaffer of the Christian Science Monitor has his [...] 215 views |
 Would you pay $103,000 for this fixer-upper? WSJ story illustrates the many causes of housing crisisby Liz Benson on Jan 7, 2009 This article from the Wall Street Journal illustrates how the greed of many different industries and individuals was involved in creating the current housing crisis. It begins with a homeowner in Arizona who owned a distressed property and received a questionable loan, but the mistakes (at best) continue: 287 views |
 BeadforLife Parties – The new tupperware party for a much better causeby Liz Benson on Dec 30, 2008 I actually hosted a Tupperware Party when I was in High School and sold enough plastic storage containers to get my own free wedding cake pans. I’m not sure why I wanted wedding cake pans when I was 14, but I guess I just wanted to bake a very large cake. These days, there is [...] 364 views |
 Low Interest Mortgages – Stop the decline in home prices, stop the crisis.by Liz Benson on Dec 22, 2008 These two respected economists from Columbia University make a compelling argument for the Treasury Department to lower mortgage interest rates for home purchases and refinancing to significantly slow the housing market downturn and spur the economy. Check out their article from the Wall Street Journal. I hope the Treasury Dept. is listening because their recommendation makes sense [...] 225 views |
 Energy Efficient Mortgage – New options when buying or remodelingby Liz Benson on Dec 18, 2008 I am always looking out for ways to save money while also saving energy. Now there are new mortgage options, often called Green Financing, available to home buyers and current homeowners. Whether you want to buy an energy efficient home or want to convert an existing home into an energy efficient marvel, here is how [...] 404 views |
 Could this be a good time to buy a house? (or refinance?)by Liz Benson on Dec 8, 2008 In a recent NY Times article, the author, Ron Lieber, makes a case for buying a home now, especially for first-time home buyers. The compelling reasons – low interest rates (which may go even lower soon), a $7500 tax credit and less competition from other buyers for homes that are on the market now. 864 views |
 City of Boulder to “green-up” construction codes even further.by Liz Benson on Dec 2, 2008 The Boulder City Council, as of November 25th, adopted new building code requirements that will increase energy efficiency in new commercial buildings by 30%. The requirements will also be raised on residential remodels and additions by 15-50% depending on the size of the remodel. “These code changes are the next step in aligning building construction [...] 253 views |
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