The 2008 Travis County appraisals are now available online. It’s time to check your home’s value and file protests. Travis County deadline for filing a tax appraisal protest is May 31 or 30 days after the Travis County appraisal district mailed you a notice of appraised value, whichever is later.
Having a Greener Home
With all the concern about the environment, it is no wonder that more and more people are interested in making their home more green. The list below will provide you with several small changes that will make a big impact.
Green Home: Tip One
One of the easiest ways to make your home more green is simply turning down your thermostat. By lowering your thermostat one degree in the winter and raising it one degree in the winter, you can reduce your energy costs by almost five percent.
Green Home: Tip Two
Appliances use the more energy than anything else in your home; unless, of course, you have Energy Star-qualified appliances. These appliances answer to a higher standard of energy efficiency than non-Energy Star appliances. The qualification guidelines for these home appliances are set by the Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Department of Energy. Using these appliances will save you somewhere around $75 per year on your energy bill.
Green Home: Tip Three
At one point you will decide to pull up that wall-to-wall carpeting and want to put down some nice hardwood floors. If you choose to upgrade your home in this manner, make sure you use flooring that comes from rapidly renewable resources (i.e. bamboo) and is solid wood.
Green Home: Tip Four
You know that window your house, the one that you can feel the nice Austin breeze blowing through it even if it is closed. That window represents wasted money and energy if you are running the air conditioning or if your heat is on. Going around and checking the seal around your windows and doors is a great way to help make your home a green home. Save money and conserve energy by caulking all cracks and leaks in your house.
Green Home: Tip Five
The final tip for making your home a green home is replacing your light bulbs. All of your light bulbs. Using just five, that’s right five, compact fluorescent bulbs will reduce energy use by 75% and could save you up to $100 on your yearly electric bill. If you think that’s great, using compact fluorescent bulbs also helps in removing greenhouse gases from the air.
Austin’s Mayor, Will Wynn, has introduced the Austin Climate Protection Plan. The plan contains provisions to make Austin one the greenest cities in the US. However, part of the plan is raising eyebrows with Austin homeowners.
When a home is resold, an energy-efficiency inspection will be required to ensure the home meets minimal green standards. The improvements must be completed and a certificate of compliance must be obtained prior to closing.
Mayor Wynn explained, “We’re not talking about requiring a comprehensive retrofit. What we’re looking at are the top four or five things with the lowest cost and highest return. Things like ceiling insulation, weather stripping, duct sealing, and solar screens.”
In older homes, improvements could add as much as $10K to the cost of the home. In addition, these requirements could significantly complicate and delay closing. Being green shouldn’t cost so much green!
Perhaps the Austin city council should reconsider the “green inspection” and enhance current incentive based programs such as Austin Energy’s and Austin WashWise Rebate Program.
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