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Rising Energy Prices

Energy prices are on the rise, according to a recent February 2014 survey conducted by Forbes, and it is an increasingly hot topic. From the standpoint of those that benefit from energy profits, the outlook is positive, says 81% of industry respondents.  Changes are happening and policies are going to be under the 2014 congressional spotlight.  Almost half of the respondents feel that it is likely that the U.S. will achieve energy independence in the foreseeable future…. but I’m not sure if that will make energy prices any more affordable locally.

From the standpoint of the user of a large property or older location with high energy costs to begin with, this news is not positive.  Maybe it’s time to become more pro-active, rather than re-active.  With prices on the rise and change in the air, now may be a perfect time to consider more efficient energy alternatives and upgrades to properties. Becoming pro “green energy” is becoming more and more attractive for many reasons, including the cost savings.
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11 Ways to Finance Commercial Real Estate Energy Retrofits

11 Ways to Finance Commercial Real Estate Energy Retrofits
by Michael C. Polentz

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, commercial buildings account for 35 percent of U.S. (and 40 percent of global) electricity consumption. Most commercial real estate professionals accept that energy efficient buildings can, and do, impact the value of the underlying asset. Notwithstanding this recognition, existing commercial buildings on average spend 30 percent of their budgets on operating costs and account for close to 20 percent of all global carbon emissions.

While they understand the benefits, the challenge for most commercial real estate owners and operators is not whether to implement energy efficient retrofits, but rather how to pay for or finance such improvements. Continue reading “11 Ways to Finance Commercial Real Estate Energy Retrofits”
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12 Key Factors When Buying Land

Congratulations!  You’ve decided to build your own home.  But where do you start?

Now that you’ve drawn up the plans or maybe even picked out your perfect manufactured or modular home, you’ll need to find the land to put it on.  It may sound like a simple process.  Pick the home, buy the land and move-in, but it’s much more complex than that.  Finding that right piece of land can be just as cumbersome as searching for the perfect home, if not more.  And, to complicate matters even more, not all real estate agents know land, so make sure you find one that does. Continue reading “12 Key Factors When Buying Land”
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Real Estate vs Stock Market

Why Real Estate is Better than Stocks

The thing I love about real estate is that it allows you to leverage your money. Here’s what I mean. Let’s say that you have $40,000 to invest.

Option 1: Investing in Real Estate. You find an income producing property, maybe a little run down that is only $200,000.  You put 15% down, or $30,000 and still have $2,000 for closing costs and $8,000 for upgrades.

Option 2: Investing in Stocks.  Say $20,000 goes into mutual funds and $20,000 into an aggressive stock.

Now, move forward one month. Continue reading “Real Estate vs Stock Market”