PESSIMISM?

A new Gallup poll says about half of consumers expect a housing-market collapse in their area over the next three years despite pundits' predictions to the contrary.

The West and the East coasts put most of that poll in the pessimistic column. The mid-west and the South were much more optimistic.

The reason? In Tyler and East Texas it was our steady 7 0r 8 percent annual increases in property values over the last number of years. We didn't have the big run up that caused everybody to buy in a panic. Real Estate is more stable here; and it's a much better investment because of it.

PESSIMISM?

A new Gallup poll says about half of consumers expect a housing-market collapse in their area over the next three years despite pundits' predictions to the contrary.

The West and the East coasts put most of that poll in the pessimistic column. The mid-west and the South were much more optimistic.

The reason? In Tyler and East Texas it was our steady 7 0r 8 percent annual increases in property values over the last number of years. We didn't have the big run up that caused everybody to buy in a panic. Real Estate is more stable here; and it's a much better investment because of it.

GREEN!

This from MSN Real Estate, Sunday, January 21st:

More than 1 million U.S. households now warm their homes in the winter with heat from the earth instead of using furnaces or fuel lines. Elton John, Virgin Airlines chief Richard Branson and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen use ground-source energy in their homes.

Even George W. Bush has a geothermal system in his vacation home in Crawford, Texas. Designed by architect David Heymann, Prairie Chapel Ranch captures solar energy and has a cistern that gathers rainwater and wastewater, purifies it and then uses it to irrigate the greenery around the presidential vacation home.

Upscale your conscience

Reducing the size of your carbon footprint and increasing the number of renewable energy systems you use is becoming something to brag about. From geothermal systems to wind turbines to solar panels, going green is starting to get glamorous, as well as being politically correct and simply forward-thinking. As renewable and conservationist technologies become economically competitive with traditional fuels, several alternative-energy companies saw demand skyrocket in 2006.

"The green-energy movement is growing in leaps and bounds," says Paul Glenney, a director of energy initiatives at AeroVironment, a California company that makes sleek wind turbines that can be mounted on buildings. Glenney calls these examples of "kinetic architecture," and they point to consumers' increasing demand for more-elegant products.

"This is a generation increasingly interested in clean energy," Glenney says. "Customers increasingly want products for their offices and homes.

ENERGY SAVINGS

This from Kiplinger's:

Feeling pinched by utility bills? It's no wonder: Since 2001 home-energy costs have more than tripled, rising from an average of $600 annually to $1,900. There are plenty of ways to trim costs, starting with Jimmy Carter's advice from the energy-scarce 1970s: Turn down the thermostat and wear a sweater. That alone could save you $100 over the heating season. A lot of other fixes, from adding weather stripping and insulation to getting rid of an old refrigerator in the basement, will cut your energy costs, too. The savings will be especially dramatic if your home shows symptoms of energy illness: draftiness, a room that's always too hot or too cold, ice dams on the roof, foggy windows or a musty smell.

Give your home a physical
Start with a free and easy self-assessment: Compare your utility bills with those of a neighbor whose home is about the same size as yours. If your bills are notably higher, you have a problem. Next, survey your energy use with an online tool such as the Home Energy Saver, designed by the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. On its Web site, as well as those of the federal Energy Star program and your local utilities, you'll find tons of energy-saving advice.

But for a comprehensive diagnosis and significant payback, you'll need an energy audit. For a cost of up to about $400, an auditor will spend as long as six hours evaluating your home from top to bottom, including the exterior (how airtight is it?), ductwork (is cooled or heated air going where it should?), heating and cooling systems (are they efficient?), and appliances and lighting (do you need energy-efficient upgrades?). Two vital tools in the auditor's black bag are the blower-door test and infrared scanning, or thermography, which will detect thermal defects such as missing or inadequate insulation and air leaks. The auditor will also check carbon-monoxide levels. You'll receive a summary report with recommendations, including estimated costs, savings and length of payback.

Energy Star says homeowners can cut their energy use 25% to 50%, depending on the condition of the house and how many recommendations homeowners implement. Plus, local utilities and state energy offices often offer incentives and rebates to homeowners for making energy improvements. You may also qualify for up to $500 in federal income-tax credits that you can claim on your 2006 or 2007 return for insulation and energy- efficient windows and doors, roofs, and heating and cooling equipment (the deadline for installation is December 31, 2007). A bonus: Your home's energy efficiency will be a future selling point.