HUD invests $837M in energy, climate renovations for multifamily housing

The funds come from the Inflation Reduction Act and $4 billion of loan commitment authority.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on Thursday announced that it will be investing more than $837 million in funds from the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act and its own commitment authority to address energy costs and housing quality in underserved communities.

The funding will be distributed through HUD’s Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP), which is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, address climate resilience, as well as energy and water efficiency of HUD-assisted multifamily properties located in low-income communities.

HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge will announce the funding initiative during an appearance in Center Line, Michigan.

“Under the leadership of President Biden, HUD is committed to building a more equitable and sustainable housing system and making necessary investments to reduce the impacts of climate change and improve the lives of people across America,” Secretary Fudge said in a statement. “The launch of the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program today will ensure low-income individuals and families have better access to healthy, energy efficient, and resilient homes.”

Last year’s Inflation Reduction Act allocated $837.5 million in grant and loan subsidy funding and $4 billion in loan commitment authority specifically for this program.

An additional $42.5 million will also be going toward a new HUD initiative coming in the summer, which will “collect and assess energy and water usage data from HUD-assisted multifamily housing properties to better target opportunities to save energy and water, cut costs, and reduce emissions,” according to HUD.

“Lower-income communities are often the last to obtain access to state-of-the-art efficiency, resilience, and clean energy technologies,” said Assistant Secretary for Housing and Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Commissioner Julia Gordon. “The Green and Resilient Retrofit Program will change this by providing communities with an opportunity to lead the multifamily sector in retrofitting homes to make them safer and more sustainable for the future.”

HUD noted that building owners will be able to more easily invest in new technologies designed to increase climate resilience and pay more attention to their carbon footprints. These technologies include solar panels for electricity, heat pumps for interior climate control, roofing that is more resistant to heavy winds and others.

“The program’s implementing notice and Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs) released today detail a range of grant and loan funding options for multifamily housing owners with varying levels of expertise with green retrofits,” HUD said. 

The agency noted that the GRRP is the first HUD program to offer simultaneous investments in energy and water efficiency, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, clean-energy generation and climate resilience strategies in multifamily housing.

Read on.

Related Links

• If the Housing Market Is Down, Why Do Bidding Wars and Offers Over the List Price Abound?

• 7 Easy Tips To Turn Your Garden Into a Bee Sanctuary

• How to Make Hummingbird Nectar

If there is a home that you would like more information about, if you are considering selling a property, or if you have questions about the housing market in your neighborhood, please reach out. We’re here to help.

Search Homes in Colorado

Search Homes in Oklahoma

Search Homes in Oregon

Search homes in Minnesota

7 Easy Tips To Turn Your Garden Into a Bee Sanctuary

The sun is shining, the grass is getting greener, and all of those lovely pollinators are starting to reappear in your garden.

And if you love bees as much as we do, you’re probably wondering what you can do to support the tiny creatures during the early spring season. After all, scant food and chilly nights don’t exactly make for the easiest living conditions.

To help, we spoke to gardening experts to find the best ways to support the bees in your yard during spring. Here are seven things you can do right now to ensure a healthy environment so your local pollinators can thrive all summer long.

1. Put down the rake (for now)

One of the best ways to make your yard a bee haven this spring? Hold off on raking, mowing, or tilling.

“Wait to rake until late spring or early summer to help protect queen bees and other pollinators that may be hibernating in the soil,” says Zeeshan Haider, CEO and founder of Greenry Enthusiast.

When temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees, all the sleepy bees will have fully emerged and you can get to cleaning up your yard then.

2. Go organic

Another way to support your local pollinators right now is to resist adding harmful chemicals to your yard.

“Eliminating pesticides creates an environment that keeps bees safe, which will help your garden spring to life big-time,” says Elle Meager, founder of Outdoor Happens. “Splashing your tomato plants or herb garden with pesticides to eradicate a few aphids is likely doing more harm than good. So try natural pest control methods instead.”

Natural methods include blasting plants with water, using organic alternatives like neem oil, or even introducing larger predators that will take care of the pest control for you.

One such spotted predator that won’t harm the bees? Ladybugs.

“Ladybugs are far superior to pesticides,” adds Meager.

3. Keep the weeds

Once your bees are safe, it’s a good idea to ensure your garden and yard have some natural food sources. And in spring, food often comes from the weeds we all love to dig out.

“No one likes weeds—except bees,” says Andrea Ballanti of Your Indoor Herbs. “Dandelions and clover are great sources of food for bees. So if you can, leave these plants around for a bit so your local bees can feed on them.”

Your garden will thank you. Besides being good early-season food for bees, clover and dandelion are also natural soil builders.

4. Embrace native plants

If you love bees, then you probably know all about planting a wide variety of pollinator-friendly plants. But one of the best things you can add to your garden for the bees are plants that naturally grow in your climate.

“Native plants are adapted to your local soil, making them more resilient and better able to provide the resources that pollinators need,” says Zahid Adnan of The Plant Bible.

Because they’ve co-evolved with native pollinators, native plants are also more likely to provide the right kind of nectar and pollen for local bees.

5. Refill your water features

If you have a fountain or some other water feature in your yard, now’s a good time to fill them up for your local pollinators.

“Bees work hard in your garden,” says Meager. “They then work up a thirst. So adding plenty of fresh water will incentivize them to stick around nearby and make themselves at home.”

Meager recommends adding birdbaths of various sizes and depths to help local songbirds and other pollinators quench their thirst as well.

6. Build some bee hotels

After food and water, consider providing your pollinators with a bit of extra shelter. One way to do this is to build a bee hotel.

“Bee hotels provide nesting habitat for solitary bees, which make up the majority of bee species,” says Adnan. “Logs with holes drilled into them make great bee hotels, but it’s important to make sure the holes are the right size.”

Different bee species have different preferences for hole diameter, so be sure and do some research on which kind of bees you’d like to attract (and their preferred diameter of nesting hole) before you start drilling.

7. Be patient and observe

If you’re hoping to build a garden that local pollinators will return to year after year, one of the best things you can do is also one of the simplest: Pay attention.

“Observe the bees and other pollinators that visit your garden, and try to identify the different species you see,” says Adnan. “This can help you tailor your gardening practices to the needs of local pollinators.”

And don’t be afraid to experiment and try out new varieties of flowers that might offer new food sources or nesting habitats. Take note of what your local bees seem to love, and then work on adding more.

Get more like this on Realtor.com

Related Links

• If the Housing Market Is Down, Why Do Bidding Wars and Offers Over the List Price Abound?

• Property Taxes Explained by a former County Appraiser!

• How to Make Hummingbird Nectar

If there is a home that you would like more information about, if you are considering selling a property, or if you have questions about the housing market in your neighborhood, please reach out. We’re here to help.

Search Homes in Colorado

Search Homes in Oklahoma

Search Homes in Oregon

Search homes in Minnesota

Combat the Summer Heat With These Preventative Measures

Summer is here, and it brings with it a lot of heat, making it necessary to keep your home cool and comfortable.

However, before you break your bank, you can take precautionary measures to keep your home cool and save on the power bill. Cooling your home can be challenging during those hot, sweltering months. This blog post outlines some preventative measures to effectively beat the summer heat in your home.

Utilize Ceiling Fans
Utilizing ceiling fans can be a smart and economical decision when trying to keep cool during summer the air in your home; ceiling fans create a refreshing breeze and insulation layer that can help maintain a comfortable temperature even in the midst of scorching heat. Remember to set your ceiling fans to rotate clockwise, as this will create a cooling effect in your rooms. With this simple step, you can easily reduce your dependence on air conditioning and save money on energy bills while staying cool and comfortable all season.

Invest in Shades, Blinds or Curtains
When summer reaches its peak, shielding your windows from sunlight with shades, blinds, or curtains can be a lifesaver. These window treatments can significantly reduce the amount of heat entering your home, keeping it cooler and more comfortable. During the hottest hours of the day, it's best to keep your shades, blinds, or curtains closed to reduce the sun's heat. This investment will help improve your overall living conditions and save on energy costs since your air conditioning unit won't have to work as hard to keep up.

Plant Trees and Shrubs
Planting trees and shrubs around your house can provide many benefits beyond simply sprucing up your landscaping. These plants can act as natural cooling systems by creating cooler temperatures and providing shade from the sun's direct heat. In fact, studies have shown that plants can be even more effective at cooling than human-made cooling systems. Placing trees and shrubs around your home can save energy and reduce your carbon footprint.

Get Your AC Serviced
Keeping your home cool during the warm summer months is crucial, but it can be difficult to achieve if your air conditioner isn't running smoothly. By neglecting to get ac service to your unit, you risk losing efficiency, which can lead to higher energy bills and discomfort in your own home. Preventative maintenance is key in preventing costly repairs in the future. By hiring a professional to check and service your air conditioner before temperatures rise, you can ensure that your unit operates optimally when you need it most.

Seal Windows and Doors
Another essential step to reduce heat and humidity in your house is to properly seal your windows and doors. Check if there are any cracks or gaps and seal them to prevent hot air infiltration. This will keep your air conditioning system functioning at optimal capacity, reducing the energy bill, and keeping your home cool and comfortable.

Beating the summer heat can be challenging, but with preventative measures like investing in shades, blinds, and curtains, utilizing ceiling fans, planting trees and shrubs around your home, and getting your AC serviced regularly, you can keep your home cool and comfortable throughout the hot summer months. Following these steps will not only make it easier to stay cool and comfortable, but it will also help save money on your energy bills. So take proactive measures now to beat the summer heat in your home.

If the Housing Market Is Down, Why Do Bidding Wars and Offers Over the List Price Abound?

The housing market is supposed to have cooled down. So why are there still bidding wars and homes selling for more than the asking price?

It’s true that the housing market has cooled down—tremendously—from the madness that permeated that desperate hunt for real estate during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, adorable, turnkey homes in desirable locations are still receiving multiple offers and often selling for a premium.

Opposite things can be true at the same time.

The run-up in mortgage interest rates thinned out the ranks of buyers. But the higher rates also scared off many would-be home sellers, many of whom are buyers as well. That’s resulted in many more buyers than there are properties for sale. So every time a move-in ready home with curb appeal in a good school district goes up for sale, buyers pounce. Those homes are selling briskly with plenty of competition.

What’s not selling nearly as well: homes that are eyesores, need some work, are in less popular locations, or are overpriced. Buyers either can’t afford or aren’t willing to pay extra to upgrade these properties. They’re grappling with significantly more expensive monthly mortgage payments, which are about 79% larger* than those of homeowners who bought two years ago.

So first-time buyers seeking a turnkey home in a great community need to have a strategy in place if they want to be competitive.

1. Know your local market

Forget about what’s happening in the national housing market. Focus on what’s going on locally. It doesn’t matter if home prices are falling in one region of the country if they’re rising in yours.

See how long homes are staying on the market in the communities where you would like to live, including those gorgeous turnkey houses. Are they selling for over, at, or under the asking price? Pore over the comps of comparable homes that have sold. Your real estate agent should know if this is a market where you need to waive contingencies and kick in a high down payment to have an offer accepted—or if you can ask the seller to cover your closing costs.

Having this information can help you to figure out how much to offer, what to ask for, and what you might need to concede.

2. Get pre-approved for a mortgage

I’ve heard countless stories of folks who just wanted to see what was out there and visit a few open houses before deciding if they wanted to buy a home. Inevitably, they fall in love with one of those properties. However, they haven’t been pre-approved for a mortgage, so they’re not sure if their credit scores are high enough to get a loan. So they lose the home to one of the six other offers the seller received from pre-approved buyers.

Save yourself the heartache and get pre-approved for a mortgage before you start attending open houses. This critical step will also help you home in on the price range that you can comfortably afford.

3. Find a real estate agent you trust

Your real estate agent is your guide through this unfamiliar, emotional, and extremely stressful process.

It’s important that you find someone you trust with helping you make what might be the largest purchase of your life—one that you might spend the next 30 years paying off.

Get recommendations from friends, check online reviews, and make sure they have worked with buyers in a similar price range in the areas where you’re looking. Make sure this is someone who you’re comfortable with spending the next few months, or however long it takes, to find a home.

If your agent pressures you to put in offers on homes that you aren’t sure are right for you or offer more than you can afford, or simply doesn’t take your concerns seriously, find someone else.

Related Links

• Real Estate Market Update

• Property Taxes Explained by a former County Appraiser!

• How to Make Hummingbird Nectar

If there is a home that you would like more information about, if you are considering selling a property, or if you have questions about the housing market in your neighborhood, please reach out. We’re here to help.

Search Homes in Colorado

Search Homes in Oklahoma

Search Homes in Oregon

Search homes in Minnesota

How to Make Hummingbird Nectar

In a few easy steps, you can bring these nectar-loving birds to your feeder.

by the Audubon Society

Hummingbirds may be some of the smallest birds in the world, but fluttering those tiny wings can be quite a workout. Flapping away at up to 90 beats per second burns up calories fast; to maintain their momentum, hummingbirds need to eat—a lot! To satisfy their speedy metabolisms, these busy birds consume half their body weight in bugs and nectar, feeding every 10-15 minutes and visiting 1,000-2,000 flowers per day.
You can help these hardworking foragers get the nutrients they need by providing them with their favorite post-workout meal—nectar. This hummingbird sweet treat can be made right at home with a few simple ingredients. By filling your feeder with this DIY delight, you can complement nectar-rich plants and watch these beautiful little birds feed and flitter all day.
Materials:
• 1/4 cup refined white sugar
• 1 cup boiling water
• Bowl
• Spoon
Note: Please do not substitute honey, which can promote dangerous fungal growth, or use red food coloring, which is not necessary and could also prove harmful to birds.Steps:
1. Mix sugar and boiling water until sugar is dissolved.
2. Cool and fill feeder.
3. Hang up your feeder outside and wait for the hummingbirds to come.
***
You Can Help! Attract hummingbirds naturally by planting nectar-bearing native plants in your yard or community.

Related Links

• Real Estate Market Update

• Property Taxes Explained by a former County Appraiser!

• 5 Reasons Millennials Are Buying Homes

If there is a home that you would like more information about, if you are considering selling a property, or if you have questions about the housing market in your neighborhood, please reach out. We’re here to help.

Search Homes in Colorado

Search Homes in Oklahoma

Search Homes in Oregon

Search homes in Minnesota