Tuesday, 10 August 2010 00:00

We've known all along that constructing green buildings makes sense.  So many organizations and consumers recognize this as well as our own city and municipal power plant. Now the Appraisal Institute is recognizing the need for appraisers to understand that there is a real monetary valuation to homes that are not only saving energy and money but also less hazardous for their occupants and better for their communites' environment. 

Don Davis of Capitol City Bank recently sent us an email about an appraiser right in our backyard that is leading the charge for change with appraisers and the Appraisal Insitute.  Her name is Sandy Adomatis of Adomatis Appraisal Service and Green Builder Magazine recently quoted her when it comes to a new law that is actually working against green appraisals because of the home forclosure nightmare we have been experiencing.  According to Green Builder:

...a law put in place in May 2009 in response to escalating foreclosures actually works against green appraisals, explains Sandy Adomatis of Adomatis Appraisal Service, Punta Gordo, Fla. Called the Home Value Code of Conduct (HVCC), the law prevents lenders from putting undue pressure on the appraiser to inflate a value. 

Because of this law, a third party must order an appraisal for a home, and these companies often hire appraisers on a rotational basis. So the appraiser sent out to look at your home may not have any experience assessing a green home (and was probably hired because he had the lowest fee and the quickest turn time). 

“The green property needs an appraiser that has knowledge of the product to provide a credible result,” says Adomatis. “ Many builders are under the impression they cannot talk to the appraiser. But that is not true: The builder, realtor, homeowner, and appraiser need to communicate on all assignments.”

According to Adomatis, builders must request an appraiser who specializes in green and should do so at the beginning of a project. If an appraisal comes in lower than expected, builders should request a copy of it. “If it doesn’t talk about green or energy efficiency, you can appeal,” she says.

Adomatis, who wrote the seminar, “Inspecting the Residential Green House,” suggests that builders who want a smooth appraisal process to be prepared with the following:

1. A HERS rating: This is an estimate of the rating expected on completion. The appraisal should be subject to this estimated rating at or above the estimate. The HERS rating should include the Fannie Mae Energy Report that provides a contributory value of the monthly energy savings.
2. Construction costs. The breakdown of additional costs relating to green and energy-efficient items.
3. If building to LEED-H or NAHB’s National Green Building Program, provide the approximate rating expected. The appraisal should be subject to this rating at a minimum.
4. Blueprints. These should be detailed with attention to the energy efficient and green products noted. 
5. Detailed specs. Address energy efficiency and green construction products. 
6. Incentives. Provide a list of incentives that might include rebates from the power company, federal or state governments, lender, or local sources. The appraiser should address the incentives in the report.

7. Local code information. Provide a table comparing the local building code to the subject product. This document is invaluable in documenting an appraisal to the lender and supporting potential additional costs in the cost approach. This is also helpful in comparable selection and adjustment process. 

You can attend a green appraisal course in Maitland, FL on the 20th of August, just go here to register:

http://www.appraisalinstitute.org/education/seminar_descrb/Default.aspx?sem_nbr=808&key_type=SO

For Sandy's slide show presentation, go to her website here:

https://www.aci365.com/sites/sFiles/upload/tmp_2528_A1268736939tmp_2528_4b9f63ab9813f.pdf

and let her know the importance of helping appraisers realize the true value of green buildings.

 

 

Monday, 09 August 2010 19:40

Chris Fillie, entrepreneur extrodainaire and great guy has volunteered to help Barrels of Hope get the 2nd BOH earthbag house in Haiti completed this week.  The first house built two weeks ago was constructed as a demonstration shelter to teach the local builders how to go about building a secure and safe earthbag structure. 

This second house however, will be built for a woman named Madame Tutu in Jacmel, who is currently living under a tarp next to the rubble of her home that was destroyed in the earthquake.  This news was just received to us from Chris via email about 30 minutes ago.  We're rooting for you Fillie- keep up the good work!

Friday, 06 August 2010 00:00

Although the average wage is less than $4 a day in Haiti for unskilled labor, the best part for eveyone building the earthbag house with Barrels of Hope ( www.barrelsofhope.org ) was the lunch provided everyday from the local women of the village.  Here's a pic of the simple yet filling and nourishing beans and rice and avacado.  Take me back!

Thursday, 05 August 2010 00:00

Here's a pic of the Barrels of Hope Got-R-Did Crew in Haiti.  3 days.  Lots of sweat.  Lots of Heat.  Lunch lovingly prepared by the local women of the village everyday at 1pm.  Rice and beans and a slice of Zaboca (avacado) yum!

Wednesday, 04 August 2010 00:00

After a long trip including missed flights, delays, etc, Mike made it home! We cannot say how happy we are that he is home safe. Welcome back Mike! 

Monday, 02 August 2010 00:00

Coming home from traveling to another land is like waking from a dream.  Everything that has been so vivid and real to you suddenly dissolves back to familiarity.  Sitting in the Port Au Prince airport after an incredible deisel-fumed, roller-coaster, 3hr-1986 Toyota van ride, my head is still cloudy.  Waking at 4AM (while its still mercilously cool) on my last day in the beach town of Jacmel, we wound our way through the mountains cheating death at every hairpin turn.  The same mountain path which my road trip companion/translator Aleme and I had our car quit on us just 11 hrs earlier.

As fate would have it, we had just met the Mayor of Jacmel that morning, and he agreed to give us a space of land next to a "tent city" to build our next earthbag house on.  So when your car quits outside a town that you know barely anyone, you call the Mayor's assistant.  Without hesistation, they let us bring the car to the Mayor's house where his mechanics were ready to give us the diagnosis on the cooling system.  To have your own mechanic at your house would be strange enough if it weren't even stranger that the entire city is swarming with motorcycles that the Mayor's motorcycle business provided the local working population with for very cheap.  Anyway, the car was to be fixed this morning with Aleme wiaitng for the driver (not everyone knows how to drive in Haiti like the US) and I sitting on the seat between the driver and the passenger seat. 

Now that I'm getting ready to leave this mysterious, loving, terrible, island I'm thinking about how important it is that eveyone who donated to the Barrel of Hope cause understand the dire reality of the situation here and how getting land granted by Mayor Zenni is a huge step in teaching sustainable building with earthbags.  -back int he USA today, mike   

 

Sunday, 01 August 2010 00:00

Passed my Haitian driving test today winding our way through the chaos of Port Au Prince. I learned that the horn is your best friend (thanks Jacob!)  I can drive anywhere now.  Jane led us to see the destruction that is the Presidential Palace...MIKE

Friday, 30 July 2010 00:00

Too exhausted to write much but wanted to send you the almost completed earthbag "cay".  We chickenwired the outside as a lathe for the plaster but a storm caught us and we had to call it quits.  That gave the house its first test with its metal roof and 15 of us stuffed inside to wait out the storm.  Much love, Bon Nwi!
-Mike