Current Housing Indicators |
| CURRENT | PREVIOUS | ||
| Existing Home Sales | 4.49m | ▼ | 4.74m |
| New Home Sales | 309,000 | ▼ | 344,000 |
| Housing Starts | 583,000 | ▲ | 477,000 |
| Building Permits | 547,000 | ▲ | 531,000 |
| HMI | 9 | UNCH | 9 |
| Existing Home Prices | $170,300 | ▼ (annually) | $199,800 |
| New Home Prices | $201,100 | ▼ (annually) | $232,400 |
- Realities of the New Obama Refis
- A Bigger Housing Bailout for Obama
- Home Prices: Are We There Yet?
- Treasury: Jingle Mail A Myth
- How Bad Is The Housing Market? One Man's Tale
- Appraisal Code Sparks Huge Response
- New Rules on Home Appraisals End Up Thwarting Many Sales
- Mortgage Bankers Slash 2009 Forecasts
- $15,000 Home Buyer Tax Credit Proposal
- Watch The Mortgage Apps
|
CNBC'S MOST SHARED
- 'We're in the Middle of a Crash': Black Swan
- A Goldman Trading Scandal?
- The Rising Mountain of Debt May Be the Next Crisis
- Malaysia PM Speaks to CNBC
- SEC May Reinstate Rules for Short-Selling Stocks
- Alaska Governor Sarah Palin Will Resign
- Latvian Banker Taking Souls as Collateral
- Cuddle Parties Heat Up
- Charting Gold & Crude Oil
- Market 360: The Week's Best & Worst
- Fireworks At Pharma's Market
- Value of Warren Buffett's Annual Gift to Gates Foundation Falls Along With Berkshire's Stock
- Michael Jackson: The Music And The Money
- Five Stock Picks for This Market
- Realities of the New Obama Refis
- Weak Dollar Means Gold at $1,040: Strategist
- Court Ruling Could Mean Trouble for TiVo
- Lance, Please Back Out Of Tour
- Plan to Sell General Motors' Assets Is Approved
- BOJ Shirakawa: Japan Corporate Finance Still Tight
- China Reassures on Dollar Debate Before G8
- Obama Heads to Moscow for 'Reset' Summit
- UK Spy Chief's Wife Posts Life on Facebook
- Alcoa to Post Loss — What Does This Mean?
- A Goldman Trading Scandal?
- Partner Re to Buy Paris Re in $2 Billion Deal
- Happiness Is ... Living Green in Costa Rica
RSS FEED

![]() |
Kermit the Frog |
Check out the NY Times House & Home section today; check
![]() |
AP |
Your home is one of the biggest environmental offenders on the planet; no wonder home greening has grown to a 40 billion dollar industry in the U.S. -- and we lag behind Europe! Energy costs are forcing Americans to take another look at their homes and zero in on what's leaking, what's wasting and what's just plain inefficient. Builders estimate 10% of all new homes will be "green" by the end of this decade.
But here's the problem: not all builders have caught up. A tidbit in the NY Times today tells of a consulting partnership in Plainfield, NJ called Frankly Green, which will help you find experienced contractors who really get green. They also sell paint.
The National Association of Home Builders also has lots of great information on going green at home, although it's a little hard to find. There's also a checklist in this month's Remodeling Magazine (I know, I should be reading Elle, right??) that I'll steal for you:
FIVE KEY CONCEPTS OF GREEN REMODELING:
- Energy Efficiency
- Indoor Air Quality
- Resource Efficiency Use and Durability (that's the old fridge you run in the garage)
- Site Management and Use (that's trees and stuff and how your house is situated)
- Water Consumption
It's all about the carbon footprint -- and not just what's behind the front door, but the entire process of getting the front door in the frame. It's how you manufacture and transport building materials, dispose of construction waste, the tools your builder uses to build/remodel your home. I could go on, but I don't want to get Gore-ish.
Go home tonight and take a look around it. This is your biggest investment, and you're more than likely wasting money every minute you're standing there looking. With summer nearly upon us, and brownouts looming in the outlet that's powering your plasma, consider the following: you all may not care about the planet, but I know you care about your wallets. Make it about that.
Questions? Comments?












