stevenkleiman2

by Steven Kleiman

contributing writer for modernhouston.net

By: Steven Kleiman

Hold on to your hats, folks. If you want to keep up with the Jones’ on the
housing front, going bigger isn’t going to cut it anymore. Today, for the
Jones’ and others on the forefront of home trends, it’s all about how
much green you’ve got...and I’m not talking about money.

Green modern homes, or eco-friendly houses as they’re sometimes
called, are “what’s hot” in modern homes right now.
That’s because of two reasons:

(1) Green modern homes are designed (literally) to save the environment.
(2) Living in a green home is easier on the pocketbook than a
traditional home.

So, as you go out green house hunting, whether you’re a sightseer or a
buyer, here are some features to look for:

◊ Solar panels on the roof, but make sure the technology is current.
(No pun intended.)
◊ Insulated windows above and beyond traditional double panes
◊ Tank-less Water Heaters
◊ Low-flow faucets and showerheads and low-volume flush toilet tanks
◊ Fluorescent or LED lighting throughout the house
◊ Environmentally friendly flooring (i.e. Bamboo instead of hardwoods)
◊ Rainwater collection system and drip irrigation in the flowerbeds
◊ Appliances with high EERs (energy efficiency ratings)
◊ Low-maintenance Xeriscape-based landscaping

If you’re thinking about custom building a green home or purchasing a
newly constructed modern home from a green builder, consider
requesting the following:

Recycled Building Materials. The home should make good use of recycled
materials and / or biodegradable materials. For example, use salvaged
wood instead of newly cut wood for building and use recycled glass for
countertops instead of marble or granite.

Rooftop Landscaping: Another emerging trend in green homes, though less
common to see in your everyday neighborhood, is rooftop gardens. It’s not
just for downtown high-rise buildings anymore. They’re great if you have the
opportunity to add one on because the vegetation will help to regulate
your home’s temperature.

It may not be easy to find a modern green home with many, if not all, of the
“green” features listed above, but more and more consumers are demanding “greener”
homes when they build or remodel. To have a green home that’ll
one-up the Jones’, make sure that the home is built by a green builder
and / or is certified green through an organization such as the
U.S. Green Building Council (www.usgbc.org).

Do you live in a Houston-area modern green home? Great!
Tell me why you went green and how going green has changed how you live.

Biography:
Steven Kleiman is a licensed real estate broker and the owner of Houston, Texas-based
Oakington Realty. The firm provides agent services to buyers, sellers and investors
interested in real estate inside the I-610 Loop. To learn more about modern real estate
in metro-Houston, contact Steven at: realestate@modernhouston.net