Saturday, Dec 14, 2019
Volume 28 Number 50
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Home Sales Firming Across the Province Vancouver, BC – December 12, 2019. The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports that a total of 6,616 residential unit sales were recorded by the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in November, an increase of 27.5 per cent from the same month last year. The average MLS® residential price in the province was $746,939, an increase of 5.5 per cent from November 2018. Total sales dollar volume was $4.94 billion, a 34.4 per cent increase from the same month last year. “After several months of strong gains, home sales are now firming around
21 per cent. Year-to-date, BC residential sales dollar volume was down 6 per cent to $50.23 billion, compared with the same period in 2018.
Residential unit sales were 3.9 per cent lower at 72,106 units, while the average MLS® residential price was down 2.2 per cent yearto date at $696,574.
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long-run averages,” said BCREA Chief Economist Brendon Ogmundson. “We expect 2020 will be a much more typical year for markets compared to the volatility of recent years.” MLS® residential active listings in the prov-
ince were down 6.6 per cent from November 2018 to 31,310 units, and down for a seventh straight month on a seasonally adjusted basis. Overall market conditions remain balanced with a sales-to-active listings ratio of
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6 things to know about Trudeau’s First-Time Home Buyer Incentive The federal government’s new incentive aimed at improving affordability for first-time homebuyers is about to launch on Sept. 2. Ottawa has earmarked $1.25 billion over three years for the First-Time Home Buyer Incentive (FTHBI), which is designed to lower new homeowners’ monthly mortgage payments without boosting their down payment costs. While this may seem like good news for prospective homebuyers, the incentive has come under intense scrutiny since it was announced in March, with some arguing it won’t help those looking to live in the country’s most expensive markets. So before you apply, here’s everything you need to know about the incentive.
payment requirement, can apply. However, the price of the mortgage plus the incentive amount cannot exceed more than four times your household income. “Thanks to the price limitation, the program is far less useful in highdemand markets like Toronto and Vancouver,” Rob McLister, founder of mortgage rate comparison website RateSpy.com, told BNN Bloomberg in an email. Theoretically, the maximum purchase price of a home under this plan would be $565,000, McLister noted. “Most first-timer buyers will qualify for far less under this program.” The CMHC notes the program is intended to help first-time buyers purchase a home they intend to live in, and therefore investment properties do not qualify.
1. It’s a shared-equity program 3. It’s not feasible in every market Run by the country’ federal housing agency, the FTHBI is a shared-equity mortgage program, meaning the government shares in the gains and losses of your home’s value as it fluctuates over time. Through the incentive, Canada Mortgage Housing Corp. (CMHC) will offer 10 per cent toward the down payment for a new home, and five per cent for resale homes, interest-free. 2. Not all first-time buyers will qualify First-time homebuyers with a combined household income of $120,000, and the minimum five-per-cent down
While many new buyers across the country can take advantage of the program, buyers in some markets may find it challenging to find a home selling for a price that qualifies for the program, according to a new study from Zoocasa. In the report released Tuesday, the real estate site found that after analyzing average home prices from July 2019 in 25 markets across the country, buyers with the maximum qualifying income and the required five-per-cent down payment would qualify in 19 of those cities. “These include markets in Eastern Canada, Quebec, the Prairies, as well
as smaller urban centres in Ontario,” the report said. “Not surprisingly, the six markets where the average home buyer would not qualify for the FTHBI include homes for sale in Toronto and several markets in its proximity in the Greater Golden Horseshoe such as HamiltonBurlington and Kitchener-Waterloo, as well as in Greater Vancouver and neighbouring Victoria and Fraser Valley.” Zoocasa also noted that a home buyer’s ability to use the incentive in each city may range based on their income, size of their down payment, and the price of the home they want to buy. 4. You have to pay it back Borrowers must pay the CMHC back after 25 years or once the home sells – whichever happens first. You can also pay back the loan early without penalty. The amount borrowers owe may increase or decrease depending on how the value your home changes over time. “If the home’s assessed value rises, the loan repayment will increase by the same per cent. However, the same will occur if the home has lost value by the time it is sold or the mortgage matures,” Zoocasa explained. While the loss-sharing component of the program may seem appealing, it is “largely an illusion,” according to McLister. “For buyers with little equity, selling after a big price correction and covering all your costs such as realtor fees, paying out the mortgage, and
covering closing costs, is difficult. It’s therefore less likely the government will ever actually absorb part of your losses if prices dive,” he said. 5. It can save you money on more than just your mortgage payments The government estimates the program could save buyers as much as $286 per month, or more than $3,430 per year, in mortgage payments on a $500,000 house. And McLister said depending on when you sell the home, can save even further. “People who may sell or move before their five-year mortgage term is up will likely save money with the FTHBI, McLister said. “That’s because the interest and default insurance premium savings will likely outweigh the equity give-up.” However, first-time buyers looking to purchase the most amount of house they can afford may want to reconsider using the incentive, added McLister. “Many FTHBI users can qualify for almost 10 per cent more home – sometimes more – by not using the FTHBI.” 6. Level of interest in the program is unknown The incentive is expected to help 100,000 families purchase their first home over the next three years, according to government targets. But the expected uptake is unknown.
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Refinance boom pushes weekly mortgage applications higher Refinance volume drove total mortgage application activity 3.8% higher last week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Applications to refinance a home loan jumped 9% for the week and were 146% higher than a year ago. By now, you would think just about everyone had refinanced their mortgage to today’s historically low interest rates, but apparently not. Refinance volume drove total mortgage application activity 3.8% higher last week compared with the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s seasonally adjusted index. Volume was 63% higher than the same week one year ago. Applications to refinance a home loan jumped 9% for the week and were 146% higher than the same week one year ago. The average rate on the 30-year fixed was 98 basis points higher a year ago. The refinance share of mortgage activity increased to 62.4 percent of total applications from 59.0 percent the previous week. Refinance volume has been incredibly strong all year — 17% of the total active mortgage market, according to real estate analytics company Black Knight. A growing number of borrowers is now doing cash-out refinances, something that was unpopular over the last decade of
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steady purchase growth in the coming months,� added Kan. While economic conditions may be favorable, the current for-sale market is not. The housing shortage is getting worse, as fewer homes than normal came on the fall market. Supply is leanest at the lower end of the market, where demand is strongest. Mortgage rates have been moving in a narrow range lately, and Wednesday afternoon’s announcement on interest rates by the Federal Reserve is not expected to change that. Rates are going to be much more responsive to the Dec. 15 deadline for additional U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods. “In general, a delay or cancellation would be bad for rates, but markets are already expecting a delay to some extent,� wrote Matthew Graham, chief operating officer at Mortgage News Daily. “The bigger deal would be waking up Monday morning of next week to find the tariff hike had been implemented. In that case, rates would likely benefit (i.e. move lower!).�
the housing recovery. Mortgage rates were essentially flat last week from the previous week, with the average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($484,350 or less) increasing to 3.98% from 3.97%, with points increasing to 0.33 from 0.32 (including the origination fee) for loans with a 20% down payment. “The 30-year fixed mortgage rate remained under 4% for the fourth straight week, and rates for FHA loans declined close to their lowest level of the year,� said Joel Kan, MBA’s associate vice president of economic and industry forecasting. “The decrease in FHA rates led to a 27% jump in refinance applications for those loans, and their share of refinance activity — at 14%— was the highest since 2016.� Mortgage applications to purchase a home fell 0.4% for the week but were 5% higher than a year ago. “The November jobs data showed increased payroll gains and low unemployment, which means conditions remain favorable for
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Steady home salesrecorded in October
Canadian housing markets remained busy in October, with sales holding steady on a month-onmonth basis, according to the latest figures from the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA). On an annual basis, actual sales activity was up 12.9%. Activity is now almost 20% above the six-year low reached early this year. However, it remains 7% below the record high reached in 2017. In regional terms, the higher sales in Greater Vancouver (GVA), Fraser Valley, and Ottawa offset the weak activity in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and Hamilton Burlington. The steady figures in the month seem to camouflage how the mortgage stress-test is affecting many local housing markets, said CREA president Jason Stephen. “That said, all real estate is local, so market balance varies depending on location, housing type, and price segment,” he said. Also read: Home sales remain in a “holding pattern” says CREA As sales activity grew, listings remained on a decline, falling by 1.8% in the month. Almost one-third of all housing markets posted a monthly decrease of at least 5%, while about a fifth recorded an increase of 5%. GTA and Ottawa posted the largest declines in the month. The steady sales and fewer new listings further
tightened the national sales-to-new listings ratio to 63.7%. This measure has been increasingly rising above its long-term average of 53.6%. The current sales-to-listings ratio indicates that sales negotiations are becoming increasingly tilted in favour of sellers. However, CREA said the national measure continues to mask significant regional variations. For instance, housing markets across the Prairies and in Newfoundland appear to be in a fullblown buyers’ market, said CREA chief economist Gregory Klump. “Homebuyers there have the upper hand in purchase negotiations and the mortgage stress-test has contributed to that by reducing the number of competing buyers who can qualify for mortgage financing while market conditions are in their favour,” he said. During the month, the home price index rose by 0.6%, marking its fifth consecutive month of gain. “Recently, home price trends have generally been stabilizing in the Lower Mainland and the Prairies. While that remains the case in Calgary and Saskatoon, home prices in Edmonton and Regina have moved lower. By contrast, home price trends have started to recover in the GVA and the neighbouring Fraser Valley,” CREA said.
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How Big Is the Gender Divide in Housing? One in five consumers buying a home today is a single woman. This cohort is the second largest group of home buyers in the country, trailing only married couples. What’s more, women now control nearly 60% of all personal wealth in the U.S., according to the National Association of Women Business Owners and the Small Business Administration. Understanding this mighty buying force and their housing preferences will help real estate professionals better serve their clientele. Meyers Research in Costa Mesa, Calif., conducted a survey analyzing the buying preferences of 33,000 home shoppers, including both men and women with a variety of locations and price points. They found that the influence of the female buyer segment goes further than expected. Not only are women involved in buying their own homes, but they also help guide many single men who seek advice during a home search. Following the purchase, women often take the reins in deciding what goes into the home, whether they’re buying solo or with a spouse. The interior is considered a reflection of her success and who she is, said Mollie Carmichael, principal and lead strategist with Meyers Research, who presented the survey results during a webinar on “What Women Want in Community and Houses” in October.
At the top of their wish lists, women want a supersized pantry, a tub in her bathroom, a first-floor office, and a front porch. The survey results are also helpful in understanding how female preferences compare to those of their male peers. Among the many points Carmichael discussed in her webinar, seven are especially key to help brokers and agents work with clients to identify their ideal home. Why they buy. Among women’s top motivations for purchasing a home are family, safety, price, and schools. For men, the prime factor is prestige, but they also care about fitness and family, according to the survey. Single women are more willing to commit to buying than men because they view a home as a wise investment and a way to spend their monthly living expenses wisely, especially since interest rates are low. Women
also see homeownership as a way to help lock in their financial security. “They have confidence in the market now and consider it a good time to buy.” Carmichael said. “Waiting would cause a greater sense of insecurity.” Single men, however, are less willing to commit to buying since they’re more transient. They’re more likely to move for a job or relationship, Carmichael said. The importance of location, size, and convenience. Overall, both women and men prefer a suburban location, though men are more willing to consider city or rural living. A male buyer is also more willing to drive longer distances to his job. Women are more likely to work from home, which is why the home office feature is important to female buyers, Carmichael said. When it comes to a home’s size, women prefer smaller—under 2,500
square feet—with more functional design. For men, a bigger home is preferred because they believe it’s more likely to guarantee a “better” lifestyle, Carmichael said.What matters more: indoors versus outdoors. A female buyer loves the interior of her home—it’s one of the prime motivations for her to buy, according to the survey. She seeks a place to socialize with others and alleviate stress. And if it has a large walk-in closet, all the better. While the female buyer cares about outdoor space—and likes the idea of a front porch—it’s an area she’s willing to compromise on for greater intimacy and affordability, according to the survey. A male buyer, however, typically favors the outdoors for socializing and barbecuing. He also likes the idea of a backyard or rooftop deck, though he’s also looking for a larger garage and a media room.
Design influences. Countless images on sites like Pinterest and Houzz have opened home shoppers’ eyes to a variety of housing aesthetics. When it comes to favorite looks, both women and men lean toward the modern touch, according to the survey, but his modern is more modern than hers. Men also like Spanish and English Tudor, while women veer more toward casual contemporary and modern farmhouse styles. She’s more willing to consider attached housing and multilevel than he is. The interior design of a home matters greatly to both, and builders have taken note by focusing more attention on interior choices, Carmichael said. Regardless of gender, white remains the top color choice—almost twice as much as other choices. Comfort is also a big selling feature for both women and men. Making changes. The ability to personalize the interior of a home so that rooms reflect the owner’s taste matters more to women than to men. Female buyers favor having utility space, an upgraded kitchen with cabinet “jewelry” and quartz countertops, a bathroom with a tub, guest space to accommodate parents or visitors, and a smart-home hub with remote access to everything from the front door and security systems to appliances. Male buyers prefer keeping costs down and making upgrades later, but when they do personalize, they
want wine storage and granite countertops over quartz, the survey found. The pet factor. According to the National Association of REALTORS® 2017 “Animal House: Remodeling Impact” report, 81% of potential buyers said that animal-related considerations will play a role in deciding their next living situation. But the Meyers Research survey found that women, more than men, want to have pets and treat them like family members by giving them a dedicated space in their home with a pet door, bed, and area to wash them. Women also more frequently look for homes in communities that have a dog park, Carmichael said. Bells and whistles. Extra touches in a house or amenities in a community are sometimes the tipping point for a sale. Women care about having a safe place for package deliveries more than men. “This Amazon phenomenon continues to grow,” Carmichael said. Men care more about being able to work out and enjoy healthy living while also have a place to disconnect when they get home. In their community, female and male buyers seek a resort-style pool, fitness center (she likes workout classes; he prefers to exercise independently), and Wi-Fi. A nearby sports park is a preference favored by men, though both men and women say they’d like a basketball court.
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How to Make a Home More Sustainable Goals change; countertops fabricated from imported granite and showers lined with sprays that endlessly shoot water from head to toe are no longer at the top of all homeowners’ wish lists. Sustainable features are the latest trend to attract buyers. Houses marketed with low-flow toilets and showerheads, multipane windows, electric charging stations, and kitchen countertops made from locally quarried stone are what makes today’s home shoppers swoon. According to the 2018 National Association of REALTORS® Sustainability Resource Guide, 61% of surveyed members said their clients are interested in sustainability and want more of these features in their homes—and it’s not just millennials requesting them. Almost every age group wants to save money, pare energy and water consumption, and remove toxins from the air they breathe. “Reducing utility bills is often the driver, but many also want to do the right thing,” says architect Tony Schmitz, sustainability director at Hoefer Wysocki, based in Leawood, Kan. The good news is there are innumerable steps that homeowners can take, and the cost to act sustainably may be modest, adding an extra 5% to 10% to the purchase price, says Prentis Hale, principal at SHED Architecture + Design in Seattle, which has long practiced sustainability. One important caveat to remind clients is that a return on investment may not be immediate, and it hinges on both the cost to buy and install a product or system and the area’s climate. Here are 10 tips real estate pros can use to advise their sustainable-conscious clients who are looking to purchase or update a home. Size. Whether starting over or adding on, it’s essential to analyze needs and try to go smaller, says architect Duo Dickinson, author of Staying Put: Remodel Your House to Get the Home You Want (The Taunton Press). “Size is controllable, unlike the weather. Smarter almost always means smaller without sacrificing usefulness or delight,” he says. Hale encourages clients to keep homes under 2,500 square feet. One way to do so is by having small bedrooms, he says. Nick Rosen, who lives off the grid in a small house in Spain part of the year, stresses the importance of not overutilizing land, too. “Land is both an asset and a liability since it requires maintenance. Choose strictly what you think you will need and no more,” he says. net zero construction Embodied energy. There’s growing recognition about the importance of the term embodied energy. Steffen Lehmann, dean of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas’ School of Architecture, defines it as the amount of energy consumed by all the processes associated with the production of a building, from mining materials to processing natural resources, and the manufacture, transport, and delivery of products. “It’s important for homeowners to ask builders and architects what they will do regarding this and how they intend to keep the embodied energy low,” he says. One strategy is to use only locally sourced and processed materials that don’t need to travel around the globe, he says. Another is to keep construction simple, so assembling components doesn’t require a lot of energy. By buying from local suppliers, a homeowner is more likely to find someone who will return and fix something, Rosen says. Insulation and heating. The first step a homeowner should take before making changes to a home is to have an energy audit conducted to gauge the efficiency of the home’s systems, says architect Nathan Kipnis, founder of Kipnis Architecture + Planning in Evanston, Ill. The next steps, based on the audit, would likely be to air seal the
house by caulking gaps around windows, doors, and recessed lights. Poorly insulated windows should be replaced with multipane windows. Next up should be improving wall, attic, and basement insulation, based on the R value for the homeowner’s area, Kipnis says. Any home built before 1990 should have an updated heating and cooling system, says Schmitz. Kipnis likes a geothermal ground source heat or air source heat pump, both of which are electric and help to minimize carbon from a building’s energy use. A tight home in a cold climate also should have a heat recovery ventilator to bring in fresh air to keep the home healthy, Kipnis says. A programmable smart thermostat like a Nest is useful to save more energy since it learns a homeowner’s patterns and lowers temperatures when they are away. Landscaping and water use. As the cost of landscaping continues to rise, homeowners are more aware that sustainable choices will survive longer and require less water and maintenance, says author and landscape designer Michael Glassman, whose eponymous firm is based in Sacramento, Calif. Native plants, permeable pavers, and drip irrigation systems all pare water use, he says. Local codes must be considered, too. Seattle, for instance, updated its stormwater code in 2016 to require stormwater to be mitigated on a property rather than immediately discharged to the street or combined sewer, Hale says. Development size and site will dictate what can and must be done. “We frequently use strategies that include green roofs, bioretention planters or rain gardens, permeable pavers and concrete, and properly graded sites,” says Glassman, co-author of The Garden Bible (Images Publishing). Besides paring water use, landscaping with large shade trees can block sunlight and lessen the need for air conditioning. Trees must be planted on the right side of the house to work, ideally the west, and far enough from homes in areas prone to fires, which some local codes now require, he says.large home with solar panels Solar panels. The huge decrease in cost, along with the federal solar tax credit, have made solar panels a more affordable option for many homeowners, says Kipnis. The current tax credit at 30% of the system cost will end at the close of the 2019. It goes down to 26% in 2020, 22% in 2021, and 10% credit in 2022 and beyond. The panels can be used in combination with a battery storage system to provide homeowners with a way to store energy when the sun isn’t shining and to provide backup power. The cost of battery storage is dropping significantly year over year as battery technology research is starting to pay off commercially, Kipnis says. Some caveats with solar panels: First, efficiency keeps improving, so some may become obsolete not long after installation. Second, not all buyers view them as a plus because of how they look, says Schmitz. Clients who prefer a nonsolar, traditional shingle roof—the least costly choice—should opt for light-colored shingles that retain less heat, Lehmann says. Lights. Natural daylight is the least expensive form of light and should be maximized in new construction and renovations. But when it comes to artificial lights, LEDs are the preferred choice. Energy Star–rated products use at least 75% less energy and last 25 times longer than incandescent lighting, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Besides saving money, the latest generation of LEDs offer other benefits. They render color more realistically than prior generations did, and can almost match incandescent light colors, especially when their measurement is at least 3,000 kelvin or higher, Kipnis says. Some LED bulbs such as Norb’s NorbSlEEP bulb can help modulate
the body’s circadian rhythm so people sleep better. Others, like those manufactured by ellumi with proprietary technology from Vital Vio, stop bacteria and mold from developing, eliminating the need for chemical cleaners. Plumbing. Whether it’s a house with many bathrooms or many occupants, water figuratively and literally goes down the drain when people flush toilets, shower, wash dishes, or run the dishwasher frequently. Smart choices include low-flow toilets and showerheads, faucets with aerators, and front-loading washing machines. Schmitz likes tankless water heaters because they heat water on demand rather than continuously, but they require a gas source. Some utility companies offer rebates or incentives when homeowners buy water-saving appliances, so it’s wise for owners look for the EPA WaterSense label or Energy Star certification. Some utilities also offer smart meters and other systems so homeowners can program appliances to start at the least expensive time to use energy, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Nontoxic, natural materials. Air quality also affects sustainability, so it’s smart to make choices that limit volatile organic compounds in paint, carpeting, and adhesives, says Schmitz. When possible, homeowners should also go for natural materials in the home, such as all-wool carpeting, quartz, and reclaimed wood. Transportation and walkability. Sustainability isn’t just about a person’s home but also what vehicles they drive and how often they use them. Charging stations have already become a hot amenity in housing, Hale says. But the more a homeowner can walk, bicycle, or take public transportation, the better, says Kipnis. Housing demand is only expected to increase in walkable areas, in both cities and suburbs, according the report Foot Traffic Ahead 2019, from the George Washington University School of Business and Smart Growth America. Recycle. Some states offer benefits to homeowners and developers who recycle construction materials during a remodel or teardown, says Kipnis. His state of Illinois is among those that have a deconstruction program in place, offering potential tax benefits associated with donation, revenue from material resale, and reduced waste management costs. There are also private companies that specialize in deconstruction and donation of building materials, such as Recyclean Inc. in Kenosha, Wis. Kipnis cautions that some materials are more recyclable than others (such as glass and metal versus concrete), and some materials are not recyclable if their materials are bound together, including certain countertops that mix aggregates, he says. Educating the Multifamily Market Single-family homeowners aren’t the only clients who are interested in sustainability and how to improve a property. Multifamily and commercial building owners are also considering sustainability—and many cities are insisting that the owners of buildings within their borders make improvements to decrease energy use. For example, New York City began requiring owners of 50,000-square-foot and larger buildings to benchmark their energy use in 2012, and in 2016, broadened the requirement to include 25,000-square-foot buildings and up. This past spring, the city took it a step further by passing the Climate Mobilization Act, making it the first in the nation to put structures of more than 25,000 square feet on notice—come 2024, owners will have to pay a fine if they go over their allotted greenhouse gas emissions set for the building. The caps are determined accord-
ing to occupancy classification (multifamily, retail, parking, etc.) and the buildings’ square footage for each of those areas. “The goal for buildings of 25,000 square feet and larger is to reduce energy consumption,” says Kelly Dougherty, director of energy management at FirstService Energy, a subsidiary of FirstService Residential Property Management Company, which has an office in New York. As a result, many owners are making changes to lighting and HVAC systems and shifting to natural gas or electricity versus fossil fuels, says Dougherty, whose company manages a portfolio of 500 apartment buildings in the city, from affordable to super-luxury. She expects other cities will institute similar policies in the coming years. Going off the Grid While the overall goal of sustainability is lowering energy consumption and a building’s carbon footprint, some owners are going further by going off the grid completely. In fact, getting off the power grid is becoming easier for homeowners when they select systems such as solar panels with battery storage that help them to produce more energy than they use in a year. In some areas of the country, energy codes have gotten so strict that new houses or substantial remodels must get close to net-zero energy status, says architect Prentis Hale. However, it’s still not realistic for most homeowners to get off the grid completely, says architect Tony Schmitz, especially when it comes to water and sewer grids—cities usually won’t let homeowners disconnect from those due to local health codes. Rain cistern as part of sustainable home construction Nick Rosen, author of Off the Grid: Inside the Movement for More Spaces, Less Government, and True Independence in Modern America (Penguin Publishing), calls himself “a part-time off-gridder.” He has a home in London, but he has taken his small house on the island of Majorca in Spain off the grid completely. He’s outfitted the property with solar panels and a rain collection system. His advice for others wanting to do the same is to over provide if budget permits. “Put in a larger water tank than you think you will need, add more solar panels than are strictly necessary, and give yourself a few extra batteries,” he says. “Also, get together with other people in the area who are off-grid. No one person has all the skills and resources.” 3 Critical Steps for Homeowners Eager to Learn About Sustainability 1. Recognize that the most sustainable building is usually the one that exists (depending on condition). “Homeowners should try to reuse and improve an existing home rather than start over,” says architect Steffen Lehmann. 2. Heed those long-touted, simple conservation tips: turn off the lights, don’t let water run endlessly while brushing teeth or showering, and unplug small appliances and turn off the TV when not in use. 3. When a client is considering building new or taking on a major home renovation, advise them to hire professionals who are skilled and knowledgeable in sustainable design. “When interviewing [builders], the homeowners should ask if the person makes sustainable choices when selecting materials, systems, and construction methods,” says architect Tony Schmitz. Look at their website to see if sustainability is a focus. Just as important as what goes into a house is what builders do with waste. What goes into a landfill should be limited, says Marc Spiegel, co-founder and head of construction and demolition for Rubicon Global in Atlanta.
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