Green Homes Pittsburgh

There is an excellent story in the City Paper about the overgrowth and new “smart growth” development going on in Cranberry Township that is worth a read.

REPLANTING CRANBERRY, PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER

Most of us from the Pittsburgh know that Cranberry may be the poster child for suburban sprawl, but you have to at least give the area credit for trying to get that problem under control by developing new housing options that have less impact on the environment. As someone who grew up in North Pittsburgh I remember the area as rural countryside. Even though I spend a fair amount of time at RE/MAX Select’s home office in Cranberry I am still shocked by the amount of development that has taken place in the last 20 years.

I particularly appreciate Ken’s mention of mountain biking in Cranberry. For those that have been around the Pittsburgh MTB you may remember the Knob Hill Month of Mud course. I think the park is still there, but most of the trails are now underneath a corporate park. Same with the Brother’s Grimm course that is now underneath the Mall at Robinson. Is sort of sad when I think of how much fun we had on trails that are now gone.

Park Place in Cranberry is one of the newest developments in Cranberry with plans for a mixed use residential and retail community, complete with green space. This neighborhood will offer traditional homes starting below $200K with very up to the minute energy efficient features and floor plans.

Find out more about buying and living smart in Cranberry Township, PA. Call Christa Ross from RE/MAX Select Realty, your certified green agent and RE/MAX green specialist at 724-933-6300 x214 or visit my website at www.greenhomespgh.com.

Ready to sell your home? Be sure your agent gets your home sold and seen online. Here are a few facts to consider:

• 87% of all buyers used the Internet as part of their home search
• 94% of 25-44 years old buyers used the Internet as part of their home search
• 33% of all buyers looked on-line for property as the first step in the home buying process
• 99% of buyers found the Internet “Useful” or Very Useful”
• 98% found their agent “Useful” or “Very Useful”
• 29% found newspaper or magazine ads “Very Useful”
• 34% of buyers found the home they purchased through an agent
• 32% found the home they purchased through the Internet
• ONLY 4% visited an open house first
• ONLY 3% found the home they purchased through a newspaper or magazine ad

Ask your agent:

• What sites will my home be seen on?
• How will my home be found on those sites?
• Do you use showcase or featured property upgrades on REALTOR.com?
• What social networking channels do you use to market my home?
• Do you have your own website?
• Will my home have photos posted online? How many?
• Will my my home have a virtual tour posted online?
• Do you write blogs? Twitter? Facebook?

With so many people starting their search online you can’t afford to work with an agent that isn’t getting your home seen.

List your home in Pittsburgh with a real estate agent who knows how to get your home found online! Call Christa Ross from RE/MAX Select Realty, at 724-933-6300 x214 (office) or 724-779-1437 (direct) or visit my website at www.greenhomespgh.com.

Interested, you should be, because this is one of the first homes in the Pittsburgh, PA area that is green, energy-efficient, affordable and pretty darn stylish as well. The property is called E lane @ Carnegie and it sits right off Washington Avenue in Carnegie, PA.

E lane @ Carnegie

Because of its orientation to the road it can be easy to miss, but swing up the driveway and you will see an amazing modern prairie-style home that incorporates creative ideas, sustainable materials and elegant, simple living that is good for your pocketbook, health and the environment.

The two homes at E lane (there are plans for nine total) are ENERGY STAR® qualified homes, meaning they have been tested by an independent energy auditor who has assigned a HERS Index to the home. It takes into account things like insulation, air sealing, heating, cooling and other energy usage aspects of a home. In order for a home to be called an ENERGY STAR home if must beat an 85 on the HERS Index, which relates to a saving of at least 15% more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code, and include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20–30% more efficient than standard homes.

Part of any Energy Rating is the report that not only shows the HERS Index score, but also specific details of the construction methods, mechanical systems, lighting, heating, cooling and appliances. A Certified Energy Auditor will test the home with high-tech tools like a blower door and duct blaster. These tools can tell how and where hot and cool air leaks in and out of a home. All this information, and existing utility bills (if any), are fed into a computer program that returns estimates of energy costs and how they can be affected by changes to a home. It also spits out the HERS Index.

Using this report it is possible to compare how one home stacks up against another. I decided to take a look at how E lane @ Carnegie would compare to a typical, older Pittsburgh home. By working with a local Energy Auditor, I was able to secure a rating on a comparable Pittsburgh home.

E lane @ Carnegie is a 1,100 square feet, single floor, 2 Bedroom, 2 Bathroom, and 2 Car Garage Home. It is built using SIP construction; foam air sealed and sits on an insulated crawl space. It is heated with a high-efficiency electric heat pump. Matter of fact, the home is all electric and qualifies for a reduced rate with Duquesne Light. E lane @ Carnegie has a HERS Index of 69.

The comparable home is a typical ranch you see in many local neighborhoods. It is 1,085 sq feet, single floor, 2 Bedroom, 1.5 Bathroom, and 1 Car Garage. It’s an older, brick home that sits on a full basement with the garage integrated. It is heated with a gas, forced air furnace that was new enough that replacement is not recommended. It achieved a HERS Index of 159.

So how did they stack up? Take a look:

E lane is the obvious winner with total energy costs of only $1,141 a year. If you look at just heating, you will see that at $319 a year, your average bill would only be $26.58 a month! The comparable homeowner will spend $4,309 a year on their energy bills, the majority to cover the $2,856 heating bill. Based on the Energy Reports, you could expect to save almost $264 a month on your utilities if you were to live here, rather than buying an older home somewhere else. It’s even more amazing when you think about how that plays out over time. In one year, you’ll save $3,168. In 10 years, you’ll save $31,680, just by making a smart home buying decision.

The story doesn’t end there, because all that energy you don’t use adds up to savings for the environment too. According to the EPA’s ENERGY STAR program an ENERGY STAR home eliminates the emissions from 0.5 vehicles, saves 3,000 lbs of coal, is equal to planting almost an acres of trees and saves the environment 5,800 pounds of CO2 per year. Those are some pretty big numbers.

Of course, there are many other benefits to buying one of these green, energy-efficient homes like comfort, a great walk-able neighborhood, creative, no-maintenance landscaping, an ADA-friendly floor plan and a layout for modern living.

You can find out more going to www.elane.biz or contact me.

Want to see E lane @ Carnegie for yourself? Call Christa Ross from RE/MAX Select Realty, your certified green agent and RE/MAX green specialist at 724-309-1758 or visit my website at

Here is your opportunity to own a great new home in a developing Pittsburgh neighborhood for an amazing price. The Nunnery Hill Overlook homes located in Fineview have a lot to offer potential buyers.

Get More For Your Money. This is your opportunity to own a great new home at a remarkable price. The Nunnery Hill Overlook homes start at an impressive price for a three bedroom, one and a half bathroom home and then get even better with a $35K URA second deferred mortgage. Qualified buyers pay no interest, make no payments and won’t payback the loan until they move. Add the 10-year Act 42 Enhanced tax abatement, which can save up to $6,587 per year then include the $8,000 first-time homebuyer credit if you close before December 1,2009 and low utility bills you won’t find a better home for less cost. How low? Your payment could be only $858 a month.

Fresh, Airy, Open Living. Wide open spaces, a raised living area and lots of windows make these homes perfect for contemporary living. A nicely sized master bedroom, upper floor laundry, two decks, one car garage and unfinished bonus room add up to over 2,000 sq feet of comfortable living. Plumbing for an additional bathroom is already in place on the ground level. Kitchen features maple cabinets, ENERGY STAR dishwasher and eat-at bar with tons of room to cook or entertain.

Million dollar views, without the million dollar price tag. Your next home is in Fineview, a distinctive Pittsburgh neighborhood nestled high above the hustle and bustle of the city but still only a 10 minute walk to downtown. These homes give you room to grow a garden, or a family, perched just above the attractions of the North Side while still remaining secluded and green. The Nunnery Hill Overlook homes are perfect if you are looking for a community with spirit, character and a spectacular view of they skyline.

A home that is as good for your wallet as it is for the planet. Quality ENERGY STAR home costs only $61 a month to heat and cool (estimated). CFL lighting, tankless water heater, ENERGY STAR dishwasher, sealed ductwork, High efficiency gas furnace and air conditioner combine to add up to big saving for both you and the environment. Buying an ENERGY STAR home saves over 3,000 lbs. of coal a year, is equal to planting almost an acre of trees and reduces CO2 emissions by 5,800 lbs. a year. Not to mention the thousands of dollars in energy costs you save by making this your next home.

View the Virtual Tour

Only 3 Homes still available. 3 Bedroom, 1.5 Bathroom, 1 Car Integral Garage.

Prices start at $180,000. More Information

Want to see the Nunnery Hill Overlook Homes? Call Christa Ross from RE/MAX Select Realty, your certified green agent and RE/MAX green specialist at 724-309-1758 or visit my website at www.greenhomespgh.com.

E lane @ Carnegie

I recently listed what I think may be the greenest properties available in the Pittsburgh area. One of the things I like best about E lane @ Carnegie is that it proves that green and affordable are not mutually exclusive. In fact, the two condo units which are listed at $204,900 and 194,900, give buyers more for their money than other home choices.

Green is beautiful. The homes have a wonderful, zen-like quality. Materials used throughout the homes like cork, bamboo, rain glass and beech countertops are both attractive in their own right while being better choices for the environment. Simple, minimal style makes the home a peaceful retreat from the world. The open floor plan makes the space bright and airy. These 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom units are filled with light from windows, full view doors, solar tubes, and smoked glass interior doors that give privacy, but still let the light shine through.

E lane @ Carnegie

These homes save you money on heating and cooling. E lane @ Carnegie are Energy Star™ certified homes. With a HERS rating of 69 they perform at least 31% better than a traditionally built home. Each unit is approximately 1,100 sq ft and built with SIP construction. SIP, which stands for Structural Insulated Panels, are oriented strand board (OSB) on each side with a thick layer of foam insulation between. The result is a building system that is extremely strong, energy efficient and cost effective. The SIP construction provides insulation on the roof of R-50 and R-27 in the walls. The home was then sealed with expanding foam and Energy Star™ windows and doors were added. All this adds up to a home that is tight and well built. Want proof? It costs just $319 a year to heat the house, as estimated by a professional energy auditor. That’s less than $26 a month! Cooling is even less at just $31 a year. When you consider that an older Pittsburgh home of the same size could easily cost over $3,000 a year to power and you start to realize how quickly your cost savings will add up.

Rain Barrel and Natural Landscaping

Save time for something better than maintenance and yard work. The homes are built with sustainable, durable and energy-efficient materials like a metal roof and Hardiboard™ siding, both of which will last 50 years or more before they need attention. The roof can even be recycled after it has run its course. The native landscaping is both edible and beautiful, and grows without the need for continuous care or water. The natural landscaping has attracted the attention of songbirds to the property, in addition to producing a small harvest from the fruit trees this year.

Open Floor Plan is Bright and Airy

Better, Healthier Living. The EPA estimates that indoor air quality can be 5-7 times more polluted than the outside. This is usually due to fumes from building materials and poor ventilation. These problems are addressed at E lane @ Carnegie by using no-VOC paints to reduce off-gassing of fumes into the home and regular mechanical ventilation, which brings the right amount of fresh air into the home without wasting energy. Clerestory windows can be left open during the day and rain sensors will close them automatically if needed. The homes can even help you eat healthier. The community orchard and planned vegetable patch will give those that want to eat fresh from the garden, but also want to live close to the city, find a home that does both.

Watch the Virtual Tour

Learn more at www.elane.biz

Want to see E lane @ Carnegie? Call Christa Ross from RE/MAX Select Realty, your certified green agent and RE/MAX green specialist at 724-309-1758 or visit my website at www.greenhomespgh.com.