Last week I was in Las Vegas, and had a chance to check out some very unique homes in my spare time.  If I remember correctly these are both off of Buffalo.  The first is a house that resembles an airport,  I am not sure of the story behind it.  If you know anything about it, please comment.  The second is a dome house I found interesting.  The third house is Penn’s house of Penn and Teller.  It is exactly what I would expect.  I would love to personally see the inside of this home,  Penn email me if you ever run across this post.  Click on the picture for a larger view.  Enjoy.  

Energy efficiency plays a central role in building any new home. Building a “green” home, however, requires energy efficiency and much more. “Green building” means taking a comprehensive approach to energy and resource efficiencies from design through construction and operation of the house. Certain components of a home’s construction contribute greatly to the success of such an approach.

Windows, doors, and skylights, in particular, have a critical impact on a home’s ability to conserve energy, reduce moisture intrusion, and keep utility costs low. Like the vent pipes in a roof, they are penetrations in the home’s structural envelope, only much larger and more widely distributed.

The average new house, in fact, has more than 20 windows and doors, each a potential avenue for outside air and water. In the past, windows and doors were not much better than open holes in the wall. They were designed to bring useable daylight into the home, provide views to the outside, and allow passive (or non-mechanical) ventilation in warm and humid climates. In order to keep their homes reasonably comfortable in cold seasons, our ancestors kept windows and doors to a minimum.

Fortunately, today’s windows and doors are designed to enhance a home’s energy performance. Though still relied upon for passive ventilation and views, windows and glass doors are now insulated in both their frame and glass design. High tech window construction and specially treated glass can reduce glare, unwanted solar heat gain and damaging ultraviolet radiation, which can fade rugs and upholstery. Windowsand skylights can also be designed to increase passive (free!) solar heating, reducing the amount of costly energy needed by the furnace.

Energy-conscious home owners can now choose among a variety of options in order to precisely matchwindows and doors to the seasonal climate conditions of their home’s location. To optimize the overall thermal performance of the house, windows and doors can also be selected according to which side of the house they will be installed. For example, south and west-facing windows can let in more solar energy than north and east-facing windows.

In addition to enhanced glazing options, new wood-based window and door frame materials are engineered to resist warping, thus minimizing the small gaps between the window or door and the wall that may develop over time. In better quality vinyl window and glass door frames, the hollow cavities are increasingly insulated to boost their effectiveness.

As professional builders concerned about the performance of your new home, we take care to select the best windows and doors for your new home. We also take care to find knowledgeable suppliers and trained subcontractors to ensure not only high quality products but also proper installation that will maintain the design performance values of the window and door products used.

Windows, doors, and skylights play an important role in any home’s appearance and overall performance. In a green-built home, they are critical elements in a range of integrated design and construction approaches that help reduce a home’s energy use and operating costs while increasing indoor comfort and air quality.

As you engage in the home buying process, gain a sense of how comfortable you are with each builder’s communication style during the sales process. These early communications often reflect how your builder will communicate to you during construction and after closing. In addition to imparting the sales message, builders who are effective communicators will encourage your input and provide satisfactory answers to questions you pose. Effective follow-up efforts that provide real information also help to establish a solid foundation for communication through the process.

As you reach a purchasing decision, make sure you are comfortable with how you and your builder will discuss the project and its progress. Many builders encourage periodic walk-throughs of the house at critical stages, such as during structural framing, electrical and plumbing rough-in, and once the interior walls have been drywalled. Find out about opportunities to conduct informal meetings or use other communication efforts (such as phone calls or e-mails), and ask how quickly you can expect a response from your builder when you have a concern.

You should also expect and talk through a detailed scope of work with your builder, which outlines the construction process along a timeline or schedule. Use the scope of work as a guide that elicits questions about the construction of your new home to gain a better understanding of the process. The scope and schedule will also establish deadlines for key decisions you must make on time, such as selecting paint colors, lighting and plumbing fixtures and flooring materials.

An essential part of the owner-builder communication process is the “change order,” which is the procedure established by a builder for making changes after construction begins. Few projects are completed without some changes. You should be familiar with this process before the first dirt is moved. You should learn, too, the details of your builder’s warranty and service program.

Savvy and successful builders have a plan in place for communicating effectively with their homebuyers throughout the sales, construction, and warranty service process. Respect that process, while taking appropriate opportunities to express your needs and suggest slight changes within it to better suit your situation, preferences, and comfort level. Once you’ve settled on a communication plan, stick with it! It is a key to a ’safe and sane’ building process and providing you the home of your dreams.

Warm regards,

Dan Steurer, MBA
Sunwest Development, LLC
dan@sunwestdev.com
www.sunwestdev.com

Are you ready for HDTV beginning February 17, 2009?  By law, television stations nationwide must switch from the old TV analog signals being transmitted to the new digital television on February 17, 2009. Digital television is an innovative new broadcasting technology that provides movie-quality pictures and sound, more channels, and even high definition television (HDTV) to consumers with HD television sets. The benefits of Digital Television are amazing and many households in Utah are at risk of losing television reception if they don’t take a few steps. How do I know if I will be affected by this change? Anyone that receives over-the-air television signals through antennas on television sets that are equipped with analog tuners-and who do not subscribe to cable, satellite or a telephone company television service provider.If you are one of the many that receive free, over-the-air broadcasting on analog sets you have three options for continued service. Purchase a DTV converter box that will convert the digital signal into analog for an existing television set; Purchase a new television set from www.rockymountainsound.com with a built-in digital tuner; orSubscribe to cable, satellite or a telephone company television service provider if all desired local broadcast stations are carried by that service. Learn more HDTV at www.rockymountainsound.com  

At last, after 40 plus years of hard work it is time to retire, relax and travel the country.  Now you can do it in comfort and style.    There is also no need to leave behind the mid-life sports car you bought a few years ago,  just store it in the cargo bay of your new motor home for ultimate mobility and freedom.   Traveling to see the grandkids has now become a whole new adventure.

The Volkner offers two different body length to accommodate different sizes cars. The 10.5 meter home will have enough room for a Mini Cooper or SLK. Moving up to the 12.3 meter home will allow you to fit a Porsche 911, Jaguar XK8 Cabriolets, Ferrari F430, Corvette Z06 or other similarly dimensioned cars. Visit Vokner Mobil for more information and to schedule a test drive. Bring your car with you to make sure it fits.

 Want Something Bigger?

Ron Anderson of Anderson Mobile Estates has the answer for you.  These mobile estates trump the competition. While most mobile trailers provide up to 400 square feet of living space, the Anderson Mobile Estates trailers offers 2 levels boasting an up to 1,100 square feet of spacious living. The estates don’t come cheap and are custom built to the owners specifications.

 The Anderson Estate isn’t designed for the owner to drive. In fact these things are so large, a semi is required to move these estates. However, it is the ultimate way to live when there are no 5-star hotels near by.

Work progresses on home for a hero!

These are difficult times for anyone in America’s real estate industry, and they’re especially tough for home builders and developers involved in new home construction. But that hasn’t stopped Alta Vista Homes from stepping up to the plate, putting profit aside, and building a home…for free…for a true American Hero!

Let’s put this into perspective. America’s sub-prime melt-down in the mortgage market has flooded the United States with foreclosure properties.  Supply exceeds demand. Model home traffic has slowed. And the media continues telling a self fulfilling story of gloom and doom in the housing industry. With inventory to sell, builders are offering steep discounts and generous incentives, foregoing profit in the interest of cash flow. Rare is the home building company that has not had to lay off valued employees.

Not exactly the best of times for Alta Vista Homes in Utah County to be building a home for a hero…and doing it pro bono! With no profit in this deal for the builder, Gordon Ewell and his wife terra would certainly have understood if Alta Vista Homes had come to them and said the company just wouldn’t be able to finish this amazing project.

It wouldn’t have been the first time Gordon Ewell would have suffered a serious blow. A Sargeant First Class in the United States Army, Gordon’s job in iraq was a dangerous one. Every day, Gordon led his team of the army’s finest in search of the road side bombs that are killing American soldiers in Baghdad, Fallujah and other far off hot spots.

Gordon did his job well. Too well…finding and detonating at least 6 ied’s (improvised explosive devices) over several months. With each successive blast, Gordon began feeling the cumulative effects of these powerful explosions. And finally, after the sixth blast, gordon was sent home with a multitude of debilitating injuries, including tbs (a traumatic brain injury).

Gordon’s injuries will impact him for the rest of his life. They’ll also impact his saintly wife Terra and his 6 children… Whom he can no longer work to support.

This is where Alta Vista Homes, and Mike’s Guardian Eagle foundation have stepped forward to make sure the Ewell’s would have a home that accommodates Gordon’s injuries…a home
that frees this hero and his family from the financial burden of making a mortgage payment.

Work is progessing quickly on Alta Vista’s home out in Eagle Mountain, Utah in a community called the ranches and the Ewells hope to move in by may. When they do it will be a dream come true for the family…and all of those people who donated time, material and talent to the project.

I know that we’re living in a time when many people are leary about buying a home. But if you are thinking about building, it would be nice if you’d let Alta Vista bid on your project.
Seems to me they’ve earned it…and the same goes for all of the other home building companies throughout the United States who are building homes for other american war heros.

At great personal cost, Alta Vista is doing the right thing…supporting a hero who fought for this country. Now it’s time to support companies like Alta Vista…here in Utah…and all throughout the nation. Everybody wins.

Make a Donation to Help Gordon Ewell. 

If there’s one thing you can do to help ensure a successful and satisfying homebuilding experience, it is to maintain regular and productive communication with your builder and his staff. Effective communication is key to reducing concerns and stress during the building process. Keep the lines of communication open at all times.

As you engage in the home buying process, gain a sense of how comfortable you are with each builder’s communication style during the sales process. These early communications often reflect how your builder will communicate to you during construction and after closing. In addition to imparting the sales message, builders who are effective communicators will encourage your input and provide satisfactory answers to questions you pose. Effective follow-up efforts that provide real information also help to establish a solid foundation for communication through the process.

As you reach a purchasing decision, make sure you are comfortable with how you and your builder will discuss the project and its progress. Many builders encourage periodic walk-throughs of the house at critical stages, such as during structural framing, electrical and plumbing rough-in, and once the interior walls have been drywalled. Find out about opportunities to conduct informal meetings or use other communication efforts (such as phone calls or e-mails), and ask how quickly you can expect a response from your builder when you have a concern.

You should also expect and talk through a detailed scope of work with your builder, which outlines the construction process along a timeline or schedule. Use the scope of work as a guide that elicits questions about the construction of your new home to gain a better understanding of the process. The scope and schedule will also establish deadlines for key decisions you must make on time, such as selecting paint colors, lighting and plumbing fixtures and flooring materials.

An essential part of the owner-builder communication process is the “change order,” which is the procedure established by a builder for making changes after construction begins. Few projects are completed without some changes. You should be familiar with this process before the first dirt is moved. You should learn, too, the details of your builder’s warranty and service program.

Savvy and successful builders have a plan in place for communicating effectively with their homebuyers throughout the sales, construction, and warranty service process. Respect that process, while taking appropriate opportunities to express your needs and suggest slight changes within it to better suit your situation, preferences, and comfort level. Once you’ve settled on a communication plan, stick with it! It is a key to a ’safe and sane’ building process and providing you the home of your dreams.

Warm regards,

Dan Steurer, MBA
Sunwest Development, LLC
dan@sunwestdev.com
www.sunwestdev.com

The somewhat forbidding exterior of David Yocum and Brian Bell’s architecture office in Atlanta.
Wait till you see the interior of this stylish office. New York Times post

ABOUT THE MORTGAGE COACH

Dave Udy is a 20 plus year veteran of the Mortgage business. This booklet was put together by him for the purpose of assisting his customers in repairing their credit. This, or a previous version, has been handed out to hundreds of people for that purpose. Some have used it to clean up their credit before getting a new loan while others just to clean up erroneous data that did not affect their borrowing power.

This simplified step by step process is a distillation from many sources including government publications, numerous other credit repair guides and mostly from Dave’s experience with borrowers over the last 20 or so years.

Contact Dave for free credit repair letters

The information is current as of the date of publication, but the credit bureaus seem to be moving targets when it comes to their addresses and phone numbers. All known addresses, phone numbers and e-mail / websites are listed below. Make sure to confirm the correct address before mailing in your letters.

WHO TO CONTACT

CBI/EQUIFAX
P.O. BOX 740256
ATLANTA, GA 30374-0256
Attn: Disputes

EXPERIAN
P.O. BOX 2002
ALLEN, TX 75002
Attn: N C A C

TRANS UNION
P.O. BOX 34012
FULLERTON,CA 92831
Attn: Disputes

SEND ALL CORRESPONDENCE: CERTIFIED MAIL / RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED

REMEMBER — SEND IN A COPY OF YOUR DRIVERS LICENSE & SOC. SEC. CARD TO VERIFY YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY # AND CURRENT ADDRESS
(If your Drivers License does not have the current address, send a copy of a current utility bill)

You can use the Web, but I don’t recommend it.
www.equifax.com
www.experian.com
www.transunion.com

TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION: VISIT
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/menu-credit.htm

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), 15 USC sections 1681 through 1681t, protects you against credit abuse that might result in an unfair description of your creditworthiness. There are six basic rights that allow you to successfully erase the negative marks in your credit report and regain a good credit status and improve your score.

1- You are allowed to challenge the accuracy of your credit report at any time.

2- The credit bureau must “reinvestigate” anything you challenge.

3- The credit bureau must reinvestigate the disputed information within 30 days. As of September 30, 1997, the 30-day period is a matter of law. The time period begins when the bureau receives notice of dispute from you the consumer. The only exception to the 30-day rule is when you send the bureau additional material within the 30-day period. The bureau may then extend the deadline a maximum of 15 days.

4- If the credit bureau cannot confirm the adverse information or finds any error, it must promptly delete that erroneous information from its files.

5- If the bureau cannot or does not confirm the information you have challenged within a reasonable time period, it also must delete that information from your files.

6- If a creditor verifies the information and the bureau responds in a timely manner, the negative marks must remain on your record, but, if you maintain that the information reported is in dispute, you have the right to submit a Consumer Statement of your view of the problem. The credit bureau is required by law to attach your explanation to every copy of the report it sends out. This one is last resort only. You should resubmit your dispute several times first.

A FEW EASY STEPS TO FOLLOW

1- Review your credit report thoroughly.

2- Note any discrepancies in the data. Watch for incorrect accounts, extra accounts, wrong names or spellings, extra or incorrect social security numbers, wrong or incorrect addresses.

3- Review all negative items on your report. Are they correct? The credit rules are in your favor. You have 30 days after the due date on any bill before it can be reported late. Check your records. Many creditors report late payments that are not a full 30 days late and you have the right to challenge them. Collection accounts get stuck on reports that should not have been reported or have been paid. Just because it is there, does not mean it is correct.

4- Call all creditors that have issued negative information to the credit bureaus. Challenge the data. Work out a deal. Negotiate with them. Your goal is to get a letter from them removing the negative item. They may say that they will send the new information to the bureaus. That’s great, but get a copy in writing by mail or fax for your records. You’ll need it for the next step.

5- Gather all of the corrections, etc.

6- Send a dispute letter, along with a copy of any corrections you received, to each of the three bureaus. Send them certified mail with a return receipt. If the creditors in step four didn’t cooperate with you , you still have the right to challenge the information directly with the bureaus, do it in your letter. Also remember to dispute any and all errors that you found in step two.

7- Now wait for the replies. The bureaus have 30 days to contact the creditors for response. If there is no response, the disputed items must be deleted from your report. Remember it is frequently possible to eliminate negative marks simply by going through this process of disputing these entries. Since many creditors won’t take the time or effort to defend the negative entry, you can eventually “repair” your credit through the default of your creditors. Note that if the credit bureau fails to immediately provide an updated credit report, free of the disputed entry, you have several recourses:

8- If you are not satisfied with the results, start over. Keep after them until you are. The law is in your favor.

9- Keeping it clean. A few hints to keep your credit report in top condition.

a- Each inquiry into your credit costs you points. Do not apply unless you really need the loan or credit card. Be very careful when shopping for a car. They will pull credit when you walk on the lot if they can. Shopping around too much for the best deal may cost you that deal by dropping your score. Store cards are the worst at reporting. They have short billing cycles and high interest rates. Close them!

b- In order to have good credit you must use credit. No credit is bad credit. Use your credit cards and pay them monthly if possible, but always, always, always, at least pay the minimum each month when due. Even if you can pay cash for large purchases take the time payments and pay them off in a couple of months. Be very careful with the 90 days same as cash deals. If you are one day late paying them the creditor can report you 90 days late. (R.C. WILLEY is famous for this one) Watch your credit balances. If you exceed 80% of the limit, it counts against you. Call the creditor and get them to increase your limit or transfer balances or use another card.

c- Mortgages are very important! Mortgages accrue interest during the month and are due on the 1st day of the following month which technically makes them late on the second. You generally have a grace period until the 15th with a 4% or 5% late fee due after that. Mortgages are weighted very heavy in calculating your credit scores. Be very careful to make your payments on time or arrange for direct payments from your bank.

d- Be wary of hospitals, doctors and insurance companies. They are all know for turning you over for collection at the drop of a hat. Make certain that your insurance company is paying these bills or pay them yourself and get reimbursed. Collection accounts, no matter how unfair, are killers on your credit report and very hard to have removed.

Contact Dave for free credit repair letters

Let’s see if I borrow money from Peter to pay Paul and then use Mary’s money to pay Peter, then I only owe money to Mary instead of owing Peter, Paul and Mary.   

Read the full story on KSL.   

YOUR HOME, YOUR DREAM

Unfortunately, it’s not just about the dream; it’s about the appropriate design, proper equipment selection, and qualified installation.

ENTERTAIN- Bring entertainment into your home.From large screen displays to the latest speakers and acoustics, a certified professional provides everything you need. Whether it’s a dedicated multi-media room, or a variety of entertainment venues throughout your home, they offer the very latest in technology and touch screen capability to put total control right at your fingertips.SIMPLIFY- Simplify Your Life. Simplify Your Life. “Technology is the tool that should enhance the way you live.” It’s an idea that is simple, yet revolutionary. Certified professionals break down complex technology and make it convenient to use-then design a plan that fits your needs so you spend less time pushing buttons and more time enjoying life. SUPPORT- Continuing Support and Service.

A true professional with a fine reputation is evidenced by referrals from both clients and colleagues. You are their first responsibility.  Anticipating and servicing your needs, now and in the future, is their top priority. Future upgrades and changes in technology are thoughtfully built into the initial system design and are always part of the ongoing support strategy.

This is the beginging of many articles to keep you the home theater enthusiast apprised of new technology, cool new toys, and technology solutions for your home.

Learn more about creating your dream home system at http://www.rockymtnsound.com/rockymountain.html