We’ve said it before…there are many great reasons to buy a new home instead of purchasing a used one.  And we’re glad to note that U.S. News and World Report agrees.  In fact, they point out a reason to buy new that, given our commitment to environmentally friendly building practices and great design, really hits home — buying new means buying greener.

Building codes have mandated increasingly higher energy efficiency standards since they began to address the issue in the late 1970s, says Kevin Morrow, senior program manager for the National Association of Home Builders’ green building programs. “The most recent International Energy Conservation Code came out in 2009 [and] required roughly 17 percent more efficiency than the codes of three years prior,” he says. “So using that as sort of a gauge to how newer homes should perform from an efficiency standpoint compared to older homes, it’s pretty clear that just as homes meet code, they are going to be more efficient.”

Newly constructed homes use energy more efficiently in two ways, Morrow says. First, they tend to have a tighter-sealed building envelope that helps prevent conditioned air—cool air in the summer, warm air in the winter—from escaping. Features that create this envelope include higher-efficiency insulation, doors, and windows. “Gone are the days of the single pane window … now I think you are starting to see triple- and quadruple-paned windows,” Morrow says. “These are windows that are designed to really minimize the transfer of heat either from warm to cold or vice versa, and they of course will help the building envelope.”

In addition, the article notes that newer appliances are more energy-efficient and Earth-friendly.  And luckily, buying green doesn’t mean scrimping on things like storage, custom finishes, stunning design, or the exemplary lifestyle that comes with great location.  Find out more about what we mean…drop by one of our homesites today!  Click here to learn more about Boulder Creek’s communities.

This week has been rife with news on green building techniques finally, finally! hitting the mainstream.  The New York Times reports that several significant commercial real estate investors have decided to “green” their portfolios, green building expos are on the rise, and some of the country’s largest builders are finally jumping on the green bandwagon.  Of course this news makes us smile…because at Boulder Creek Life and Home, green building practices have been a part of our business as long as we’ve been in business.

So what does green building mean here at Boulder Creek?  Are we bowing to popular trends when we tell our homebuyers about our energy-efficient techniques and Earth-friendly building materials and construction practices?  No way.  Here’s a quick rundown on our green commitment…one that, like our commitment to building quality homes that combine the best in life and home, has never wavered.

• Green building techniques save money:  There’s a common misconception that a green home is an expensive one.  But we find that using green building practices and installing eco-friendly components actually saves money, increasing a building’s longevity and efficiency without a backbreaking up-front cost.  And once a homebuyer moves into their new green home, the costs of living are significantly smaller than the costs associated with inefficient, poorly insulated and energy-wasting structures of a similar size.
• Green building techniques create homes for the long haul:  Not many people realize that many of the very techniques that make a home eco-friendly also increase its durability and “shelf life.”  Properly sealed homes resist degradation from air and water; tough, energy-efficient exteriors require less maintenance and last longer; quality roofing and outdoor components will endure for decades.  This long-haul approach means that your Boulder Creek home is a good investment…not a cheaply-built liability.
• Green building techniques add life to home:  When a home is efficiently lit, properly heated and cooled, well-sealed and decorated with safe, eco-friendly materials, it just feels better.  So you can focus on the things that count.

Learn more about Boulder Creek Life and Home’s commitment to green building techniques (and learn more about the eco-friendly features of our unique communities) by clicking this link.

Boulder Creek Life and Home – More Than a Generation of Green Building in Boulder County

Homebuilder announces My First Home Expo, Saturday, Feb. 27

With roots that go back more than 30 years in Boulder County, Boulder Creek Life and Home was building homes before “green” practices were widely considered in the housing industry.

“A long time ago, we made a commitment to build all of our homes to Built Green standards,” recalls company principal David Gregg, who guides the architecture, project development and community planning. “As we analyzed the requirements, we discovered that in many instances, we were already building to those standards. We tweaked some of our construction specifications, and created some new efficiencies in our methods. Overall, going green was a pretty easy transition for us.”

To understand the full impact of Boulder Creek Life and Home’s commitment to green building, consider this: every home it builds meets or exceeds Built Green standards. And the builder is doing this in six different Front Range communities, every day, across every price point.

“What we do is utilize proven and practical green building techniques and materials, bringing them into the mainstream to create homes that deliver high value and lower energy costs,” explains David Sinkey, vice president and co-owner. “This allows us to do more with each home, and to do more of them.”

Gregg says it all comes down to the details. “The insulation we use, the type of windows, the framing techniques and the way we seal the homes to prevent air leakage, it all requires strong field coordination and the willingness to follow through, to make sure that all the steps are done right.”

Low-E glazed windows and blown-in cellulose insulation make your home easy to heat and a breeze to cool, lowering your annual cost for heating and cooling your home year in and year out. Two-by-six framing is standard instead of the two-by-fours you’ll find elsewhere, creating sturdier, deeper walls that hold more insulation and are more soundproof.

At two points during each home’s construction, an independent third-party construction observation company inspects each home to ensure it is being built to code and to Boulder Creek Life and Home standards, Gregg says. “They conduct a pre-drywall inspection, checking the ducts, caulking and sealing.”

This dedication to quality construction and design earned Boulder Creek Life and Home nationwide recognition in 2008 when the National Association of Home Builders recognized the Blue Vista community in Longmont with a Development of the Year Award for “excellence in green residential design and construction practices, and outstanding green advocacy efforts.”

Me? Buy a home? Don’t miss the My First Home Expo on Saturday, Feb. 27.

Are you considering your first home purchase? Boulder Creek Life and Home invites you to an exciting and informative event, designed to help you get the information you need to make an informed home buying decision. Attend free seminars on financial planning, lending practices, tax credits  and organizing your first home – each presented by professionals who are recognized experts in their field.

Enjoy a free barbecue lunch and refreshments, and watch the home energy efficiency demonstrations by Home Performance Solutions (complete with a blower door test and thermal imaging). Register to win one of several iPod Nanos. And you’ll be helping a good cause just by attending, since the event sponsors will donate $20 to the Emergency Family Assistance Association for every registered attendee.

Expo sponsors include Boulder Creek Life and Home, Taylor Moving Company, County Line Lumber Company and Advantage Bank.

My First Home Expo will be held at Kingsbridge Townhomes, 1656 Venice Lane, Longmont. For more information and directions, call 303.502.5338 or e-mail info@LiveKingsbridge.com.

Sluggish consumer confidence, slow-as-molasses sales cycles…2009 wasn’t exactly a banner year for huge economic growth.  But there’s great news for buyers in the Denver/Boulder market:  economic indicators are pointing to increased recovery and more cash flow in the new year.  Here’s a selection of recent great news in economic indicators:

Colorado to gain jobs in 2010: “Colorado should see job growth returning and home prices start rising again this year as the U.S. economic recovery gains traction, according to a forecast Wednesday from Vectra Bank Colorado.  The U.S. economy should grow 2.5 percent to 3 percent this year, adjusting for inflation, predicted economist Jeff Thredgold at Vectra Bank’s 17th Annual Economic Forecast Breakfast.”

CU-Boulder economist:  financial recovery is on the way: “The past couple months have shown some bright spots in relation to employment, he said, and it is expected that job growth should come in the second half of the year.”

Forecast 2010:  Let the recovery begin: On the flip side, “If you’re in a position to buy, with access to credit or cash, this is the best time to buy,” Hotard said. Low interest rates, discounted prices and the extension of the first-time homebuyer’s tax credit through April are all in the buyers’ favor.

Here at Boulder Creek, we’re optimistic for the new year…and we’re seeing great growth in our custom communities like Erie Village, Vista Ridge, and Kingsbridge.  As the year picks up, remember that time is running out for your $8000 first-time or $6500 homebuyer credit.  Now’s the time to invest in Colorado’s growth in the coming year!  Click here to learn more about Boulder Creek communities.