What $250,000 Buys You Around the Country

[Niner National]

I've always heard it's only worth it to install it when building new. But I've heard you can save money by installing a timer on the water heater and using electricity for it during non peak times.

we don't have peak rates here. Electricity costs the same all day.

[pstall]

We have done equal payment plan for 14 yrs. Great way to keep your bill predictable.

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[Anybodyhome]

If you opt for an on-demand hot water system, you'll need to live in the house for at least 4 more years to break even and start realizing any savings. So installing one when remodeling, renovating or adding to the square footage is your best bet.

 

Upgrading windows is relatively inexpensive and the gratification is immediate in that you can feel the difference as soon as they're installed. Upgrading to insulated windows with Low E and argon gas will pay for themselves in less than 3 years.

 

Believe it or not, decent window blinds will help especially if you have afternoon-early evening sun beating through your windows.

 

HVAC is tricky, but the vast majority of systems out there have a single speed motor. When the AC or the heat kicks on, the fan runs at a constant speed. If you purchase a new system and step up a few notches above the least expensive, you can get a variable speed unit that basically runs at the necessary power to get the air thru the system. ECM controlled motors make HVAC systems much more efficient than they were just 10 years ago.

[PandaPancake]

Is it worth it to tint existing windows?

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[pstall]

Is it worth it to tint existing windows?

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Yes. The % of UVA's aren't staggering but if you can lower the temp a bit organically then your system works less hard=more efficient.

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[Anybodyhome]

Is it worth it to tint existing windows?

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Anything that reduces the amount of UV coming through the glass.

 

Replacement windows or sashes made with Low E (Low emissivity) glass actually have a zinc coating on the inside surfaces of both panes of glass as shown below (surfaces 2&3):

 

 

This reduces heat (UV) from coming through the glass in the summer and maintains heat within the home during winter. The reason the zinc or Low E coating is applied to the inside surfaces of the glass is because it is barely noticeable to the human eye, but it can be scratched off. 

 

If your home was built within the last 30 years, odds are you can purchase replacement window sashes with more energy efficient glass at a very reasonable price. My last home in Virginia was built in 1985 (2-story, 3 bed, 2400 sf) and I replaced all the sashes in the house with Low E and argon gas for less than $3k.

 

[Chimera]

My old house in Washington state was just over $250k. 1700sq ft. ranch house on 0.8 acres

[Johnny Rockets]

Is it worth it to tint existing windows?

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I've been meaning to look into this also. We have 3 huge 20 ft windows in our living room and only half of that is covered with a shade. The morning sun heats up the living room fast and I was wondering if tinting will help and how it looks on a house. 

[Herbert The Love Bug]

http://www.zillow.com/blog/what-250k-buys-you-across-country-156325/

This article make me depressed. You can get this in Georgia for $250,000? Really? I'm in the wrong damn neighborhood. What can you get in your neck of the woods?

I wouldn't pay $20,000 for that boring cookie cutter house

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[Herbert The Love Bug]

Give me an old run down foreclosure with some character for next to nothing and I can turn it into whatever I want

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[Happy Panther]

I wouldn't pay $20,000 for that boring cookie cutter house

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It is cheaply done and the lot doesn't look that great. The bedrooms look like my first apartment in Charlotte which was $900 per month. No molding, cheap plastic fixtures. The backyard looks terrible and it is on .26 acres which is tiny.

 

Plus this is 2700 s.f. outside of Augusta  which is like the equivalent of Fayetteville, NC.

 

$250k seems like a bad deal. 

[Cat]

I think that house looks cute, way better than most cookie cutter house around Charlotte. 

[Chimera]

I wouldn't pay $250k for it but I would shoot for it at the right price.

[PandaPancake]

Anything that reduces the amount of UV coming through the glass.

 

Replacement windows or sashes made with Low E (Low emissivity) glass actually have a zinc coating on the inside surfaces of both panes of glass as shown below (surfaces 2&3):

 

 

 

This reduces heat (UV) from coming through the glass in the summer and maintains heat within the home during winter. The reason the zinc or Low E coating is applied to the inside surfaces of the glass is because it is barely noticeable to the human eye, but it can be scratched off. 

 

If your home was built within the last 30 years, odds are you can purchase replacement window sashes with more energy efficient glass at a very reasonable price. My last home in Virginia was built in 1985 (2-story, 3 bed, 2400 sf) and I replaced all the sashes in the house with Low E and argon gas for less than $3k.