1. Replace old toilets. According to the EPA, toilets are one of the main sources of water usage in homes, accounting for nearly 30% of indoor water consumption. Toilets are also a major source of wasted water due to leaks and inefficiency. Older toilets use up to 3.5 gallons per flush. The EPA estimates that switching to high-efficiency, low-flow toilets can potentially save a family of four, an average of $2,000 in water bills over the lifetime of the toilets.
2. Replace or fix faucets. EPA statistics indicate that faucets account for more than 15% of indoor household water use. WaterSense labeled bathroom sink faucets can reduce water flow by 30% or more. If you do not want to buy a new faucet, consider replacing the aerator – the screw-on tip of the faucet that determines its flow rate. Aerators are inexpensive to replace and can often be an effective water-efficiency measure. You can also significantly reduce water usage by simply repairing leaks in toilets, faucets, showerheads and pipes.
3. Replace showerheads. EPA estimates that showering accounts for approximately 17% of residential indoor water use Quality, high-efficiency shower fixtures can be purchased for approximately $10 to $20 each and could achieve a water savings of 25-60%. The best recommendation is to select a high-efficiency showerhead with a flow rate of less than 2.5 gallons per minute for maximum water efficiency.
4. Use a water meter to check for hidden leaks. Read your house water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter does not read exactly the same as when you began, there may be a leak.
5. Turn off the water after wetting your toothbrush. Leaving the water running while brushing your teeth is a habit many of us have. But there is no need to keep the water running. Just wet your brush and fill a glass for mouth rinsing.
6. Replace an old clothes washer. New Energy Star rated washers use 35-50% less water and 50% less energy per load. If you’re in the market for a new clothes washer, consider buying a water-saving frontload washer.
7. Always use full loads in dishwashers and clothes washers. Automatic dishwashers and clothes washers should be fully loaded for optimum water conservation. With clothes washers, avoid the permanent press cycle, which can add five gallons of water for the extra rinse.
8. Plant drought-resistant lawns, shrubs and plants. Many beautiful shrubs and plants thrive with far less watering than other plants and lawns. Consider replacing perennial borders with native plants, which use less water and will be more resistant to local plant diseases, while possibly adding to the curb appeal of your home. You can find more water efficient landscaping tips athttp://eartheasy.com/grow_xeriscape.htm.
9. Water early in the morning or late at night. If you must water your yard, keep in mind that it is more efficient to water either early in the morning or late at night when there is less water waste due to evaporation. It is also best to avoid watering when it’s windy since wind can cause sprinklers to miss their intended targets and it can speed up evaporation.
10. Water your lawn only when necessary. Most lawns only need about one inch of water each week. According to the website Eartheasy, a conservation website, a good way to see if your lawn needs watering is to step on the grass. If it springs back up when you move, it doesn’t need water. If it stays flat, the lawn is ready for watering.

Over the past few months, there has been a battle brewing behind the scenes between major online real estate companies, a rift that could seriously impact whether thousands of properties will be shown on two of the nation’s biggest websites, Zillow and Trulia.

The battle came to a head in early April when ListHub, one of the nation’s leading listing syndicators (which is owned by Move Inc.), officially ended its prior agreements with Zillow and Trulia and stopped sending information about their listing to these two giant real estate websites.

The move by ListHub has caused Zillow and many small, local brokers to scramble to collect as much listing data as possible. These entities hope they will still be able to provide visitors to their websites and mobile apps the freshest (and most accurate) information—and not lose valuable business generated from these sites.

Many multiple listing services are now considering direct to Zillow/Trulia arrangements and are working overtime to put those arrangements into action. But at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, it’s been business as usual.

Why, you ask? Because Coldwell Banker has never relied on ListHub to send its listings to these sites. Coldwell Banker has a long standing, direct relationship with Zillow and Trulia, which means that Coldwell Banker listings are not affected by the challenges that smaller brokerages may be facing.

This is just another example of why it is advantageous to select a large, experienced real estate company that has the expansive resources and robust Internet capabilities as Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage.

When it comes time to sell your home, you deserve to have your property seen by the greatest number of consumers possible. The more potential buyers that view your home online (and in person), the greater your chance for selling that property faster – and at a good price.

The Internet has become one of the most important marketing tools in the real estate world today. Buyers for your home not only come from across town, but from across the country or even from around the world.

Getting your home exposed to the widest possible audience is critical, and you should not accept anything less unless you have personal preference reasons choose to limit.

According to the National Association of REALTORS®, 92% of home buyers use the Internet as part of their home search, clearly showing the need to partner with a real estate brokerage that has a strong online presence, like Coldwell Banker. 

Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage’s website presence is second to none, providing crucial exposure for our clients’ homes to the world’s audience where they are searching. The company and its website partners can show a client’s property on 700+ real estate websites including:

• CaliforniaMoves.com
• ColdwellBanker.com
• ColdwellBankerPreviews.com
• Realtor.com
• Trulia.com
• Zillow.com
• Homes.com
• AOL Real Estate
• MSN.com
• Hotpads.com
• HGTVFrontDoor.com
• Yahoo.com

In addition to exposure on Coldwell Banker’s powerful network of more than 700 websites, it has a program that can provide clients withfeatured positioning on real estate’s top websites, which account for 83% of the online real estate market share—putting client homes where the majority of online buyers are.

So when it comes time to find a real estate brokerage company, think BIG! If you’re ready to market your property or find the home of your dreams, just give me a call or email me today and we’ll get to work.