Blog
‘Editor’s Notebook’ with Diana Mosher
Greywater is Making a ‘Splash’ in Portland, Oregon It’s hard to ignore the fact that the affordable multi-housing sector frequently leads the way in green initiatives. In Portland, Oregon, for example, the work of Central City Concern (CCC), a non-profit affordable housing provider, has helped direct statewide regulatory change. Commercial and residential buildings in Oregon are now allowed to use rainwater. This change will result in significant savings for owners as well as low-income residents. It will also help conserve a precious resource. As CCC points out, the greatest challenge of a truly sustainable building is… water independence. Its groundbreaking work has helped…
Guest Blog: LED Lighting on your Property
You may have heard about LED lighting in the news recently. There are several cities around the country converting their street lights to be LED street lights. No more metal halide or high power sodium bulbs. As you would imagine these types of streetlights need to be quite powerful to light up the blacktop 25 feet below the pole. Sure enough they are bright! So what about LED lights on your property in the common areas that you are paying the electricity on? Well such replacement bulbs exist and they make CFLs look bad. There are two types of LED…
‘The Essential Kitchen’ with Kevin Henry: The Tao of the New Economy: Part II–Marketing to the SoCon
Last week, In Part I, we took a look at the “SoCon” —these Socially Conscience Consumers understand that the purchases they make have a profound impact on the world around them, both economically as well as environmentally Darwin is often misquoted…it is not the survival of the fittest…but rather the survival through adaptation. How are we to adapt to the new economy? How must we change to survive the current market conditions? 1. First we need to re-think our products and services in this new economy…our clients are looking for value, not just a deal, not cheaper materials, they…
‘Gimme Shelter’ with Daniel Gehman: Make Offer
So it’s come to the end of another gorgeous holiday weekend, right here in the middle of the summer of our discontent. I don’t know what happened—from everything I read and heard, I had come to believe the third quarter would usher in the recovery, albeit mild-mannered, from just whatever it is we’ve been going through. Hey! We’re almost a week into the Q3, 2009! Where’s the recovery? Well, perhaps as Jeff Immelt said, this is not so much a recovery as a “re-set.” To me that always conjures the picture of returning all the Monopoly money, markers and cards…
‘Capital Insights’ with Jack Kern: New Rent Regulations Go Into Effect on Foreclosures
“Nothing is more damaging to a state than that cunning men pass for wise.” Francis Bacon (1561-1626) There are an estimated 5 million homes in foreclosure, with the total potentially rising to 7 million. One of the facts coming to light is that as much as 40% of these are investor- or syndicate-owned and leased out to renters. As these houses are falling into default, many of the owners are pocketing the rent payments and letting the renters discover for themselves that they are being evicted, even though they’ve paid their rents on time and consistently. Recent legislation now…
‘The Essential Kitchen’ with Kevin M. Henry: Tao of the New Economy: Part I—Meet the ‘So-Con’
The near collapse of the global economic system has had a major impact on the lifestyle of the American consumer, who is buying fewer services and goods that were once considered staples of the affluent life. � � American consumers have suffered a collective breakdown. They have begun to question their lives and their lifestyles…Do I need that big German car? Do I really need that second house at the beach? Do my kids need to go to that private school? Do I need a new phone or iPod or laptop because it now comes in a cooler color? Out…
Foong on Finance: Initial Look at Financial Regulatory Reform
Last week, President Obama put forward his proposals to make changes to the regulatory oversight of the financial system. Among the proposals, the “ Financial Regulatory Reform Plan” would give the Federal Reserve and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. additional controls over financial institutions. It would require hedge funds and private equity funds to be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. And it would consolidate the agencies that oversee consumer debt banking into a regulator called the Consumer Financial Protection Agency. Where our industry is concerned, the plan would more tightly control banks that issue mortgage-backed securities. And it…
Guest Blog: The Power of Your Website
We are all familiar with the web and have heard all the stories about young entrepreneurs becoming fabulously rich by building amazing sites and selling products through them. Some examples include Amazon, Zappos, and today’s social media darling Facebook. Every property is a business and just like any other business you need to promote it. The best and most efficient source to advertise your business is through the Internet. Unlike traditional print advertising, your website need not cost a lot to advertise through. Essentially, your website is a tool to take and use as your advertising vehicle in various sources…
‘Who’s Leading the Green Movement?’ Guest Blog with Matt Voorhees
Individual homeowners are going green in record numbers, but they are not the ones who will be the leaders in the green movement because they are going green slowly. As much as they might want for circumstances to be otherwise, most are not in a position to run out and buy, for instance, a high efficiency clothes washer when the old one is still running just fine. It’s a big expense, and while they will ultimately recoup all of the money from the savings on their water bill, the immediate savings does not justify the price of such a big-ticket…
‘Gimme Shelter’ with Daniel Gehman: Cars
“Here is my car, I feel safest of all; I can lock all my doors, it’s the only way to live, In cars.” Perhaps you have the good fortune to remember this ‘top ten’ song from 1980 sung by Gary Numan. I suppose this piece could be the un-official theme number of the City of Angels, where I do most of my work. Over the last two weeks, I have experienced both ends of the spectrum of love/hate for the projectile ICE (Internal combustion engine, for those of you new to the discussion) personal transport system. First, I had the…