Energy Saving and Green not always do you need to act right away

Good article - Many of the ideas make good sense - eating further down the food chain, reusing when you can, allowing for less frequent upgrades to wardrobes(fight the fashion industry), upgrading durable goods when they need to be with more energy efficient models.

Excerpt from the article is here
Simple Energy Saving = Money Saving. Don’t think you have to invest expensive home improvements that promise to pay for themselves in energy savings. Always do the math yourself. You will find that many costly energy-saving measures — IE: replacing windows in your home with more-energy-efficient models — often don’t make economic sense unless you’re going to stay in your home for many, many years. In general, it’s smart to upgrade to energy-efficient appliances and other energy saving items only when the time comes to replace a worn-out older model. Most homeowners will save more money and more energy by undertaking simple, inexpensive, do-it-yourself projects first, such as installing low flow toilets conversion, filling gaps around the house that let heat/cooling escape, adding extra insulation in the attic, installing programmable thermostats, and turning down your hot water heater, weather striping and sealing doors and windows, etc… According to the Energy Department, the typical older home has enough easily repairable energy-sucking gaps around windows, doors, etc., to be the equivalent of leaving the front door open all year long! Think about that, and then head out to the garage and get your tool belt and your caulking gun!.

Reaonable fees for yoth sports could be indanger in Radnor

The following is a letter from the president of the sports association to the public and the leaders of both the Radnor Township and the Radnor School Board


The Radnor Youth Sports Groups have been following the developments with respect to the renegotiation of a new grounds maintenance agreement between Radnor Township and Radnor Township School District. We believe that such an agreement is good for our community. However, we understand that the Request for Proposals solicited by the School District has produced some low cost bids which might be a significant cost advantage for the School District’s direct costs associated with grounds maintenance.







We also understand that the current Radnor Township budget reviews are in process and that all costs and revenues associated with a new grounds maintenance agreement have been removed. Also, the Township preliminary budget includes new permit fees for community groups of township residents which are substantial costs to those organizations, and presumably such permit fees do not include any potential School District fees. Consequently, as significant community users of public facilities, Township and School, the leaders of our group have been discussing alternatives to the current grounds maintenance agreement that is scheduled to terminate at the end of next month. There is great concern that the Township and School District are considering adding substantial costs to the community youth organizations despite the input from the leaders of the affected organizations. The use of public facilities should be open to the public without a fee, including non-profit community youth sports programs which are open to all residents and are heavily supported by community volunteers. Fees have never been levied against community youth programs, except for 2010 when the severe economic times led to adding such fees. We have stated that a modest permit fee would be reasonable, something like other townships in the area charge to community youth sports organizations in the range of $100 to $150 per field per season.






The Radnor Athletic Association would like to propose a REPLACEMENT of the current GROUNDS MAINTENANCE agreement with a new PUBLIC USE agreement that does not involve any grounds maintenance services from the Township. Our objective is to establish an agreement with the Township and the School District that preserves and protects public access and public uses of school property, as well as providing for usage of Township property for school events.






This new agreement is intended to benefit the community sports groups, the School District students, the neighbors of the various fields, parks and open space, the Township Recreation programs and all Radnor residents who enjoy recreational facilities and open space.






We recommend the following components in this proposal:






1. Township would provide facilities for school events, if appropriate Township facilities are available, when such facilities are needed for school events and are not otherwise booked for community events. This is nothing new and already exists.






2. Examples under #1 would include use of Township athletic fields when school needs cannot be met on school property, use of Township Building meeting rooms for School Board Meetings or similar public meetings or events, Township police for major events (e.g., July 4th fireworks traffic control).






3. School District would provide public access and public use of recreational facilities located on school property when not in use for school functions. This would be simply a continuation of existing access.






4. Examples under #3 would include tennis courts at Ithan ES, Radnor MS, Radnor HS; running track at Radnor HS; walking paths at Radnor MS, Radnor ES, Ithan ES; outdoor basketball courts at Radnor MS, Radnor HS, Wayne ES; non-scheduled use of athletic fields etc.






5. School District would provide use of school athletic facilities and indoor facilities, including gymnasiums, when such facilities are not needed for school events, for qualified non-profit community groups/programs and township sponsored recreation programs. This is essentially the same as what has been in place for many years.






6. There would be no costs or charges for usage between the Township and the School District, except for certain agreed upon costs that are recovered from user groups. This would be a new arrangement and the details would need to be worked out.






7. Examples under #6 would include the electricity costs for the usage of lights on athletic fields or similar actual added costs that are not normally incurred by the school district for regular school operations, maintenance and repairs.






8. Hours of public use, process for reserving facilities, insurance where needed, etc. would be similar to the current process.






9. Public use and non-profit community users that serve all Radnor residents would have priority over any private or for profit organizations that want to use or rent Township or School District recreational facilities.






9. Scheduling, notices to user groups, costs, fees and other details would be an operational process performed annually or by season. This would be coordinated by one or more administrative people at the School District, Township and representatives of the Radnor Athletic Association, and its member Community Sports Groups, in a similar manner as is coordinated currently. We expect that improvements to coordination could be included as needed to meet the needs and requirements of the user groups, the School District, the Township and the public. We envision a set of written procedures that can be used as guidelines and can be revised as needed, based on experience.






We anticipate that this agreement would not have a significant cost impact on the School district or the Township. It should be structured as a working agreement and allow for input from user groups, particularly the community sports groups. This idea is offered as a beneficial agreement for the community and the public served by Radnor Township and Radnor School District.






We understand that there could be some issues that might need to be aired and addressed for this proposal to be accepted. We would have representatives from the Radnor Athletic Association, and its member Community Sports Groups, meet with officials or administrators to discuss this proposal.






We look forward to the Township’s and School District’s response to this proposal and any suggestions about how to move forward expeditiously.






Bob Miccolis, President


Radnor Athletic Association

FHA Loan limits restored!!!

This news comes from a press release by the National  Association of Realtors
Last night Congress restored the loan limits for the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) for two years.


As you know, in late September the FHA, Fannie Mae; and Freddie Mac loan limits were reduced in 42 states pricing potential home buyers out of the American Dream of home ownership and holding back the housing recovery.

NAR immediately went to work with the goal to get the loan limits restored in Congress. For weeks that goal seemed unlikely.


The reinstated FHA loan limit formula and cap change will help make mortgages more affordable and accessible for hard-working, middle-class families in 669 counties in 42 states and territories, where the average loan limit reduction after the reset last month was more than $68,000. The provision reinstates the FHA loan limits through 2013 at 125 percent of local area median home prices, up to a maximum of $729,750 in the highest cost markets, the floor will remain at $271,050. However, Congress chose not to apply the loan limits restoration to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Fannie-and-Freddie-backed mortgages will remain at 115 percent of local area median home prices up to $625,500

New Market watch Feature Sales in your town by Month October now Available

Main line home sales now available to see.  Let me know if you are interested in receiving one for your town call 610-909-3432 of send me an e-mail using tom@tomlowy.com  

Here is what they look like ran this one for Wayne Pa 19087  This is available for multiple states as well I am told.