Connect2Agent - Home Buyers and Sellers

Homeowners: Where can you seek financial assistance to help pay your energy bills?

Where can financially distressed homeowners find financial assistance to offset the expenses of their heating bills?

A 10-20% increase in energy bills is expected during the 2006-07 winter season, according to the EIA (Energy Information Administration), which provides the official energy statistics from the U.S. Government. A program called LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) was created to help low-income and elderly families with their heating bills. 

Families that fall into these categories are sometimes forced to make choices that affect their basic needs in order to pay for heat, like forgoing needed prescriptions or being able to pay for clothes and healthy food. Sometimes the need to heat their houses leads to unsafe practices, such as using outdated space heaters or leaving the oven open to provide heat.

To apply for energy assistance, visit the Campaign for Home Energy Assistance website. This website provides listings for each state that furnishes Low Income Home Energy Assistance. Each state offers different assistance and has different requirements.The website also provides eligibility requirements, contact phone numbers and in some cases, applications for downloading.

A coalition of United States senators are requesting that President Bush release a contingency fund for LIHEAP to $20 million for the year 2008. They are also requesting an additional $2.4 billion for the energy assistance program. Energy assistance is vital for homeowners and renters who cannot afford to pay their heating bills. 

Connect2Agent has contacted Sherry Vogel, program specialist for the LIHEAP Clearinghouse, to find the best avenue to support the release of these funds. We will publish her response when we receive it.

Posted by Rebecca D. Levinson

Homeowners: Take advantage of the Energy Policy Act before it expires in December

Have you purchased any energy-efficient appliances or products this year?  If so, you may be eligible for a tax credit from the government.   

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 allows homeowners to itemize purchases on their federal income tax form for appliances and home improvements that are energy-efficient. This credit began in January 2006 and ends December 2007. 

Make sure to keep track of your receipts so you can itemize these expenses when you file your taxes.  If you have considered making a home improvement or purchasing an appliance that will improve the energy efficiency in your house, make sure to do so by December 31 so you can be eligible for this tax credit.

Posted by Rebecca D. Levinson

October is energy awareness month

October is home awareness month.  In September I gave tips on how to slash your home energy bills by over 40%. 

Today I want to direct you to U.S. Deparment of Energy's website that provides short and long term energy conservation tips for:

• Insulation and sealing air leaks
• Heating and cooling systems
• Windows
• Lighting
• Home office and electronics
• Driving and car maintenance
• Information on renewable energy

There are three great reasons why a homeowner should conserve energy:

• To increase the dollar value of your house.
• To get more comfort from your house.
• To pay lower utility bills.

With the average U.S family spending more than $1600 a year on home energy bills, what tips can you offer to cut down on costs?  I invite all readers to share tips that will keep more money in homeowner's pockets.

Posted by Rebecca D. Levinson of Connect2Agent

How to Slash Home Energy Costs by over 40%

September chill is setting in, and it's got me thinking "Time to Winterize!"

According to the Southface Energy Institute, "Simple energy efficiency improvements can cut energy costs by over 40% in most affordable housing."

So --what do you need to do to get your home ready for winter?

By late fall, a pre-winter checkup can help to eliminate problems before winter sets in. Here are three insanely easy home winterization tasks every homeowner should put on the to-do list this month.