Category Archives: Westchester NY

Going Off-Grid with Solar | #Waccabuc #RealEstate

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Going Off-Grid With Solar

Going Off-Grid With Solar

Volume 1 – SOLAR OFF-GRID BASICS

Introduction

Over the next few months I will discuss with you the topic of off-grid solar systems.  The impetus of developing these articles centers around the growing trend of individuals who desire to become less dependent on their utility grid.

There are a number of system types that can be considered when making this move toward energy independence. Some of the questions that you want to start thinking about are:

Do I want my home to be completely off-grid or do I want the ability to have grid power should the need arise?

I have already installed a grid-tied PV system on my home, can I use my existing system and still have the ability to go off-grid?

I’m not sure I’m ready to invest in a battery based system; however, I would like to plan on adding that to my future or existing PV system.  What options are there for me?

    Now that you have started to think about these questions and which of these applies mostly to your situation we can begin to understand how these relate to the different types of off-grid PV systems.

System Types

    There are a few basic types of off-grid systems to consider when evaluating the prospect of taking your home off-grid.  The types of systems are; PV-Direct, Off-grid and Hybrid.  Each of these types have different attributes that define what they are able to do.  Each serves a specific purpose and is chosen by the needs that you require.

PV-Direct System

    The PV-Direct system is this simplest of all off-grid systems.  It contains the least amount of equipment and is therefore less costly than other off-grid systems types.  Essentially the only components that are required are PV modules, disconnects/fuses/breakers, and the load.  

    The PV-Direct systems are a good consideration if you have devices which are DC powered and are remote.  These could be well-pumps, dc-fan motors or any other DC powered device.  The limitations to these systems are that they can only be powered when the solar resource is available.  This makes them unsuitable for an off-grid home, but can still be considered if your off-grid home is remote and you have a well-pump or perhaps a greenhouse which requires ventilation.

Off-Grid System

    The next type of systems is the Off-grid system.  This is the most commonly thought of because it describes a home which is completely isolated from the utility grid by choice or 

Off-Grid System

    The next type of systems is the Off-grid system.  This is the most commonly thought of because it describes a home which is completely isolated from the utility grid by choice or necessity.  These systems contain more components than the PV-Direct system and by extension more energy usability because one of the primary components is energy storage (batteries).

    Before I go further, I want to mention here that there are two types of systems that can be considered in an off-grid system.  Those may be either DC coupled or AC coupled.  I will cover both of these system types in more detail in a later article to help further explain the advantages of each and when they should be employed.

    Off-grid systems are most common for homes that are in remote locations or in areas that are too far from a utility service where the cost of running utility service would be cost prohibitive.  These circumstances are where off-grid PV systems are a great option to consider when traditionally you would need to rely on some type of fossil fuel or natural gas commodity to run a generator, which can be expensive and not environmentally friendly.

    The main components of an off-grid system are the PV modules, charge controller, battery bank, battery management, DC/AC inverter and electrical safety equipment.  You can also consider adding or keeping the aforementioned generator if the loads you wish to power require that extra boost, your batteries need an extra charge or you are really conservative and would like to have it just in-case.

read more…

http://www.civicsolar.com/resource/going-grid-solar?utm

Investors’ pullback trims August home sales | Bedford Hills Real Estate

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Existing-home sales slipped 1.8% in August, breaking a four-month string of gains as some investor buyers left the market, the National Association of Realtors said Monday.

Sales dropped to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.05 million in August, the National Association of Realtors said Monday. That’s down from 5.14 million in July — which was revised slightly lower than previously estimated — and a 5.33 million rate in August 2013.

Economists had expected a 5.18 million pace, according to the median forecast in Action Economics’ survey.

It has been 10 months since the annualized sales rate was higher on a year over year basis.

“There was a marked decline in all-cash sales from investors” last month, said Lawrence Yun, chief economist of the Realtors association. “On the positive side, first-time buyers have a better chance of purchasing a home now that bidding wars are receding and supply constraints have significantly eased in many parts of the country.”

Investors have provided much of the demand in the housing market for the past few years as they snapped up foreclosed properties at distressed prices and turned them into rentals. But their interest has cooled as the supply of foreclosures has receded and prices of other properties have risen.

All-cash sales were 23% of transactions in August, dropping for the second consecutive month to its lowest share since December 2009, the NAR said. Individual investors bought 12% of homes in August, down from 16% in July and 17% in August 2013. Sixty-four percent of investors paid cash in August.

 

 

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http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/09/22/august-existing-home-sales/16016439/

 

When Should You Refinance | South Salem Real Estate

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When you take out a mortgage with a fixed interest rate, you expect to be locked into the same monthly payment for the life of the loan. But that’s not necessarily the case — many homeowners can benefit by refinancing their mortgage at a lower interest rate.

Before you can decide whether it’s worth it to refinance, get a handle on the numbers involved. How many more years do you have on your current loan, and what’s your current interest rate? How much do you still owe? Will you be borrowing the same amount, or are you hoping to cash out some equity?

Now, turn your attention to the new loan you’re hoping to get. What kind of interest rate can you expect? Some say it’s not worth it to refinance unless you’re knocking off an entire percentage point (e.g. going from a 5% interest rate to 4%, for example), but that rule can be misleading. If you’re planning on staying in the home for several more years, even a small reduction in your interest rate can make a big difference. If you’re a little hazy on the math, Trulia’s refinance calculator can help demystify things.

Once you know what kind of interest rates are available now, find out how much closing costs are likely to be. That’s right. Closing costs aren’t just an issue when you buy a house. You pay closing costs again when you refinance, although they’ll be lower this time.

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http://www.trulia.com/tips/2014/09/

Down to Earth Farmers Markets | Katonah Real Estate

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JAN2014-DTE-E-Mail-Masthead_(722x226pxl)FRESH-2-(1

Ossining Community Works to Eliminate Plastic Shopping Bags at Market;
Last Chance to Register for Piermont Apple Pie Contest on 9/28;
Honeycrisp Apples Arrive in Croton-on-Hudson + MORE

September 18-26th, 2014
DowntoEarthMarkets.com

What’s New, In Season, and On Sale This Week
Broccoli
Newgate Farms

Cauliflower – including
colorful varieties!
Gajeski Produce
Newgate Farms

Cherry Tomatoes
Rexcroft Farm

Cranberry Orange Rum Scones
e-Desserts

Lavender Scones
e-Desserts

Kabocha Squash
Rexcroft Farm

Marinated Fire Roasted Peppers
Sourced from Newgate Farms
Trotta Foods

Pumpkin Butter
Meredith’s Bread

 Pumpkin Cookies,
Pies, Tarts, and more
Regular and gluten-free
Meredith’s Bread

Roasted Red Pepper and Mozzarella Ravioli
w/Newgate Farm peppers
Trotta Foods

Spaghetti Squash
Rexcroft Farm

Sushi-grade Tuna
American Pride Seafood


Click on a Market to see all vendor and event details…                  

Westchester
County

Rockland
County

Ossining

Saturdays
8:30 am-1:00 pm


Larchmont

Saturdays
8:30 am-1:00 pm

Piermont

Sundays
9:30 am-3:00 pm

Croton-on-Hudson

Sundays
9:00 am-2:00 pm


Rye

Sundays
8:30 am-2:00 pm

Spring Valley

Wednesdays
8:30 am-3:00 pm


Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow

Saturdays
8:30 am-1:00 pm

New Rochelle

Fridays
8:30 am-2:30 pm


Headed to the city soon?

Visit a Down to Earth
Farmers Market in NYC!

Announcements
Croton

The farmers in Croton-on-Hudson are bringing in more unique melons varieties as the weeks progress, so we’re going to host another melon tasting. Stop by this Sunday to try these delicious fruits, freshly-picked from the late summer harvest.

Ossining: Together Let’s Eliminate Plastic Shopping Bags

Down to Earth Markets estimates that at least 64,000 plastic shopping bags leave the Ossining market/year. Plastic bags often end up as litter in our streets, green spaces, and waterways.
With this in mind, we encourage shoppers to Bring Your Own Bag a.k.a. BYOBag to the market.
As of Saturday, September 27th, vendors at the Ossining market will charge $0.10 for every
point-of-sale shopping bag with the expectation to eliminate them with time.

On September 20th and 27th, everyone is invited to donate your extra reusable bags to the Ossining market manager. The manager will offer these bags to shoppers for use instead of plastic. For every bag donated, the giver can enter a raffle for a $25 gift certificate to the Ossining Farmers Market.

Also, Green Ossining plans to host a “T-Shirt to Tote” workshop at the market, teaching all how to transform old t-shirts to reusable bags. Please visit our event calendar for full details.

Piermont – Registration ends soon for Apple Pie Contest on Sunday, Sept. 28

This is the last Sunday to register at the farmers market for the 2nd Annual Piermont Apple Pie Contest. The judges will be renowned Chef Peter X. Kelly, Mark Tasker, Head Pastry Chef of Balthazar, and esteemed Piermont community member, Sylvia Welch.
They will determine the winner in the categories of Best Tasting, Best Looking, Most Creative, and Most Traditional. Then they’ll turn the judging over to the public to taste each entry and vote on Best Overall. In a phrase, “Bring it.” Register this Sunday at the market or online HERE.

Rye

The Westchester Triathlon takes place on Sunday and it will be in Rye around the time of the farmers market opening (8:30 am). The market will be open per usual, but please note that area traffic may be rerouted for a short while. Join us in cheering on these inspiring athletes and then stock up on fresh, local foods at the market. See you there.

Vendor News: Wave Hill Bread Named Best Bread (Again!)

For the second year in a row, Connecticut Magazine has declared something that Down to Earth Farmers Market customers have known all along: Wave Hill Bread is the BEST BREAD around. Congratulations to Mitch, Margaret, and their talented crew! We’re so happy to have them at our markets in Larchmont on Saturdays and Croton-on-Hudson on Sundays.

For additional events, visit our Down to Earth Markets Event Calendar.

Stay tuned to all market happenings via our Down to Earth Markets Facebook page
and follow us on Instagram and on Twitter @DowntoEarthMkts.

Rotating* Vendors This Week
*Vendors who rotate through various markets during the season.
They enjoy getting to know many communities, and here’s where to find them this week:
​
Larchmont 

Calcutta Kitchens
Christiane’s Backstube (Locally sourced, German-inspired baked specialties)
Flourish Baking Company
Hudson River Apiaries
Kontoulis Family Olive Oil
North Winds Lavender Farm
Trotta Foods

Piermont 

**NEW TO 2014 MARKET!!** – Alpacatrax
(100% alpaca fleece, yarn, roving, and more from the Hudson Valley)
e-Desserts
#Freedom Craft Brewery

Rye

Kontoulis Family Olive Oil

Down to Earth Markets 173 Main Street Ossining, NY 10562 Phone: 914-923-4837

Future Of Lewisboro Elementary A Major Topic For Officials | #WaccabucRealEstate

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The fate of the shuttered Lewisboro Elementary School has emerged as a topic of interest for local officials.

At Monday’s meeting, the Katonah-Lewisboro school board was told a committee is forming to review possible uses for the building. It was indicated that reusing the school, which closed this summer as part of a consolidation of the district’s elementary schools, may be among the board’s goals for the 2014-15 school year.

Interim Superintendent John Goetz said possible committee members could include himself, Assistant Superintendent for Business Michael Jumper and the district’s attorney. School Board President Marjorie Schiff said Board Trustees Peter Treyz and Stephanie Tobin also were interested.

Goetz said establishing the committee should include creating a meeting calendar and ground rules. He said community input would be sought, noting “the people have a vested interest in this.”

The board also was told a committee meeting could be held before the next school board meeting. Schiff said the committee’s report to the board should include a potential timeline and a proposal for community involvement. Goetz concurred with Schiff, explaining  that approach is what is expected.

The school’s future use also is a topic at the town government level. At a League of Women Voters event held last week in Katonah, Lewisboro Supervisor Peter Parsons called LES the town’s “biggest single opportunity.” He suggested possible uses such as additional office space for the town government and a venue for teenagers.

 

 

 

read more….

 

 

 

http://bedford.dailyvoice.com/schools/future-lewisboro-elementary-major-topic-officials

Mortgage Rates at 4.19% | Bedford Real Estate

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Mortgage rates for 30-year fixed mortgages rose this week, with the current rate borrowers were quoted on Zillow Mortgages at 4.19 percent, up from 4.05 percent at this same time last week.

The 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose steadily last week, peaking at 4.30 percent on Sunday before easing down to the current rate.

“Last week, rates hit a five-month high on anticipation that the Fed’s policy statement might suggest an earlier than expected hike in the federal funds rate,” said Erin Lantz, vice president of mortgages at Zillow. “This week, any significant movement in rates will stem from the Fed’s Wednesday announcement, which could reveal how quickly the federal funds rate will rise after the stimulus program ends.”

Additionally, the 15-year fixed mortgage rate this morning was 3.26 percent, and for 5/1 ARMs, the rate was 3.03 percent.

 

read more…

 

 

 

 

http://www.zillow.com/blog/mortgage-rates-up-14-basis-points-159975/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ZillowBlog+%28Zillow+Blog%29

Low Cost Vietnamese Homes | Bedford Hills Real Estate

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Vo Trong Nghia Architects has revealed its second-phase prototype for an affordable and low-maintenance dwelling for Vietnam, as part of a project aimed at solving the country’s housing crisis (+ slideshow).

S House by Vo Trong Nghia

The new prototype, known as S House, has been unveiled by Vo Trong Nghia Architects two years after the Vietnamese firm presented its first low-cost buildings, which were designed to offer permanent residences for less than £2,500 each.

 

 

 

read more..

 

 

Vo Trong Nghia unveils second prototype for low-cost Vietnamese housing

 

While the original design featured a lightweight steel frame, the new structure is built from precast concrete, which the architects believe offers greater long-term stability.

Glass Box by the ‘Ferris Bueller House’ Architect Asks $3.6M | Bedford Corners Real Estate

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12 images

Location: Lakeside, Mich.
Price: $3,650,000
The Skinny: Architect David Haid, the Mies van der Rohe protégé most famous for designing Cameron’s beloved modern spread from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, was also the mastermind of this midcentury glass box located on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. Built in 1964 for clients who still call the house home, the design gets along well with the rest of Haid’s oeuvre, and owes more than a small debt to the work of that other famous modernist, Glass House architect Philip Johnson. Like Johnson, Haid, who died in 1993, had a great respect for landscapes, particularly the ever-changing reaches of the upper Midwest. Like many of his designs, this place is basically a dollop of glass walls, which offer panoramic views of the property’s wooded 2.6 acre lot and of the 200-foot private beach on the other side of the rolling, manicured lawn. Inside: a pristine, open floor-plan with post-and-beam construction overhead and floor-to-ceiling windows throughout. The two-bedroom, which seems to be in very good shape even after enduring 50 years of bruising Great Lakes winters, asks $3.65M.

 

 

 

read more…

http://curbed.com/archives/2014/09/17/glass-box-by-ferris-bueller-house-architect-david-haid-asks-36m.php

Housing starts nosedive 14.4% in August | Pound Ridge Real Estate

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Privately-owned housing starts plunged 14.4% in August, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Starts were expected to drop after a strong July but not by this much.

Housing starts for July jumped to an annualized pace of 1.093 million units-up from 0.945 million units the prior month. July was up a sharp 15.7%.

Housing starts printed at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 956,000, well below analyst expectations, but 8% above the August 2013 rate of 885,000.

Single-family units remained largely flat as they have for the past 20 months, multifamily starts fell from 396,000 to 343,000, or 13.4% for permits, and an incredible 31.5% for starts.

Single-family housing starts in August were at a rate of 643,000; this is 2.4% below the revised July figure of 659,000. The August rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 304,000.

Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in August were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 998,000. This is 5.6% below the revised July rate of 1,057,000, but is 5.3% above the August 2013 estimate of 948,000.

Single-family authorizations in August were at a rate of 626,000; this is 0.8% below the revised July figure of 631,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 343,000 in August.

Privately-owned housing completions in August were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 892,000. This is 3.2% above the revised July estimate of 864,000 and is 16.9% above the August 2013 rate of 763,000.

Single-family housing completions in August were at a rate of 591,000; this is 8.2% below the revised July rate of 644,000. The August rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 292,000.

 

 

read more….

 

http://www.housingwire.com/articles/31404-housing-starts-nosedive-144-in-august

Scotland Without the Pound Seen as a Threat to Housing | Armonk NY Real Estate

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A vote in favor of Scottish independence tomorrow threatens to weigh down a booming housing market should thousands of homeowners become debtors of foreign lenders.

Political leaders in the U.K. are sparring over whether an independent Scotland would keep the pound, with the outcome having major consequences for the economy and housing. If Scottish homeowners eventually have to repay pound-denominated loans in a foreign currency, they would face the risk of higher costs and possible default.

Prime Minister David Cameron warned on Sept. 14 the breakup would be akin to a “painful divorce,” and said the U.K. won’t share its currency with an independent Scotland. Independence leaders dismiss the government’s threat, insisting that Scotland and the rest of the U.K. would form a currency union to benefit both nations.

 

read more…

 

 

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-17/scotland-without-the-pound-seen-as-a-threat-to-housing.html