Dallas Home Purchase "Rules of Thumb"

[lone_ranger]

Thanks for the replies

How about energy efficiency?

Is that a big factor (old vs new houses)?

I heard energy efficiency ratings were revised in 2003.

Thanks

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by lone_ranger

Thanks for the replies

How about energy efficiency?

Is that a big factor (old vs new houses)?

I heard energy efficiency ratings were revised in 2003.

Thanks

If you have seen some of the cheap and shoddy new construction some builders do sometimes an older house can be much more energy efficient. Remember a really old house that was built pre a/c has windows placed for cross ventilation. That is something severly lacking in many new homes the way they are designed. That and the fact more mature trees create a cooling effect and a breeze. Something else you won't find in a brand new subdivision.

I don't know if you were here this last summer but we were in a severe two year drought. Many of the new far reaching suburbs were halting any new landscaping being put in because of the water shortage. I see this becoming more of a problem w/ more and more houses being built. Our water sources can only sustain so many people and I'd LOVE to see something down to curtail the massive building that was going on. One reason I'm hoping the slow down in the real estate market will help curtail such. In more established neighborhoods and areas w/ a mature landscape and grown trees it is much easier to maintain w/o having to have bucketloads of water (most people over water if they are not smart about it).