This Weeks Challenge...

Financing, Hard Money Lenders, Private Money
1

Go to these websites:
http://www.dsireusa.org/
http://www.eere.energy.gov/

After reviewing the incentives for your state post up with any ideas you may have regarding renewable energy and CREI.

IMHO the merging of the energy and real estate markets is a future inevitabilty. What do you think?

For the really creative thinkers google the terms “Renewable Energy Credit” or “REC”

Good luck,
Pat Lawson

2

You can finance energy improvements up to certain dollar or percentage limitations with FNMA loans and FHA and can go above the sales price.

3

EEM and EIM, Yes. That’s been around since 1979 and the still really don’t get any play.

Question:
How can an investor use an EIM or renewable energy grants and state loan subsidies to:
A. Signifigantly increase cash flow on rental properties.
B. Signifigantly increase sale price and number of available buyers on “fix and flips”.

                                         VS.

                          Standard REI Techniques
4

I think the EEM will have it’s day- there’s a great organization who are on the forefront of EEM and green building- called ecobroker. Check them out.

5

I think their day should have come already. I don’t see the market really taking off without investor participation. The programs are all in place and realatively easy to understand and use. Could they be better? Yeah, but we are a fosil fuel economy we should be gratefull for the bones “they” have thrown us.

It is going to take out of the box thinkers/dreamers, AKA “creative investors” to drive the market.

What do we have to work with?

  • DTI Stretch.
  • Available financing for repairs.
  • Grants
  • Govt. Subsidized loans.
  • Rising energy costs.
  • Tradeable renewable energy credits

Question: How do creative investors take all of the available resouces and turn them into a “gold mine”? If something can’t be turned into a “gold mine” in America then it generally has no place. Capitalism.

Every fiber of my being knows that this is ready to take off. I just cannot see the optimal entry point.

I’m aware of ecobroker and I applaud what they are doing, I’m sure they are making a good profit, but where is the edge?

6

I think Ecobroker is more of a non-profit, advocacy type company. I actually know the owner- they are located about a mile from my office in Evergreen, CO. He’s been around for a few years, but I don’t think it’s a profitable venture for him yet. He is in it because he is passionate about energy efficient building practices.

I think the key on the financing side is learning the products and educating our clients, one at a time, that this option is available.