[MassHistPres] Stretch Energy Code

[Sam Bird]

The argument that revolves around property values always reminds me  
of something said at a public hearing but a guy I know who invariably  
"tells it like it is".  The hearing happened to be about wind  
turbines (not Cape Wind but similar) and the nay sayers were beating  
the "it'll kill property values" drum incessantly.  This guy stood up  
and said this - "If you're not selling your house why do you care  
about the property value? And if you are selling your house and  
moving away, why should we care what you think?"

It seemed to sum it up nicely.

Sam Bird




On Feb 4, 2010, at 10:55 AM, <slater at alum.rpi.edu> wrote:

> >http://www.jchs.harvard.edu/publications/remodeling/w09-1_park.pdf
> >
> >On window replacement, the study found that "high performance  
> glazing" (i.e.,
> >double glazed replacement sash with low-E glazing) was second only  
> to use of
> >compact fluorescent lighting in Green Product Usage. It also cited  
> a 1999 study
> >(so not very recent) on "More Evidence of Rational Market Values  
> for Home Energy
> >Efficiency" by Nevin, Bender and Gazan in The Appraisal Journal that
> >demonstrated that window replacement was fully recovered through  
> an increase in
> >the home's market value. (It wouldn't make a house worth more to  
> me, but
> >apparently it does for others.)
> >
>
> So is the argument being presented that the energy savings is  
> immaterial for window replacement because the increase in the sales  
> price of the house makes up for the purchase price?
>
> I suppose that isn't surprising, given the amount of marketing that  
> has accompanied window replacements. As others have noted, this is  
> becoming one of the things that people now desire to do upon moving  
> into a house -- replace the windows, even if they are replacement  
> windows to begin with. Preservation of existing windows is getting  
> thumped in this fight.
>
> However, I don't think I could accept resale value as an argument  
> for hardship for window replacement. Inability to maximize profit  
> (or home value) is not a hardship.
>
> Ralph Slate
> Springfield, MA
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