Colorado Green Built Homes

A client of ours who recently completed the construction of their Energy Star home in Trappers Crossing sent us a newsletter that contained some very interesting information. According to the Colorado Governor's Energy Office (GEO), almost 45% of the new homes built in the state during the 1st half of 2010 were Energy Star qualified. That compares to only 8% of the new homes built in 2007 or the 19.4% of the new homes built in the year 2008. Continuing in that upward trend, in 2009 the number reached 33%.

Clearly all of us would love to see lower utility bills every month but being Energy Star qualified also means that the home will be more comfortable and with less drafts. It also means that less energy is consumed every month providing for a smaller carbon footprint.

Nicole Perino on our Team is an ECO-broker, meaning she has taken extensive training in green building methods. She would be happy to assist you in any way in your search for a green Durango Colorado home. Her direct line number is 970-375-7007.

Eco-Friendly Strawbale Home

It is not often that we get a very environmentally friendly home for sale. It's even less often that we have a strawbale home to offer people looking for Durango real estate. The Strawbale home is really a post-and beam constructed home with bales of straw used as the infill between the various posts and beams. The straw doesn't hold anything up, that is, it is not weight bearing at all. It offers fabulous insulation and makes up the base upon which the plaster, stucco, or whatever covering you are using. This home, located on 3.3 acres at the very end of Meadow Road in the Rafter J. Subdivision has been a labor of love for the two builder owners. Every attention to detail has been paid with beautiful hardwood floors, granite countertops, and Ponderosa pine cut from local forests. This particular home is unique in that it actually has irrigation water which is used for the pond on the property but can also be used for a garden and yard. Built with two bedrooms, this property is ideal for a retired couple or newlyweds just getting started. Since the parcel adjoins 53 acres of open space, which then adjoins BLM land, we feel that the peaceful quiet setting could make this a great artist studio, as well.

If you are new to the area and don't know where Rafter J. is, this home would be less than 10 minutes from downtown Durango over paved roads, except for about the last 1/4 mile. The entrance to the new Lake Nighthorse will be less than 3 miles away from this home. Lake Nighthorse is currently being filled and should be ready for fishing, boating, water skiing and sailing in the year 2011.

If you're interested in getting more information, here is a link Durango real estate Strawbale home to this property’s page on my Main website, www.BuyDurango.com Priced at just $389,000