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Record Number of Solar Properties Being Sold in the Phoenix-metro Area as MLS Evolves Solar Search Fields

--Melisa Camp has been studying residential solar homes sales trends in Phoenix since 2013. She teaches a 3 hour course in AZ, a 10 min mico-course for NAR, and authored NAR's Guide to Taking a Solar Listing.--

By Melisa Camp M.Ed., LEED AP-Homes, Associate Broker, HomeSmart and Administrator, Elite Education

Solar properties are becoming more and more common when buying or selling real estate, now accounting for about 8.5% of all properties sold in the Phoenix market in 2023. For the first time since 2014, there were more properties sold with owned PV solar than leased PV solar through the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS). Of the just over six thousand solar properties sold through ARMLS in 2023, approximately 52% had owned solar systems and 48% were leased. 

Is something changing in the marketplace or is it just a chance happening?

In October of 2022, ARMLS updated its solar ownership fields to distinguish whether owned solar was ‘owned outright’ or ‘owned with loan assumption’. It also evolved the leased search field to now specify ‘monthly lease assumption’ or ‘prepaid lease assumption’. ‘Utility owned’ is also still a searchable field and remains unchanged. 

This is a positive change. After studying solar in real estate for over a decade I believe the new more specific fields will help take guesswork out of clarifying the sellers intentions and also being clear about the method of solar financing/leasing. More transparency means more accountability and communication between parties. Selling solar properties requires more work than a traditional sale and details like solar are a material fact and definitely matter. 

A couple of years ago, I helped to update the Arizona Association of REALTORS Solar Addendum; in the most recent version, when you sell a solar property in AZ you need to provide all documentation on the solar system to the buyer's agent within 3 days of contract acceptance. Failure to do so could result in a breach of contract, so it is important to be properly informed and prepared before listing your solar property.

If you have solar that is owned it is important to hire a Broker that understands how to valuate and leverage the solar savings when it comes time to sell. Ask your REALTOR if they use PV Value, Pearl Certification, or the Appraisal Institute’s Residential Green and Energy Efficient Addendum. If they are not familiar, you may want to ask for a referral or for them to partner with a more solar competent professional. Not knowing can cause and cost money left on the table.

There are 2 situations the MLS and the AAR Solar Addendum do not address. First, removing the array. Some buyers don't want to assume something they did not initiate and some sellers want to take the array to the new house so someone will need to repair and possibly warranty the roof. The second situation is if the seller and/or buyer decided to 'buy-out' the lease or loan. For these unique situations it would be greatly beneficial to have a REALTOR with training and experience with solar home sales. (And I would love to be your Broker, solar coach, and advocate!)

What’s in store for 2024? I predict the solar market share will continue it’s upward momentum and solar properties will approach compromising 10% of all sales by the end of the year. I also believe we will see more owned than leased systems being transferred.

#solar #greenhomesphoenix #phoenix #realestate #broker

#homesales

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New Construction Home Buyers Expect Healthier & Smarter Homes

by Melisa Camp, M.Ed. LEED AP-Homes

GREEN, ABR, PMN, PSA, e-PRO, AHWD

Associate Broker, HomeSmart Phoenix, AZ

Selling high-performance homes is an ongoing process of understanding the evolution of building science and technology and communicating that to prospective home buyers in a way that creates value. REALTORS® absolutely have to keep pace with our buyers and help them to prioritize and anticipate their needs. We also need to uphold fiduciary duties to sellers and ensure we are not leaving money on the table by undervaluing high-performance features.

New home buyers today are smarter than ever and paying attention to details. Buyers have much more information and knowledge than they did when I first started 15 years ago and knowledge is power. New home buyers definitely expect a higher caliber and quality built home- especially when we have the opportunity of building from the ground up. When buyers understand the benefits they are more likely to pay a premium price.

Buyers desire the benefits of a sustainable home whether it be cost savings, comfort, health, safety, social responsibility, or any combination of benefits. Cost savings remains the universal sales pitch but I see health catching up quickly on the list of priorities in the wake of the COVID 19 pandemic and increase in buyers working from home. 

Indoor airPLUS, LEED, NGBS and ZERH certifications and other searchable MLS fields like ‘fresh-air mechanical’ and ‘no VOC paint’ are a great place to start seeking healthier homes. REALTORS® representing home builders need to be aware of and use all available green fields when marketing or else it will be next to impossible for buyers needing specific home features to be found. Green MLS fields are an important yet completely underutilized marketing resource.

Utilities savings can easily be quantified into dollars however, it is more challenging to value intangible but important health benefits into dollars. Nevertheless, it is our job as competent advisors to understand how to take into consideration all green and sustainable features when suggesting market value to clients.

I cannot stress how important it is that REALTORS® know their listing details inside and out, forward and backward. You don't want the client knowing more than you do. It is imperative that salespersons educate themselves and builders educate their salespersons on the green features, sustainable design, and invisible but valuable investments. There are powerful tools like the Appraisal Institute’s Green and Energy Efficient Addendum and PVvalue.com to aid in the adjustment in value for high-performance home features and energy efficient assets.

Be addicted to learning and earn NAR’s GREEN designation; this is something I highly recommend as it is the best core knowledge upon which REALTORS® can build a strong foundation. Also, please keep learning and building competency with Intro to Sustainability and Resiliency: What REALTORS® Need to Know course at learning.realtor along with several micro-courses on the topic of sustainability that I helped write and produce as my pandemic passion project.

*This work is to be published by the National Association of REALTORS® as part of a practitioner perspective for the newest version of the New Home Construction course.

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How to Celebrate Earth Day All Year with Sustainable Choices

by Melisa Camp

Happy Earth Day today- April 22, 2022! It's a great time to take note of how your lifestyle and the choices you make impact our planet. We all share the ground under our feet, the air we breathe, and the water we drink. Here are a dozen ways you can build a more sustainable lifestyle by making small changes that will add up to a big difference over time.

1. Check your water habits with this interactive quiz. You'd be surprised how much that car wash, pool with no cover, and extra long shower can add up over time. https://www.watercalculator.org/

2. Become an insulation station at home. Seriously, you can never have enough. Spray foam along the roof deck, repurposed denim, blown-in cellulose, bring it on. Be careful of off-gassing and spray foam is not a DIY job. https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/types-insulation

3. Make your outdoor living space more eco-friendly by embracing a more sustainable landscaping routine that is beautiful and natural. https://bit.ly/39chBCl and also easily find low water use plants, trees, shrubs, and incredible combinations https://www.amwua.org/plants

4. Seal the home from outside elements - both weather and pests. You can learn so much from an energy audit and make your home more comfortable this summer. https://www.bpihomeowner.org

5. Switch to online billing to reduce paper waste but don't forget about your digital waste online too. Unsubscribe from lists you don't want to be on in your email and don't send unnecessary emails with huge signature lines. Each email needs energy to transfer from here to there and your two word email of 'thank you' is called digital waste. We don't see it but it takes up energy. https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikehughes1/2021/08/31/digital-waste-doesnt-have-to-undermine-technologys-status-as-a-force-for-good/?sh=37f8abf34194

6. Buy safer choice products effortlessly. These very user-friendly sites have done the research from the labels for you, type in your laundry detergent, cleaner, or sunscreen once and then re-buy the eco-friendly product over and over. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice and https://www.ul.com/resources/ul-greenguard-certification-program https://www.ewg.org/

7. Plan smart home improvement projects on the greendoor app. Explore energy efficiency investments and manage current assets on Pearl's Green door app, http://greendoor.app

8. Calculate your plastic consumption and decide how you can use less plastic. Use reusable water bottles, choose paper and biodegradable products instead of plastic. Repurpose and recycle plastic when finished. https://www.earthday.org/plastic-pollution-calculator-2/

9. Turn it off and unplug it! Look around you- what's been left switched on but is not being used by anyone perhaps-  the printer, lights, your cell phone cord? Even the smallest change in habits or smart power strip can help you stop losing energy for no reason. https://www.srpnet.com/energy/DIY/vampire.aspx

10. Drive less, walk and bike more. Consider buying an electric vehicle and carpool when possible. Don't idle if you are waiting in a parking lot, use sunshade, roll down the windows, and turn off the engine while waiting to reduce pollution and improve air quality. https://www.edf.org/attention-drivers-turn-your-idling-engines

11. Virtual meetings also keep travel emissions down overall.

12. Grow your own food and have a zero-waste kitchen with composting

and these other tips:

https://pela.earth/blogs/news/zero-waste-kitchen

13. Bring reusable bags to the store and skip the plastic.

14. Eco-voluntourism - yes! You can go on vacation anywhere and leave it better than you found it. I have been researching Hawaii and the concept of a Mālama - which means to take care of, tend, attend, care for, preserve, protect.

https://www.gohawaii.com/malama

https://ecotourism-world.com/tourism-with-benefits-volunteer-travel/

15. Think about getting renewable energy with 14 questions to ask about solar homes.

https://homebuying.realtor/content/14-questions-ask-buying-home-solar-panels

Earth Day Community Clean Up

Join us tomorrow morning 4/23 at Royal Palm Park to clean up our streets, park, and alleys. Painting projects and other supplies at the park. I will be there 7 am to 10 am helping assign projects with my neighbor Anna Swanson. Bring the kids! Don't live in the area? You can still get outside and do the same thing in your neck of the woods.

https://www.royalpalmneighborhoodphx.com/events/2022-earth-day-celebration-and-community-clean-up

Still a Sellers Market

Loan rates went up this week, but it is still a seller's market as we don't have anywhere close to enough inventory for all of the demand. May and June are typically our busiest time of year and we are expecting no different this year. If you know someone looking to buy or sell please refer me to help them; I am playing on both sides!

Have a great Earth Day.

Melisa

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New Solar Addendum Released by the Arizona Association of Realtors

If you are thinking about selling make sure your Realtor knows how to use the new AAR solar addendum when you sell your home. Released Feb 1, 2022 this form used to just be for homes with solar leases but the solar workgroup I served on decided to update the form to include all solar. Owned solar, leased, and financed solar systems are all now addressed in the new and improved form to make selling solar easier for all parties involved.

Elite Education is offering agents continuing education to get them up to speed with how to use the form and properly valuate and sell solar homes.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/selling-solar-continuing-education-tickets-274928477477

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PHOENIX REALTORS® awards Melisa Camp with 2021 REALTOR® of the Year Award

It is an immense honor to accept the 2021 REALTOR® of the Year award from the Phoenix REALTORS® and I will forever be grateful for being recognized for my work over the last decade in real estate, sustainability, non-profits, and education. I’d like to dedicate this to my Dad, my mentor, who has taught me the meaning of hard work and never giving up.

Phoenix REALTORS® awards Melisa Camp with 2021 REALTOR® of the Year Award

Jan. 21, 2022

PHOENIX, AZ – 

Camp is a top-producing Realtor® with HomeSmart, Instructor & National speaker with Elite Education, and LEED-AP-Homes green building consultant. Camp serves on NAR’s GREEN REsource Council, NAR’s Sustainability Advisory Group, & 19 North’s Community Advisory Board where she is helping implement smart growth principles, trees, and transit-oriented design into the community. Camp has contributed to the updates for the GREEN designation course, including the new name for it: People, Property, Planet and Prosperity. 

Former Board member of Arizona Association of REALTORS® (AAR), Camp served on the workgroups to update the AAR Solar Addendum. She also helped to make content improvements to the website https://sustainability.realtor, and helped to provide educational curriculum related to high-performance homes and green building science to integrate into C2EX (NAR’s Commitment to Excellence Program). Read more in the report and press release here: https://www.nar.realtor/sustainability/ESGR

Through her work with Elite Education and with the help of the Center for Realtor Education, Camp has written over 40 courses, trained thousands of agents, entire sales teams, architects, appraisers, legislators, utility company employees, and non-profit employees. Camp has spoke in cities like: Chicago, San Francisco, New Orleans, Boston, Las Vegas, San Diego, Anaheim, and all over Arizona.  She aims to educate and empower more people to make changes to their lifestyle to decrease consumption of energy, water, and chemicals and maximize sustainable features and benefits. 

Camp was one of a handful of instructors who were hired to write, film, and produce 17 video micro-courses on topics like solar, construction waste, saving water, and eco-friendly home offices for the Center for Realtor Development at http://learning.realtor (her ‘pandemic passion project’). She served on the Board for USGBC AZ for 5 years and currently serves as an National educational course pro-reviewer for the US Green Building Council.  

She is an EverGreen Award recipient from NAR, Environmental stewardship award recipient from Keep AZ Beautiful, and 4-time HomeSmart Diamond Club award recipient for sales volume. Nominated as ‘Favorite Realtor’ by HomeSmart & Evolve PR & Marketing for Arizona Foothills Magazine’s Best of Our Valley recognition. Arizona Department of Water Resources Water Awareness Month Prize Winner.

As a former elementary school teacher, Camp regularly volunteers in schools and co-chairs Green team at Madison Simis Elementary, where she helped to get HEPA air filters into every classroom in the entire school, held a ‘goat sneakers’ drive, & created a sustainability art contest. Also a former journalist for the Hammond Times, she was recently published for the top neighborhoods for public schools. https://azbigmedia.com/business/top-5-neighborhoods-with-the-best-schools-in-metro-phoenix/

Camp is an advocate for health care and volunteers with the Maricopa County Medical Reserve Corp. to help as a non-medical volunteer. She is President of a 501(c)3 non-profit she started in 2016 called Sustainable Real Estate Education and will be seeking grant opportunities in 2022. She has been a stay-at-home mother to 4 children for the last 12 years and a member of Phoenix REALTORS® for 13 years. 

Podcasts 

Sustainability for Home and Health with Melisa Camp NAR’s Center for REALTOR® Development

How Earning NAR's Green Designation Can Give You an Advantage in Your Business Todd Sumney, Chief Marketing Officer HomeSmart International 

Education, Certifications, Designations, & Affiliations

Masters degree, University of Phoenix, B.A, ASU

LEED-AP

GREEN

Accredited Buyers Representative ABR

Performance Management Network PMN

Pricing Strategy Advisor PSA

E-pro

C2EX, Commitment to Excellence

Women's Council of REALTORS® member

Pearl Home Certification Coach

Madison PATS and PTM

Royal Palm Neighborhood Fourth of July Parade co-chair

National Wildlife Federation

Citizens Climate Lobby and Business Climate Lobby

Grants

V-Tech $25,000 computer lab and savings bonds to Bethune Elementary School & students

Green Apple Day of Service, CrossRoads Preschool Recycling Program

Green Apple Day of Service, Madison Simis, Outdoor Classroom

Phoenix REALTORS Smart Growth Level 1 Grant, Smart Growth Summit 

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Melisa Camp, of HomeSmart and Elite Education Podcasting with Monica Neubauer, Center for Realtor Development @ National Assoc. Of Realtors®

http://www.crdpodcast.com/

Sustainability is an evolving topic in our culture and in many industries, and real estate is no exception! In this episode, expert Melisa Camp joins Monica to discuss sustainability inside our homes, as well as in the construction of new homes. They talk about new ways to take care of the resources we have, the opportunities in the industry, and how to tend to our health and finances on this journey.

#realestate #sustainability #podcast #homes #realtors #melisacamp #monicaneubauer #NAR #health #healthyhomes #EV #electricvehicles #upcycling #raisingkids #volunteering

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More homes in Phoenix-metro are selling with leased solar (56%) than owned solar (44%), but the gap is closing according to Elite Education’s bi-annual solar research study.

Homes with and without solar are both selling on average in the same exact agent days on market (32 days), however homes with solar leases have been selling in one week less than homes with owned or third-party owned solar systems.

I have no explanation as to why leased solar is selling faster than owned?! Leave a comment if you have thoughts.  #realestate #solar #leasedsolar #phoenix #solarpanels #research #melisacamp #sellinghomes #arizona

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Phoenix is a hot market- how to navigate multiple offer situations as a seller or a buyer with Melisa Camp of HomeSmart; her 3 unlicensed assistants give their take too. 

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Climate change to shape where we grow old

“The realization of climate change’s effects is stronger among younger Americans. More than half of American adults 44 or under say they consider climate change in deciding where to live or move to”, according to a National Geographic and Morning Consult Poll. Are you paying attention yet?

As a 37 year-old Mother of 4 children and leader in sustainability in real estate I am most definitely paying attention. Resilient housing and communities are not being built and retrofitted fast enough. The green building science is there, but some places are just not going to be able to sustain the floods we have coming. This will trigger climate migration. People forced to relocate. They often move nearby but will the nearby cities be ready and have open arms to welcome the new residents from climate change? 

Even more notable than working mom's paying attention is the insurance and mortgage companies who are starting to assign premiums based on risk score. Consumers can go to https://floodfactor.com/ to learn more based on their address.

I am also a Realtor and have been looking for a second home that I can airbnb in another state that is not the desert. It reaches over 120 now in the summers and we have drought and wildfire risks. Where am I looking? somewhere drivable with 4 kids up North with elevation and strong internet of course!

About the author: Melisa Camp is a top-producing Realtor with HomeSmart and stay-at-home mother (even before the pandemic). She serves on the National Association of Realtors Sustainability Advisory Group and the Green REsource Council Advisory Board. More at http://greenhomesphoenix.com 

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“This is not a drill.”

I was invited to participate in NAR’s Virtual Sustainability Summit. We had 4 incredible speakers. I’ll share the highlights. 

When it comes to climate change, “This is not a drill. This can be an opportunity”, according to Joel Makower fo Greenbiz. Right now we are getting hit hard in several different ways at the same time. We have a pandemic health crisis, economic & political instability, racial inequality. It is an unprecedented time.

He said Mayors will be more influential than Governors and policy and innovation is key to social justice.

One of my favorite speakers, Dr. Jessica Lautz, NAR Research director told us

People want larger homes, in smaller towns and home offices are up 24% on the want list.

Multi-generational homes still very popular. 34% have adult kids, 44% have aging parents, and 29% do it for cost savings.

Millennials buying older homes and fixing them up. Top projects are: windows, doors, HAVC, and insulation.

According to Stuart Pratt @ Core Logic Global head of public policy, Peril risk disclosures and climate change disclosures may be coming as modeling software is now able to predict the likelihood of a natural disaster. They use science to track coastal risk, wildfire, earthquakes, flood, severe storms, sinkhole risk, geospacial data, weather forensic data, fire protection, and regulatory databases. 

Finally, Katharine Burgess, the VP of Urban Resilience from the Urban Land Institute shared that hurricanes caused $300B in damage just in 2017. We need resilient land use infrastructure, well connected transit, and regional cooperation to make impact. Buildings need to be above the 500 year floodplain with more buildings making elevated mechanicals a priority. She also stated climate resilience planning can address long standing racial inequality.

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Lessons from a Legend

by Melisa Camp

It was an honor to be invited to present at HomeSmart's National Conference in Las Vegas on March 4. With all of the coronavirus in the media, I cancelled my flight and hopped in my car at 4 AM to get there in time to see NFL hall of famer and successful entrepreneur Emmitt Smith.

Somehow I got a front row seat and got to learn some lessons about goals, dreams, and focus that all resonate with me and I want to share them with you.

Smith said:

1. Figure out what is holding you back.

2. Surround yourself with people moving up.

3. Inspiration comes from everywhere. Sometimes you don't see it until later.

4. No one becomes successful on their own - you have people who help - acknowledge those who help and bring them up with you.

5. Are you doing everything in your power to bring up the team and be the best version of yourself?

6. Be kind to others on your way up. Your paths may cross again.

7. There will be obstacles you will have to overcome.

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Homes Can Make Us Stupid, Sick, and Tired

by Melisa Camp, LEED AP-Homes, M.Ed.

Many of us have things in our home that do not make us feel good.

The majority of people spend 90% of their time inside and under 10% of time outside. Poor ventilation inside can create an increase in asthma, hay fever, fatigue, itchy eyes, scratchy throat, and loss of productivity and energy. The list goes on.

Things that make us feel bad: Carbon dioxide impairs cognition which affects productivity, ability to make good choices, organize data, focus, and be innovative.

Particulates- 90% of which we bring into the home ourselves- like dust, dirt, mold, ash, dander, cooking fumes, viruses, bacteria, toxins, our own dead skin, humidifiers, and candles. Anyone with any sort of respiratory issue can be affected by breathing in increased particulates (and microplastics) in the air.

Several studies have been published suggesting a 100:1 payback in reduced health costs and increased productivity. Per a Harvard University study, it costs $50 per occupant to improve air quality to healthy level that does not impair cognition but the gain was $500 in increased production and energy.

I recently presented in San Francisco with Craig Foley with LAER in Boston and he has a luxury home listed with several air quality features and he told the audience that several athletes have been drawn to living in a healthier home. Breathing in less carbon dioxide and more oxygen while sleeping can improve an athletes performance and cognition and less particulates means healthier lungs.

Super Easy Do-It-Yourself Fixes

1. Take off shoes at the door. Don’t track more contaminants in from outside. This one is a no-brainer.

2. Open windows as frequently as you can and regularly change air filters. The higher the MERV rating, the more it filters.

3. Buy products without chemicals that are not off-gassing, such as no VOC paint or formaldehyde-free cabinets.

Finally, I will leave you with this suggestion if you are really serious about your health. Humans are not great at regulation because our activities and several other factors can change air quality rapidly. I say leave it to the machines and automation to figure out appropriate air quality. Smart ventilation is not a do-it-yourself fix but is probably one of the smartest choices after the do-it-yourself fixes for whole house clean air. 

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If we build it they will come, but they are already here.

by Melisa Camp Everywhere I go, no matter what time of day, I seem to be stuck in traffic. Phoenix is growing but our roads are not. When my four kids and I drive through town, we play a game to try to count how many different state license plates we see on the roads. Typically, we see 3 to 5 out-of-state plates any place we go. If we don't do anything about our current infrastructure it's going to be like living in California here soon and not in a good way. 

We are now in an age of climate refugees and a large corporations coming to Phoenix because we don't have a lot of the severe natural disasters destroying our City like floods, hurricanes, tropical storms, mudslides, earthquakes, & drought.  We are going to continue to be a magnet for people and businesses relocating even though it is getting hotter here than ever before. 

This is especially true when coupled with the fact that we have a strong housing market and booming job market.  Statistically speaking, yesterday ARMLS had the lowest number of active listings I've ever seen in 11 years of being an agent. We've got shrinking inventory. Lack of affordable housing. Not enough building happening to support our growth.

This September, I have a vision of bringing stakeholders and decision makers together to have a day of thoughtful planning and conversation about the future of our city and state. Through cross-pollination, interdisciplinary problem solving, and good old common sense I'm hoping we can address some of the climate and growth issues that we all share. 

Smart Growth touches everything- water use, jobs, urban infill, transportation, walkability, etc- and we can use it to bring parties together instead of dividing us. Phoenix can build a resilient housing market and economy but it's going to require strategic partnerships and communication between key stakeholders. Historically, I'm learning there was a stigma attached to the term 'Smart Growth', and it was made out at that time to be a political issue. It's so not political and I will debate anyone who wants to argue otherwise. It is about not waiting too long to react to known problems and problem mitigation. It does not matter where you live, what religion you identify with, male or female, young or old. It affects everyone and we can do better together. One of the best examples right now of Smart Growth gone wrong is Queen Creek. It grew so fast that there is constantly a traffic backup in the middle of fields no matter what time of day. Beautiful City but wasn't well planned for as quickly as people started moving there. 

How we choose to develop Arizona today will affect future generations, how we do business, where we live, work, and play. With careful planning and innovation we can make Arizona's future resilient while reducing environmental impact, saving money, and creating jobs. I highly encourage anyone interested to make time to attend this event and be a part of the solutions. And for the record our new Mayor Kate Gallego gives me hope and I know she is going to get some things done right.

The Smart Growth Summit will take place September 25th from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Burton Barr Library auditorium. We strongly encourage participants to ride the light rail and vote No on Prop 105 to halt lightrail construction and expansion. More information and registration can be found at: http://SmartGrowth.eventbrite.com

Do you have a smart growth success story? We would love to feature you as a speaker during the working lunch provided by headlines sponsor SRP. Contact Melisa Camp at mcamp@hsmove.com for more information.

Note- this is the personal opinion of Melisa Camp and I am not speaking on behalf of the Boards I serve on and/or organizations I belong to. 

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Key Findings: 1. Solar home sales most prevalent on the West side of Phoenix. 2. Seventy-Five percent of solar homes sold in 2018 were in APS territory, 25% in SRP.

3. Commentary, either APS has more homes to service, and/or SRP has made solar unaffordable due to demand-use charges in SRP territory and we are now starting to see it in our home sales. 

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Easy on the gas - go electric!

Drive Nice  

We’ve all seen that person in traffic who jams on the gas pedal only to slam on the brakes at the next stop light. Well, not only do aggressive drivers like that put others in danger, but they are also polluting more than necessary to get from point A to point B and wasting 2 to 3 miles per gallon (mpg) of gas.

Be a smarter driver. Share rides, bike, or walk to work. I recently learned our family pediatrician doesn’t drive a car to work because he says it’s better for his health to exercise. Point taken.

Plan your trips ahead so that you can run all errands at the same time and not go back and forth from your home.

Anticipate stops and adjust your speed accordingly. For example, when you see the traffic a few cars ahead braking, step off the gas and allow the car to slow naturally. My husband’s Ford F150 actually shuts the engine off instead of idiling.

Drive at a moderate speed. According to Consumer Reports, driving at 55 mph compared to 65 or 75 will save you about 5 mpg in gas. Yes, patience is a virtue especially if you are perpetually running late like I am.

Keep your tires inflated to proper levels to maximize fuel economy.

Go electric- it’s the way of the future.

Try to do your best to drive more efficiently and enjoy the surroundings.

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Solar home sales are are on the rise in Phoenix and now account for over 4% of all sales sold through ARMLS according to a study conducted by Melisa Camp of Elite Education.

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Arizona updates GREEN MLS fields!

The Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) Updates Green Fields on 8/29/18: 1. You will now be able to enter a decimal in to the Solar kW field! (It used to just accept a whole number.) 2. Solar panels will now have a third party owned option to identify if panels are owned by a third party. 3. Added ENERGY STAR options for equipment heating and cooling groups. 4. Added WaterSense fields to plumbing. 5. Added four new options to the construction group: Low VOC Insulation, Low VOC wood products, Professionally Sealed Ducts, ICAT recessed lights (insulated)

6. National Green Building Standard (NGBS) has replaced NAHB Green Program.