Thinking about going solar?

With energy costs on the rise and an increasing awareness of environmentally friendly products and technology, solar systems are becoming a worthwhile investment, especially since there are rebates available to help offset the cost.

The technology is now more efficient (depending on the system, it is possible to sell surplus energy to your utility company) & incredibly streamlined with low profile roof lines which nicely incorporate solar roof tiles.

Doesn't that look more appealing than the solar systems of the 70's which not only had young technology issues but were eyesores, with bulky tanks and huge elevated panels?

It's exciting that eco-friendly products have made so many advances in the last several years, combining functionality with aesthetics with social responsibility.

An excerpt from California Association of Realtors:

The California Solar Initiative "Go Solar, California!" has established the goal of creating 3,000 megawatts of new solar-powered electricity by 2017, or enough to power 1 million homes. This program will allocate $3.3 billion to businesses, homeowners, and builders who qualify for rebates and incentives if they install solar systems on their homes or commercial buildings. The California Energy Commission funds solar electricity systems on new homes; the California Public Utilities Commission funds solar electricity systems on existing businesses and homes.

For more information, visit http://www.gosolarcalifornia.ca.gov/.

http://www.recycleworks.org/greenbuilding/gbg_renewable_power.html

As with any home improvement project, I always recommend getting 2-3 estimates as well as doing a bit of homework on the various options available. There are several companies in the Bay Area who specialize in installing solar systems.

It's definitely on my to do list.

Cool Finds!!!

It was a good week for great finds!! This fabulous cabinet is from Craigslist-purchased at a reasonable & negotiated $500. It was missing a piece of glass in one of the doors which was fairly easy to replace, especially since I recruited my father-in-law's expertise.

Meanwhile, the space between the two sconces needed "something". A bit of research on Apartment Therapy brought us to Timeless Treasures in S.F. This is a great store which has a little bit of everything ranging from vintage finds to stationary to candles and soap. It took a solid hour to sort through the various letters & come up with the right combination of size, font, and color. The staff gal was sooooo patient with us, climbing up and down the ladder a few times to pull letters off the wall.

At last, we had the right combination after arranging 30+ letters.

A final stop to the S.F. Flower Mart rounded out the day where we found two fern embossed ceramic vases in the A & C style for a reasonable $13 & $16.

We're enjoying our transformed dining room!!

Cute Burlingame Rental

New Rental!!!! This is an adorable 2 bedroom, 1 bath home for rent in highly desirable Burlingame.

Features include:

Freshly painted exterior and interior in a warm, neutral palette.
Eat-in kitchen w/ gas stove
living room w/ fireplace
washer & dryer off kitchen
large, sunny yard (rent includes gardener for the front yard)
1 car garage & extra long driveway for additional parking

Garage has adjacent work shop & storage shed.

Walk to Burlingame Avenue for shopping and dining. Easy access to freeway 101; a short commute to San Francisco or San Jose.

One-year lease, first months rent, security deposit equal to a months rent, and clear credit report to move in.

Suggested rent: $2,500/month