Mark Johnson Custom Homes Blog

Jacksonville, NC custom home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes understands that it could be an excellent time to invest in real estate – IF you are well prepared. A recent Realty Times article outlined the National Real Estate Investors Association’s suggested items to address before you take the plunge. Below is the list and to read the complete article by Broderick Perkins, click here.

• Buy your own home first.

• Go back to school.

• Educate yourself.

• Learn your investment market.

• Develop an exit strategy.

St. James Plantation, NC custom home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes trusts Wilmington, NC’s finest home audio establishment, Electronics2You, with their client’s electronic needs. Mark Johnson Custom Homes and Electronics2You understand that being attentive to the ever-changing electronics industry is the best way to address their client’s needs. Below is an excerpt from an article in this month’s Electronics2You e-newsletter regarding energy-efficient televisions. For more information on Electronics2You, visit their site, sign up for their newsletter, or call them at 910-397-0953.

“Our TV’s are bound to get much more efficient – starting next year. Energy Star, the voluntary energy-efficiency program run by the United States’ EPA, has released the final specifications for much more stringent energy levels for TV’s starting in May 1, 2010, with even stricter standards to follow on May 1, 2012. TV’s manufactured after those dates must meet the new requirements to bear the Energy Star logo, which signifies a more energy-efficient product.

The new specs for TV’s, called versions 4.0 and 5.0, respectively, are focused mainly around on-mode power consumption. The current Energy Star 3.0 specification that went into effect in November 2008 was the first to require TVs to meet maximum on-mode power consumption levels, though most TV’s in the market met the standard and the specification has been considered too lenient.

According to Energy Star, ‘TV’s qualifying for Energy Star under the Version 4.0 specification will offer consumers a savings of more than 40 percent. When the Version 5.0 specification goes into effect, Energy Star-qualified TV’s will be as much as 65 percent more efficient than models currently on the market.’”

Brunswick County, NC custom home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to share this informative video about the United Way of the Cape Fear Area. A proud supporter of our local United Way, we encourage others to “Live United” by “Giving, Advocating, and Volunteering.” For more information, visit their website!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzBzNYNkIT0&feature=player_embedded]

Wilmington, NC custom home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to share these important documents which highlight the Green features of  their LEED Platinum home. This new home in Landfall was certified Platinum by the United States Green Building Council in August of 2009.

Jacksonville, NC custom home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to pass along this valuable information regarding the prevention of water damage in your home.

• Check for hidden leaks by turning off faucets, all water-using appliances, and not flushing toilets for one hour. Record the water meter reading. If the flow indicator (triangular or diamond-shaped rotating button) is spinning or the meter reading has changed while no water is being used, a leaking pipe may exist.
• Know where the main water shut off valve is located in your home and check it frequently to make sure it is operational.
• Disconnect garden hoses from all spigots before the start of winter.
• Fill in any low spots around the house so water drains away from the foundation.
• Inspect caulking around windows and doors and replace as needed where cracked or deteriorated.

For many more tips on detecting water damage and preventative measures, click here.

Courtesy of: statefarm.com

St. James Plantation, NC custom home builder encourages you to come to Historic Downtown Wilmington October 3rd and 4th for this year’s Riverfest! Funds raised from the Riverfest will be donated to the Cape Fear Community College Marine Sciences Division in the form of the Riverfest Endowment fund. The endowment fund will be used to award scholarships based on academic achievement and desire to benefit the Cape Fear River and surrounding community.

Jacksonville, NC home remodeler Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to pass on this extremely valuable information. Courtesy of Sapona Green Building Center in Wilmington, NC, the brochures below outline the possible tax incentives and rebates your home could receive should you decide to “Go Green” for your next remodeling project! Mark Johnson Custom Homes is a Green builder that has built a LEED Platinum home in the Landfall Community in Wilmington, NC. Let us remodel your home to create the ”Green” home of your dreams! 

New Hanover County, NC home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes, Inc would like to introduce our readers to WARM, the Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry.

WARM assists people living in substandard housing, including elderly and disabled. By upgrading their housing, they hope to alleviate some of their recipient’s problems and create a safe and healthy environment for them. WARM works with individuals, organizations and businesses in Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover, and Pender Counties.

Every year, WARM organizes over 400 volunteers with a variety of skills to complete vital repairs on an average of 50 homes, helping many elderly, disabled, and other very low income homeowners stay in their homes.

WARM’s mission could not be fulfilled without their faithful, hard-working home repair and business skilled volunteers. As they continue to grow, WARM will be in need for more of both types of volunteers. Interested in helping out? Click here for volunteer opportunities!

Contact WARM through their WEBSITE, E-Mail (info@warmnc.org), TWITTER or FACEBOOK.

“Discover Tactics That Are Guaranteed to Work and Won’t Break the Bank”

 St. James Plantation, NC home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes understands that Green homebuilding practices are becoming more commonplace and will eventually become required. In reference to their latest LEED Platinum home in the Landfall Community in Wilmington, NC, Vice President of Business Development Kevin Johnson said, ‘”In ten years we expect building energy efficient homes to be the standard and required by law. Currently only a few builders are doing it, so we’re glad to be out there on the leading edge.” 

In a recent article in BuilderOnline.com, Senior Editor Nigel Maynard explained in detail ten simple steps that contractors can use to build more Green homes. Below is the list and to read the full article, including costs associated with each strategy, click here.

1.  Orient the house for energy efficiency.

2.  Place windows appropriately.

3.  Install a radiant barrier.

4.  Properly air-seal the structure.

5.  Insulate. Insulate. Insulate.

6.  Remember the attic.

7.  Install a properly sized efficient HVAC system.

8.  Choose an efficient hot water system.

9.  Choose fluorescent-friendly fixtures.

10.  Install Energy Star appliances.

Courtesy of: BUILDER Magazine

EverGreen, the Wilmington Star News Green blog, recently reported that beginning October 1, 2009, plastic bottles will be among the items banned from North Carolina landfills. Below is an excerpt from the post. For the complete article, including specific recycling information for Pender, New Hanover and Brunswick Counties, click here. St. James Plantation, NC home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes, Inc encourages all North Carolina residents to take advantage of their local recycling centers.

“Enforcement will happen largely at disposal facilities such as landfills and transfer stations, according to the state Department of Environment and Natural Resources. It would be next to impossible to keep watch on every individual’s trash, so it will become the responsibility of the trash collectors to weed out the bulk of banned items from the trash…

According to state statistics, every 17.3 seconds, North Carolinians throw away enough plastic bottles to reach the height of the Bank of America Building in Charlotte, while at the same time, North Carolina and the Southeast are home to plastic plants eager for material to make new products.

Specifically banned from landfills are ‘Recyclable rigid plastic containers…that have a neck smaller than the body of the container, and accept a screw top, snap cap, or other closure. The prohibition on disposal of recyclable rigid plastic containers in landfills does not apply to rigid plastic containers that are intended for use in the sale or distribution of motor oil.’

You can find more information on establishing a recycling program and take an online pledge to recycle from the state Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance.”