Green Is The New Black
Last year I wrote about some green updates in my home, and in 2010 the trend towards green building continues to strengthen as home buyers and sellers become more aware and involved in the efforts towards sustainability. As far as the average Massachusetts home buyer is concerned, green is definitely the new black when it comes to updated homes.
If you are a Massachusetts home owner looking to renovate or upgrade as the warm weather approaches, you can save a little green in another way too! Even if you missed the boat for your 2009 tax returns, there are still lots of incentives, rebates, and credits available for consumers in 2010. Energy Star appliances, fixtures and systems are the norm these days, but not all will qualify for a tax break. Before you start your next project, take a moment to gather some information.
The best place to begin your research is at the top with discounts direct from the Federal Government. After the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in 2009, the U.S Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency put together a comprehensive information section on their website at http://energystar.gov.
According to the Energy Star website, in most cases to be eligible you must make the improvements on your principal residence. They define principal residence as a home that you own and live most of the time. They also say “The home must be in the United States. It can include a house, houseboat, mobile home, cooperative apartment, condominium, and a manufactured home”. There are maximum credit limits and rules for non-married folks who own a home together, so be sure to read all the fine print.
What about appliances? I couldn’t find any federal programs but the State of Massachusetts is offering appliance rebates through the Mass Save Great Appliance Exchange. For a very limited time (April 22, 2010 through May 5, 2010), if you replace your old fridge, dishwasher, etc with a qualifying Energy Star model, you may be able to save some money. Again, there is a bit of fine print and more specifics on the official Mass Save website.
Check out our Tools and Links page for more Massachusetts tax incentives and additional go green resources. Most importantly, always consult with a trusted accountant before determining your final budgets!! I’m DEFINITELY not an accountant!
Hi, I'm Jake...and that's my dog! By day I'm founder and Chief Geek at MyUntangled Media, LLC and Executive Director of Business Development at Barrett & Company Real Estate . By night I am part struggling musician, frustrated writer, wanna-be chef and obsessed dog owner. I started this site mainly to learn WordPress, work on my design and writing skills, and showcase some folks with all kinds of talents and great stuff to say. (Read the long version if you dare) and please introduce yourself over on my Google+ Profile!
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