Sustainable Home Checklist: Simple Green. Easy & Economical
Simple Green. Easy & Economical
Anyone can do these.
- Timers for irrigation and outdoor light systems
- Rain barrel or water cistern to capture water
- Organic fertilizers
- Composting
- Mulch or wood chips
- Use of native plants/ Elimination of invasive
- Group plants by water needs
- Deep rooted plants (they take less water overall)
- Reduction of grass size
- Pest resistant plants
- Natural animal repellant plants
- Trees for wind blocking (to prevent soil/mulch erosion) and shade to naturally cool your home.
- Set mower to 3 inches to allow for pollination
- Use low VOC paint for less toxic air
- Recycle old materials, or even old furniture by giving it a facelift or donating instead of tossing.
- Use HEPA air filters
- Replace all main lights with LED
- Use solar or LED for all garden and cafe lighting
- Install dimmers on lights
- Utilize motion sensors
- Power Strips to prevent a phantom load
- Clean refrigerator coils
- Weather strip doors
- Caulk window trim
- Repair window glazing
- Putty around window panels
- Remove shrubs at foundation (anything too close to the house can go into the foundation with its root system)
- Aerators on faucets
- Wrap hot water heater, pipes
- Dual flush toilet controls
- Fix leaks
- Low-flow shower head
- Programmable thermostat (smart thermostat)
- Thermal drapes (blackout curtains, or UV filtering)
- Clean air filters often
- Seal ducts
As we shift seasons, we are starting to see the real estate market pickup again after a quiet August. I will get straight to the point- it is still a sellers market despite what the national news is saying. Westchester and Fairfield counties are still seeing inventory fly- especially at purchases under 1.2M.
I get this question all the time from new clients: "Jess, I'm moving to Westchester, but I'm worried about finding my people. How do I build community here?" My answer is always the same: You have to show up. Here's the beautiful thing about Westchester – this county practically rolls out the red carpet for connection.
Westchester County has one of the most active, welcoming communities in the Northeast. This isn't marketing speak or real estate hyperbole—it's a reality that thousands of families experience daily across towns from Bedford to White Plains, Scarsdale to Mount Kisco.
You know those picture-perfect neighborhoods you saw