If you’re considering buying an older home that could use some upgrades, this is a great deal.  Rebates and incentives for upgrading the energy efficiency of a home.

Program Mission

The ECO Program was created by the Sacramento Association of REALTORS® to serve our clients and community in several ways.

• Enhance home affordability through reduced energy costs
• Enhance the comfort of our clients’ homes through updated energy related components
• Improve air quality through reduced energy usage
• Enhance the sense of personal investment our buyers feel in their homes
• Increase the dependability of our clients’ homes
• Enhance the overall experience of home ownership for our clients
• Create jobs in our community

The program is designed to complement the HUD Energy Efficient Mortgage Program by encouraging home buyers to take advantage of the opportunities an EEM creates to make their home more energy efficient, comfortable, affordable and reliable.

Program Description and Guidelines

The ECO Program is designed to promote the HUD Energy Efficient Mortgage Program. The program provides a grant of $2000 to buyers who take advantage of the Energy Efficient Mortgage in the purchase of their home.

The grant may be applied towards the buyer’s closing costs or additional qualifying energy upgrades as defined below.

Property Requirements:

• The home must have been built in 1978 or prior
• Home must be owner occupied

Minimum financed EEM:

- The borrower must finance at least $4,000 in qualifying EEM upgrades in order to qualify for the ECO Grant. The only exception to this is in the case where the maximum EEM allowed by their lender based on their sales price is less than $4,000. In these cases the buyer will qualify for the ECO Grant provided that they are financing the maximum allowable EEM for their scenario.

REALTOR® Requirements:

• The Buyer’s REALTOR® must hold a Primary Membership in the Sacramento Association of REALTORS® in good standing.

Lender Requirements:

• The buyer’s loan officer must be an Affiliate Member of the Sacramento Association of REALTORS® in good standing. Please note, the individual loan officer must be listed on the SAR Affiliate Membership Roster.

Contractor Requirements:

• Contractor must be on the SMUD approved contractor list.
  
  
  http://www1.eere.energy.gov/wip/solutioncenter/financialproducts/SMUDcasestudy.html
  

Eligible use of funds:

• The ECO funds may be applied to the buyer’s closing costs or additional qualifying energy upgrades.

Ok, I wasn’t crazy about last weeks heat, but I’m not ready for winter.

I have a young couple buying a home with a pool in Rocklin… I think they were hoping to use it this season.