Comments on: Weird house? Good luck getting a mortgage http://asklizweston.com/2009/08/03/weird-house-good-luck-getting-a-mortgage/ Personal Finance Columnist Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:48:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: lizweston http://asklizweston.com/2009/08/03/weird-house-good-luck-getting-a-mortgage/comment-page-1/#comment-278 lizweston Mon, 03 Aug 2009 23:44:38 +0000 http://asklizweston.com/?p=1304#comment-278 Thanks for your comments, Andrew. This would be a good time to point out that lenders don't always move in lockstep, so what scares one might not faze another. It pays to shop around. Thanks for your comments, Andrew. This would be a good time to point out that lenders don’t always move in lockstep, so what scares one might not faze another. It pays to shop around.

]]> By: Andrew Morrison http://asklizweston.com/2009/08/03/weird-house-good-luck-getting-a-mortgage/comment-page-1/#comment-264 Andrew Morrison Mon, 03 Aug 2009 16:46:43 +0000 http://asklizweston.com/?p=1304#comment-264 Liz, I disagree with some of what you have said here and I have seen this conversation many times in the past. You quote Dick Lepre as saying that homes built with unconventional methods, like straw bale construction, will always be difficult to finance because there are a limited number of people who want to live in that style of home. (my words for his statement). This is not accurate. Although it is true that straw bale homes are currently unconventional, the reason for limited comparable sales is not that they are hard to sell, it is that most people who build them never leave the home. Straw bale homes are not a "build and flip style" house. People who build them, fall in love and stay in them, often until they dye. I have been building and promoting straw bale homes for over 12 years and have heard the argument that Mr Lepre uses many times and it never bears fruit. The truth is that homes of superior energy efficiency are needed today. Homes that use waste materials such as straw in place of man made raw materials are also needed. The media needs to start embracing these technologies and helping them grow so that the planet can handle the increased load of population growth as time moves forward. The time of solidifying the old stance of "straw bale construction is weird and for old hippies" needs to go away. I have built million dollar straw bale homes for doctors, mortgage brokers, engineers, and retired couples. The technology is more main stream than some people will allow themselves to admit for whatever reason. Straw bale homes are beautiful, at least three times as energy efficient as conventional homes, have superior sound insulation, have roughly three times the fire resistance of conventional homes (independently tested), and use natural, renewable, waste materials in the construction process. What about that is not worth supporting and promoting? You can learn a lot more about this topic at my website www.StrawBale.com. You can also visit www.StrawBaleConsulting for professional, personal consulting and www.StrawBaleWorkshops.com for 7 day, hands on workshops with me as well. I look forward to the day, and have been striving to create the day, when the rest of the main stream sees what is already happening: straw bale construction is easing the load on our infrastructure and creating healthy, efficient homes that the average person can love and enjoy. Andrew Morrison Straw Bale Construction Expert Liz,
I disagree with some of what you have said here and I have seen this conversation many times in the past. You quote Dick Lepre as saying that homes built with unconventional methods, like straw bale construction, will always be difficult to finance because there are a limited number of people who want to live in that style of home. (my words for his statement). This is not accurate. Although it is true that straw bale homes are currently unconventional, the reason for limited comparable sales is not that they are hard to sell, it is that most people who build them never leave the home. Straw bale homes are not a “build and flip style” house. People who build them, fall in love and stay in them, often until they dye.

I have been building and promoting straw bale homes for over 12 years and have heard the argument that Mr Lepre uses many times and it never bears fruit. The truth is that homes of superior energy efficiency are needed today. Homes that use waste materials such as straw in place of man made raw materials are also needed. The media needs to start embracing these technologies and helping them grow so that the planet can handle the increased load of population growth as time moves forward. The time of solidifying the old stance of “straw bale construction is weird and for old hippies” needs to go away. I have built million dollar straw bale homes for doctors, mortgage brokers, engineers, and retired couples. The technology is more main stream than some people will allow themselves to admit for whatever reason.

Straw bale homes are beautiful, at least three times as energy efficient as conventional homes, have superior sound insulation, have roughly three times the fire resistance of conventional homes (independently tested), and use natural, renewable, waste materials in the construction process. What about that is not worth supporting and promoting? You can learn a lot more about this topic at my website http://www.StrawBale.com. You can also visit http://www.StrawBaleConsulting for professional, personal consulting and http://www.StrawBaleWorkshops.com for 7 day, hands on workshops with me as well.

I look forward to the day, and have been striving to create the day, when the rest of the main stream sees what is already happening: straw bale construction is easing the load on our infrastructure and creating healthy, efficient homes that the average person can love and enjoy.

Andrew Morrison
Straw Bale Construction Expert

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