Much as we have discussed the higher interest rate qualifying ‘hand’, and the mortgage and improvements ‘hand’, always big brothers’ hand being stuck in our business. The proposed new legislation Home Energy Rating and Disclosure (HER&D) program has been shelved. Many have probably not heard of this latest legislative cash grab – and we are lucky that OREA was there to push back when the government proposed this. The basic concept was that before you list your home for sale, you needed to pay to undergo an energy audit and, only if listed on MLS you had to report your score. This was intended to mean that anyone who is reselling any older home may have thousands of upgrades to do, government mandated upgrades, before you sell. Windows, doors, weather stripping, insulation, furnace upgrades – the list of items that may be causing poor energy conservation is huge. I do find it kind of disheartening that legislation like this is proposed at all, there should be a clear line in the sand as to where and when a legislative body has a right to charge additional fees to justify their own existence. Things like property taxes, land transfer taxes, and the ridiculous heights new building permits have soared to means too many of these legislative assaults have been allowed to slip into place. We are only able to help make sure you know what’s going on, to help you hear what’s going bump in the night and to try and steer you away from the hurdles nobody should have to jump! Take the time to judge for yourself who really cares for you. Mccarthomes.com