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Dave Heil[_2_] · July 24th 08, 08:16 PM posted to rec.radio.amateur.moderated

wrote:

It seems to me that a lot of amateurs insist on a new house, or at
least a newer house, meaning something no older than 10-20 years.
Older homes are simply off the radar, for some reason. Is it just me,
or is this a real trend? What's behind it?

A lot of it might be in heating and cooling costs. Most newer homes are
super insulated--built with 2x6 walls, wrapped with Tyvek and have
joints sealed with expanding foam. Many of them offer geothermal
heating/cooling systems as well. One of my pals lives in Indiana. His
total energy bills this past year have averaged $125 per month with his
geothermal system. That is for a five year old, all electric home with
a geothermal system. That isn't bad for lights, cooking, heating water,
watching TV, ham radio, computers, etc.

I've owned only two homes in my life. My Cincinnati home was a full
masonry brick house (plaster inside directly attached to two courses of
brick). That place was costing me $200-$250 per month during the winter
for natural gas in the late seventies/early eighties. I don't like to
think about what the gas bill might be these days. That's the only
place I ever lived where I could find frost on a closet wall on a cold day.

Dave K8MN