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WESTON AND WALTHAM, MAâ?¦

As president of Meyer Homes, Craig Meyer, a Weston resident, builds upscale homes and communities that maintain the integrity of the environment. The completion of his latest project, a 12-room colonial located at 42 Coburn Road in Weston, takes on an added significance because itâ??s not only in his hometown of Weston, but it is Meyer Homesâ?? first project in partnership with the Massachusetts New Homes with ENERGY STAR program.

The Massachusetts New Homes with ENERGY STAR program is a new construction program based on an energy efficiency standard developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ENERGY STAR qualified homes are at least 15 percent more energy-efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC).

â??The term â??greenâ?? has been thrown quite around these days without a clear cut definition of what that actually means,â? said Meyer. â??Partnering with the Massachusetts New Homes with ENERGY STAR program on this project means that there are standards the home has to meet to be certified as energy-efficient or green. Iâ??m proud to say that this home, built in my hometown of Weston, meets those specifications.â?

The program has specific energy efficiency standards above and beyond the Massachusetts building code which are enforced during the design and construction of the home by independent inspectors. At the completion of construction, the inspectors give the home a HERS rating which grades the increased energy efficiency of the home relative to non ENERGY STAR certified homes. The benefits to homeowners include savings on heating and cooling costs, a more comfortable and healthy home with reduced drafts and noise, and a home with less of an impact on the environment

Some of the performance features that distinguish an ENERGY STAR home from the average quality home are:

Enhanced Insulation – Higher insulation levels in walls, floors, and attics result in better energy performance and improved homeowner comfort. The insulation value of windows and doors is also an important determinant of comfort. Air Sealing – Simply caulking, foaming, and gasketing the holes and gaps in the heated building envelope can reduce annual heat loss and utility bills by more than 15 percent. Ventilation – All ENERGY STAR homes come equipped with mechanical ventilation, which ensures a continuous supply of fresh air to the home. High-Efficiency Appliances – ENERGY STAR homes typically have high-efficiency household appliances, lighting, and heating and cooling systems, which use less energy to perform the same job.

In addition to being ENERGY STAR-certified, the home at 42 Coburn Road in Weston features four bedrooms, five full and two half baths, has more than 5,300 square feet of living space and is walking distance to Weston Center. Built with attention to detail and high end finishes, the home also includes a walkout lower level with exercise room, media room and game room with large fireplace.

â??Building greener homes is extremely important but at the end of the day, we also want to build good homes that our customers love. With ENERGY STARâ??s New Homes program providing a measurable standard for energy-efficiency, weâ??re able to do both,â? said Meyer.

The home lists for $2,300,000. Kathleen Shepard and Georgia Foote of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Weston are the listing brokers. They can be reached at (617) 417-5752 or Kathleen.Shepard@nemoves.com.

In addition to being a Weston resident and the principal of Meyer Homes, Craig Meyer is the current president of the Builders Association of Greater Boston (BAGB) and a Certified Green Professional. Heâ??s received numerous industry awards, most recently: Greater Boston Builder of the Year (BAGB); Prism Award for Best Single Family Design over $1m and Community Service Award for Dream House (BAGB); and the Connecticut Home Builders Association Award for Best Traditional Subdivision, Best $500,000-$700,000 Home and Best Luxury Home.

For more on Meyer Homes, please visit www.meyerhomes.net. For further information on Massachusetts New Homes with ENERGY STAR program, please go to www.maenergystarhomes.com.

About Meyer Homes

Meyer Homes is a Waltham, MA-based design/build firm specializing in building upscale homes and communities. Meyer Homes takes pride in working collaboratively with a team of design and construction professionals to produce the best possible home at the best possible value for its clients. For more information, please call 781-891-5076 or visit www.meyerhomes.net.

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I live in Puerto Rico but during 2008-2012, I will be studying in Massachusetts. If I study in UMass, being a resident gives a wonderful discount on tuition. How many years must I live there or what else is needed to become a Massachusetts Resident?

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I have not resided in Massachusetts since Sep 2002. I have not lived in the US since Jul 2004. I have lived overseas. My home of record has remained Massachusetts, but I don’t know if I have been shortchanging myself on tax returns. Should I be claiming non-resident or is there something else I can do? I am active duty military.

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I first moved to Back Bay in Boston in 1967 and had a love affair with Back Bay then.

It hasn’t changed much, if you took out the late model cars and a few mistaken monstrosities built on top of the brownstones in the 70s, it looks much like 1880 when most of the homes were built.

I was pretty solid in my preferences for Back Bay until 2002 when I got into real estate and started selling Brookline MA properties. I found myself really looking forward to showing condos and single family homes in Brookline.
Here are some of the reasons I like Brookline so much:

* Room! For everything

Room for your car, your washer and dryer, room for a back porch, as well as more room inside the condo.

* Everything is easier

From finding a parking space to navigating around during or after a snow storm. Brookline has real snow removal unlike Boston’s “snow push” and parking is not allowed on the streets overnight which means that no condos are sold without some kind of parking arrangement.

* Architectural diversity

You can choose to be in one of the brownstone condo associations near Coolidge Corner (circa 1910) where they still have 4 bookstores and a plethora of restaurants, shops and even an “Arts” movie theater. Or you can go into sprauling South Brookline and be in typical suburbs. Its really strange but wherever you go in Brookline the price per sq ft remains about the same.

* Price, Brookline sells for $400 to $450 per sq ft

Compared to the $700 to $950 per sq ft in Back Bay.

* Schools, arguably the best public schools in the country

Brookline High typically sends 97 percent of their graduates on to college. Its not unusual for parents to take their children out of private schools and put them into Brookline public schools because its an upgrade.

* Everything is less expensive

All the prices will be less including the restaurants which are half the price of Back Bay.

* Public transportation is almost everywhere in Brookline

The green line goes everywhere and can get you into downtown Boston in 10 minutes from Coolidge Corner. Not so much in the burbs of South Brookline.

So those are some of the reasons I like Brookline MA

My favorite word for Brookline after living in Back Bay for 20 years is “benign”. Its like a vacation to go there.

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STONEHAM, MA…

DirectBuy of North Boston, the home improvement and furnishings club with direct insider prices, recently awarded $50,000 to Leominster resident James Hartung as part of the company’s national Home Makeover Program. Mr. Hartung was presented with the check on August 26 at the Stoneham area club.

“When I received the letter in the mail notifying me that I was DirectBuy’s $50,000 Home Makeover winner, I didn’t think it was real,” said Hartung. “It wasn’t until I received a call from the DirectBuy corporate headquarters that made me realize I had truly won.”

With his newfound fortune, Hartung has many home improvement projects in mind, but there’s one clear front-runner that he’s looking to begin this fall.

“I’ve always wanted a farmer’s porch that wraps around both sides of my home and thanks to DirectBuy’s Home Makeover contest, I can finally have an outdoor gathering place for friends and family to enjoy,” said Hartung.

Not only will the porch provide a fun outside retreat for friends and family members, but it will also help facilitate next year’s kitchen remodel. Hartung currently has a door in his kitchen that opens to the outside. The door divides up his kitchen, taking up valuable countertop and cabinet space. With the addition of his wrap-around porch, James will be able to move the door to a better location, allowing for more cabinetry and counter space along one of the kitchen walls.

Carl Krawczyk who operates the Boston North location was excited that his club was able to help someone from their community. “Every day, my wife Barb and I have loved having the opportunity to come to work and help families save money. So to be able to give Mr. Hartung a check for $50,000, well, that’s just the icing on the cake!” said Krawczyk.

Over the past few years, DirectBuy has distributed more than a half million dollars in prize money to both members and non-members as part of their Home Makeover Program, designed to help consumers create the home of their dreams.

The DirectBuy of Boston North club, located at 100A Fallon Road in Stoneham, offers consumers thousands of items, including kitchen cabinets, flat-screen televisions and major appliances from more than 700 top manufacturers and their authorized suppliers. Members enjoy a comfortable, welcoming setting and design club where they finally have the financial control of buying direct.

To assist members with their home renovation projects, DirectBuy of Boston North employs interior designers and product specialists who are specially trained in one of five areas of merchandise: Home Furnishings, Home Improvement, Flooring, Entertainment/Outdoor, and Accessories. Additionally, members benefit from the use of a children’s play area, café and a member’s lounge to relax while shopping.

DirectBuy Membership

Consumers who are interested in joining DirectBuy of Boston North are encouraged to attend an exclusive Open House event, which is designed to educate families about DirectBuy’s unique business model.  The Open House also helps consumers better understand how DirectBuy members avoid traditional retail markup when purchasing brand-name merchandise.

To request a “Free Insider’s Guide to Buying Direct” and a Visitor’s Pass to learn more about the superior value and benefits of a DirectBuy membership, visit www.directbuy.com.

About DirectBuy

For 38 years, DirectBuy has been showing hundreds of thousands of consumers unparalleled ways to save as they shop for virtually everything for in and around their homes – from furnishings, home improvement and flooring, to entertainment and outdoor products, accessories and much, much more. With more than 160 locations in North America, DirectBuy offers its members access to approximately 700 brand-name manufacturers and their authorized suppliers in the US, and more than 500 brand-name manufacturers and authorized suppliers in Canada.

Consumers interested in seeing DirectBuy’s savings, service and selection up close may obtain a Visitor’s Pass to attend an Open House by visiting www.directbuycares.com.

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