For the past many months we’ve been watching gas prices (and lemons, and muffins, just about everything) soar!

We’ve been trying to figure out what we could do, as a mortgage company to reduce our dependant, almost addictive habit of waste.  As a company we met with area Waste Management experts, and Energy Experts from Green Castle, So Energy Management and Build Sense.

We analyzied the new Housing Bill that Congress approved earlier this month, and we were excited to learn that they included mandates for incentives to folks who built green and Energy Efficient…

But in the beginning of this process, we didn’t know much.  We were simply driven by the determination and knowledge that it was time to DO SOMETHING.  What we found in the process, is that mortgage lending is one of the most wasteful.  We “found” computers 15 years ago - and built some huge ones, and then forgot to include computers and FHA and VA.  This meant that we still had to have multiple copies of EVERYTHING, and we still relied on Overnight Packages to deliver those copies all over the world.

In coming days we will share our early initiatives in more detail, but here’s a SNEAK PEAK!

Meridian Mortgage will offer the following effective September 1, 2008!

Energy Star Certified Homebuyers going Meridian Green for Green receive:
$1,000 towards closing costs
16,500 pound carbon offset supporting greenhouse gas reduction projects, further reducing the home’s carbon footprint
6 month membership to the Arbor Day Foundation, including 10 trees to be planted in celebration of your new home or delivered directly to your home for you to plant!

I feel like a proud parent!  We’ve streamlined our process, educated our staff and we’re roling out REAL INCENTIVES to homebuyers!

Keep Watching!