HomeSeller: Friday, December 23, 2022

Q: I’ve read your column for many years now but I have never seen you answer a question like this. This is my first time writing to you so I am not sure how much information you need to be able to give me a good answer, so forgive me if I say too much.

For many personal reasons my wife and I have decided to start a church. Our beliefs are different than the “traditional” church and, over time, we have joined with a number of other people who feel the way we do. For the past year or so we have been having services and meetings in my living room with my wife and/or me leading the meetings.

A couple of months ago I went to the county Tax Assessor’s office and asked them what I have to do to get a church tax exemption for my house, since that’s where we have the meetings. I was given a couple of forms and told to fill them out and bring them back. I did my best to fill them out accurately and returned them within a couple of days. Today, I received a letter denying my tax exemption and I don’t understand it. We may not be Christian in the traditional sense, but we believe in God and think we should be entitled to the same tax benefits as any other Christian church. Can you talk a little bit about the tax exemption law and what I can do to get ours?

A: Yes and no.

I can talk about the exemption, but I don’t have nearly enough information to counsel you individually as to your particular eligibility. Although, from the facts you’ve given me, I can make an educated guess as to why you were denied.

It still comes as a surprise to many that churches are

exempt from the payment of property taxes.

Some will properly raise the constitutional requirement of separation of church and state for the proposition that the government should not be favoring a church by not requiring it to pay the same taxes everyone else pays. In fact, that issue has been argued many, many times in courts throughout the decades.

The opposing argument, and the one that currently prevails, is that the power to tax is the power to destroy. And so, as the argument goes, by making the government keep its hands out of the church’s pockets, it helps take away its ability to meddle in church affairs.

Objectively, the weight of legal scholarship believes it’s a silly argument, and I agree. But it is the current state of the law.

Personally, I think it would be a better argument if the government wasn’t going ahead and taxing everything else the church does; like paying sales tax, income tax for employees, utility taxes, etc. But the Supreme Court has yet to ask my opinion.

The fact is that churches can apply for, and receive, a property tax exemption. The critical question here isn’t whether a church can receive the exemption, but rather, “what is a church?”

Here’s where it gets

really messy.

Through legislative mandates and myriad court decisions, we know more about what a church doesn’t have to be than what it actually is.

Specifically, a church doesn’t have to have anything to do with spirituality. You don’t have to believe in one or more gods, devils, ghosts, spirits or an afterlife. You don’t even have to have a Bible, Koran or written teachings from any leader either living or dead.

So, what does that leave us with?

You must have a belief system that you truly believe in which usually, though not always, includes a system of beliefs, standards of behavior, rites and/or ceremonies, all of which are usually, though not always, shared by some number of people. Even the “church” of Scientology, founded by a science fiction author, has been deemed a church and afforded tax exemption.

Sounds like a political party would qualify, or maybe your weekly bridge club. But for some reason they don’t.

What constitutes a church is decided on a case-by-case basis by the county Tax Assessor. If you disagree with his or her ruling, you can avail yourself of the court system.

In the meantime, I imagine the reason you were turned down was probably because you were seeking an exclusion for your personal residence, something that is always more closely scrutinized because of the numerous scams people

Jones, Page 4

THE DAILY REPUBLIC DELIVERS. CALL 707-427-6989.

Tim Jones

These home appliances use power even when turned off

BLOOMBERG

Coffee makers. Television sets. Washing machines. Practically every appliance and electronic device you have plugged in at home is using some electricity – and adding to your utility bill – even when it isn’t in use or even turned on.

The problem is known as standby power, and it’s getting worse as people acquire more appliances, more equipment goes electric, and a growing number of devices get “smart,” or connected to the internet. It’s no

longer uncommon for a household to have dozens of appliances plugged in at any given time –from a microwave with a digital clock to a smart light bulb synced to an app on their phone – and the collective electricity consumption of all these items in low-energy mode is not trivial.

Quantifying standby power, however, can be tricky. “There is not a generally agreed-upon estimate for the fraction of residential electricity consumed by standby,” says Alan Meier, a senior scientist in the Building Technology and Urban Systems Division of Lawrence Berkeley

National Laboratory. “This is because there is no agreed-upon definition and no comprehensive set of field measurements.”

Meier’s “best guess” is that standby makes up “5 to 10% of electricity use in an average American home,” though he warns that “it’s only going to grow over time.”

Others estimate the percentage can already be even higher. Ram Narayanamurthy, Emerging Technologies Program manager at the U.S. Department of Energy, pegs baseline energy usage in his own home at around 20% of annual electricity. His definition

of baseline energy overlaps with what others in the field attribute to standby power, such as Wi-Fi routers, cable modems and voice assistants that “remain connected just so you have no latency when you want to use them.”

“That baseline energy usage is something that many people are not aware of,” Narayanamurthy says, “and it’s something we’re trying to understand better and focus better on how we can address that.”

One reason is to help consumers save money at a time when many are tuned in to even small changes in their energy bills.

Another is to help tackle climate change. In 2021, the building sector represented around 37% of global carbon dioxide emissions, according to the Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction released last month at COP27 climate talks in Egypt. Part of the push to decarbonize buildings includes finding ways to reduce their energy use, says Narayanamurthy.

Individually, most appliances aren’t using much power in standby mode: In a U.S. home today, the average standby level of any given gadget is likely to

CHRIS RATCLIFFE/BLOOMBERG

Standby power may be responsible for 5 to 10% of the average household’s energy use, according to one estimate.

Study: These 3 grocery stores pump up real estate values

TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY

When Orlando, Florida, real estate agent Jeremy Wood writes a listing for a house, he includes the grocery stores in the neighborhood.

“If you can walk to get groceries, that’s big,” he said.

What sort of amenities a neighborhood offers, Wood said, have become more important since the housing market slowed and people have had more inventory to choose from.

Having a grocery store near one’s house is often a sought-after perk for homebuyers, but what kind of grocery store is nearby can actually affect a home’s price, according to a new survey.

A national study in November by real estate analysts Attom Data Solutions found homes near a Trader Joe’s were worth $987,923 on average.

The study looked at ZIP codes around the country with at least one of three brands: Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods and Aldi. Trader Joe’s took the top spot for value, followed by Whole Foods with an average of $891,416 per house.

Aldi had the lowest initial value at $321,116, but proved the better investment over time, according to the study. Looking at the five-year appreciation on homes from 2017 to 2022, homes near Aldi gained 58%, followed by Trader Joe’s houses with 49% and Whole Foods homes with 45%.

Aldi houses also got a 54% return when flipped by an investor, compared to 28% from Whole Foods and 25% from Trader Joe’s, according to the study.

Wood, who says most of his sales are $300,000 or less, says he doesn’t get many questions about those brands, but he is frequently

Real estate transactions

These are the local homes sold recently, provided by California Resource of Lodi. The company can be reached at 209.365.6663 or CalResource@aol.com.

BENICIA

TOTAL SALES: 1

LOWEST AMOUNT: $888,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $888,000

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $888,000 AVERAGE AMOUNT: $888,000

887 Oxford Way - $888,000 11-17-22 [4 Bdrms - 2714 SqFt - 1984 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 02-23-16, $600,000

DIXON

TOTAL SALES: 1

LOWEST AMOUNT: $749,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $749,000

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $749,000

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $749,000

705 Wiegand Way - $749,000 11-17-22 [4 Bdrms - 1850 SqFt - 1999 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 11-06-20, $570,000

FAIRFIELD

TOTAL SALES: 9

LOWEST AMOUNT: $390,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $1,025,000 MEDIAN AMOUNT: $610,000 AVERAGE AMOUNT: $661,889

2777 Ambrosia Way - $728,000 11-15-22 [4 Bdrms - 2253 SqFt - 2021 YrBlt]

1965 Clyde Jean Place - $699,000 11-17-22 [4 Bdrms - 2102 SqFt - 2020 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 11-25-20, $642,000

2960 German Street - $1,025,000 11-14-22 [5 Bdrms - 3750 SqFt - 2010 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 12-02-10, $610,000

394 Huntsville Court - $610,000 11-18-22 [3 Bdrms - 1651 SqFt - 2017 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-12-19, $509,000

3298 Inwood Place - $550,000 11-14-22 [2 Bdrms - 1409 SqFt - 2005 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 08-29-19, $474,000

5080 Pyramid Way - $825,000 11-18-22 [4 Bdrms - 2912 SqFt - 2001 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 09-24-14, $510,000

2556 Shorey Way - $565,000

11-18-22 [3 Bdrms - 1665 SqFt - 2002 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 03-26-02, $279,950

2519 Sunrise Drive - $390,000 11-14-22 [4 Bdrms - 1525 SqFt - 1972 YrBlt]

407 Violet Court - $565,000 11-18-22 [4 Bdrms - 1474 SqFt - 1969 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 05-05-17, $361,000

RIO VISTA

TOTAL SALES: 1

LOWEST AMOUNT: $555,000 HIGHEST AMOUNT: $555,000 MEDIAN AMOUNT: $555,000 AVERAGE AMOUNT: $555,000 1973 Garden Lane - $555,000 11-14-22 [3 Bdrms - 1635 SqFt - 2019 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 04-17-19, $386,000

SUISUN CITY

TOTAL SALES: 3

LOWEST AMOUNT: $350,000 HIGHEST AMOUNT: $585,000 MEDIAN AMOUNT: $540,000 AVERAGE AMOUNT: $491,667

529 Arroyo Grande Lane - $540,000 11-18-22 [3 Bdrms - 1434 SqFt - 1987 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-06-16, $310,000 73 Chipman Lane - $350,000 11-16-22 [4 Bdrms - 1506 SqFt - 1977 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 01-26-15, $265,000 1280 Mayfield Circle - $585,000 11-15-22 [3 Bdrms - 2206 SqFt - 1989 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 00/1989, $169,500

VACAVILLE

TOTAL SALES: 20

LOWEST AMOUNT: $200,000 HIGHEST AMOUNT: $779,000 MEDIAN AMOUNT: $541,750 AVERAGE AMOUNT: $531,975 362 Arcadia Court - $580,000 11-14-22 [3 Bdrms - 1574 SqFt - 1985 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-28-05, $445,000 173 Cambridge Drive - $479,500 11-18-22 [2 Bdrms - 1212 SqFt - 1988 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-17-20, $355,000 431 Carema Court - $595,000 11-14-22 [4 Bdrms - 2197 SqFt - 2007 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-05-07, $458,000

177 Carlsbad Circle - $485,000 11-14-22 [3 Bdrms - 1598 SqFt - 1971 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 04-26-18, $358,500

217 Circle Drive - $479,000 11-17-22 [3 Bdrms - 1066 SqFt - 1955 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 12-06-17, $364,000

254 Colby Drive - $575,000

11-14-22 [4 Bdrms - 1925 SqFt - 1990 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-08-09, $270,500

948 Dawnview Way - $667,500 11-15-22 [4 Bdrms - 2190 SqFt - 1999 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 10-14-02, $355,000

420 Edgewood Drive - $569,000 11-14-22 [4 Bdrms - 1841 SqFt - 1970 YrBlt]

343 Eldridge Avenue - $414,000 11-18-22 [3 Bdrms - 1226 SqFt - 1972 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 08-26-20, $315,000

211 Fairoaks Drive - $420,000 11-14-22 [2 Bdrms - 1124 SqFt - 1974 YrBlt]

731 La Cruz Lane - $560,000 11-14-22 [4 Bdrms - 1633 SqFt - 1978 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 09-03-20, $470,000

243 Loch Lomond Drive - $593,000 11-15-22 [4 Bdrms - 2308 SqFt - 1988 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 09-17-15, $420,000

454 Mandarin Circle - $500,000 11-15-22 [2 Bdrms - 1222 SqFt - 1999 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 05-06-20, $402,000

1801 Marshall Road #802 - $300,000 11-18-22 [2 Bdrms - 948 SqFt - 1986 YrBlt] 500 Owl Court - $520,000 11-14-22 [3 Bdrms - 1471 SqFt - 1988 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-09-04, $366,000 1970 Peabody Road #1 - $200,000 11-18-22 [2 Bdrms - 780 SqFt - 1972 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 11-23-03, $139,000 690 Periwinkle Drive - $750,000 11-18-22 [4 Bdrms - 2605 SqFt - 2019 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-05-19, $600,000 260 Plantation Way - $523,500 11-18-22 [4 Bdrms - 1840 SqFt - 1977 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 00/1990, $130,000 649 Tiburon Lane - $650,000 11-17-22 [4 Bdrms - 2080 SqFt - 1981 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 12-14-16, $427,000 5030 Turnbridge Court - $779,000 11-18-22 [5 Bdrms - 3102 SqFt - 2016 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 09-10-20, $660,000

VALLEJO

TOTAL SALES: 20

LOWEST AMOUNT: $250,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $1,104,000

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $502,000

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $541,175

901 Alabama Street - $1,104,000 11-17-22 [3 Bdrms - 1398 SqFt - 1904 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 08-02-22, $368,000

1345 Arkansas Street - $465,000 11-15-22 [3 Bdrms - 1095 SqFt - 1948 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 11-23-10, $154,100

539 Brooke Drive - $649,000 11-14-22 [4 Bdrms - 1827 SqFt - 1969 YrBlt] 625 Butte Street - $380,000 11-18-22 [3 Bdrms - 968 SqFt - 1918 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 05-14-19, $140,000

165 Campbell Avenue - $400,000 11-14-22 [3 Bdrms - 999 SqFt - 1925 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 01-19-17, $260,000

227 Clearpointe Drive - $519,000 11-18-22 [3 Bdrms - 1531 SqFt - 1993 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 09-21-09, $174,000

7 Cliff Walk Drive - $580,000

11-14-22 [3 Bdrms - 1556 SqFt - 1990 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-18-00, $269,500

1 Fairview Avenue - $478,500 11-14-22 [3 Bdrms - 1435 SqFt - 1949 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-02-09, $151,000

160 Fremont Street - $250,000 11-17-22 [4 Bdrms - 1696 SqFt - 1973 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-02-11, $127,000

1356 Fulton Avenue - $622,000 11-14-22 [3 Bdrms - 1740 SqFt - 1987 YrBlt]

148 Greenmont Drive - $701,000 11-17-22 [4 Bdrms - 1989 SqFt - 1980 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 09-04-12, $280,000

3562 Headwater Drive - $600,000 11-17-22 [5 Bdrms - 3078 SqFt - 2002 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 09-23-02, $509,492

746 Jack London Drive - $360,000 11-14-22 [3 Bdrms - 1000 SqFt - 1978 YrBlt]

200 Kathy Ellen Drive - $425,000 11-15-22 [3 Bdrms - 1538 SqFt - 1974 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 03-16-17, $261,000

1565 Magazine Street - $455,000 11-15-22 [3 Bdrms - 966 SqFt - 1953 YrBlt]

127 Michigan Street - $455,000 11-17-22 [3 Bdrms - 1184 SqFt - 1936 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-03-09, $122,000

6269 Newhaven Lane - $615,000 11-17-22 [3 Bdrms - 2019 SqFt - 2005 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 02-02-10, $290,000

161 Rivermouth Lane - $630,000 11-14-22 [3 Bdrms - 1178 SqFt - 1988 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 02-07-12, $185,000

1419 Valle Vista Avenue - $485,000 11-15-22 [4 Bdrms - 1796 SqFt - 1963 YrBlt]

150 Wood Court - $650,000 11-18-22 [4 Bdrms - 2030 SqFt - 1980 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 03-02-22, $660,000

From Page 2

attempt to run.

I have a very good friend who, though he is an atheist, became an ordained minis-

ter via mail order just for the fun of it. He got a nice certificate, suitable for framing, and could probably preside over pet weddings.

But as much as he would like to stop paying property taxes on his home, he’s smart enough not to try.

My educated guess is that since you still live in your home, it is not “primarily” used for worship or other church functions and is properly not qualified for the exemption.

If your group ultimately rents or buys another building that meets the criteria for tax

exclusion, you should go ahead and take another shot at it.

Tim Jones is a real estate attorney in Fairfield. If you have any real estate questions you would like to have answered in this column, you can send an email to AllThingsRealEstate@ TJones-Law.com.

The Northern Solano County Association of Realtors is made up of real estate sales people and affiliate members. I have been an affiliate member for more than 30 years and have witnessed the association give back to local charities every single year, regardless of the market.

The Northern Solano County Association of Realtors Charitable Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to helping our community and those in need. The association’s website has listed more than 150 charities the organization helped over the past 30 years. All of these are worthy, but I thought I would point out a few of my favorites for my readers – the ones I personally love and hope you can support.

• CASA of Solano County, which provides court-appointed special advocates for our most vulnerable children. Donate or volunteer to be an advocate. Director Candy Pierce, 707-421-2272.

• The Vacaville Neighborhood Boys and Girls Club now has nine sites around Vacaville and has helped thousands of kids since it was founded in 2001. The club has grown dramatically under the dynamic leadership of CEO Anna Eaton. Some of the children’s success stories are incredible. Donate to help The Vacaville Neighborhood Boys and Girls Club grow for our kids. 707-999-5034.

• Leaven Kids provides learning centers for children planted right in the most crime-ridden neighborhoods, breaking the cycle by equipping children where they live. Leaven Kids has six locations in Fairfield, one in Suisun City, three in Vacaville and four in Vallejo and is supported by an incredible board

of directors, including the president of the board, Joe Allio, retired Fairfield police chief, and members like former Mayor Len Augustine and Sheriff Tom Ferrara. CEO Mark Lillis, 855-622-KIDZ.

Children are our future and all three of these organizations reduce crime rates, which makes our community safer and our real estate market healthier.

Merry Christmas to all of you from my family and my fellow Northern Solano County Association of Realtors members and affiliates.

Jim Porter, NMLS No. 276412, is the branch manager of Solano Mortgage, NMLS No. 1515497, a division of American Pacific Mortgage Corporation, NMLS No. 1850, licensed in California by the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation under the CRMLA / Equal Housing Opportunity. Jim can be reached at 707-449-4777.

www.836Landon.com

Outstanding curb appeal w/ a warm & welcoming front porch on a charming court location in desirable & rarely available Glenbrook Hills of North Vacaville. R anch-style home o ering the ver y best- close to schools, Alamo Creek Park & proximity to Downtown. From the moment you walk into the formal entr y you’re greeted w/ natural light & notice the quality in cra smanship including real hardwood ooring. Step into the cozy formal living room w/ wood-burning replace & a formal dining area. rough elegant french doors you’ll nd your way into a more casual 2nd living room w/ access to the backyard. Open concept kitchen w/ abundant counter & cabinet space + raised bar seating for casual dining or entertaining. A generously sized dedicated laundry room w/ access to the 2-car garage, making it an ideal space makeshi mudroom. 3 spacious bedrooms including primar y bedroom w/ walk-in closet, huge L-shaped vanity & private access to backyard. Low maintenance landscape surrounded by mature trees, an entertainer’s paradise & perfect for year-round family fun. An inviting heated spa over owing into the inground pool + covered patio making indoor/outdoor living a breeze.

Offered at $729,000

Stores

From Page 4

asked about the closest Publix, Florida’s No. 1 grocer. It wasn’t included in the Attom survey.

“Everyone, sellers and buyers, ask about Publix,” he said.

Wood also said customers do expect to pay more around certain brands.

“If I mention a Whole Foods or Fresh Market, people know those stores build only in what you would call nicer neighbor-

hoods,” he said.

The two Trader Joe’s locations in metro Orlando are found in Winter Park and the Dr. Phillips neighborhood. In October, ZIP codes for those locations had average home sales of $935,528 and $737,930, respectively, according to the Orlando Regional Realtor Association.

Advocates fighting against food deserts have long pointed these disparities as a reason for grocery stores to open in more impoverished neighborhoods.

“I’m not surprised by the results of the survey,” said

Orlando City Council member Bakari Burns.

Burns’ district, which runs mostly west of I-4 between State Road 408 and Sand Lake Road, is home to one of the region’s largest food deserts, according to the USDA’s Food Access Research Atlas.

Burns has been vocal about getting grocery stores to move into his district. He says the study highlights how the cycle of poverty in low-income neighborhoods perpetuates.

“If you don’t have those types of investments in a community,

they remain starved of access to fresh fruits, vegetables and groceries, but also you don’t get investments from other types of industries,” he said.

Rick Sharga, executive vice president of market intelligence at Attom, said whether the stores are creating the value or capitalizing on it is “a little bit of a chicken-and-egg scenario.”

“Grocery stores like Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and Aldi do a significant amount of market research in order to determine which locations are the best match for their stores — econom-

ically, demographically, and even socially,” Sharga said in an email.

“On the other hand, bringing in a high-profile, high-quality grocery store ... does tend to add to the quality of life in the community and to home values both in the short term and over time,” he said.

Burns recognizes the factors that grocers must weigh when deciding where to set up shop, including safety and the threat of theft, but he encourages executives to “see what a difference an investment like this really would make in a community.”

Christmas week and the pending arctic blast have put dread in the hearts of most gardeners in the South. But old Bing and The Andrews Sisters and their Christmas rendition of “Mele Kalikimaka” has put a spring into my step and an idea of what we can all do.

The Garden Guy in Georgia has gingers still intact, Rockin salvias blooming and even some Soprano impatiens with flowers, so 16 degrees Fahrenheit and a 20-to-30-mph wind doesn’t bode well for any lush herbaceous plant life. It also doesn’t help the mood of a garden writer.

This silver-haired horticulturist retreated indoors and told Alexa to play Bing Crosby Christmas songs. The first one up today: “Mele Kalikimaka.” Bing and The Andrew Sisters were singing, “Here we know that Christmas will be green and bright/ The sun to shine by day and all the stars at night/ Mele Kalikimaka is Hawaii’s way/ To say Merry Christmas to you.”

That’s it! While we may not

be able to go to the islands for Christmas or even to vacation this summer, we know that come spring, we can make our yards, our patios or even just one mixed container look like the tropics. We can indeed have our little corner of paradise.

If you are wondering where to start, I would point you to the award-winning Toucan Cannas. You may be surprised to know that the company that brings you Supertunia petunias, Superbells calibrachoas and Superbena verbenas has put together the most outstanding Cannas under the Proven Winners and Proven Selections labels.

Last year I grew Toucan Dark Orange, and it was everything I had hoped for and more.

From Page 3

be 3 watts or less, with many items coming in around 1 watt or less. That’s according to a review of published literature and measurements directly conducted by scientists this year at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Low-consuming appliances and home equipment includes everything from air purifiers to cell phone chargers, fans and televisions.

Meanwhile, many of the appliances or tools with the highest average standby power levels today are critical infrastructure that you wouldn’t want to turn off for functional or safety reasons, from security systems to water heaters.

For certain items built with a hard mechanical on/off switch, such as some fans or kettles or laptops, standby power can be reduced all the way to zero. For many older devices, however, the maximum standby power can sometimes be five or 10 times higher than the average.

There can also be a big range in standby depending on product type. Take video games. Various Xbox devices, excluding the original and 360 models, have standby levels starting at 8.6 watts. In contrast, many Nintendo and

Playstation systems have lower standby levels ranging from less than 1 watt to 5.7 watts.

Further complicating things, there’s no easy way to tell what the standby power of a device is by looking at it. “That’s one of the frustrating parts – you may be thinking it’s zero but it may still be consuming power,” says Meier. On newer appliances, digital displays or lights can be clues that standby power is not zero, he adds, “but in general, there’s no way to tell that without measuring.”

Manufacturers have had to solve for this once before. Back in the 1980s and 1990s, a cable box, or a set top box, used an average of 11 watts constantly, with some models using up to roughly 25 watts. VCRs used an average of 6 watts, with some models using up to about 13 watts, and some DVD players had an average of 4.2 watts, with a maximum of 12 watts. These high standby levels largely stemmed from the product chargers being inefficient and wasting energy.

“People would always tell me their cat used to love to sleep on their set top boxes because they were so warm,” says Jennifer Amann, a senior fellow at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. “Anything that’s hot is a sign that it’s losing power.”

These devices usually had

two prongs, or teeth, and were so good at sucking up energy while their owners slept that they were sometimes referred to as energy vampires, or vampire appliances. “It’s a nice metaphor – the vampire constantly drawing electricity,” says Meier.

Since then, Meier notes, “there has been extraordinary progress” that started with governments implementing both mandatory and voluntary programs designed to incentivize manufacturers to reduce standby levels. In the U.S., for example, the government’s voluntary Energy Star program started factoring standby power into its rating and testing of some consumer goods, a move Amann says helped drive down the standby loads of electronics and office equipment. South Korea and countries in the European Union, meanwhile, began requiring lower standby levels for certain products.

All these initiatives “did really change the nature of these loads to be individually not too bad,” says Wyatt Merrill, a technology manager working on emerging technologies at the U.S. Department of Energy.

Then the nature of the problem changed. It’s now “driven mostly by the fact that we have so many more plug loads than we did twenty years ago,” says Merrill. “The new challenge is how do you coordinate across all these different loads and think about them collectively.”

If you’re curious about the standby footprint of your own home, “the first thing I would do is not so much look at your appliances but try to look at the electricity consumption and your smart meter and find out what’s happening at 3 a.m.,” says Meier. This will likely give you a sense of the lowest level of continuous energy consumption in a day, some of which will be standby.

shows power use.

A simple way to eliminate an appliance’s standby power is to unplug it entirely. But experts don’t recommend this for devices that are used regularly or where unplugging could pose a safety risk. Meier suggests starting with seasonal appliances, such as lawn mowers, window unit air conditioners and snow blowers.

Other possible candidates for unplugging: small kitchen appliances, especially when you’re on vacation; spare television sets or

cable boxes in barely used guest rooms; and any lingering VCRs or other gadgets that are at this point more novelty than utility.

Those types of small changes can help. But going on an unplugging spree in your home isn’t a long-term solution to standby power. “These things need to be fully autonomous and do things without any intervention in order for the user to have the long term [energy] savings,” Merill says. “I don’t think the solution is going to come in terms of behavior.”

A home study illuminated by electrical devices on standby.

If you don’t have a smart meter, handheld watt-meters – available online, at hardware stores and sometimes in the local library –can measure standby levels. First, you plug your meter into an outlet and then plug the device into the meter; a screen on the meter

CHRIS RATCLIFFE/BLOOMBERG

Solano County Listings: Homes for sale

$835,000 116 Mountview Ter Benicia 4 3/0 2,288 0.11 322031987

$459,000 1320 Blackberry Ct Dixon 3 2 /0 1487 0.073 322062507

$785,000 515 West Cherry St Dixon 4 3/0 2755 0.124 322083817

$4,500,000 6156 Clark Rd Dixon 4 4 /0 5906 78.98 322047718

$350,000 225 Pennsylvania Ave #A2 Fairfield 3 2 /0 1084 0.026 322065570

$460,000 1655 Hemlock St Fairfield 3 2 /0 1,274 0.16 322082879

$480,000 363 Santa Susana Ct Fairfield 3 2 /0 960 0.13 322103874

$499,000 2373 Cabrillo Dr Fairfield 4 2 /0 1704 0.13 322086472

$549,950 2849 Bay Tree Dr Fairfield 3 3/0 1,476 0.10 322104649

$555,000 2737 Almondwood Wy Fairfield 4 2 /1 1512 0.08 322080695

$560,000 8 32 Tulare Circle Fairfield 4 2 /1 1934 6006 322080552

$565,000 1661 Homewood Ct Fairfield 3 2 /0 1127 0.175 322099977

$645,000 2907 Owens Ct Fairfield 3 3/0 2320 0.18 322084406

$689,000 1973 Tamayo Way Fairfield 4 3/0 2,346 0.06 322085972

$699,000 4 874 Birkdale Cir Fairfield 4 3/0 2716 0.217 322104166

$824,999 3032 Muse Wy Fairfield 4 3/0 2841 0.135 322078149

$875,000 2818 Watson Ct Fairfield 5 3/0 3000 0.198 322104028

$895,000 5181 Palace Ct Fairfield 5 3/0 3007 0.168 322082111

$1,099,900 3404 Black Mountain Ct Fairfield 5 3/1 4003 0.215 322100196

$1,149,000 1098 Skywest Ct Fairfield 3 2 /1 2709 24455sf 322098903

$1,495,000 1106 Skywest Ct Fairfield 5 3/0 3414 0.804 322068078

$2,599,888 5324 Boulder Ridge Ct Fairfield 5 6/0 5,325 0.91 322099213

$420,000 101 Cedar Ridge Dr Rio Vista 2 2 /0 1671 0.129 322064595

$500,000 420 Canvasback Dr Suisun City 4 2 /0 1440 0.13 322096457

$509,000 411 Avalon Wy Suisun City 3 2 /0 2152 0.23 322067943

$534,000 719 Capistrano Dr Suisun City 4 2 /0 1620 0.170 322095047

$389,000 146 Isle Royale Cir Vacaville 2 2 /0 1212 0.13 322103633

$429,000 101 Isle Royale Cir Vacaville 2 2 /0 1152 0.15 322080839

$434,000 135 Maple St Vacaville 3 1/0 1040 0.11 322093532

$519,000 424 Mandarin Cir Vacaville 2 2 /0 1323 0.116 322066345

$525,000 4 84 Manchester Wy Vacaville 3 2 /0 1602 0.13 322083162

$525,000 8 39 Morissette Way Vacaville 3 2 /0 1,249 0.11 322070474

$539,000 686 Mashall Rd Vacaville 3 2 /0 1402 0.18 322059279

$547,000 600 Fox Pointe Rd Vacaville 3 2 /0 1320 0.160 322089563

$567,500 801 S Orchard Ave Vacaville 3 2 /0 1230 0.12 322073187

$569,000 304 Kendrick Ln Vacaville 3 2 /0 1276 0.138 322100653

$574,999 296 Plantation Way Vacaville 4 2 /1 1840 0.13 322062209

$575,000 107 Colony Way Vacaville 4 3/0 1,887 0.07 322068608

$589,900 1116 Amber Ridge Ln Vacaville 3 2 /1 1990 0.100 32209946

$589,999 332 Plantation Court Vacaville 5 2 /1 2043 0.16 322094970

$595,000 148 Shefield Dr Vacaville 4 2 /1 1799 0.14 322089957

$597,777 231 Kildare Ln Vacaville 3 2 /1 1988 0.209 322091198

$599,982 748 Bluebird Dr Vacaville 3 2 /0 1478 0.125 322103320

$610,000 667 Laurelwood Cir Vacaville 3 2 /0 1,750 0.14 322080908

$650,000 643 Dahlia Dr Vacaville 3 3/0 1,728 0.08 322095268

$675,000 324 Crow Canyon Ct Vacaville 4 3/0 2003 0.191 322100614

$675,000 764 Shannon Dr Vacaville 3 2 /1 2262 0.147 322099214

$699,000 307 Epic St Vacaville 5 3/0 2,219 0.11 322094278

$700,000 245 Wykoff Dr Vacaville 2 2 /1 1566 0.433 322103932

$735,000 8024 Claret Court Vacaville 4 3/1 2941 0.16 322074811

$750,000 201 Wrentham Dr Vacaville 5 3/0 2286 0.22 322099300

$807,500 878 Daffodil Dr Vacaville 4 3/1 2762 0.138 322102280

$899,000 1000 Brighton Ct Vacaville 5 3/0 3,431 0.21 322090634

$1,100,000 896 Granada Ln. Vacaville 4 3/1 3395 16860 322100642

$1,199,000 8 42 Elderberry Loop Vacaville 5 4 /1 4058 0.295 322043728

$460,000 2940 Georgia St Vallejo 3 2 /0 876 0.13 322087029

$499,000 305 Campbell Ave Vallejo 4 2 /0 1686 0.115 322103190

$499,995 450 Carousel Dr Vallejo 3 2 /0 1310 0.137 322104455

$538,000 398 Barcelona Street Vallejo 3 2 /0 1701 7406 322097980

$565,000 1541 Severus Dr Vallejo 4 2 /0 1,428 0.12 322103845

$610,000 701 Keats Dr Vallejo 4 2 /0 10500 10018sf 322091636

$629,000 3931 Central Ln Winters 3 2 /0 1782 5.52 322102413

$875,000 8 457 Plesants Valley Rd Winters 2 1/0 22.16 321006700

$1,500,000 9211 Boyce Road Winters 3 1/1 1500 31.00 322099831

LOTS & LAND

PRICE A DDRESS CITY LOT/AC SUB TYPE MLS#

$850,000 Gaddini Road Vacaville 14.89 AGRI 322085720

$4,500,000 6156 Clark Rd Dixon 78.98 AGRI 322049465 $500,000 360 Butcher Rd Vacaville 1.10 COMM 321098151 $1,250,000 8 362 Auction Ln Dixon 2.16 COMM 322014651 $1,600,000 2300-11 E Monte Vista Ave Vacaville 3.66 COMM 321102156

$225,000 2060 Pinecrest Ct Vacaville 1.15 RESA 322048328 $359,950 Gibson Canyon Vacaville 1.55 RESA 22029146 $399,000 English Hills Rd Vacaville 6.09 RESA 322096839 $399,000 3872 Ciarlo Ln Vacaville 8.96 RESA 322102308 $699,000 3874 Ciarlo Ln Vacaville 19 RESA 322102228 $875,000 8 457 Plesants Valley Rd Winters 22.16 RESA 321000406 $15,000,000 Mankas Fairfield RESA 21825708

MOBILE/FLOATING

PRICE ADDRESS CITY BEDS BA(F/H) SQ. FT. MLS # $35,000 9 Dali Ct Fairfield 0 0 800 322100984 $170,000 161 Lemon Tree Cir Vacaville 3 2 /0 1440 322093675

MULTI UNIT 2-4

$735,900 549-551 PACIFIC AVENUE FAIRFIELD 2 1 2479 321043438

COMMERCIAL

PRICE ADDRESS CITY T YPE MLS #

$350,000 424 Davis St Vacaville Mixed 322095434 $625,000 120 E Tabor Ave Fairfield Retail 322088826

Home buyers get some relief as mortgage rates come off 7% highs

TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY

In October, mortgage interest rates topped 7% for the first time in two decades, the latest milestone reached this year amid a surge in borrowing costs.

But potential home buyers may have noticed something different recently: Rates are falling.

On Thursday, mortgage giant Freddie Mac reported that the average on a 30-year fixed home loan dropped for the sixth straight week, hitting 6.27% for the week that ended Wednesday.

To buyers who last year enjoyed rates of 3% and below, the change might seem minor. But the drops can equal hundreds

of dollars less spent on monthly payments and some experts say there’s growing signs rates may not rise much from here and could drop further.

“There’s a good chance we have seen the top” in mortgage rates, said Keith Gumbinger, vice president of research firm HSH.com.

Rates have fallen from 7%

because there are signs inflation may have peaked after two better-than-expected reports on consumer prices, analysts said.

Since mortgages are bundled together and sold on the secondary market, investors in those mortgages want a higher return – a higher interest rate – when inflation worsens and

increasingly erodes the value of their investments.

An expectation that the Federal Reserve’s actions to tame inflation will cause a recession has also helped bring down mortgage rates, due to a complicated interplay of how the Federal Reserve and investors react to economic downturns.

It bloomed all summer at just the right height. I combined it with the ColorBlaze Lime Time coleus for a festival look. I was beyond thrilled to have bees and butterflies hitting on it daily. Oddly, I saw red-banded hairstreaks and cloudless sulphur butterflies feeding on them on multiple occasions and even together, too.

The Toucan series has four color options. In addition to Dark Orange, there is Scarlet, Yellow and a Coral that offers the garden what I consider to be the rarest and hardest color to find. If orange is too gaudy for you, then tone it down with Toucan Coral.

Proven Winners has also developed a recipe that screams “paradise found.” The recipe is called Back in the Day, and you will find it searching their site for Toucan Coral. Obviously, it features Toucan Coral Canna as the thriller, but it also includes four new 2023 releases: Graceful Grasses (Queen Tut papyrus as a totally different-textured co-thriller), Supertunia Persimmon petunia, ColorBlaze Mini Me Watermelon coleus and Luscious Lemon Tart lantana. If you have ever promised yourself you would try a recipe, this is where you should start.

Regardless of the variety you choose, the best blooming will occur in full sun, though partial shade is certainly tolerated. While the plants can thrive in soggy conditions, they will be more cold-hardy in fertile and well-drained soils. You can expect them to be perennial in zones 7-10. In colder regions, consider digging the rhizomes for storage or growing in containers that will allow them to be tucked inside the garage for the dormant season.

My plant pathologist friend in Tennessee said there is not much we can do about the arctic blast besides hope the weather

ABOVE:

palette.

ABOVE RIGHT: Proven Winners has developed a special recipe called Back in the Day. In addition to the award winning Toucan Coral canna it features four new 2023 releases, Graceful Grasses Queen Tut papyrus, ColorBlaze Mini Me Watermelon coleus, Supertunia Persimmon petunia and Luscious Lemon Tart lantana.

model is wrong and protect what we can. On the positive side, start planning Christmas in July with Toucan Cannas. Why not sing a chorus or two of “Mele Kalikimaka” along with Bing and The Andrews Sisters?

Norman Winter is a horticultur-

ist, garden speaker and author of “Tough-as-Nails Flowers for the South” and “Captivating Combinations: Color and Style in the Garden.” Follow him on Facebook @NormanWinterTheGardenGuy. He receives complimentary plants to review from the companies he covers.

CHRIS BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY/TNS PHOTOS

Toucan Coral canna offers the garden one of the rarest colors on the