As Coachella Valley residents, we're always looking for ways to make the most of our resources -- and yours. With the desert's dramatic daily and seasonal variations in temperature, regulating your home's interior climate makes you more comfortable AND saves you money.

Now for the good news: the federal government agrees, and they're offering tax credits when you make changes to your energy systems.

Here's a quick overview:

1) For energy improvements to an existing home/principal residence (no rentals; no new construction) made between now and December 31, 2010, a rebate of 30 percent of the cost up to $1,500 may be available for heating/ventilating/air conditioning systems; insulation; biomass stoves; qualified metal or asphalt roof products; water heaters; and storm windows and doors.

2) For energy improvements to an existing/new principal or second home (no rentals) made between now and December 31, 2016, a tax credit of 30 percent of the cost, with no upper limit, is available for geothermal heat pumps, small wind turbines, and solar energy systems.

3) For energy improvements to an existing/new principal residence (no rentals or second homes) now through December 31, 2016, a tax credit of 30 percent of the cost, up to $500 per .5 kW of power capacity, is available for residential fuel cell and microturbine system installations.

To learn the specifics and to find additional information about appliance rebates, visit the Energy Star website at www.energystar.gov and click on "Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency" toward the bottom of the page.

To learn more about real estate in the Coachella Valley, give us a call today at 760-567-1550. And remember, in real estate, knowledge is power!