Monday, February 9, 2009

EcoBrokersTout Green Building Principles

When real estate agent Gina Vermilyea shows houses to potential buyers, she can point out what could be done to save energy and improve air quality in a home.

Her knowledge comes from being a certified EcoBroker, a "green" designation awarded to real estate professionals who receive continuing education provided by EcoBroker International. The Colorado-based company was founded in 2002 and already has members throughout the world as the demand grows for buildings that are energy efficient and environmentally friendly.
The National Association of Realtors also offers its "Green Designation" to Realtors who complete the association's courses on green building principles.

Vermilyea, who has been in the real estate business for seven years, became the first certified EcoBroker in Minnesota three years ago and is currently among 16 EcoBrokers in the state. An agent for Coldwell Banker Burnet, Vermilyea's office is in White Bear Lake, although her work brings her into southeast Minnesota where her market stretches from Northfield to Lanesboro.
"I really feel like I serve people above and beyond the regular real estate duties because I can help them save money and help the environment," Vermilyea said.

It's becoming more common for potential buyers to ask about the energy efficiency of a home, and some of are quite knowledgeable on the topic. "And other ones know that they want energy efficiency or a green home or healthier indoor air quality but they're not really sure what they're looking for," she said.

One glance at a home isn't enough to know if it's energy efficient.

"It's pretty hard to see energy efficiency by looking at a house, but you can see things that are not" energy efficient, Vermilyea said. Buyers should ask whether a home has a high-efficiency furnace, newer windows and is well insulated, since utility bills alone don't provide an accurate assessment of a home's energy efficiency.

If a home lacks those things, Vermilyea educates potential buyers about programs through the Federal Housing Administration and other agencies that make financing available for energy-efficient improvements.

These days, Vermilyea works mostly with buyers but she's previously helped sellers whose homes incorporated green building concepts.

It wasn't that long ago that a seller with solar panels on his home might have been told by his listing agent to take the panels off because they would reduce the home's value, Vermilyea said. In the past, she said, real estate agents didn't know how to market homes with green building features, but they realize today that there is a segment of the population excited about such homes.

Homes with green features can sell faster and for more money than other homes, Vermilyea said, adding, "All other things being equal, why wouldn't you pick the home that has that stuff?"

Article by Dawn Schuett: http://news.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?z=51&a=379841

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