By Amanda Stinton, NAR’s Green Designation Specialist
Check this out: Two days of NAR-approved courses covering two-thirds of a designation for $0, zero, zip, nada, zilch. Really!
If you haven’t already heard, NAR’s Green REsource Council is hosting two days of courses November 9-10, prior to NAR’s annual REALTORS® Conference and Expo in Anaheim. The courses are only open to REALTORS® who belong to their local YPN. In addition, the courses are taught by top national instructor and green building expert Bob Hart and they’re absolutely free!
If you aren’t a YPN member yet, join! Then just visit our site and submit a registration form: www.greenresourcecouncil.org/ypn. We’ll follow the second day of class with a wine and cheese reception. All students in this class will also get a coupon allowing them to take the final course, Green 300: Greening Your Real Estate Business, online at a discount.
So, maybe you’ve noticed different labels on products in homes or maybe there are green features abound that you simply haven’t noticed because you haven’t learned what to look for. Your clients want a home that’s healthy, durable, efficient, and nearby to the places they frequent. The question is, do your clients consider a healthy, durable, efficient, well-placed home a description of a green home?
As real estate professionals and REALTORS®, it’s important that we know how to guide clients so that they can make the best homeownership decisions for their priorities and needs. What if you could show your buyer client the home that meets their requirements and saves them money each month on utilities when compared to other homes in the area? How about the home that could sell for a premium when your seller decides to move because it’s green certified? Earning NAR’s Green Designation will help you position yourself as a trusted advisor.
More than anything, it’s a fascinating niche in the industry full of energy and interesting people. Of course, I’m biased having worked with NAR’s Green Designation, but there is real value here. I encourage you all to harness it!
Chris Nichols
By Chris Nichols
About a week ago, I had a young couple looking to buy their very first home come interview me. I was quite impressed they were actually doing an in-depth interview to find the right agent to represent them in such an important transaction. It was a welcome surprise, and brought back memories of my experience with a consumer focus group that NAR had me observe. Those buyers had realized they hadn’t interviewed potential representation and had simply gone with the first agent they met.
I was really impressed with the preparation that this couple had put in to asking the right questions. We spent almost an hour together and I enjoyed every minute of it. One of their questions was of particular interest to me. They asked me if I was willing to give up some of my commission if they found the home they wanted to buy on their own and I just handled negotiations and contracts. I explained to them that I was not willing to do that. I told them that where I earn every penny of my commission is in the negotiations, the contracts and in protecting them throughout the process.
I continued by explaining that very rarely do I even get involved in the home searching process, that buyers know what they want better than I do and that using the various online tools allow the consumer to do that quickly and easily. I also made the point that someone who didn’t feel their services were worth every penny and would give up some of their commission for the most important aspects of the transaction, probably wouldn’t be the best negotiator on their behalf.
Fast forward a week… Continue reading »
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