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!
Kelly Reark
By Kelly Reark
With St. Patrick’s Day fast approaching, my Irish brain has been picking up on all the green in my environment. So I thought that we’d avoid a pinch by adding a little green practice to our life! Here are some ideas to get you going Green:
“Think Globally, Act Locally.” OK, this one is easy. Think about how the Earth could be a better place, and then actually DO something to contribute to that picture in your head. It could be as simple as using a stainless steel canteen instead of those delightful coffee-filled Whobucks cups. Did you know that in America, we use more than 25 billion disposable bottles every year?
Use your car as little as possible. Our community is small, so our office frequently uses golf carts to show off the convenience of the area. One agent even arranged a group to see property via bicycle. Wow, exercise while you work, and don’t forget to whistle.
Read labels. Sometimes I can be a little OCD about this one, but really it’s a good idea to know where the stuff you buy comes from. Take a moment to think about how it got to the very store you are standing in and how much petroleum and energy the freighter, tug boat, train, plane, or cargo truck used to get it there. When you have the choice, support locally sourced goods.
Use non-toxic cleaning supplies. Ditch the pantry full of smelly chemicals for hot water, vinegar, baking soda and a steam cleaner, and you can make every surface in your home squeaky clean and bacteria free. Yes, even mirrors. Just wipe them dry with the morning newspaper before recycling it. Continue reading »
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