Sales Blog

Last month Alex and three members of the Outer Beaches' Sales Team completed an intense three-day course to receive the National Association of Realtors® Green Designation certification. The training was designed to prepare us to counsel clients and homeowners concerning ways in which scarce and declining resources might be managed in a way that meets present needs without compromising the availability of these resources for the needs of future generations.

Whenever we start talking about "green" initiatives, there is a spectrum of preconceptions that need to be overcome before getting to the underlying value propositions. These red herrings range from the "tree-hugger" label to the very prevalent phenomenon of "greenwashing" where claims are made about products that lack a verifiable positive effect on the environment. Once we get past these obstacles, there really are some actions that can, under the right circumstances, produce meaningful results

Examples of resources on which each of us can have a relevant influence include energy, water, and air quality. Some of the possible benefits of incorporating available green technology and behavior patterns into our homes and daily activities include lower utility expenses, reduced water consumption, and more efficient energy usage.

During the course of our training, we were introduced to an interesting variety of products and services. Those that caught our attention and that seemed to have the most applicability in our vacation home environment included: geothermal heating and cooling systems, simple retrofits for reducing energy loss through attic spaces and gaps in a home's HVAC ducts, solar heating for at least a portion of a property's energy needs, home energy audits, and a new form of insulation made from recycled blue jeans. As you can see a large portion of the course focused on energy efficiency and evaluating a home's energy performance.

When all is said and done, some of the strongest impressions that we took away from the class included the following:

• An energy assessment is probably a good first step because it will suggest fixes for improving energy efficiency.

• Before making green improvements on a home, do some research, and try to get some idea of the actual cost/benefit. For example, the adoption of energy saving technology without a corresponding change in consumption behavior may limit the expected benefits. A tankless water may sound like a good idea for saving electricity, but if people are taking half-hour showers, the payback might not be what you anticipated.

• At the same time, don't focus only on the cost/benefit aspects of an improvement. There are actions which each of us may want to take simply because they are the right thing to do relative to the preservation of resources and the quality of life for our children and grandchildren to enjoy.

We are working toward identifying and communicating those actions which may have the greatest potential benefits for our homeowners. We will keep you informed about this important subject.