Planet Green was launched in June 2008 but I only recently discovered it through Verizon cable. They have lots of informative shows and you can learn a lot about current green issues, new innovations, organic foods and cooking, and green homes and buildings.
Check with your cable provider to see if they offer it. Lots to learn!
The NAR's core course for the Green Designation includes many ways to address a property's "green" potential - many of them are high cost items such as installing energy efficient windows, purchasing ENERGY STAR appliances, and having solar photovoltaic panels installed on the roof.
But there are many low-cost ways to increase a property's green potential (including your own home):
Paint with low or no-VOC paint
Weatherstrip and caulk doors and windows
Insulate an older model hot water heater
Lower the hot water heater temperature to 120 degrees
Install low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators
Use CFC light bulbs - they last over 5 years!
Recycle aluminum
Collect rainwater to water your plants
Install a programmable thermostat (I'm embarrassed to say I had one and didn't even know it!)
I'd also recommend an energy assessment. My local utilities provider (Tampa Electric) came to my home and inspected everything from the attic to the weatherstripping and then recommended ways I can lower my energy bill - and the assessment was free. Plus he gave me an 8-pack of CFC light bulbs!
As more and more people begin to think about and discuss "green" living, you will probably hear the term "walkability." Wikipedia defines "walkability" as...
"The extent to which the built environment is friendly to the presence of people living, shopping, visiting, enjoying or spending time in an area".
So what makes a neighborhood walkable? There are many components that are taken into consideration, such as:
A center of some type (shopping district, main street, or public space)
Density
Mixed income and mixed use
Parks and public space
Pedestrian-centric design
Nearby schools and workplaces
I was interested in checking on the walkability score of the Westchase area in northwestern Hillsborough County,Florida. There are thousands of homesites in Westchase along with business centers, sidewalks, ponds, bridges, and schools.
I visited http://www.walkscore.com and entered the address of my real estate office in the Westchase Town Center. The walkability score for this area was 58 out of a possible 100 - making the area "somewhat walkable."
You might want to check out the walkability scores of your listings or properties you plan to show your buyers.
If so, you are wasting precious water and money. The plumbing code changed in 1993 and specifies a maximum of 1.6 gallons per flush.
And Hillsborough County, Florida has an Ultra Low Flow Toilet Rebate Program going on right now that will pay you up to $270.00 for replacement of three toilets in a single-family home.
Call Water Resource Services at (813) 274-6800 to find out more details about this great rebate program. They'll also give you a list of approved plumbing contractors who are familiar with the program.
I replaced both toilets in my home and received $150 rebate on the first toilet and an $80 rebate on the second.
If you live in another county or state, check with your local water department to see if they have a similar rebate program.
Quit flushing your money down the drain. Replace your older high-volume toilet with a new ultra low flow model....save water....and save $$.
If you haven't been asked about rebates and incentives from your customers who are interested in green design, construction, and system installation, don't worry, you will be....
And when you are asked, direct your client to http://www.dsireusa.org, a searchable database to find rebates and incentives available for such things as new roofs, heat pumps, ductwork, and energy efficient windows, to name but a few.
According to their website, DSIRE is a "comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility, and federal incentives that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency."
Your clients will love you for it....and won't you look smart!
There are many well-done websites out there that can provide real estate professionals with the knowledge and awareness of green building principles.
We need to be able to list and market green residences, green commercial properties and green developments, as well as guide our buyers in purchasing these properties.
And you might want to check out your family's carbon footprint. A carbon footprint is a measurement of your environmental impact on our planet. It's a real eye-opener!
"Greenwashing" is when manufacturers exaggerate the "green-ness" of a service or product. And so-called green products are exploding onto the consumer scene.
Unfortunately, there is no centralized regulating authority of what is "green."
So we all need to use our brains and think about our purchases.
Say a product claims it is toxin-free...in small amounts, large amounts...how exactly is it toxin-free?
If a product claims it is "recyclable," what does that really mean? Is the manufacturer referring to the product inside the container, or the container itself?
If a product contains "20% more recyclable product"...is it 20% more as compared to its previous product or a competitor's product?
Don't be fooled by greenwashing. Read the fine print.
There is a new designation out there for REALTORS®, the Green Designation recognized by the National Association of REALTORS®. Offered by REBAC (Real Estate Buyer's Agent Council of the National Association of REALTORS®), a 2-day core course was created so REALTORS® can "adopt and implement green practices in their day-to-day businesses."
The core course covers the definition of "green," green communities, green homes and buildings, green buyers and sellers, and how to green your real estate practice
The very first course is being offered at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando on November 5th and 6th, coinciding with the NAR Conference & Expo 2008. And the really great news is that the introductory price is only $150.00 for the 2-day core course, discounted from $295.00.
As time goes on, we're going to see more people interested in purchasing homes and making upgrades to their homes that incorporate green appliances and reduce the harm to our environment. Why not get educated on the greening of America and see how we can further benefit our clients?
For more information, go to http://rebac.net. Hope to see you in Orlando!
Better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer." William Blackstone
In May of 2007, I wrote a blog about Alan Crotzer. Mr. Crotzer was wrongfully imprisoned for 24 years for a home invasion and the abduction and rape of two women...crimes he did not commit as proven by DNA evidence. He was released from prison in January of 2006 and has been waiting since then for compensation from the State of Florida.
You can read my original blog here for the back story.
Mr. Crotzer has finally received payment of $1.25 million from the State of Florida, equal to $50,000 per year, in exchange for the 24 years of his life spent in prison.
In addition to his millionaire status, Crotzer will also receive free tuition at any state college, university or career center.
Florida finally put to rights a most grievous wrong. Too bad it took them a couple of years to do it.
The Florida Legislature is currently considering a bill that would AUTOMATICALLY compensate some prisoners who have been proven innocent. We'll have to wait and see if that bill passes.
Although I am certain the United States has the very best and most fair criminal justice system in the world, it is not perfect and an alarming number of errors are made. For more information on this topic, check out the Innocence Project -or you can follow the link from my website at http://www.peggyedwards.com. To date, 215 people in the United States have been exonerated by DNA testing, thanks to the Innocence Project.
Mr. Crotzer, may God bless you and your family. I wish you well.
The world has come a long way in communications, haven't we? I still remember the time when my Dad would come home from work and read the "evening" newspaper (I'm pretty sure it was the Washington Post) and watch one newscast on television.
Thanks to Al Gore's invention, we have the luxury of reading news from websites all over the world. Wow!
As members of the real estate industry, we obviously keep up daily with changes in interest rates and the market in general. We can get breaking news sent to our email, PDAs - whichever gadget we choose.
But what websites do you read every day? Which ones help you stay on top of current events? Every day I read the news from two local sites but I have about five national sites that I check out also. With information coming at us fast and furious, I don't want to miss something important and sound uninformed if my customers bring up a topic.
Are you a fan of Forbes? The Wall Street Journal? The Drudge Report? CNN? Fair and Balanced? Please share your favorite news sites with us and give us the URL if it's not obvious.
Peggy Edwards, REALTOR®, Green Designation, Tampa, FL
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CNN? Fair and Balanced? Please share your favorite news sites with us and give us the URL if it's not obvious. 
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