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ECO - Environmental Consultant Advanced Training and Certification for REALTORS®

ECO real estate professional asheville, north carolina

CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
ECO - Environmental Consultant

Here in North Carolina we have a Certification Program for environmentally conscious REALTORS®. It allows REALTORS® to obtain an ECO Certification. ECO stands for Environmental Consultant.

REALTORS® who obtain the ECO certificationundergo a significant training program --36 hours of real-time, hands-on classroom/site evaluation/in-the-field training. I completed this training as one of the first participants and I can tell you, it is a challenging and worthwhile experience. The providers say that this intense training will, "... better prepare [REALTORS®] to consult with and refer to experts and share information with their clients on environmental issues affecting their real estate transactions." My personal experience tells me this is an accurate statement. Some of the posts on my BLOG reflect this, I hope. (See the post that appears on environmental contamination just after this, for example.)

It feels important to me, especially in this day where REALTORS® may need to put more emphasis on environmental matters during the due diligence period and before, that we are wise to look into advanced training.

Resources for Healthy Choices: Environmental Issues in Real Estate
4-hour core class is needed in order to take the next two-day seminar. This class is approved for CE elective credit with the North Carolina Real Estate Commission.
Inside and Outside: Environmental Issues and Real Estate
Topics include indoor and outdoor air, land conservancy, soil erosion, water issues, septic issues, lead, asbestos and radon, pest control, green building and renovation, energy efficiency, and many others.

Instructors: Experts from various NC organizations and companies specializing in environmental concerns.

UPDATE: IF you live outside of North Carolina, and are such an instructor...I'd love to hear from you!

Posted by janeAnne, "Green-o-Lina" e-PRO, ECO, Owner/Broker on 08/31/2007 07:32 AM

Comments (22)

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22 Comments on ECO - Environmental Consultant Advanced Training and Certification for REALTORS®

I'll have to look into that one!

08/31/2007 07:38 AM

by Rosario Lewis, GRI ~ DDR Realty, Orange County, NY (DDR Realty)

Rosario~

If you come to North Carolina, I would love to meet you.

08/31/2007 07:46 AM

by Asheville's GREEN Land & Homes ECO-Steward Realty

Good morning janeAnne,

These sound like wonderful courses and the certification is a great thing to have. We have similar types of courses here in Ontario, Canada, however no recognized certification that I know of....I'll have to look into this further.

Thanks for writing about this....as an environmentalist and scientist who has served on many boards , the onus may be on me to look into bringing this kind of certification to the Ontario real estate industry....hmm

08/31/2007 08:23 AM

by Jo-Anne Smith-Belleville, Quinte and Prince Edward Region Real Estate, Ont. (Royal Lepage Proalliance Realty, Brokerage)

Jo-Anne~

PLEASE do bring this to Ontario!..

08/31/2007 06:28 PM

by Asheville's GREEN Land & Homes ECO-Steward Realty

janeAnne, I'm shaking my head. :) Trying to find a way to do this..

08/31/2007 11:03 PM

by Stephanie Edwards-Musa, Realtor ® The Woodlands, TX Real Estate (Prudential Gary Greene, Realtors ®)

Steph~

Maybe you could find a sponsor and then bring the initial course to Houston...the instructor for the initial course is Margie Meares. Having been on the ECO Task Force with Margie who is an adjunct instructor in the Environmental Studies Department at UNC Asheville, and director of the Clean Air Community Trust , I can tell you first hand that she is an articulate, master teacher with deep knowledge, who is also lots of fun.

09/01/2007 07:28 AM

by Asheville's GREEN Land & Homes ECO-Steward Realty

wow...how ironic t=is this--I was just thinking: "maybe it's time to start looking into some sort of Eco certification", I came to check your blog, and BINGO! As always, JaneAnne is on the forefront of my thinking...now to figure out how to translate to Florida! Thank you for posting!

09/01/2007 12:34 PM

by Real World Properties, Inc. - Home of ForeclosureBusTampa!

janeAnne, that sounds like a worthwhile course. I'll pass it on.

BTW, love the moon

09/01/2007 10:21 PM

by Gary Smith, Realtor® (The Michigan Group - Livingston)

Too bad they don't offer this in PA.

09/02/2007 12:29 AM

by Jeff Geoghan MBA - Lancaster PA Real Estate Expert (Coldwell Banker Select Professionals)

Sounds like a great thing! Wish we had it down here in Florida!!!

09/02/2007 02:41 PM

by Barbara-Jo & Bill - - Florida Realty Professional - AHWD (Charles Rutenberg Realty)

I have been wondering where you got so much information. I to must look into this more.

09/02/2007 09:37 PM

by Susan Trombley Re/Max Broker Raleigh NC & Surrounding Areas (Re/Max Hometown)

Is this designation endorsed by NAR?

09/16/2007 10:16 PM

by Brandon Causey Realtor Coastal Palmetto Realty LLC (Coastal Palmetto Realty LLC)

I'm going to see if there's any way I can make it. Sounds like an incredibly informative session.

09/16/2007 10:32 PM

by NinaGail Betancourt-North GA Blue Ridge Mountains (Century 21 Scenic Realty)

I wonder if FL has this as well, I will look into it, great to see you back janeAnne

09/23/2007 09:30 AM

by Janie Coffey, GRI - Equestrian Real Estate (Janie Coffey and Papillon Real Estate, LLC)

Loretta~

I have been talking with the folks here in NC about expanding this program . We just need people to spearhead it in various regions,as this is a program that speaks to the "region" as well as to the concept of eco-awareness. Because this program focuses on issues particular to a region...there is much (I believe necessary) hands-on training involved. ..and local experts are needed to supply and complement the coursework with their local knowledge... Let me know if you have an idea of leaders in your area in the field of eco-awareness...and THX!!!

11/15/2007 07:52 AM

by Asheville's GREEN Land & Homes ECO-Steward Realty

Everyone~

I noticed that several of you expressed interest in this program. It offers hands-onfield work and 36 hours of class work with field trips...(like knowing what a meth lab is and recognizing it...an important issue for real estate professionals in terms of due diligence)...Any ideas you might want to suggest?

11/15/2007 07:57 AM

by Asheville's GREEN Land & Homes ECO-Steward Realty

Brandon asked if this is a designation. This is a 36-hour course with classroom (no online) training that has been offered only in NC (to date) About 400 real estate professionals have completed the course, or are in the process of doing so. The course has been approved by the NCREC as a designation. NO ECOcourse has (as of yet) received a designation from NAR. There are (at least to my knowledge) 2 other ed opps. Both are online.

11/15/2007 08:02 AM

by Asheville's GREEN Land & Homes ECO-Steward Realty

NinaGail~

Becuase you are in GA, this course would probably work for you if you are in our bioregion. You can check the Asheville Board of REALTORS' site for the next time the core course (16 hours) will be offered. Or come on up and "set a spell" =)

11/15/2007 08:06 AM

by Asheville's GREEN Land & Homes ECO-Steward Realty

Janie~

Let me know what you discover, OK? I learned so much practical information while taking the 36-hour class. I got to go on really worthwhile field trips...and still..there was no specific focus on farms!(including horse farms which might be of interest to you) ..just a few mentions here and there. We have apple orchards in our area where toxic chemicals threatened the ecosystem (for example)...and this was covered...

11/15/2007 08:09 AM

by Asheville's GREEN Land & Homes ECO-Steward Realty

janeAnne -- I am going to have to check with the real estate commission here in New Hampshire. I am not aware of any courses of this type being offered. Is there a website or somewhere one can check? New Hampshire has a lot of natural beauty, but it is just becoming more green!

11/15/2007 08:38 AM

by Joan Whitebook, ABR, e-Pro, CEBA (Buyer's Option Realty Services)

What a great program, I wonder if there's anything like that in Minnesota???

11/16/2007 05:27 PM

by Tyghre Collentine (Coldwell Banker Burnet)

Joan~

This is a pilot program, so you won't find it anywhere but in NC at this time. Folks from neighboring States have inquired about brining it to them...and I could see that there are segments that would need to be 'tweaked' for bioregions...but the basic information, and the hands-on work is a super learning opp!

11/19/2007 07:57 AM

by Asheville's GREEN Land & Homes ECO-Steward Realty

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