Real Estate Blog - Eco-Friendly Agents

Home : Blogs : South Florida Real Estate • Leanne Paynter : Florida Real Estate Blog

Eco-Friendly Agents

Are you an eco-friendly agent?

Among other things, Eco-Friendly Real Estate Agents:

Include as many photos as their MLS will allow
Have a virtual tour of their listings available
Provide good directions to the property
Include a floorplan whenever possible

If listing agents took the time to properly market their listings, buyers would be better able to narrow down the homes they'd want to see. This saves everyone time and gas (less pollution), and doesn't inconvenience the seller with home showings to buyers that perhaps would have known it was not the home they're looking for had they seen more photos or a virtual tour ahead of time. Agents who work with buyers would be better equipped to decide which homes to show to their customers/clients and may lead to less of a need to preview homes in person. Agents would also be able to come up with more accurate home value estimates (CMA's) because the additional data, which includes photos of comparables, would make it easier. Of course, appraisers would benefit as well.

In my experience, I've seen used cars that are marketed better than most properties I see listed on the MLS. On the other hand, most new home builders know how to properly market their inventory. New home builders include a wealth of information about each of their homes on full-color brochures with multiple photos (or artist's renderings), a floorplan, a siteplan, a location map, and their websites sometimes even offer aerial photos and a virtual tour. You could say that agents who market their listings the same way new home builders do are "eco-friendly". Sellers should take this into consideration when deciding which real estate broker they choose to market what is likely their biggest investment.

Rotating Earth Are you an Eco-Friendly Real Estate Agent? If not, start thinking green.

It's good for the environment and will make you a better professional!

Think globally, act locally. Think Green!

Posted by South Florida Real Estate • Leanne Paynter on 11/21/2006 06:28 AM

Comments (28)

marketing, listings, listing agents, mls, professionalism, agents, photos, floridas environment

Post is included in group: ECO-All-Stars~ GREEN Resources, Trends & Friends
Post is included in group: MLS Issues

28 Comments on Eco-Friendly Agents

NOV

2006

Excellent Point Leanne, I hope they feature this wonderful post. I do the same thing. Virtual tours, a large amount of pictures and info, is the way to go.

Thanks, Jennifer. To me, it's just common sense. I'm amazed more sellers don't insist on that type of service.

A great post; I'm glad they featured it.

We all need to become more environmentally aware.

Thanks, Jessica. I think more people are thinking green these days and if agents made this small adjustment, it could help make at least some difference for us now as well as for our children's future.

I am an eco freindly agent as outlined in your criteria. I go one step further and refuse, and I do mean refuse to own an SUV. I spend a lot of time in my car, and drive a lot of miles. I know I would get a tax break, but I won't drive an SUV. My car is a midsized and according to my son it gets more than 30 miles to the gallon.

Let's see this taken one more step and consider hybrid cars or some of the other cars like small ones that run on deisel fuel...these get far more than 30MPG. ;)

Just a thought and something to consider.

I emphatically agree with you regarding MLS listings. Sometimes I wonder if those who place less than fully informative adds and less than allowed pictures are trying to discourage Buyers Agents from showing. I have wondered if they are hiding something...I just wonder about them period. Perhaps some think that the more you show and tell the more accurate you are filtering, the less calls you receive? I don't know. Personally, I have the conviction to use the resources I have to the max. I have offered to take photos and upload them for agents if they do not have the ability. WHY would a seller list with an agent who does not intend to fully market the property at least on the MLS? Is this the result of a low flat fee listing, perhaps? (...I'll put you on the MLS for $10 bucks:) I also feel that it is my duty to buy a Toyota Prius after the 1st of the year. GREEN!

(If that comment was inappropriate, please email me and I will remove it)

Great post! I'll be at the EcoBroker conferance Dec 6th. Check out www.ecobroker.com for more information.

These are the Top 3 Reasons why I think agents don't take full advantage of the marketing power of the MLS:

Some are doing so in order to discourage showings from agents searching the MLS for their customers/clients, while at the same time using other marketing techniques in an effort to increase their odds of being able to 'double dip' (for consumers who may be reading this, that is 'agent speak' for keeping both sides of the commission).
Some are doing so in the hopes of forcing buyers to call them so they can gain more buyer customers/clients, much like the agents who mainly use open houses to get buyers even though a very small percentage of homes actually sell as a result of an open house. Here, again, this is just another attempt to 'double dip' and another technique that serves the agent but is not necessarily in the best interest of the seller. Houses will sell regardless of how little information you provide but they tend to sell more quickly and for a higher price if marketed as best as possible both on the MLS and elsewhere.
The rest of the agents are just plain l-a-z-y or too cheap to pay someone else to help them and don't belong in the business!

I think what they are 'hiding' is one of the above... or the house needs TLC and they just don't know how to market that type of property properly.

Suzi, thanks for your comments. I briefly checked out your blog... will read it tomorrow and comment on some. Let us know how you like the Prius.

Hi Dena... you slipped your comment through while I was writing my long response to Suzi. Thanks for the compliment! I was hoping you'd stop by as I know you are an EcoBroker, so I knew you'd relate to this post. Where is the conference taking place? I was on their site sometime last week to learn more about the designation and am considering going for it in the next few months.

Leanne - Go for it! It's quite the education. The best part is clients seek you out. Doing the Right Thing in Pueblo Colorado! my blog a few days ago will give you more information. It's going to be in Golden Colorado Dec 6th. Give Linda B. a call over at Ecobroker and ask her questions. Tell her I sent you, I get brownie points!

I read your post... good information. Enjoy the conference and please let us know how it went.

Awesome post. I remember my first home sale (long before I was an agent) and the agent posted that we had two dining rooms, I questioned him and he said he didn't want anyone excluding our house because of that... I've always made it a point to represent the house clearly so that we don't get needless showings. If they want a 4th bedroom then the dining room won't do it!!!

NOV

2006

I like the fact that using this mentality customers can narrow down their search. I dont think i have ever met an eco broker here in the los angeles area.

Eddy - You may not have met a Los Angeles area EcoBroker (yet) but they're out there... at least 4 of them!

Chris - Funny! I regularly see quite a bit of misinformation in the MLS. Sometimes I even take the time to call the agent to let them know. They only correct the mistake about half the time!!! I still have the MLS print-out of when I bought my house and it mentions that it has a glassed-in porch... NOT!

Leanne - I think your comments should be heeded by ALL realtors - don't see anything that links them specifically to ecobrokers.

Dena - I recently received my Ecobroker certification but won't be attending the December conference in Colorado - hope you'll let us know the great ideas you get. Sadly we won't be getting the great networking that you will.

ECO-friendly and ECO certified...or is that certifiably an ECO Nut as Gina told me not long ago..in any case, here in the Asheville area, the demand for healthy-built homes and the huge interest in ceating land legacies for future generations is a driving force in our business. We feel lucky to be a part of this "greening"... Lucky because we get to see amazing places and properties almost every day. Lucky because of the riches... in challenge... in good company... a wealth of the generous kind..

Sharon - Thanks! Actually, I never mentioned EcoBrokers in my blog post... just in the comments, for the very reason you mentioned... because these are things that every Realtor should do for their seller. I'm glad you got your EcoBroker designation - I saw on their site that you're one of only a few throughout Florida. Sharon's always one step ahead of most of us! :-)

janeAnne - First, let me say I love the name of your company, ECO Steward Realty, and thank you for your part in doing what you can to protect the beauty and character of that area. Second, I love Asheville... so much so that about 3-4 years ago I bought a couple of domain names with 'Asheville' in them in case I can ever convince my hubby to move there one day (I think ahead). Of course, I'd take up real estate there, too. Actually, I was just up there on vacation at the end of August and hope to go back again next year. Thanks for the link to your great blog post, by the way.

Thanks for opening my eyes to a thriving ECO community! These discussions are exactly the reason ActiveRain is and will be a success in the future. GREAT ideas, Im going to look into the ecobroker meeting to see if FloorPlanOnline would be a good fit!

NOV

2006

Teresa - to me, owning an SUV doesn't necessarily mean the person is not environmentally conscious in other ways and the style of vehicle probably just suits their lifestyle best (also, some SUVs get about the same MPG as full-size cars on the road). Just as regularly going to one's house of worship of choice doesn't necessarily make one a better person than someone who rarely, if ever sees the inside of one, I try not to judge people by one aspect of their life.

DEC

2006

Not that I am not concerned for the environment, but as I was reading your 4 points that make you ecofriendly, I kept thinking that by thinking green for the environment and applying those points, you will also be thinking green for your pocket and your seller's....

Great post!

Yael - Thanks... and, yes, applying those points will undoubtedly result in more 'green' in your pocket and your seller's... better marketing = more eyeballs, more eyeballs = the potential for a quicker sale, and more buyers = more potential for more & better offers. Now, what I don't understand is why most agents don't understand that!

JAN

2007

Sometimes a home needs to be staged to be photo-listing ready. I think some realtors think it is safer to go without interior photos if the home shows poorly and hope that once buyers arrive, they can see past the issues in person.

I add that additional rationale to my many reasons regarding why it is important to stage a home... saves on gas too!

Thank you!

Lisa

NOV

2007

GREAT JOB! FEEL FREE TO ALSO LIST YOUR RENTALS OR YOUR HOMES FOR SALE PLEASE ON MY WEBSITE IT IS FREE TO LIST SO THERE SHOULD BE NO EXCUSE WHY YOU CANT LIST YOUR HOME ON MY WEBSITE (1) IT'S FREE AND (2) YOU CAN PLACE CLOSE TO TEN PICTURES OF YOUR HOMES ON THERE ! TALK ABOUT E-CO FRIENDLY ALSO PLACE YOUR SELF ON THE TOP LINKS PAGE ! THANKS ALLAN GIMENEZ

NOV

2007

Hi Leanne, Wow. This one came up from a while back huh? :) I enjoyed reading it, great job getting the word out.

DEC

2007

I wanted to let you know about our company. We sell 3 day 2 night travel certificates that are used by many companies as incentives to bring in more clients.

The cost is only 0.35 cents each and they come with your company name and website imprinted on the certificates.
http://www.increasebusinesssales.com

Think about using these for referrals or give them to customers/clients. You can sell them for a profit to your down-line.

The end user of the certificates has a choice of over 20 destinations to pick from. Take a look at the destinations at the website. http://www.increasebusinesssales.com

They pay a processing fee of $12.00 and the taxes on the room which is about $7.00-$12.00 a night depending on the location.

http://www.increasebusinesssales.com

Great Blog , Keep doing what you are saying , I do the same . I have a Bio Diesel Car !

APR

2008

I DISAGREE WITH KERMIT WHO SAYS "ITS NOT EASY BEING GREEN!

ITS VERY EASY TO BE GREEN. ITS WAY PAST OUR TIME TO BE THINKING THIS WAY!

THINK GREEN!!!

This blog does not allow anonymous comments