Buying a Green Home In Seattle
The Seattle market place has exploding with green built homes over the last 5 years. Approximately 30% of all spec-homes in the area are being built green.
Green homes offer some unique benefits to the homeowners, reduced utility cost, and healthier indoor living environment and an overall feeling that by living in a green built home they are using in effect having a smaller environmental footprint.
The green trend has been market driven; more buyers are looking for green features in new construction. In Seattle the 3 most popular green building programs are the local Master Builders of King and Snohomish County’s Built Green which has three levels, LEED for Homes by The United States Green Building Council, and the Department of Energy’s Energy Star program perhaps the most recognized throughout the country.
How does a buyer know the home is built green?
Perhaps the most important thing to do when looking for a green built home is to connect with an agent who has some type of green certification. Only about 1% of agents nationally have any type of green certification. Another thing that should be checked is the homes certification; if it’s built green the builder will be happy to show you their checklist of green features added to the home.
Can you find a green home when searching online?
In the Seattle area you can, the local Northwest Multiple Listing Service has a searchable field that agents fill out that helps other agents and customers identify the different green properties. Before this we saw quite a few green claims in the remark sections claiming a house was built green when all it has was perhaps Energy Star appliances and Energy Star windows.
There’re many newly constructed green built homes in Seattle to select from starting in the low $200s.
For more information on green built homes I would be happy to discuss the merits and advantages of purchasing a green built home.
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