by Green Resource Council Newsletter, November 2012.
David Popoff associate of ActiveRain was one of 6 recipients for the EverGreen Award by the National Association of Realtor’s Green Resource Council this month in Orlando, Florida. He shares his view of green housing as one of practicality in this current Green Resource Councils Newsletter.
“Well, why wouldn’t you? It’s common sense,” just might be his answer to a question along the lines of “Why green?”
Popoff, GREEN, of William Pitt Sotheby’s in Darien, Conn., got his introduction to green building during a five-day class community college class about green building. Then he became a NAR Green Designee and has been involved in educating consumers, networking and promoting green houses for more than two years.
He’s well-schooled in green with credentials that include being a Certified Green Professional (National Association of Home Builders) and an accredited LEED AP for homes (USGBC), and serving as an advisor for SnappyGreen.
2012 EverGreen Award
He came to the real estate industry with 30 years of residential building experience, and the knowledge has dovetailed well with his real estate career.
Popoff is one of the 2012 EverGreen Winners and recently talked with the GRC.
Building expertise: Green is really quality, commonsense building, believes Popoff, and he routinely pitches three key benefits–health, energy efficiency and reduction of carbon footprint in that order– to prospective clients.
Plus, he taps his construction knowledge to look beyond aesthetics when helping clients weigh their options. “Because of my background, I can answer questions better. You have to look at quality of the house and be aware of everything health-related–lead paint, what materials were used, and the kind of paint, flooring, carpeting and insulation,” says Popoff. “It all matters because homes now are so tight that what’s in the house stays in the house.”
Demographic challenges: His green pitches receive mixed responses, and Popoff notices differences among the generations.
“The under-30 crowd gets it, the 40 and over group kind of gets it. Lots of 50-plus people are indifferent,” he observes. “You try to educate people, but within five or 10 minutes it’s pretty clear if someone is going to be interested.”
Steady growth: Every year more and more people are interested, finds Popoff. “Last year, it was 10 percent of my clients. This year it’s 15 to 20 percent. Next year, it could be 30 to 35 percent,” he says.
Plus, he points out that new construction in particular will get greener, thanks to Connecticut’s adoption of more stringent energy codes for new homes. That can only boost the awareness. And perhaps demand.
Green luxury: He also sees the luxury housing sector getting greener. “I talk to luxury buyers about how they’re really getting the best of the best in terms of quality construction and the highest technology,” he says. And they get it. Plus, they’re often willing to invest in high-end extras, such as solar panels.
Personal commitment: Popoff is committed to sustainable living and regularly shares his personal successes with prospects. For one, he doubled the size of his 1928 house, yet his oil bills didn’t rise. He attributes it to quality building and features, including programmable thermostats, ceiling fans, top-flight insulation, and low-e windows. His passion for sustainable living also entails bee-keeping, gardening with organic and native plants, composting, conserving water and embracing the three Rs–recycling, reducing and reusing.
Sharing the news: Part of being a local green guru is delivering the goods. And that’s information.
Popoff’s blog is a key dissemination point.
His categories section features a vast array of topics, ranging from traditional home pricing and market reports, to an array of green topics and interactive tools to help readers reduce their environmental impact.
Another way he sates consumers’ hunger for information is through face-to-face contact. He regularly sets up at green festivals, such as Live Green Connecticut and Green Greenwich Energy Conscious Home Show & Forum.
Getting the goods: Having the freshest knowledge is critical and Popoff gets it by participating in numerous professional and networking groups. For instance, NAHB meetings put him in front of builders who talk about the latest building science and products. It also gives him access to green home tours, where he sees new materials and systems in action.
And at monthly Greendrinks.org meetings, he networks with consumers and local green businesses. “People are always asking for recommendations for landscapers, plumbers, and electricians, and Greendrinks.org meetings are a good way to get together with those people and find out what’s going on in the community. I always learn something new when I go,” he says.
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