Just the other day, an old-timer in the building industry, known for his no-nonsense ways took me aside. "So WHAT if the  Green Building Council says that  LEED-certified buildings are leading the transformation of the built environment," he said. "So what if they  have  lower operating costs, and tax rebates, zoning allowances, and other incentives ! What does that mean to me? "        "Well, Mr. Jones," I replied, "When I put my 'green' glasses on and look down the 'trend tracks'...and I say this knowing that  you currently may not align yourself with green building issues... chances are high that you will be meeting up with a demand by your customers who are hopping on board with the trend . Do you think it might be timely for you to capitalize on your potential to be an ‘industry innovator'?" 

So, I have been thinking about this a good bit lately . Come to think of it, from any number of perspectives...as a REALTOR®, investor, or  stake-holder, now could be the perfect moment to ride the rails into the future.  Certainly, everyone could expect a positive outcome. At the very least, what a pleasant way to  attract and enjoy new business opportunities.   And here's what. There are about as many shades of green as you see in the early light on an Appalachian mountainside. And our levels of attraction, commitment and motivation are unique to each of us. ...For example,   When you evaluate a home, do you ask yourself, "How many miles per gallon does this home get?" ? How about energy resources? Durability? Low impact on nature? Health for you, your employees, your family?    As AR member William Robbins remarked in his piece on Ways I Am Trying to be Green " I am no 'tree hugger' and I am not claiming to be the most energy efficient individual, but I am working on it....I am getting educated and passing info along to home owners and friends...from Energy Star appliances, Low VOC Paint, renewable resource building products like Bamboo Flooring, etc.

I am wondering if  home buyers and investors find certain "green" attributes have more appeal than others....More and more these days, they're concerned about a certain "green" issue (indoor air quality, for example). Just for the record, I've found.( in the Greater Asheville market) that my clients gravitate to whole house ventilation and low-VOC paint. They love the tax advantages and energy efficiency features, too. They love knowing that their grandkids are in a non-toxic environment.