HELP US HELP GREEN!
Homes with 'green features' are sometimes hard to find when we are trying to assist the funding piece of the puzzle. Realtors --we need your help...list those features! You see, in order to properly credit the fact that green SELLS...we need green SALES.
Our underwriters want to help...really they do. However, anything that is not off the shelf standard can be considered 'unique'...not an underwriter's favorite word. So we need comparable homes in the area. Essentially, we are asking the underwriter to 'credit' the borrower for building (our buying) higher quality.
So called 'Green Loans' in theory, allow you to borrow more (against your income) by taking into consideration lower ongoing maintenance and energy costs. Our construction lenders support the move toward higher quality custom homes that conserve resources because they are sound investments... BUT they need our help to prove they exist and are selling.
So, if your listing seller or builder says they built a Green Home find out if that the home is verified by one of your local housing standards: we have Built Green, Greenbuilt, Energy Star or LEED (more local options) Then ask specifically for a run down on all the green features and ADD THIS TO YOUR LISTINGS.
Geothermal Heating, Advanced Framing or Low Impact Foundations may not mean much to you but if we are trying to verify the viability of an off -grid home in the back of beyond is worth a dime it would help our appraisers to have some similar homes in the region. Appraisers use listings. Listings with this information are ammo. Since a lot of the off grid homes being built these days do feature such things it should be a matter of course to ask: So does your photovolatic system have a back up power generation system?....make you sound so much smater too!
THEN you can market yourself as a person who knows green, markets green and teams up with a smart savvy green lender!
Wishing you green dreams! Loannetter
My construction blog: www.buildnet.blogspot.com
My network: www.focusnorthwest.com
copyright 2008 susan templeton
Comments (5)Subscribe to CommentsComment