Like many new home buyers, I'm still trying to get up to speed with the ever-evolving trend of "green," eco-friendly homes. About a month ago I attended a seminar in my neighborhood on how to make your home more energy-efficient. While I was there, I met Kirk Fox, a certified eco-broker, who was giving a presentation on searching for green homes and ways to upgrade your existing home with energy-efficient appliances and insulations.
Kirk Fox is a certified eco-broker in Chicago with Helios Sustainable Development.
Over the last five years or so, there's been an emerging niche of Realtors called eco-brokers. This breed of broker and agent specializes in finding green properties for environmentally conscious home buyers and helps current homeowners connect with other energy-minded contractors and builders for remodeling projects. According to a recent McGraw-Hill "Green Residential Smart Market" national report, environmentally sustainable construction will be worth $12 billion to $20 billion in 2008, or 6 percent to 10 percent of the market. Researchers expect those numbers to double within the next five years.
While the National Association of Realtors currently doesn't offer their own eco-broker certification program, there are independent companies that provide the training and courses for agents who want to boost their Earth-counscious credentials.
Getting certified
Fox, who became one of the first certified eco-brokers in Chicago in 2004 and is currently working for Helios Sustainable Development, is among a growing class of real estate agents with the official designation. Fox obtained his certification through EcoBroker International, one of the first companies to offer this type of niche-market designation. According to the company's Web site, EcoBroker International has certified more than 2,600 agents across the country.
The company, based in Evergreen, CO, offers online courses that teach agents how to make improvements in indoor air quality, what types of eco-friendly retrofits will be the most cost-effective, and how to piece together the state and local tax credits or grants for green projects. Agents then earn an EcoBroker Certification, along with helpful marketing materials to promote their business. Home buyers and sellers can also search for any broker or agent in their area that has been certified by EcoBroker International on the company's Web site.
Trust an expert
Fox says the biggest advantage of using a certified eco-broker is that he or she guide the clients through what can be an overly confusing process, which can consist of layers of standards from differing green organizations. (By the way, don't get fooled by someone pretending to be an eco-broker; always ask for their certification).
Homes that feature solar panel roofs.
The building community is currently in the process of defining what green is. In December, the U.S. Green Building Council, a nonprofit that rates commercial buildings on things such as energy use and indoor-air quality, introduced similar rating system for residential homes. And the National Association of Home Builders, meanwhile, is working with the International Code Council to develop a green building standard. Currently the federal government's Energy Star program has been the main standard when rating energy-efficient appliances.
Fox tells me, while there's still a limited number of homes on the market that are 100 percent green certified, his certification background has come in handy when he walks his clients through existing older homes and helps them find possible ways to retrofit the property to lower their energy bill or improve indoor air quality.
"Green homes tend to be more expensive than your average home," Fox said. "Unfortunately, there are builders out there that claim to be green and try to slap on hefty price tags for appliances or amenities in a home that really aren't going to cut down the energy bill. It's only fair that people looking for these specialized homes get what they pay for."
Working with someone who understands the green building certification process and eco-friendly materials can help you find the home that matches your lifestyle and maybe even prevent you from spending more money than you should.
Got hot local housing tips or a story you want to share? Contact Amy Le at openingdoorsblog@homescape.com.
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