"Real Estate & Building Green Homes" By: Jill Page The housing market is beginning to show that

consumers want "energy e iciency in their homes! indoor air "uality and lower energy bills" #$isting %er&ice 'ill (ote Green Homes! )**+,- .nlike what many /eo/le may think! it is not a only a small grou/ o radical consumers that are demanding these eatures! but mainstream buyers as wellBuilding sustainable homes includes adding eatures such as "non0to1ic /aint and inishes! wheatboard cabinetry! low0 low showerheads and toilets! wood loors o Bra2ilian cherry! 3aribbean walnut and other /lantation0grown &arieties! high0e iciency heating and cooling systems! recycled and locally obtained building materials! rain and waster water ca/tured or toilets and landsca/ing! and /anels that double as sunshades and solar /ower generators" #Building 4green4 reaches a new le&el! )**+,- These eatures are not only im/ortant or the en&ironment! but also controlling energy costs and kee/ing building costs lowRising building costs are a actor in the increase in home /rices due to the demand in markets besides the .nited %tates! such as 3hina- By im/lanting green building techni"ues such as using locally obtained building materials and other renewable resources! ca/ital costs can /ossible be decreased and home /rices do not increase5s real estate /ro essionals it is our ethical duty to encourage the building and marketing o 4green homes4- Recently! the Portland! 6regon Regional 7ulti/le $isting %er&ice added the ability to search or homes based on green certi ications and s/eci ic as/ects the home has that make it green! such as the eatures discussed abo&eE&eryone in the real estate industry needs to work together to /romote green building- 5//raisers can note the &alue in the home based on the ull0li e circle o the home and the sa&ings in monthly energy and maintenance costs- 8 lenders begin considering not only P8T8 #/rinci/le! interest! ta1es! and insurance, as monthly costs o home ownershi/ but also E7 #energy and maintenance costs,! buyers may be able to a ord more home based on their monthly sa&ingsBuyers will en9oy the acts that green homes will sa&e them money and maintenance but also add bene its such as com ort and health- These bene its will mean more to the buyer than e1/laining the actual com/onents o a green home- #6li&er! )**+, Real estate /ro essionals need to not only educate buyers! but also builders and de&elo/ers- 8 custom builders are in ormed and know how green building will a ect their bottom line they will be more inclined to build and market sustainable homes- Builders may learn that the cost o building a green custom home is &ery similar to building a con&entional! non0sustainable custom homeGreen homes will bene it irst0time home buyers and lower income amilies due to lower monthly costs- 5s we ha&e seen with the ad9ustable rate mortgage and interest only mortgage cra2e! buyers are interested in kee/ing their monthly costs low- $i&ing in a green home will contribute to lowering the monthly costs o owning a homeBesides residential green building! commercial green building has shown additional bene its- These include but are not limited to "resource e iciency! energy e iciency! /ollution /re&ention!

harmoni2ation with the en&ironment! and integrated and systemic a//roaches" #Beard & Ro/er! )**+,These bene its lead to increased /roducti&ity and decreased costs there ore increasing the bottom linePro essionals throughout the real estate industry need to /romote green building and can e&en use it as their niche and a marketing tool to hel/ them become leaders in their