 As Americans, our society has become highly mobile. We often have to sell our homes to move for a new job or to join family. One thing has becoming increasingly clearer: green homes are becoming higher in demand and have turned out to be good investments. If you are selling your green home in the future, here are a few of EnviroCitizen.org's tips to help you sell your home effectively.
Getting good help is a good first step. In modern times, with increased environmental awareness and energy prices constantly going up, more people are worried about things like indoor air quality and energy efficiency in their homes. Try to find a green realtor. If you need help finding a place that lists green real estate agents there are a few sites that offer these services, like EcoBroker, Modern Green Living and others. Finding the right agent can help you sell more efficiently and buy more effectively.
If your green realtor has great knowledge then that's helpful, but sometimes you should check for yourself on a home since there may be a few things you don't always notice on a quick walk-through. You can tell a lot just by taking a careful look around. Check out the heating and cooling systems carefully and make sure they are in good working order and sized appropriately. Check for drafts by looking at the windows and at the doors and feeling for any air. Be careful for any mold or thinning insulation. To get really good information, hire a professional for your audit such as those listed by Energy Star and other programs. They'll use specialized equipment like infared cameras (which sense temperature) and pressurizers in order to determine if you need to fix anything to make the home more sellable or before making an offer.
Check out listing sites for green homes. Many people have built or remodeled green homes to make them stand out in this real estate market, and will proudly announce their green features. You should try this as well when you sell your home. Also check out sites like EcoBroker.com that specialize in green real estate. Look for a National Association of Realtors "Realtor" who has earned a Green designation. They certify their realtors who have completed green training and certification as Realtor-Green. The realtors have gone through extra training to get these skills, so they are usually very knowledgeable. Just be sure to examine, their credentials for yourself.
Finally, check out your local environmental groups and see if there is anyone that they would recommend as an agent or if anyone is interested in buying a home like yours. Green homes are becoming more and more valuable. EnviroCitizen.org suggests doing what you can to make your home greener prior to putting it on the market.
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