Builders who aren’t building green will by 2008/2009 will be left behind by those who are. How much more mainstream can one get than the Wall Street Journal? Summing up where I have been for the past couple of years – Susan Singer says her EcoBroker designation puts her “ahead of the curve in a good way, and kind of in a bad way.” Good because Ms. Singer, a Corcoran Group agent in Manhattan, says she now knows more about green real estate and how to sell it, but bad because there’s not a lot to sell.
Browsing Category Green
Charlottesville Green Carnival
This is the first in what I hope will be the occasional yet frequent Charlottesville Green Carnival – a place to highlight, ever-so-briefly green happenings.Green Matters – now advertising information clinics in the C-Ville WeeklySunbiosis – A Charlottesville green architect that popped up in my feedreader.Lithic Construction – another green builder that popped upEco-Friendly homes a moneymaker for ‘green’ firmsOfficials examine sustainable local food supplyDo you have a green cause? What other local green stories have you seen?Green “stuff,” and green building/real estate is a trend that is not going away. I told a developer the other day that he should consider changing his plans now because by 2009, I believe that green building will be a de facto requirement of buyers. Barely a day goes by that there is not a major story or initiative in the national press about green innovations, and every week brings a new development in the Charlottesville area – real estate or otherwise.I wrote my first story on this blog in November of 2005; the momentum of this movement has certainly picked up since then.
Another Charlottesville-area green development
I have been trying to contact the folks at Bundoran Farm for weeks on behalf of a client, and coincidentally I get a call back on the same day that this article appears in the WSJ.In addition to the recent trend towards green building, organic farming and sustainable living …Developers are also hoping the communities will appeal to buyers because of their location. Even though the farms offer a rural feel, residents won’t have to give up the services of urban life, such as shopping or good medical care…. note: and 10 minutes from Crozet, Virginia)And there you have it – feel good but don’t isolate yourself.Interestingly, the locational focus of the article was not on Charlottesville, it was on Albemarle County. Perhaps a deliberate attempt to achieve a more “rural” appeal?
Tuesday links – 05-01-2007
Google helps the Commonwealth of Virginia’s site be more searchable. The Commonwealth’s site.For those who want to avoid DUIs and enjoy the Charlottesville area vineyards, give Wine Tours of Virginia a try; I’ve been trying to slot out the time for months.This week’s favorite search query bringing folks to this blog – “excuse letter to a client for a bad presentation in real estate”Homeowners Wage a Rebellion As Property-Tax Assessments Rise – The Central Virginia area is not alone.It’s a competition for “the one square inch on my iGoogle page or my Newsvine or RSS reader.”C-Ville is leading the pack with their continued series on sustainable living, building and breathing.Green businesses are growing.
When given the option to build green, will Buyers take it?
As more local builders such as Barry Meade, Church Hill and Stonehaus build green, the question soon will not be, “is this house green?” It will be, “Why don’t you build green?”Don’t underestimate the power of both the market and shame, as well as Buyers’ focus on resale value. A house regarded as being green today will likely be more valuable when buyers go to sell.Referencing the Belvedere development in Charlottesville -Each of Belvedere’s houses will be Energy Star and Earthcraft certified – recognitions of a home’s energy efficiency and sustainability.Moreover, the development will include an organic farm, a dog park, a village green and amphitheater, grassy parks, a storm water park, a system of biking and hiking trails and the preservation of a flood plain and more than 40 percent of the site’s green space, trees and vegetation…The project also will incorporate wind- and solar-powered multi-family buildings and commercial structures, as well as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified buildings in the project’s civic core.Now, if only they would provide effective public transport …Soon it may be time to change the MLS to reflect the green aspects of building…. Currently, the best way to search for green homes is to search the public remarks for either “Earthcraft” or “Energy Star,” neither of which is wholly effective.Note: I have added this Daily Progress article to to this blog’s Press Page.Update 5/1/2007 – C-Ville has a good article on Belvedere’s green features.Update 5/1/2007 #2 – This is the Belvedere project’s website.
How do you get a green home in Charlottesville?
There is real, sustainable momentum right now towards the green movement.I ran into a Realtor this morning at my favorite coffee shop, and asked whether a development that she was representing was going to be EarthCraft or not…. In his presentation, Hartke addressed the costs of such benefits.”We know that green buildings increase property value, they also decrease liability, but they also have a huge impact on health and well-being.”… “I am not sure how many times I have written or said this, but whether developers buy into the concept of building green for the health reasons or sustainability reasons, they need to start building green for at least the following reasons:1) Buyers want it.2) As buyers stay in their homes longer, they will be able to recoup the additional costs (however incremental they may be) as they stay in their homes longer.3) There is profit to be had in building green. Courtesy of an Eco-Broker presentation I use:Home value increases by about $20 for every $1 reduction in annual utility bills.94% of 300 American surveyed cited their most sought-after green upgrade as energy savings.Roughly nine in ten people (91%) said energy-efficient features in a new home are extremely or very important.Heck even CNBC is covering green; their demographics tend to speak to market leaders.
Green Roundup in advance of Earth Day
Is 21st Century Urban America Turning Green?Yahoo! to be carbon neutral by end of 2007Home Depot to introduce “green” labeling and Lean, Green, MainstreamHousehold green paint alternativesEarth Week CharlottesvilleI missed the 2nd Annual Treehugger’s Ball last week.As corporations see both profit in the “green” side of things, the movement towards sustainability will continue. Even tiny houses may become en vogue. I noted this trend in 2005 and 2006.