A growing number of buyers are looking for energy-efficient homes that will be cheaper to heat and cool. But realtors are often unprepared to answer questions about a home’s energy performance.
“Some surveys that were done identified that real estate professionals were saying they were being asked … but that they often didn’t feel comfortable answering those questions or weren’t familiar with that,” says Kathryn Eggers of the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance.
Her group is working to bridge this gap. It offers courses that teach realtors about building science, energy efficiency upgrades, and how to promote green features in listings.
With this information, realtors can help buyers look for energy-saving features and understand the health and climate benefits of a high-performing home.
They can also encourage sellers to install upgrades that will make a home more efficient and marketable.
“After the trainings, the real estate professionals who attend will have information about the local energy efficiency programs, things through their utility or state programs that can help homeowners maybe offset costs of energy-efficient upgrades to their homes,” Eggers says.
She says realtors are trusted advisors to home buyers and sellers, so they can be important ambassadors for energy efficiency.
Reporting credit: ChavoBart Digital Media