Are You Taking Advantage of the Value of Green in Your Marketing and Sales?

By Brenda Nunes, GreenWorks Realty

Did you know that buyers in the Seattle area place a value on certified green homes?  Are you taking advantage of it in your marketing and sales of homes? 

GreenWorks Realty has been tracking new homes with environmental certifications in King County and comparing them to uncertified new homes and here is what they found:

Environmentally certified homes in King County, from November 2009 through February 2010, comprised 37% of the new home market, sold for $85,550 more per home, and were 9.8% smaller.

·         Environmentally certified new homes in Seattle sell for 9.2% more per square foot, in 24% less time, and make up 34% of the market.

·         Environmentally certified new homes in King County sell for $71 more per square foot, in 7% less time, and make up 26% of the market.

       Third party verified new homes, with an environmental certification, in the City of Seattle sell for 22% more per square foot, in 12% less time, and make up 6% of the market.

This begs some strategic questions: are you using this knowledge to sell the new homes you build?  Is there a valid reason for not certifying the new homes you are building? Are you leaving money on the table? Do you need training on building green?  Does your real estate agent understand the power of marketing and selling the green features of your homes?

Master Builder Career Connections offers training classes that can help you understand green building techniques and marketing and how to integrate it into your business model to maximize your profitability.

Brenda Nunes, LEED AP, Certified Sustainable Building Advisor, is a real estate broker with GreenWorks Realty and has over 20 years of marketing expertise in the real estate development industry.