| id="body"> | | | | get to be hip and the planet benefits also. |
| There is nothing like that deeply satisfying feeling | | | | When designing a marketing plan keep in mind |
| of living in a green built home. You may also be | | | | that green choice is not a one-size-fits-all type of |
| one of the thousands of folks who have | | | | approach. Some buyers may fit neatly into one of |
| retrofitted and older home and remodeled it with | | | | these categories and some will have |
| sustainable materials. Undoubtedly, this type of | | | | characteristics of all three. They key is consider all |
| home is not only a a true haven but also a much | | | | of their needs and wants when selling a home to |
| healthier place to live. | | | | them. |
| Life moves on though and you may find yourself | | | | Here are the steps you'll need to take to sell your |
| in a situation where you must part with your | | | | property fast and get higher value: |
| much beloved house for good. The only | | | | 1. Find a Realtor who gets it. Look for either |
| predicament is you've put so much money into it | | | | NAR's Green Designation or an EcoBroker. They |
| and now have a bit of an anxiety whether you | | | | have formal training and understand the mindset |
| will be able to recoup the investment. So how do | | | | of a green home buyer. More importantly seek |
| you find a buyer now that will literally buy into | | | | out an agent to whom green is not just a |
| your passion and cash out extra dough to | | | | marketing word but a passion. Ask probing |
| purchase your eco-friendly pad? | | | | questions and get a feel of who they really are. |
| Well, the good news is that the market will be on | | | | 2. Collect all the receipts and proof of green |
| your side. Even though solid data showing that | | | | remodeling or construction and put a binder |
| green homes sell faster and for more money | | | | together for the buyer. Do present a HERs rating |
| throughout the country is still lacking there have | | | | report if you have it; it'll show how much more |
| been a few very promising studies to indicate | | | | efficient your home really is. Make it evident and |
| that this in fact is the case. | | | | tangible information that they can take to the |
| For example, according to an analysis completed | | | | bank. |
| by GreenWorks Realty in the Pacific Northwest, | | | | 3. Clearly identify the value and Return on |
| new environmentally-certified (ECert) or green | | | | Investment (ROI) for the green improvements |
| homes in King County sell in up to 18% less time | | | | you've made. Make sure a five year old can |
| and for 28-37% higher value per square foot. The | | | | understand why they should pay more for this |
| reason this type of data is not available from all | | | | home. For example, show that the house may |
| Counties yet is very simple - local Multiple Listing | | | | have 200-300 dollars in energy savings when it |
| Services (MLS) have not integrated the energy | | | | comes to a typical outdated mammoth down the |
| efficiency and "green" features into their data | | | | street. This could add up to 2,000 in savings per |
| search fields. Eventually, all MLS systems will catch | | | | year. Make sure your Realtor has the skills to |
| on, and the proof that green homes receive | | | | present this data and sell the value. Make a video |
| higher offers will be very abundant. | | | | explaining all the benefits of owning this home and |
| Here is what you'll want to keep in mind when | | | | offer resources like links or magazines for the |
| getting ready to sell your home. There are three | | | | buyers to get more education about the features |
| types of green home buyers out there and you | | | | that your homes has to offer. |
| will want to makes sure you have a plan to | | | | 4. Don't market your home with general terms |
| market to all of them: | | | | like "green" or "eco friendly". Most agents make |
| 1. Economizers. This is the type that is interested | | | | this mistake. Many people are simply fed up by |
| in savings on the operational costs and energy | | | | this term and it can only trigger their resistance |
| efficiency. This also includes investors who are | | | | because of all too common "greenwashing" in the |
| looking at life-cycle cost analysis and the value of | | | | market. The idea here is simple yet very |
| various green features that can increase their | | | | important - sell benefits and not titles. |
| cash flow. For economizers the mighty buck is | | | | 5. Create excitement. Don't sell your home in the |
| the king and all the rest of the environmental | | | | traditional way. Green buyers are typically a |
| drooling is secondary. | | | | younger crowd, who like to have an experience |
| 2. Idealists. This is your typical Organicsons family. | | | | with anything that they do. Stage your home |
| They take green living very seriously and believe | | | | mindfully to show very obviously that you cared |
| that conservation of resources and preserving the | | | | for it very much. Most realtors advise to |
| planet is a social responsibility. They are willing to | | | | depersonalize the home and in most cases it is |
| make sacrifices for green lifestyle choices. The | | | | true but here the opposite works. Tell a story |
| Organicsons are also very health conscious and | | | | why you decided to make this home green and |
| easily understand health benefits of living in a | | | | what benefits it brought to your family and your |
| green home. | | | | health. |
| 3. Eco-Chic (pronounced - Eco-Shique) - these are | | | | Bottom line is people will pay more for your home |
| the label chasing Paris Hilton types who follow the | | | | for the same reason they will jump on a waiting |
| latest fads and believe that living green is just | | | | list and pay a premium to get a hybrid car. It just |
| plain cool. They are interested in the status and | | | | makes sense on all levels. If you choose the right |
| prestige of green living but may not necessarily | | | | agent to represent you and follow these steps |
| truly subscribe to the green philosophy (mind set). | | | | you should have no problems selling your home |
| The latest green gadgets or installing the latest | | | | for at least 5% higher than the market value and |
| green feature in their homes and looking in vogue | | | | at least 25% faster than a standard time frame. |
| is more important than having a positive impact | | | | Much success! |
| on the environment. Hey frankly, who cares... they | | | | |