When Joe Videll wanted to sell an energy-efficient home he built in Fort Collins, he found a real-estate agent who understands the value of a green-built home.
The owner of Rock Solid Homes hired Diane Sherry, a certified EcoBroker with Re/Max Alliance in Fort Collins.
“The hardest thing about selling green-built homes as opposed to regular homes is being able to educate the customer,” Videll said. “Realtors who’ve gone through the EcoBroker training have a pretty good basis.”
Ultimately, the house sold to a buyer who was looking for a well-built home with a view, Videll said.
Evergreen-based EcoBroker International trains licensed real-estate professionals across the country on the impact of buildings on natural resources and the environment, and the value of reducing that impact. About 200 certified EcoBrokers operate in 25 states, including nearly 100 in Colorado.
“I think we’ve reached the tipping point for environmental awareness,” Sherry said. “The main homebuyer age group is people who grew up with Earth Day and are now coming back to their ideals. That segment of the buying market is very aware.”
A licensed real-estate agent in Colorado, EcoBroker founder John Beldock is the former director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s environmental-analysis program.
“As real-estate professionals but also green environmental-protection scientists, we saw this missing link between the real-estate industry and the fundamental education that a real-estate professional can use to speak with consumers about investment opportunities available in both green and regular buildings,” Beldock said.
The company’s courses help real- estate agents demonstrate to their clients the true cost of a home.
“The big thing people look at is the mortgage, but part of the picture we need to start looking at is, What is my housing expense?” Sherry said. “You have to look at utilities and maintenance, not just what your mortgage is.”
EcoBrokers can post listings on the company’s website, ecobroker.com. Homebuyers and home sellers can also use the website to find an EcoBroker.
“With 2 million licensed real-estate professionals, the question is what kind of additional service will set you apart from everyone else,” Beldock said.
The EcoBroker program, which costs $495, includes three courses:
EcoBroker Environmental Advantage addresses environmental issues such as radon, asbestos, lead, water, mold, indoor-air quality and others that may arise during real-estate transactions. It teaches agents how to reduce liabilities and save deals by learning to work through environmental issues.
EcoBroker Energy Advantage teaches energy-efficiency technologies, sustainable-energy options and mortgage options that award up to $15,000 worth of energy-efficiency improvements for a home. It also addresses green-home certification programs, such as Built Green Colorado and Energy Star Qualified Homes.
EcoBroker Green Market Advantage teaches how the energy and environmental training can add value to transactions. It helps agents identify new markets that find the EcoBroker designation appealing.
“If a Realtor touches 300 people a year and has some green influence, there’s a real opportunity to create significant market transformation,” Beldock said. “There is a percentage of the market that is keenly interested in a lower utility bill or better indoor-air quality.”
Staff writer Margaret Jackson can be reached at 303-820-1473 or mjackson@denverpost.com.
