April is Earth Month, and since sustainability is top of mind, it’s the perfect time to highlight the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) newly updated Green Designation course. Learning about the latest high-performance trends will not only help you help your clients make more informed real estate choices, but it could also increase your earning potential.
At NAR, we are committed to fostering a culture of sustainability in real estate through education, advocacy and awareness initiatives. We aim to provide information, insights and tools that will help our members adjust to the changing concerns and preferences of the modern consumer.
Consumer demand for smart, energy-efficient homes and high-performance, sustainable features is on the rise. In fact, NAR’s 2021 REALTORS® and Sustainability Report states that in the past year, 32% of agents have been directly involved with buying or selling property with green or eco-friendly features. Additionally, 55% of agents found consumers to be somewhat or very interested in sustainability, and 15% of respondents had clients ask for advice about energy efficiency upgrades very often or often.
It’s clear that buyers are increasingly searching and researching green home features—and MLSs are even evolving to reflect this. In fact, 36% of agents report that their MLSs already have data fields to promote green features and energy information.
As NAR’s membership numbers continue to grow, it’s critical to seek out opportunities to differentiate yourself and your brand from agents who have not chosen a specialization. Becoming knowledgeable about green real estate trends and technology will help you set yourself apart and attract new business.
But there’s a lot to learn—from solar panels to innovative insulation materials, windows and appliances to smart home systems and more. That’s where NAR’s Green Designation Course: People, Property, Planet, Prosperity comes in. It provides an in-depth look at some of the most common high-performance home features, smart technologies, green certifications and efficiency ratings, as well as their benefits and perceived value to the consumer.
Learning about these features, their desirability and how they work will prepare you to market these types of properties more effectively. You will also be able to help homeowners decide what kind of upgrades or features will improve their home’s performance and how it could impact their resale value. In short, it will position you as a trusted advisor about all things green within your sphere of influence.
If you’re looking to increase your transaction volume this year by relating to the increasingly environmentally conscious consumer, and you’re interested in helping to create a more sustainable world, register for the Green Designation course on green.realtor. To track NAR’s progress in our overall Sustainability and Resilience Plan, check out the new ESG+R Report on nar.realtor.
Jennifer Rzeszewski is the vice president of Member Development and the executive director of the Center for REALTOR® Development (CRD), NAR’s home for exceptional education. Learn more about CRD at crd.realtor.
