RISMEDIA, April 24, 2010—Marketing and identifying green homes just got easier for home buyers and sellers with the new Green MLS Tool Kit. The National Association of Realtors now offers the tool kit to help Realtors add a green initiative to their local multiple listing service (MLS).
“Realtors are the best source for real estate information and have access to the most comprehensive data in the world,” said NAR President Vicki Cox Golder, owner of Vicki L. Cox & Associate in Tucson, Ariz. “NAR research has consistently shown that there is a considerable and growing market for green buildings. Many of today’s consumers want homes and communities that are sensitive to the larger environment. The Green MLS Tool Kit allows Realtors to support this growing market.”
The tool kit provides a snapshot of the green home industry, outlines why adopting a green initiative for MLSs is important, and offers strategies for effective changes. It contains myriad resources to help NAR members plan the process of greening their MLS. For example, it features case studies of several MLS systems that have completed a green initiative and examples of forms and strategies from several MLSs that have gone green.
In addition, it offers recommendations for navigating everything from assembling the team and developing green data entry forms to personalizing the MLS to specific locations. The tool kit also includes links to additional resources, such as a publication on the “Top Ten Ways an MLS or Association Can Go Green.”
The tool kit was a collaborative effort by a team of individuals, associations and organizations that either have had direct experience with MLS system management or with implementing a green MLS initiative. NAR worked with the Appraisal Institute; Council of Multiple Listing Services; EcoBroker International; Enterprise Community Partners, Inc.; Metropolitan Regional Information; Multi-Regional Multiple Listing Service System; National Association of Home Builders; NeighborWorks America; Traverse Area Association of Realtors; and the U.S. Green Building Council to develop the tool kit.
“By identifying which homes contain energy efficient and environmentally friendly characteristics, the Greening MLS Tool Kit will help all home buyers- especially first-time and low- and moderate income home buyers- make more informed choices about the cost of their housing and where upfront payment may lead to long-term saving,” said Ken Wade, NeighborWorks America CEO.
For more information, visit www.realtor.org.
