OCTOBER 2010 UPDATE
The TMLS continues to be a leader in the Green MLS movement. HERS ratings now can be added to the MLS. The Green Home Builders of the Triangle (GHBT) NAHB Green Certified Homes has been added to the list of green certified homes. The GHBT rating will remain as a choice for those homes in progress or already certified. Going forward the local NAHBGreen will be used.
The local Multiple Listing Service (MLS) has finally gone green just in time for St. Patrick’s day!
Now buyers can search for homes based on ‘green attributes’.
Eco-conscious buyers who are looking for a green certified home such as an ENERGY STAR home can search the Triangle MLS and find qualified homes.
As of today there are 40 homes in Wake County that are ENERGY STAR certified homes listed in MLS from $140K-1.2M. What a great day for green!
Locally there are four major green home certifications programs that are now included in MLS:
- ENERGY STAR homes that are 15% more efficient than a typical home
- Green Certified homes by the Home Builders of the Triangle
- Healthy Built Homes certification administered by the NSCU Solar Center
- LEED for Homes high-performance green homes program administered by the US Green Building Council
Buyers can also find green features such as tankless water heaters, bamboo flooring, sealed crawl spaces or low VOC paints.
This is so exciting! As an EcoBroker I’ve had to smile and say “it’s coming” when my fellow green certified agents in Austin or Seattle raved about their MLS and the number of green homes in their cities. Raleigh may not be one of the top 25 cities with green certified homes but builders are getting the message! Buyers are wanting energy efficient and healthy homes!!!!
Congratulations to the Green Building Council/MLS task force team that worked tirelessly for 2 years.
Postscript
The ability to search MLS for green homes is really significant. The local MLS is one of a handful throughout the nation. ENERGY STAR homes are the dominant green homes in the MLS. According to the EPA approximately 8% of the homes in the entire state are ENERGY STAR certified dwarfing the other green certification programs. For a state with such a low penetration for TWO of the MLS systems to be green is HUGE.
The other local system that supports Green Homes and green features is Ashville NC.
Here’s a link to the special website for the Green the MLS project. It’s a collaborative effort among MLS associations, the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the Appraisal Institute and EcoBroker International plus many more. Click here to view a contact list of the collaborating organizations.
Take a look at the list of areas that have a green MLS. The Green Resource Council of which I am a member is the site for the National Association of Realtors who are certified GREEN. Check out the great resources, www.greenresourcecouncil.org.
- green glossary
- tips on how to green your home
- green videos
- articles
- resources
