Courtesy photo.
COCONINO COUNTY — The Coconino County Sustainable Building Program in partnership with Northern Arizona Association of Realtors will be providing a free virtual training on Tuesday, May 18 from noon to 1:30 p.m. on the Green Multiple Listing Service (MLS).
With the creation of the Northern Arizona’s Green Multiple Listing Service, realtors and homeowners can now input green features, such as solar panels, spray foam insulation, and Energy Star qualified appliances when selling a home, making it easier to identify and value green homes in the area. Likewise, potential buyers will have more knowledge and understanding of a green home’s features, helping them to make a more informed decision about their home purchase.
According to the National Association of Realtors Green Resource Council, a “green” home, used interchangeably with a “high performance” home is a new or existing home that uses fewer resources as a result of deliberate design features that include the use of new technologies and building products throughout the entire building and site, taking into account one or more elements such as stormwater management, safety, disaster resistance and durability, air sealing and insulation, and indoor air quality. Some of the benefits of a green or high-performance home include lower operating costs, less maintenance, less noise, and higher levels of comfort. Although these homes can cost more up front, they save homeowners significant money in the long run. In fact, energy efficient homes can reduce energy costs by about 40 percent. Research shows that buyers increasingly search for homes that have these green features. Realtors who are knowledgeable about them can better assist their clients.
There is a concern that the added investment in building high performance homes is not reflected in appraisal values. Better marketing of green homes and higher demand will hopefully mean they receive the fair valuation they deserve. The Coconino County Sustainable Building Program is currently working with local partners to promote higher valuation of high performance and sustainable buildings within the local real estate market, using the Appraisal Institutes’ Residential Green Addendum as a tool. The Green Addendum, in addition to having real estate professionals who are educated on green features, will mean more awareness, more demand, and ultimately, a higher quality, more sustainable housing stock.
To register for the MLS Realtor Training, please email naarflag@nazrealtor.com or mjohnson@coconino.az.gov