How to Sell the Value of Green Homes and Features, Online Course by Marla Esser Cloos, Available Live or On Demand

"How to Sell the Value of Green Homes and Features" provides a great introduction to the major aspects and features of a home, why these “green” aspects matter, and  how to talk to clients about important home performance concepts and how they are connected. 

This class is helpful for everyone working in real estate and also for all building professionals.  I’d say for all green building professionals, but honestly as many say in the green building industry, “Green building is just smart building.” Why?  Because we're talking about health and comfort and how we live in our built spaces, as well as how a building will perform as an asset, in terms of work to maintain and also long term costs and value.  

As Marla asks and challenges us, before attending this course, "Who doesn't want a home that looks great, feels great, and performs well?” The answer of course is that everyone has something to learn about how we can continue to build and maintain our homes better.  Those who can deliver more comfortable and better performing buildings, and also those who can also educate their clients will stand out as leaders and top professionals.  They’ll also of course make a positive difference for their clients by educating them and really empowering them to:

• Improve health and safety 

• Increase comfort, and control 

• Reduce energy consumption and emissions 

• Save money

• Raise home value

All of these factors combine to increase quality of life and asset value, all while reducing energy consumption and emissions, which of course reduce environmental impact.  As Marla points out, a high performing, high quality home helps clients fulfill their dream of finding and living well in their ideal home space.  

Marla introduces the ideas of features that add value and how to talk about these benefits, she introduces and explains several major home certifications as well as product certifications, and she walks attendees through 6 key home elements in greater detail.  In addition to more commonly known areas such as energy efficiency, air and water quality, and healthy materials, Marla places a great emphasis on home maintenance and really understanding the key features of a home.  She also discusses land and siting, an area which was personally important to me at the beginning of my green building journey (briefly put, there was no way to add solar energy to our poorly oriented home).  I wish I’d knew then what I knew now! As Marla shares, we need to build better but also work to keep our homes and buildings running well, to take care of them so they can take care of us. And when we don’t keep up with the upkeep, it can definitely cost a lot more in terms of health, comfort, and money.  

There’s a lot more to this course.  For example, Marla discusses how to approach marketing green concepts as a real estate and building professional. She also shares resources throughout for continuing your own education and for ideas on how to communicate these critical concepts with clients.  You’ll also have some fun spotting and discussions discussing specific green home features, including her top ten green features to look for, and some easy changes we can all make.  For specifics, you might just have to sign up and give a listen.  

This course is an approachable introduction or review to key concepts and it’s also a give on how to talk about these concepts comfortably with clients and potential clients.  If everyone understood these smart, sensible, healthy and sustainable building concepts, we’d all be living better and breathing easier.

Check out Marla Esser Cloos at The Green Home Coach, and see The Green Home Coach in Rate It Green’s Green Building Directory of course.  

You can also find Marla on two podcasts:

The Everyday Green Home
Healthy Home Take Control, hosted with Jillian Prichard Cooke