| I grew up in North Hollywood, California. I remember | | | | As a buyer in California, green real estate is just |
| attending Monlux elementary school in Van Nuys | | | | another of the enormous number of incentives to |
| when "Ecology" became big news. That's 40+ years | | | | purchase a home in 2010. As if the extraordinary |
| ago! Back then it was about recyling. We'd have huge | | | | home prices and interest rates together with the tax |
| newspaper drives to divert some of that trash for | | | | incentives to purchase a primary residence were not |
| re-use. I didn't really understand what was happening | | | | enough, there will now be added seller |
| back then but now I realize that I was witnessing | | | | competitiveness to offer green options in the homes |
| the birth of something important. California really was | | | | they are selling. The climate of environmental concern |
| the birthplace of the "Green" movement. Sometimes | | | | is prevalent in California. Many homes have either |
| it seems like the rest of the country is just catching | | | | been built or retrofitted with more environmentally |
| up. And now that we are reaching the onset of the | | | | friendly features and products than in any other |
| economic recovery we are beginning to see | | | | state. If the choice comes down to two homes in |
| emerging technologies leading the way, and in the | | | | the same price range, it would make more sense for |
| forefront of these technologies will be the | | | | a buyer to purchase a home that will save them |
| development of green building products and real | | | | money continuously with the energy savings that are |
| estate practices. Nowhere in the United States are | | | | provided in a green home. With California's awareness |
| they more focused on developing environmentally | | | | of the need to become ecologically responsible, there |
| responsible practices than in California. This focus will | | | | is no reason for a buyer to choose a home that is |
| create a growing opportunity for green real estate in | | | | not environmentally sound. |
| California that will be something people will want to | | | | One of the most important industries in the future of |
| be a part of in the years to come. | | | | our economy will be the usage and development of |
| As a seller of homes or commercial properties, | | | | green real estate practices, and California those |
| environmentally sound additions are always a major | | | | holding a California real estate license would be wise |
| selling point. Being able to point out the smaller carbon | | | | to learn all they can about the subject.. In doing so, |
| footprint of one home compared to another will be a | | | | California will set the stage for the nation to create |
| desirable feature to a homebuyer. Californians have | | | | stronger economic opportunity in environmental |
| led the way in developing green practices such as | | | | responsibility. Buyers and sellers alike will not be able |
| solar and wind generated power and energy saving | | | | to ignore the absolute importance of green real |
| building materials and techniques. Any property in | | | | estate to the overall state of the economy in |
| California that can state the energy efficient inclusions | | | | California. For decades, ever since there has been |
| in the home is far more likely to sell before homes | | | | discussion about the need to protect the |
| that have no environmental awareness at all. Taking | | | | environment, California has been a leader in |
| into account the importance of environmental | | | | environmental and ecological issues and will continue |
| responsibility is imperative if a seller wishes to be | | | | to push forward in environmentally responsible real |
| successful in the state of California. | | | | estate practices. |