[Greenbuilding] Selling a green-built home

[Bobbi Chukran]

Hi all,

A while back I mentioned that we are selling our somewhat green-built 
home here in Leander, TX.  A few of you expressed interest in hearing 
the results.  So far, we're still fixing it up, doing some small 
repairs, repainting, etc.  One thing I'm running into that perhaps 
will be a problem is that agents ONLY want to look at what other 
homes in the area have sold for.  As in, the traditional "let's look 
at the comps and come up with a price per square foot" method.

But this doesn't take into consideration any of the things that make 
the house different, or special....the amount of acreage with a 
house, or other factors such as solid wood construction, or recycled 
insulation, or rainwater collection, air quality features such as 
dehumidifiers, UV lights for mold, etc. etc.  The realtor wants to 
market to the mainstream, but as Husband says, "This just ain't a 
mainstream house!"  LOL

As a matter of fact, one banker that our realtor talked to ONLY 
wanted to know who built the house, and what his reputation was.  I 
got the impression that he thought a "green-built" house was a shed 
with an outhouse behind it.

We of course know that the house is worth more than other houses in 
the area, even if only based on acreage.  And of course, some of the 
features we put into it cost more than the regular off the shelf 
items, such as the insulation.

We haven't set a price yet, but I have a feeling we'll be butting 
heads with the realtor on this one.

Obviously there has to be some differences in how a green-built or 
healthy house is marketed.  I guess the realtors are behind on this 
one.  Although, I do know that there is a new designation for 
realtors who take training on green-built features, so that's 
something.

More info. as it becomes available!

bobbi c.
Leander, TX