"Green"-savvy agents are in demand, according to a consumer survey conducted for Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, a Realogy Corp. franchise brand that formally launched in July.
The Living Green Consumer Survey, which is based on responses from 2,300 consumers who visited home shows from February through September, found that 51 percent of survey respondents "believe in the importance of working with a green-certified real estate agent" who has specialized knowledge about energy-efficiency and the environmental "footprint" of homes, as examples.
About 82 percent of respondents said they are informed when it comes to environmental issues, and about 30 percent said they would be willing to spend $5,000 or more on green improvements to increase a home’s appeal to potential buyers.
Respondents identified convenience, lack of knowledge and lack of time as barriers to "being greener," the survey found. Most respondents reported that they engaged in some type of "eco-friendly" or "green" acts in the past six months, including recycling (73 percent), replacing incandescent lights with energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamps (also known as CFLs — 69 percent), conserving water (57 percent), adjusting the thermostat (51 percent) and buying energy-efficient appliances (30 percent).
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