News and Insights

Well, it finally happened - I took the leap to commit to a place beyond a one—year rental and bought a house. I intended to be a model buyer given what I know about sustainability. I started by looking for a Green Designee to represent me, but there were none in the area.

Barbie Burke, GREEN, CRS SFR®, a Tempe, AZ REALTOR® and Associate Broker with Respect Realty, says it was natural for her to get the NAR Green Designation. She discovered her passion for green early in life while hiking the Grand Canyon and while working as a Yellowstone National Park tour guide during her college summers. She hopes to hike the entire Arizona Trail – all 800-plus miles – which starts in Nogales, AZ, and ends at the Utah-Arizona border.

So, you've thought about nominating yourself for the EverGreen Award. 

But then self-doubt creeps in, right? 

Green features are gaining traction in the residential market. 
Half of the respondents in the National Association of REALTORS® 2022 REALTORS® and Sustainability Report – Residential report said they helped clients buy or sell homes with green features during the last 12 months. Last year, only 32% said they’d done so.

For many of your clients, the natural response when the HVAC system breaks is to replace it with a newer version of whatever was there. 
 
But that's a missed opportunity, given that heat pumps provide a more efficient and sustainable way to heat and cool air, enhance comfort, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and eliminate safety concerns like carbon monoxide poisoning.