Buying a new home is a really big deal, especially if it’s your first time. While it might be just another day in the life of your mortgage specialist or real estate broker, for you, it’s a landmark moment, a major lifestyle shift, and one of the biggest investments you’ll probably ever make.
Choose wisely, and your new home will give you many years of joy and comfort, not to mention a steady and reliable investment vehicle where you can sock away your hard-earned cash for a rainy day – or a sunny one, this being Portland.
Choose not so wisely, and your new home could turn into a headache and a money pit. And if it’s not up to snuff from an environmental standpoint, it could suck away more of your money that you were planning on parting with, through higher energy bills and lost productivity due to health issues.
Never Fear – Earth Advantage Is Here
Of course, there’s no need to fear buying a home in Portland, as long as you have trusted professionals in your corner, and if your Realtor happens to be Earth Advantage Certified, it’s all the better.
So what is Earth Advantage Certification for Realtors, and what does it mean for you as a homebuyer?
Know What You’re Getting Into
Well, if you’re considering purchasing a home in a historical city like Portland, Oregon, then you might come across homes that have a few issues, simply because of their age. You may also encounter newer houses that could and should have been built to the highest environmental standards but were not, due to cost constraints or a lack of knowledge or ecological concern on the part of the builder.
Encyclopedia Green
You may be a coffee expert, a brilliant coder, or a show-stopping lead guitarist, but if you’re not well versed in the environmental ins and outs of home construction, then it can be difficult to verify a home’s green bona fides.
This Urban Nest Listing Is Totally Green! Click to View the Property!
That’s why you want an Earth Advantage-Certified real estate agent in your corner. That’s also why every single Realtor who works as part of the Urban Nest team is guaranteed Earth Advantage Certified, to ensure that you've got the most knowledgeable agent in your corner, no matter what the concern.
Earth Advantage is a homegrown Portland-based nonprofit whose mission is to accelerate the creation of better buildings. To that end, they provide extensive training to real estate professionals who want to bolster their green construction knowledge, and to be better equipped to answer the questions of an increasingly environmentally concerned buying public (that’s you!)
Your Earth Advantage Broker will be able to give you the scoop on high-performance building concepts and trends, to explain the difference between popular energy efficiency programs and certifications, and to help you find a dream home that looks great, feels right, and lines up with your environmental standards.
EA Brokers are required to stay up to date on the latest developments in the green construction world through continuing education courses, so you can rely on them to give you accurate and current information regarding the ecological soundness of the homes you’re visiting.
It’s Easy Being Green, With Earth Advantage
We get it – you’re concerned for the environment, and we are too. That’s why we at Urban Nest Realty became the first real estate firm in the country to train and accredit every last one of our agents through the Earth Advantage program.
Looking for a friendly broker who can tell you everything you want to know about green residential real estate?
Hello there. We’re Urban Nest. Nice to meet you!
[Photos Via: Earth Advantage]