Make everyday Earth Day with these green ideas for your home

hgtv-green-home-cape-cod-cottageHappy Earth Day!

In honor of the 40th anniversary of the official start of the environmental movement, your friends at FrontDoor want to offer these valuable tips for living green:

Looking for a green home? You could work with a green agent or win one from HGTV!

We typically think “going green” refers to one’s efforts to be more environmentally-conscious, whether it’s recycling products or reducing the use of natural resources. The barrels in the photo to the right, for instance, are used to capture rainwater that is reused to irrigate the landscape and garden of HGTV’s Green Home in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

In real estate, the green movement has created a new way for agents to market themselves. Introducing… the “green” real estate agent. And in this case, “green” doesn’t mean “rookie” (though we know many of those, don’t we?)

A green agent is basically someone who has gone out and taken a course on environmentally sustainable housing and gets certified. Many companies offer green certification, including the U.S. Green Building Council (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, designation), the Association of Energy and Environmental Real Estate Professionals (ecoBroker designation) and the Green Certified Real Estate Education Company (green certified).

While LEED is widely recognized, it’s unclear whether the other “training” options really transform you into a reliable green housing expert, but it’s out there and some agents are taking it. Also not sure if green agents charge their clients more for their expertise, but from what it looks like, it’s simply another way for an agent to stand out from his/her competition. It’s up to the consumer to decide whether the label actually adds value.

One thing is for sure. You won’t need a green agent to show you HGTV’s awesome new Green Home!

Take a virtual tour and check out photos of the home and read more about what makes the home green and its neighborhood Port St. Lucie.

The best part? You can get the beautiful Green Home for FREE! Enter once each day at www.hgtv.com/greenhome. Hurry, you’ve got til June 5 to enter.


Green real estate tips for Earth Day and beyond

Happy Earth Day! FrontDoor.com is joining the worldwide effort to promote awareness and appreciation for the environment with these green real estate tips:

Think about the advantages of making green updates to your home. Energy savings, for one! If you’re a seller, replace old energy-hogging appliances with Energy Star ones. You’ll not only increase your home’s value, but you’ll attract more buyers. See the top 10 reasons to go green now.

You don’t need to shell out tons of money to make green updates. A simple one is changing light bulbs from incandescent to fluorescent. Learn more ways it can pay to be environmentally friendly.

Do your part to save trees! Bamboo or cork make great alternatives to hardwood floors. Learn more about eco-friendly flooring.

Make recycling a household habit. Find inspiration in our slideshow of 10 Green Home Updates.

Get more eco-friendly tips for buying, selling and financing a home in our Green Real Estate Guide at http://www.frontdoor.com/Buy/All-About-Green-Real-Estate/1661.

Speaking of green, don’t forget to sign up for HGTV’s Green Home Giveaway. The home is decked out with the latest in green technology and it’s in lovely Port St. Lucie, Florida. Enter now!