S.T.A.R. What It Means

Last week I spent two days (12 hours) in classes on what I thought was going to be "fluff" for the eco-friendly mindset.

WOW—was I surprised once the class began.

First of all, the instructor was awesome...really kept your interest. Second, the material was intense, yet so relevant to today's world.

Topics of discussion included sustainability of our resources, green building products and the testing of them, new construction ways to help with "greening your home," and much more.

We had the opportunity to visit a new-construction home that uses methods and products that make that home a “green” home, and then we visited a home that was built in the 1700's that is being retrofitted to be greener. On-site visuals of things are always the best way to learn.

So what did I learn? As a Realtor, I am now "on the beginning edge" of the future home market. Many folks are becoming aware of just how important these features can be economically and for their health.

On Saturday I took (and passed) the test to be STAR certified. While that is important to me, the more important thing is that I became aware of how much we all need to learn to "green up" when it comes to listing and selling properties.

For my clients it means I can be more helpful in making eco-friendly choices.