Living Green in Seattle

Energy-efficiency is important these days.  Some heating systems are better than others.   If you are looking for a"greener"system, here are some you should know about:

Geothermal heat pumps are one of the most energy-efficient systems for heating and cooling because they use the earth's ability to store heat in the ground. A geothermal heat pump uses that available heat in the winter and puts heat back into the ground in the summer.

Hydronic (liquid) radiant floor heating systems are also quite energy-efficient for colder climates.  Hydronic radiant floor systems pump heated water from a boiler through tubing laid in a pattern underneath the floor.  Radiant heating creates more comfort and allows even heating throughout the house.  The operation is essentially silent in comparison to forced air heating since there is no noise from the air-flow or ducts.  Radiant heating also allows for better indoor air quality due to less dust particles moving throughout the home as with forced air heating.

Also, installing a Heat Recovery Ventilator recovers the heat energy in the exhaust air, and transfers it to fresh air as it enters the building, this in turn, improves climate control, while also saving energy by reducing the heating (or cooling) requirements.

When selecting heating and cooling equipment make sure to select Energy Star® products.

Greenwashing is the art of misleading consumers of a product's environmental friendliness.  This is happening alot these days, especially since being "green" seems to be so trendy at the moment.  It seems everyone wants a piece of the pie and are willing to market themselves as "green" without much credibility.  For example, everyone talks about bamboo floors as being environmentally friendly.  While it is a rapidly renewable resource, as bamboo grows very quickly, consider the impact of shipping from overseas (rather than buying locally) or the high use of formaldehydes as a binding agent.  While there are going to be pros and cons with all products, my intent is not to discourage the use of bamboo, as I find it to be a beautiful flooring.  My intent is to make sure that we don't always take things for face value and consider the whole story. One bamboo company worth looking at due to there sustainable business model is Teragren, which emits less formaldehyde than many others on the market.

Another way to be "greenwashed" is taking 100% natural for face value.  You would think this would mean it was good for you...right?  Well, consider ingredients like arsenic and formaldehyde.  They are naturally occurring, but do you want to rub them on your skin or ingest them.  I think not. 

Or consider the cleaning products that claim to be chlorine-free but are filled with other toxic chemicals. 

My advice...Give it a good hard long thought before jumping on the greenwashed bandwagon.  Just because a company says it is "green" or environmentally friendly...is it?

Today I attended the Built Green 2008 Conference in Seattle, WA.  There were many vendors there all giving their gospels on the greatness of their "green" products or services.  I gathered information and had the chance to ask many questions.  As a Realtor, we must know our stuff when it comes to homes.  With so many products out there on the market...it is often hard to keep up.  That is what is so great about trade shows.  Here you can always find the old faithfuls, those you have been around for years and have made a great name for themselves and those who are venturing out and spreading the word about their great new innovative product.  Sometimes, those companies only pleasure us with a few short years of existence and then there are those companies who are like rockets-to-the-moon.  Some of the venders that caught my eye today were:

LiveRoof- a modular green roof system. 

Sustainable Industries-a magazine for green business leaders.

Squak Mountain Stone- a countertop made of recycled paper, coal-fly ash, cement, and glass.

Trinity Glass Products-a granite-resembling countertop made of 75% recycled glass.

Rinnai-a tankless hot water heater that could save you $$.

There were many, many more but I just wanted to give you a taste of my day.  Cool products huh?

I am in the process of picking up a new client.  We have had several emails back and forth discussing my commission structure.  He is planning to buy a new home and list his current one.  He emailed me last night and asked me to send him all of the homes I have sold.  Being a relatively new agent, I knew my list wouldn't be extensive.  Would this turn him off?  I got  a fleeting feeling of sickness as though I had to defend myself but then quickly realized I didn't have to defend anything.  I only had to be honest.  I sent him the homes I have sold in the last year, from vacant land lots at $135,000 to vacant land at $743,000.  I also sent him information on the homes I sold from under 300K up to the great million dollar home I sold in Maple Leaf, including my current listings in Phinney Ridge and Bothell.  My response went a little something like this:

Hi Jim (name has been changed),
Here is the information you requested.  I have had my real estate
license a little over two years.  The first year I had a child and it
really is this last year that I have gotten the chance to dive in.  I am a
go-getter so you won't be disappointed in my service.  Please know that
I work for a wonderful broker at Brio Realty, who makes sure all the i's are
dotted and the t's are crossed.  I am not one of those people who makes
stuff up, so I won't lie and say I have been in the biz for 10 years. 
Is this a concern for you?  If so, I assure you I always put my best
foot forward and strive for success. Should you have any additional
questions, feel free to shoot them off via email, otherwise I will phone
you tomorrow evening.
Sincerely,
Ashley

I went to bed feeling good with my response.  I am just not someone who can lie.  It doesn't feel good to me.  I have heard from people to fudge the truth to get the deal, but that just isn't how I function.  Fortunately for me, John liked my answer and plans to meet with me next week to look at his home.  Wish me luck.  I just may have a new listing.

I was watching the news tonight and heard that Seattle's Mayor, Greg Nickels, wants the city's fleet of taxis to "green up".  The mayor said the switch to 30-mpg vehicles will reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, a key greenhouse gas, by 40 percent and will also dramatically reduce fuel costs. Seattle would be following in the footsteps of three other cities... San Francisco, New York and Vancouver, B.C.

This made me smile, as I am an advocate of the green movement.  I would love to see our city filled with fuel-efficient cars.  It just seems "So Seattle."  Not only is it the right thing to do, it is the "trendy" thing to do.  I am glad it is a trend.  It's gets people to understand their impact on the earth.  Something my mom raised me to be concerned with. 

I was browsing on AR last night and came acrossed a few non-believers, those who think it is just a propaganda movement to get consumer's to buy more.  I am talking about global-warming just being HYPE.  Sure, if that's want you want to believe.  Don't believe that the earth is warming but please at least believe that our existence on this planet has a very strong bearing.  There are not endless supplies of everything.  We do damage and take from the earth and if you take anything away from this whole green movement...It is simply asking people to walk a little lighter, use a little less, respect a little more.  It is a give and take slow dance.  It won't happen overnight but if everyone becomes a little more conscious, even in one area, such as: recycling, composting, eating organically, buying products with less packaging, using less toxic cleaning products, driving less (or good mpg), buying locally, using less water and energy, etc.  If you want to respect your own body, it means eating less genetically modified foods, MSG, preservatives, no hormones from meat and dairy and no sulfites (buy bacon and processed meats without), no artificial sugar, limit high frutose corn syrup,... I could go on and on but I am not trying to jam it down anybody's throats.  It is, however, something that gives me passion.  So if you let me go on and on...I will...and I do...believe me, I drive my family and friends nuts.

I learn a little bit everyday on how I can lighten my load on the earth.  I am not perfect by any means.  My car only gets 16 mpg.  I think it said 17-24 on the car sticker, but when I look at my computer's trip report,  it only say's I am getting 16.  I too, like the taxi drivers protesting the proposal agree buying cars with better gas mileage can be expensive.  But I think in the long run, it will really pay off.  I mean...look at gas prices!  I can only put premium in my car and I almost paid $4 a gallon the other day.  If a taxi's business is simply to get a person from one place to another and they are driving all day...then by all means... drive an efficient car.  If it simply isn't affordable and you taxi drivers will know that more than me, since it is your business, then hopefully Mayor Nickels will offer some sort of incentive or even work out a great deal if most taxi drivers would need to replace their fleet.  Maybe he can work a deal with a major auto company?  Where there is a will, there's a way.

Today I received a testimonial from a great client of mine...

"Ashley is a breath of fresh air. She clearly enjoys her job for all the right reasons, which allows her (to avoid all the bull**** and) to rise above the snake-oil-hard-sell that is still so prevalent in the industry. She was always available, enthusiastic, knowledgeable and straightforward. No buyer's remorse here......."

In this industry, how can you have the "snake-oil-hard-sell" attitude? I just don't believe you can SELL a client into falling in love with a property.  It is an emotional connection.  My job is to listen to what the client is asking for.  Sometimes, I have to help them sift through what it truly is that they are wanting (or in some cases they can afford) but I never find myself force-feeding them to want something different.   It is not like I can walk into a room and say "This Shag carpet is amazing and just look over here at this great orange Formica in the kitchen!"  I mean who would I be kidding?  It is my belief that one should not try to SELL but rather sit back and listen.  It is by listening that I truly get to the core of what it is that my clients really want.  So please...if you are sporting a hard sell attitude....there is no room for you here in Real Estate.  I will see you on Aurora Ave. the next time I go to buy a used car.  You will probably be wearing a thick gold chain and showing your chest hair.  Oh, how I can visualize it now.

I have learned my lesson and want to warn you all about the importance of doing a final walk through after a home inspection.  I have had two bad experiences and have since moved on to use a different inspector.  The first mishap went like this...

The seller phoned me to inform me that the refrigerator had leaked water onto the kitchen floor and had ruined several bamboo floorboards.  She claimed that the only people that were in the house were the inspector and I.   I relayed the message back to the inspector who claimed there was no way that he did it.  The seller claimed that he must of overflowed the tray when testing the water dispenser on the refrigerator.  The seller was angry and wanted the floors fixed.  Since the inspector would take no responsibility, I decided to come out of pocket to save the deal. 

The second mishap was somewhat similar (both fridge related) and once again the same inspector took no fault.  The seller's agent, of a different home, called me to inform me that the refrigerator was turned off and that all of their food spoiled.  Obviously they were very unhappy and again I relayed the message to the inspector who again claimed there was no way it was him. 

SO THE MORAL OF THE STORY IS:  Always do a final walk-through after a home inspection. 

**I have since began working with another inspection company and am happy with the change.

As usual, I set out today to do my weekly rounds of getting to know what is on the market.  As a Certified Ecobroker, my passion is Green Real Estate.  How can you not love something that is better for the environment?  After all, as a mother, it is my duty to try to leave this earth a better place than when I found it.  In that regard, I have a strong belief in the good of building green and of the importance of educating my clients, in hopes they too will see the benefits of living green. 

Getting a 5 Star Built-Green certification is no easy task.  Of the 25 5-Star homes in King and Snohomish county, 19 of them are by Martha Rose, a pioneer in sustainable building.  As I pulled in the driveway of her new development, Queen City Eco-Village at the Homestead, on Greenwood Ave N. in Shoreline, Martha was actually there working on the landscaping.  She came right up to me and introduced herself, letting me know if I had any questions, that she was the builder.  Lucky me, I thought to myself, to meet someone that I hold with such high regard.  Her work is amazing and I encourage each and everyone of you to go and take a look. 

It is up to us working in the Real Estate community to educate our buyer's about the benefits of living green.  Living in a Martha Rose home is like living in the Cream-of-the-Crop.