CHB High Performance Homes

How to Calculate the Heating Cost of a Home by Square Feet!

2012-02-16T06:54:00.002-08:00

The conservation of energy is a major topic of concern when it comes to the heating and cooling of homes. Home buyers are becoming ever more conscious of the need for efficient home heating systems, both for monetary and ecological reasons. A number that is effective in assisting a potential home buyer in comparing homes is the heating cost per square foot for the home.

Some Real Estate Agents are over stating the high and low electrical bill on new and existing homes in South Georgia. Buyers beware.

Instructions

1. Determine what fuel source powers your home's heating furnace and gather the utility bills for that fuel source, from both the winter months when the furnace was in use and for the summer months when it was not in use at all. For example; if you have a natural gas furnace, you would gather your natural gas utility bills for the summer months in which you did not use your furnace at all, and then those bills for the winter months in which the furnace was in use all month.

2. Take the winter monthly bills in which the furnace was in use all month and calculate the average. We will call this value "WCU," for winter cost of utility.

3. Take the summer monthly bills in which the furnace was not in use all month for that utility and calculate the average. We will call this value "SCU," for summer cost of utility.

4. Subtract the SCU value from the WCU value. We will call this value "AMHC," or average monthly heating cost. This is a result that is the average cost for actually heating your home per month with your furnace, and disregarding any effects on the bill from other uses of the utility, such as powering a hot water heater or clothes dryer.

5. Take the AMHC value and divide it by the square footage of your home. The resulting value will give you the cost per square foot to heat the home each month.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5344703_calculate-cost-home-square-feet.html

Growing Epidemic Dual Agency Selling Their Own Listing South Georgia

2012-02-01T04:51:00.001-08:00

So Why Does Dual Agency Even Exist?

Brokers want to double-dip on their own listings. What are the benefits of dual agency? to a Buyer or Seller NON,

A listing agent who also represents the buyer is a dual agent. Dual agents cannot operate in a fiduciary ("trust,") relationship with either party and must treat both sellers and buyers equally. They cannot share confidential information but they cannot give confidential advice.

A dual agent in California was sued by the seller because she told the buyer to ask for a carpet allowance from the seller. It is very difficult to obtain the highest and best price for the seller when the agent also represents the buyer. The dual agent cannot advise on home price nor terms nor negotiate on anyone's behalf.

Brokers have invented a fig-leaf called Disclosed Dual Agency in order to cling to the doubled commissions.

No Dual Agency!

Dual Agency is the process by which one real estate broker represents both the seller and the buyer in a transaction. It is legal in

Georgia

, provided it is fully disclosed and consented to by all parties. It is also of questionable ethics at best! Agents in some states are forbidden to engage in Dual Agency.

So What Benefit Does a Buyer or Seller Have When Using a Dual Agent?

Buyer = NON,

Seller = NON,

Dual Agency = Full 6% Commission

Extra insulation = Energy Efficient = NO - Are You Really Saving When Adding Extra Insulation?

2012-01-21T07:55:00.001-08:00

I would like to thank Thomasville Landmarks for holding a very interesting workshop and having Mr. Carl Seville of Seville Consulting, LLC as a speaker. The workshop talked about the importance of energy efficiency and green building and confirmed 99% on what we have been advocating since 2007. One of the questions asked was if adding extra insulation to an attic of an existing home it would make it more energy efficient after the installation. The answer was just a confirmation for our argument on the majority of the properties being listed by their listing representatives, where homes that add extra insulation would make them energy efficient. This application will have virtually no effect on the homes efficiency without addressing other priority key issues first and if the home was not built initially with energy efficiency in mind. In this case, this statement by the listing representative is being used as a gimmick and a marketing strategy. This was just one of the topics that confirmed what we’ve been advocating for the past 5 years about listed homes being aggressively marketed with features which are very misleading to consumers that are not knowledgeable enough on the subject. Green energy efficient homes are built better and above minimum code. There are no short cuts when building an energy efficient home.

We have being bringing energy efficiency awareness for 5 years and many in the industry have slammed our company for calling out what they have been doing wrong and marketing incorrectly to consumers. Thomasville, GA has had an ENERGY STAR Qualified home that many in the industry do not want to admit is the way to go.

Now the industry is faced with the “Not So Big House” movement that Capital Home Builders introduced in 2007. This home is currently up for sale at Sweetbriar Lakes Ph II.

Price Per Square Foot is Misleading for Real Estate Values

2011-12-29T06:31:00.001-08:00

Over the years working as a Realtor I have seen numerous home buyers as well as other Realtors try to use dollars per square foot as a good measuring stick for market values. Sorry folks but that is a very poor way to analyze value.

There are a number of reasons why this is the case but lets just start with individual homes themselves. If you look carefully at housing characteristics you can basically break down a home into one of four categories.

Economy~ Economy would be characterized as building a home in the most cost efficient manner. The materials used in constructing a home in this category more often than not will be cheaper than other categories of homes. The goal is to deliver a home that would be affordable to those buyers on a lower income. If you looked in a catalog of materials such as cabinets, flooring, lighting and plumbing fixtures you would see the lowest grade used in this category.

In Thomasville, GA these are the type of homes being built and sold "ECONOMY" with an "ECONOMY" home you also get the cheapest materials and labors the builder or unlicensed person claiming to be a builder can find. These homes are also built to minimum bare to low building code. So if you are looking for the cheapest homes for square footage price then these homes can be found in Thomasville, GA. So do not complain when these type of home ends up costing you more money on the long run, like water bill for one person over $100/per Month and other things going wrong or braking down.

Standard – A home built under this category would be a step up from an economy home. A large percentage of homes would come under this category. You would expect to see the quality of the home jump from an economically built home. With a standard built home you may see some construction items that could also be found in both economy and custom categories.

Custom – In a custom built home you are bound to see things that you will not find in either an economy or standard home. The quality of the materials used to construct the home as well as the amenities inside are going to be different. As an example you may see a higher level of finish woodworking, cabinetry, flooring selections and hot buttons like granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances. Custom homes are more unique and may have other architectural characteristics that make them more expensive to build such as intricate roof lines and higher end materials used on the facade such as stone or brick.

Luxury – A luxury home is the creme de la creme. These are the homes that are built with the highest grade construction materials. There is no expense spared on anything and the amenities seen inside the home are sometimes enough to make your mouth drop! It is not unusual to see such things as home theaters that rival going to the movies, indoor swimming pools, wine rooms and other such amenities.

Of course it is possible for a home to fall somewhere between each of these categories but the four categories are enough to show you why using price per square foot to determine a homes value is a very poor measuring stick.

Lets look at a quick example of two homes that are both 3000 square feet. They are both a year old.

House “A” has the following amenities:

■Granite counters and stainless appliances

■A custom tile shower

■Hardwood floors throughout the 1st floor

■Raised paneling and crown moldings

■A brick walk way

House “B” has the following amenities:

■Formica counters and white appliances

■A standard shower

■Carpets through out the 1st floor

■Plastered door openings with no molding

■A dropped flagstone walkway

How about a quick guess of which home is going to be worth more on a dollars per square foot basis?

This example clearly shows that you can not take the average price per-square-foot and multiply it times the square footage of the home you are thinking about buying. There are far too many variables involved with the characteristics of a home to make a generalization like that. It just doesn’t work that way. The pricing per-square-foot simply gives you average or median ranges; it shows you trends in the market. It does not compute value!

The comparison above only touches on one reason why cost per square foot is a poor indicator. There are others including the fact that prices per-square-foot can vary based on the homes location, improvements, condition, age and updates, including lot sizes, and whether it’s a one-story, two story or split-level home, among other things.

I think it is easy to see that if home “A” was also located in the best part of town and home “B” was not, the disparity of the selling price is going to be even greater which would change the price per square foot between the two homes.

One of the best reasons for even looking at the price per square foot of a home is to see what the trends are in an area. You can look at the average price per square foot over a given time period and see whether overall market are values going up or down.

In Massachusetts one of the other factors that can really skew the averages on the price per square foot of a home is how the square footage is actually calculated. In the Greater Boston MLS there is a big disparity on what agents include in the gross living area of a home. You will see that some homes include finished basement space and others do not. This can cause quite a fluctuation in how these figures appear when doing an analysis on square footage value.

As you may realize, finished space below grade is far less valuable than above grade living area. When these figures are mixed together it makes a straight line comparison much more difficult.

I have run into plenty of buyers agents over the years that try to present a case of why their clients offer is a fair one. When they start talking about price per square foot I usually end up giving them a lesson in proper market evaluations:)

Real Estate News and Views for Metrowest Massachusetts. Published by Bill Gassett RE/MAX Executive Realty

http://massrealestatenews.com/price-per-square-foot-is-misleading-for-real-estate-values/

The greatest health risks from open burning is smoke inhalation. Smoke is largely made up of air pollutants known as particulate matter. These pollutants are small enough to invade our respiratory system as we breathe in polluted air. They can damage lung tissues when they reach the alveoli, which are the tiny air sacs where we take in oxygen and unload carbon dioxide (see image below). This reduces your lung capacity.
When trees are burned, the carbon is released into the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is a green house gas which means it absorbs heat. This absorption of heat is called global warming and has serious environmental and economical consequences. It increases the earth's temperature, thus causing glaciers to melt and sea-levels to rise; it disrupts earth's weather patterns. For example, droughts, massive floods, and extremely powerful hurricanes are just some of the effects of global warming.
http://www.scdhec.gov/environment/baq/OpenBurning/health_effects.asp#

Builders in thomasville GA - Buying A Standard home Vs. A Custom Green Home?

2011-12-17T10:21:00.000-08:00

Realtors are not the only ones looking for creative way to sell homes. We can not leave out those builders that are making the most of minimum code.
An energy efficient (Green) home is a better built home. A green custom built home has to follow strict guidelines by the EPA and other green programs like LEED or NAHB Green. These guidelines are set so the outcome of a green custom home is a home built above minimum code, and a healthy home built above minimum code will save you 40% to 50% on your energy bill. A standard built home has no guidelines has no restrictions. A standard built home can be built with cheap materials, cheap labors, and built below or to bare minimum code and in my area these are the type of homes being built and widely shown for a quick sale.
These homes were advertised as quality built, but changed to luxury. I guess the quality work was left out and someone pointed this out. Do the math, buying a cheap home / non green home will only cost you more money in the long run. See a few listed examples below.

Example-1: Wrong size A/C unit = If the A/C is to small it will work overtime to cool the house and if the A/C is to big your home will have too much Moisture in the house and to much moisture creates mold.
Example-2: If the roof is not vented properly all that heat will not escape again A/C unit will be working overtime and in winter the cold attic will take longer for the A/C unit to warm the house.
Example-3: Improper use of valley metal or no valley metal and the improper use of roof paper. All have a good potential for a roof leak.
Example-4: Holes in the sheathing or big gaps is a good way to get cold spots in winter and A/C leakage in the summer, Also A good potential to keep the pest control companies in business. Big problems, in my part of town.
Example-5: We can go on listing all of the non benefits of building a cheap home or non green home, but hopefully you get it.

Example-6: Felt paper. As warm moist air rises the felt paper allows the moist air to pass through, but if some of the moisture condenses on the underside of the shingle, the felt paper keeps that condensed moisture from touching the wood.

Analyzing whether or not green certified homes are worth more

2011-07-08T07:23:00.000-07:00

Analyzing whether or not green certified homes are worth more

Capital Home Builders - Top Merchant Recognition

2010-12-11T06:28:00.000-08:00

Capital Home Builders would like to thank Merchant Circle for this Top Merchant recognition on my devotion in providing consumers with a valuable service. Merchant Circle has been a great venue for our Business.

CHB Eco Custom Homes

The New Energy Saving LED Bulb!

2010-11-18T11:07:00.000-08:00

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The Words “BY OWNER” Realtors Using It As A Loophole!

2010-11-10T07:27:00.000-08:00

Real estate agents and sellers in the Thomasville, GA area like to create blogs that talk about energy efficient homes and be fast to list an old home built in 1940's and call it energy efficient without any qualifications or proof of how much energy buyers are really saving, but the loophole for these realtor's is the words “BY OWNER” by stating these two words on a listing the Realtor is off the hook. When you see these words “BY OWNER” being used on a listing, it is suggested to double check the source, if you’re the interested buyer of course. So, buyers next time you're considering buying a home with guarantees on energy efficient savings ask your Realtor how many Green Energy Efficient Qualified homes have they shown? (0) and how much do they really know about green homes. You will see that their education on green homes are limited, but most are fast to sell you a bare minimum code homes at under $80/per square foot and call it “Quality Home” or list a property with more square footage then it really has and use “BY OWNER” Do not get me wrong, homeowners can make energy efficient upgrades to their homes and now that the City of Thomasville is hoping to go green in offering homeowners financial assistance for their upgrades we encourage every homeowner to do so but their is a fine line between 'ENERGY EFFICIENT UPGRADED FEATURES" to actually calling the entire home as ENERGY EFFICIENT. Consumers need to know that in order to call the entire home as an energy efficient one the entire home needs to be tested before the upgrades and then after. This will provide a HERS score that will determine how much the home efficiency yield by its improvements. Consumers just remember knowledge is power especially on such a large investment as a home.

Do some brokers cheat when listing square footage?
Realtors.comPlease, do not believe everything a Thomasville Realtor tells you.

Do some brokers cheat when listing square footage?

2010-11-10T06:03:00.000-08:00

Do some brokers cheat when listing square footage?

Square footage is a big problem in Thomasville, GA. with bonus room being finished without a permit or outside areas being included under A/C.

Thomasville Real Estate Reality

2010-10-31T11:40:00.000-07:00

Marlene's Blog

Through my weekly readings, I came across some overwhelming information from no other then our President Obama and his new Home Star program incentives that are offered to homeowners to make their homes more energy-efficient, saving families several of hundred of dollars on their utility bills.

In reading these articles, which I have linked here in order to educate the consumer and more so people in the real estate industry that are still in denial about the energy-efficient qualified new home construction that many cities, counties and states are on a fast track in building and selling. I was just tickled to death, when I read all this information about energy efficiency and how it is affecting major industries especially the real estate industry. This is something I have been preaching for about the past three years and many in the real estate community just saw it as a marketing gimmick or just did not get it or for some odd reason, from lack of knowledge, assumed that these high performance homes just needed to be comparable to minimum code built homes. Although, more of them are using illusory words to attract the environmentally concious consumer to their products practicing GREENWASHING. These swindlers will soon be slammed with reprimands not only from authorities from their own organizations but from the government. Consumers need to be protected in many ways then one because buying real estate is a big investment that buyers can't just turn around and get rid of so quickly.

Cracking Down on GREENWASHING (Government driven)

The Green MLS Tool Kit ( Guidelines from NAR)

Who are "Green" Buyers and Sellers?

How about Some "GREEN" on the MLS?

Why Green Building

Cost of an Energy Efficient home versus standard spec home

In today's real estate market, energy-efficiency is seen everywhere you turn. This is an issue that can be avoided but soon will be hard to ignore. For those who think it is just merely a trend of today will soon see it as the norm of tomorrow. We even see it with auto makers putting out energy-efficient cars because it is mandated by our government. Consumers can now have the option to buy a car which due come at a premium with higher fuel standards saving consumers at the pump and receive government tax credit for their purchases offsetting consumers investment and saving them for years to come.

Homes are no different. Homes are a major contributors of greenhouse gas emission and through programs like ENERGY STAR, LEED, HOMESTAR, and many others out there qualifying new and retrofit home construction adhering to higher standards,being sustainable, kind to the environment as well as providing a healthier more comfortable home and saving homeowners money on their utilities bills. Yes, I do understand that some people do not care for this and the larger the home and cheaper they pay for them is their thing and that is great different homes for different folks,right.

Now, I ask you, who in the world doesn't want to save money? Being in the real estate industry, I hear people say how much money they are spending on their utility bills and I ask myself "am I the only one listening to these people?" On the other side, I constantly hear these energy efficient homes being called "homes that don't fit in", "homes that are overpriced" or "homes that are bullies" bluh, bluh, bluh and all these comments coming from no other than professionals in the industry that sadly refuse to either educate themselves on what the overall benefits of these homes are or just do not want to admit that "they" themselves do not "fit in" to the real estate market of "Today" and understanding the aspects of the new era of building and retrofiting to energy-efficiency. Professionals that refuse to admit to the changing market will soon stay behind in the real estate of yesterday and as consumers become more savvy buyers will steer to professionals that are better educated in the modern real estate industry.

I will say this to consumers and to my peers soon we will see steps taken mandating improvements in building efficiency by 50% through our building codes. There has been improvements in the residential sector with the IECC 2009 but sadly to report that this 30% improvement by the Energy Efficient Code Coalition is ONLY voluntary to be used by cities, counties and state authorities. These authorities more often than not will give their dumbs down due to their local politics and deep concerns in adding new building codes because it will be harder to get builders to get the proper training.

So, many elect to ignore it, turn a blind eye and believe they can live in a shell and avoid change or fear of the unknown and the effect it may have in their lives, and the way they do business and I completely understand but, whether you want to admit it or not this trend will become the norm forcing all of us to make a change.

What's your take? I would love to hear your views from your neck of the woods and your experiences in your market.

Green Homes Sell For More and Faster Than Other Homes:

2010-10-01T05:26:00.000-07:00

Green homes sell for more and faster than other homes

The homes that underwent the strictest certification, being tested by third parties, and thus likely to be the "greenest" did even better. They commanded prices 25% higher than regular homes, says the ECert report by Seattle-based GreenWorks Realty. It evaluates data from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service, which began allowing real estate agents to mark homes as eco-certified in 2007.

NOT, In Thomasville, Georgia Realtors here say that green homes need to be compatible to standard spec homes. It looks like the real estate market and realtors in Thomasville, Georgia are lost in the corn fields of reality when it comes to green homes.

Price Per Square Foot is Misleading for Real Estate Values

2010-10-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

Price Per Square Foot is Misleading for Real Estate Values

Are You Over Paying per square foot in Thomasville, Georgia:
Some agents are adding hundreds of square footage to their listing and then claiming "as per owner". I am assuming as a real estate agent, a professional, would address this discrepancy and not pass the buck as to they would not be responsible for the listing they represent. Here we go again with assuming, you know what they say about assumptions! Always ask your agent (a real estate professional) were did the added square footage come from. If she/him claims it came from the owner, I would ask them for documentation justifying the added square footage. Because once you buy the property it is your problem to resolve and for future resale. Remember that the listing agent of any property is working for the SELLER NOT YOU THE BUYER….. And if they are working for the buyers as well they are acting in a dual agency. Ask yourself this Question: Would you go to the same attorney performing a divorce for both husband & wife? Well this is the same thing.

The Worst House that the Code Will Allow:

2010-09-28T04:16:00.000-07:00

“If you built to the minimum standards Code, then you would only have achieved the worst building that the law will allow.

Homes being built. Thomasville, GA. at Sweetbrier Subdivision.

While other builders in the Thomasville, Georgia area are still using old building practices and building to bare minimum code simply to avoid breaking the law. CHB Eco Custom Homes are building homes to a higher standard. Our homes are qualified by a third party and it has earned the blue seal by the EPA. High Performance Homes are independently verified to meet strict guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These homes save money on utility bills, provide a more comfortable living environment with better indoor air quality and superior materials. Building green is now more than a trend; it is a construction method that has been adopted by many.

Built Green homes are designed to provide homeowners with comfortable, durable, environmentally friendly homes that are cost-effective to own and operate. These resource-efficient homes are crafted to exceed building codes and provide homeowners with years of healthy, quality living, while protecting the precious Southeast environment.

Realtors misrepresenting listings as Energy efficient: Thomasville, Georgia

2010-09-24T07:38:00.000-07:00

When looking for Energy efficient property in the Thomasville, Georgia area they are a few things to lookout for. Misrepresenting a listing and selling that listing on false pretense is a lawsuit waiting to happen for the agent or brokerage office.

1. Ask for certifications. If the home builder or Realtor does not belong to a nationally recognized organization, ask how and why they are making an eco-friendly claim. If they are certified, don’t immediately assume their paperwork is legitimate. Do some digging of your own to verify their claims, and the validity of their certifications. Realtors claiming Energy Efficient homes in Thomasville, Georgia better have third part verification documents to back it up or buyer I would file a lawsuit against the agent and brokerage office for misrepresenting that listing.

2. Don’t be an undereducated consumer. Do some investigating of your own to confirm that what they’re telling you is actually true. If you’re about to make an investment of several hundred thousand dollars, shouldn’t you get the maximum value for your dollar as possible?

3. Don’t fall for the window dressing. Just because they use nontoxic paint or installed insulation with a R-value above what the local building code requires, don’t assume the house is 100% green. Very few homes (if any) can be 100% green, so when you’re listening to a long list of stats about how great their product is, keep your suspicions up. Taking notes might help too.

5. Energy efficient products alone isn’t enough. Quality and workmanship are always paramount when buying a new home. So it’s entirely possible to have the best insulating triple paned windows on the market, but a small leak around the windowsill will negate their efficacy. It’s best to think of your house as a energy efficient system, rather than a combination of green products.

Beware Greenwashing Advertisements When Buying a Home in Thomasville, Georgia

Added Benefit to Owning a High Performance Home

2010-09-24T04:01:00.001-07:00

By Jim AdamsPublished: April 28, 2010

THE ONLY BUILDER IN SOUTH GEORGIA BUILDING ABOVE MINIMUM CODE.

While other builders in the Thomasville, Georgia area are still using old building practices and building to bare minimum code simply to avoid breaking the law. CHB Eco Custom Homes are building homes to a higher standard. Are homes are qualified by a third party and it has earned the blue seal by the EPA. High Performance Homes are independently verified to meet strict guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These homes save money on utility bills, provide a more comfortable living environment with better indoor air quality and superior materials. Building green is now more than a trend; it is a construction method that has been adopted by many.

You regularly hear a builder marketing his homes as Energy Star certified, Earth Advantage certified, Green built, High Performance, etc. What does this really mean? In fact there is a term, “Greenwashing”, which defines the practice of disingenuously marketing “green”. If you do your homework, you will find most builders are doing the bare minimums to get there certifications. Simply increasing the efficiency of the HVAC system, adding insulation to increase the insulating factor, increasing the efficiency of windows and introducing fresh into the home which is usually by a fan added to a utility room. This of course is a simplified list, but you get the picture.

Unfortunately, what you don’t hear about very often is the testing and third party inspections that go into these homes to get the certifications. I believe that one of the more important benefits of this performance building process is the scrutiny that the homes go through. The level of quality and performance that is demanded to get even the minimum level of certification forces the builder to build a much better built home than a code built home utilizing the municipality inspectors, ie. City, County and State building inspectors.

Again, when you hear a builder talk about their certification, ask questions. What level of certification do they have for their homes and what measures have they taken during construction. But in the end, even at the minimum level of certification, these homes are built to a much higher standard than most code build homes. This will have a lasting effect on the livability and resale over time because of this. All new homes look great when new however, it’s how they stand the test of time that identifies how well built they actually were.

By Tony MarnellaPublished: June 28, 2010

Benefits Of Buying A Green Home:

2010-09-24T03:59:00.001-07:00

Affordable, environmental friendly, healthier living and saving on energy costs are all benefits of buying a green home. It’s no wonder with such great benefits that there is an increasing demanded for new green homes and green new home trends in the housing market.

According to the findings by U.S. Green Building Council homeowners with low incomes are tremendously satisfied with their benefits of buying a green home and are highly likely to recommend a green home to family and friends. The USGBC found that 78 percent of homeowners that earn less than $50,000 per year are more likely to purchase a green home.

Michelle Moore, the Senior Vice President of the U.S. Green Building Council, said, “The benefits of green homebuilding must be accessible, and affordable, for every American family.” Moore continued to say, “Being able to afford your utility bill is as important as being able to pay your mortgage. Green homes are shining through as the bright spot in an otherwise gloomy housing market.” The U.S. Green Building Council administrates the LEED Green Building Rating System from everything from homes, schools, hospitals, and offices.

The McGraw-Hill Construction Company surveyed one million U.S. households to ask those that purchased LEED certified and green homes over the last three how they feel about their green home purchase. Eighty three percent of green homeowners said their new homes had lowered operating costs, 79 percent said by the first year after their purchase of the green home, their energy bills were lower and also their water bills were lowered by the first year after purchase. This survey showed how the benefits of buying a green home were twofold, not only did homeowners save money on utility coast, but less natural resources were used to run the home.

When the green homeowners were asked what were the benefits of buying a green home; 42 percent said environmental benefits like lower energy costs and healthier air, 34 percent of green homeowners said comfort was a main benefit; only 24 percent said improved appearance was their main benefit of a green home. More than 80 percent of green homeowners believe that the benefits of buying a green home are not just economical, but a green home offers a healthier place to live.