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Working with ENERGY STAR as a Real Estate Agent

How do you maintain your status as a preferred real estate agent in a crowded and increasingly competitive market? Selling ENERGY STAR qualified homes can help. With growing concerns about rising energy costs, new homes that earn the ENERGY STAR offer homebuyers lower utility and reduced maintenance costs, while providing improved comfort and greater durability.

image of ENERGY STAR sticker label

And for homebuyers looking to ‘go green,’ an energy-efficient home is a great place to start. That’s because when a home uses energy more efficiently, fewer greenhouse gases are emitted into the atmosphere at the power plant. Let your clients know that the easiest way to make sure a new home is truly energy efficient is to look for the ENERGY STAR logo, the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency. You can tell if a home is ENERGY STAR qualified by checking the circuit breaker box for the blue ENERGY STAR sticker label or asking for a copy of the certificate.

Learn More about the Features and Benefits of ENERGY STAR Qualified Homes

Sell the Value that Clients Expect

Not all new homes are energy efficient. Many builders claim their homes are efficient, but ENERGY STAR builders back it up. ENERGY STAR qualified homes are verified by an independent third party to ensure they meet the required performance level.

Increase Customer Satisfaction

The best way to gain more referrals is to provide expert guidance to your clients. You can increase customer satisfaction by selling ENERGY STAR qualified homes that are more comfortable, require less maintenance, have improved indoor air quality, and cost less to own.

Take Advantage of ENERGY STAR’s Name Recognition and Resources

image of builder inside home committed 100 percent to ENERGY STAR
  • Help your clients understand the features and benefits of ENERGY STAR. Download useful fact sheets and order free brochures about ENERGY STAR qualified homes. Have these materials available in your office when you are meeting with a customer for the first time.
  • Promote builders and lenders that are active ENERGY STAR partners in your area. You can find them by visiting the Partner Locator. Also, encourage builders you work with who are not currently constructing ENERGY STAR qualified homes to join the program. Be sure to mention the benefits to participation, such as increased profits and market differentiation.
  • Be a local ENERGY STAR expert. Download presentations and other marketing resources from the ENERGY STAR Web site to educate customers. Speak to groups such as the local Chamber of Commerce, Association of Realtors, Home Builders Association, inspectors, and appraisers. Prepare a press release or advertorial about your support of ENERGY STAR for local newspapers, magazines, and home-related Web sites.
  • Highlight ENERGY STAR on your website, newsletters, and business cards by displaying the “Ask About ENERGY STAR” logo. Be sure to follow the ENERGY STAR Identity Guidelines when using the logo.
  • Make ENERGY STAR a must-have feature for homebuyers by supporting the addition of ENERGY STAR into your local MLS searchable listings database. To start the process, contact your local Realtor Association and encourage the addition.
  • Consider giving your clients an ENERGY STAR homebuyer gift upon the sale or purchase of a home. Include items such as ENERGY STAR qualified compact florescent lights (CFLs).
  • Support energy efficiency improvements in existing homes. Encourage homeowners who are planning to sell their home to have an energy audit completed and make ENERGY STAR-recommended home improvements to increase their home’s efficiency. The performance improvements can increase the home’s value, especially when selling an older home. Visit the ENERGY STAR Home Advisor for more information.

Download the Working with ENERGY STAR as a Real Estate Agent PDF (152KB) fact sheet.