Twenty-One Questions to Ask Your Realtor

If you are interested in buying or selling a zero energy or zero energy ready home, consider engaging a real estate agent who has certification or training in energy efficient homes. Several organizations provide a “green real estate agent” designation to those who have completed their advanced training in energy efficient homes and sustainable building practices.

Real estate agents trained in sustainable building can help determine the true value of a zero or near-zero energy home. He or she can ask the owner or builder the right questions and explain the value of zero energy homes to loan officers and building appraisers. Here are 21 questions about zero energy homes to ask your real estate agent.

21 Questions for Your Realtor

What kind of training or other experience have you had in sustainable homes?

What are zero energy and a zero energy ready homes?

What are the benefits of a zero energy home to me and my family?

How will owning a zero energy home affect the resale value when it’s time to sell?

What are the costs of a zero energy home compared to a similar home built to code?

Which green features in a home are cost effective and which are not?

How can I tell the difference between a genuine zero energy home and homes with Energy Star or LEED ratings?

What state and federal cash and tax incentives are available and how do we apply?

What is the EPS (Energy Performance Score) rating or HERS (Home Energy Rating System) score for this home and what does it mean?

How can the additional costs be wrapped into my mortgage and how will the added monthly costs compare to the monthly savings on my energy bill?

Which banks and appraisers are knowledgeable about and properly value sustainable and zero energy homes?

If a member of my family has allergies or chemical sensitivities, what do I need to know about the materials used in constructing and finishing a home, what do I need to know about the heating system, and what do I need to know about the air filter on the ventilation system?

What lifestyle changes, if any, will my family have to make to ensure there are no energy bills in a zero energy home?

How do you determine if a lot is right for solar applications, and how should the home be placed on the lot to take advantage of passive solar, solar hot water and solar photovoltaic (PV)?

What types and amounts of insulation have or will be used in the home in the walls, ceilings and floors, and what is the R-value of each?

Are the window overhangs on the south side optimal for passive solar or solar tempering without summer overheating?

Is the roof pitch, orientation, and size optimal for solar photovoltaic panels and solar hot water panels?

What are the U-Values, the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient and the Visual Transmittances of the windows?

Has or will a blower door test been conducted on the home to measure how air tight it is? If so, what were the results and what do they mean?

What techniques were or will be used to make the house as air tight as possible?

How can I avoid being the victim of green-washing?