GreenWorks Realty Fuels Green Homes Market by Initiating Green Building Checkbox on Northwest Multiple Listing Service.

Company Owner Ben Kaufman Spearheaded Proposal That Enables House Hunters to Search MLS Listings for Properties with Green Design Features

SEATTLE -- In its effort to reduce global warming, GreenWorks Realty, the first real estate agency in the nation to specialize in green and community-focused housing, endorsed the new green home design check box that was launched a week and a half ago by the Northwest Multiple Listing Service (MLS). The Northwest MLS is one of the first and largest MLS in the nation to put this into practice. The new check boxes identify green and eco-friendly properties, thus increasing awareness among buyers, sellers and industry professionals. There are already new green homes listed on MLS using this feature.

The proposal to add the green design features to the Northwest MLS properties was initiated and spearheaded by GreenWorks' owner/broker Ben Kaufman. The new green database listings, already in place, will allow house hunters to search for properties with certain green certifications and/or environmentally-friendly features. Certifications include Built Green, Energy Star and Leadership in Environmental and Energy (LEED). Green features include solar power, bamboo and other renewable flooring, and drought resistant landscaping. In addition, sellers will now be able to attach thorough third party verifications to their listings to be made available for review by buyers.

"Homebuyers are increasingly demanding green homes, and with good reason. The new green checkboxes will help homebuyers to more easily locate green homes and help us focus more time on assisting our clients in understanding important differences between green homes or greening traditional homes," said Kaufman, whose firm provides services to buyers and sellers for both green and traditional properties. "Across the country, smart homebuyers understand that green homes are better for them, and better for our planet, addressing important issues such as personal health and global warming. This is a win-win-win deal, for people, planet, and the local economy."

As the first local real estate agency in the nation to specialize in green properties, GreenWorks Realty has been a leading pioneer in the rapidly expanding green home marketplace in Western Washington. The company offers a variety of services, from specialized services to builders marketing and selling green homes, to a healthy home assessment program to help make any home a green home, to agents trained in environmental certifications. GreenWorks "Healthy Home" package enables current homeowners to incorporate green design features in their homes to improve the comfort, health, energy efficiency and durability of their home environment.

"The new green design features in the MLS listings was collaborative effort of a wide variety people and organizations, and reflects our region's cutting edge position in the green building movement," said Kaufman. "We received tremendous support from local real estate agents and brokers, as well as strong direction and leadership from our NWMLS Board of Directors."

Just some of the organizations involved in developing the green design features included Built Green program of Master Builders Association in King and Snohomish Counties, Energy Star Homes Northwest, Master Builders Association of Pierce County, Snohomish County Sustainable Development Task Force, and the City of Seattle Department of Planning & Development.

Headquartered in Seattle, GreenWorks Realty is a full-service real estate agency for both green and traditional properties. GreenWorks serves communities throughout Washington with agents in Seattle, Olympia, Bellingham and Bainbridge Island. The company is the first regional real estate agency to specialize in green and community-focused housing. GreenWorks' is a mission-driven privately held local company whose vision is to improve livability and prosperity through promoting green building practices supporting human and environmental health and vitality.