Is going green in your home a good investment? According to a new study, it could be! California homes sold between 2007 and 2012 saw an average of a 9% increase in its value because of green certification. It's a bonus for areas where consumer sentiment is more supportive of environmentally friendly options (for instance, in those areas where there were a lot of Prius owners!), and if you're beach side, even better. The study sampled 1.6 million homes, of which 4,321 were sold with Energy Star, LEED or GreenPoint Rated labels. The goal was then to determine how much that green labeling factored into the selling price. While the National Assn. of Realtors believes any mandatory labeling could have severely negative effects, the National Assn. of Home Builders sees it as an advantage.

Eco-friendly and green homes are a popular choice for Northeast Los Angeles, especially if you're in the vibrant communities of Echo Park and Highland Park. There are multiple home tours each year, including the popular Dwell on Design and deLab Echo Park house tours, which feature many significant green homes here in Echo Park. My most recent listing that was green certified was in Echo Park, and included 10,000 square feet of certified farm and wildlife habitat, plus other green features. That home sold fast!

If you have a green-certified home you're thinking about selling, or you're looking for one - give me a call. I also have great resources available if you're looking to get certified and improve the long-term value of your home.