As consumers continue to push for more verifiable sustainable products, a host of green certification programs are helping people make responsible and educated consumer decisions.
Here is a look at some of the leading certification programs that can help you make sustainable purchases.
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It’s important to set goals in various aspects of life, from personal relationships to career aspirations. Yet, how often do we consider setting goals to reduce our carbon footprint?
Making the switch to energy-efficient appliances, transitioning to electric or hybrid vehicles and embracing renewable energy sources are all steps towards cutting greenhouse gas emissions and fostering a more sustainable lifestyle.
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April does not have to be Earth Month for each of us to be aware of the importance of living a sustainable, environmentally friendly lifestyle. That includes embracing this intentional way of life around the home.
It’s even more true when using “green” features to sell a home. Fun fact: When comparing the overall median sales price of a home sold in Western Washington in 2023, the Northwest Multiple Listing Service reported residential properties with a green certification sold for 20% more – $740K vs. the non-certified home sale of $591K. Wow!
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The world of residential real estate can be a fast-paced business, where deals are struck, fortunes made … and danger potentially lurks just below the surface.
The emergence of creatively sophisticated cybercriminals armed with cutting-edge technology like artificial intelligence (AI) is making life difficult for the real estate industry and its customers. It’s not exactly new: Hackers have been targeting American consumers as well as real estate professionals for many years in an attempt to steal money.
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Nobody truly loves change. It can be difficult to adapt and adjust. That is particularly true when discussing the possibility of changing your address when getting older.
I have heard it from you, my clients: “The stairs are getting too difficult to climb,” or “I’ve lived here most of my life and no other place will seem like home.”
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If you want to take control of your time, it’s important to work smarter, not harder. Working smarter reduces your stress levels and conserves your energy. One of the best ways to meet this goal is to use innovation in your daily life – and it starts in your home.
We are inundated with technology from the day we wake with a wristwatch or phone alarm to the final minutes of the day with sleepy sounds fed through a speaker. The only thing missing is a clap of the hands to turn off the bedroom light. Oh, you have one of those too? Even better!
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It’s indisputable: The earth is getting hotter. A global climate report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found that our average temperature has increased virtually every month this century – and we have experienced the five warmest Julys on record within the last six years.
We are dispensing far too much carbon dioxide into our air, leading to increasing temperatures, drying lake beds, dying crops and rising sea levels. It’s beyond a recipe for disaster; it’s a global crisis that’s taking place before our eyes and an issue that affects us all.
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As consumers seek more efficient experiences in the home-buying process, a growing number of transactions have migrated online. That makes closing the deal a perfect chance for opportunists to hack into a person’s computer and attempt to steal information or, worse, their money.
Now, consumers are being warned of a new and worrying activity – the exploitation of virtual meetings.
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In a month when we celebrate the birth of civil rights icon Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., efforts are well underway to remove race-based restrictions from our region’s property documents.
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The price of gas is on everyone’s mind – unless you don’t own a vehicle. Only a year ago, Seattle-area drivers were paying about $3.90 a gallon for unleaded regular gasoline. Today, well, I don’t even want to talk about it!
It is moments like these when consumers make the difficult (dare we say “bold”?) choice to ditch their gas-powered vehicles for something with an electrical outlet. The evidence is clear: Americans (and many others around the world) are switching to electric vehicles, or EVs.
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