Oregon realtors surf for green homes

Realtors in Oregon and Southwest Washington can now shop specifically for homes with energy-efficient features.

Beginning Feb. 28, realtors can log into Oregon's Regional Multiple Listing Service (RMLS) and search for houses under a new “Home Performance” drop-down menu. Only homes that have been certified by Earth Advantage, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star program and the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Homes are included in the menu. Homes with such third-party certifications include features such as energy-efficient appliances, double-pane windows, high-efficiency furnaces and low-wattage lighting systems.

“Green and energy-efficient features have emerged as some of the most important and sought-after by buyers in our RMLS service area,” RMLS CEO Beth Murphy said in a news release. “With the help of their realtor, homebuyers now will be able to pinpoint homes with these features.”

The Oregon RMLS board of directors in September 2006 approved a proposal to add third-party certified energy-efficient homes to the RMLS database, making it the first organization of its kind to do so. Last month, Seattle's real estate listing service followed suit. Other cities including San Francisco and Los Angeles are reportedly considering similar proposals.