Program blends real estate, green awareness

Real estate agent Ben Plexico of North Charleston walks through homes with a unique perspective.

After completing a "green" program designed for industry professionals, he's one of a handful of Charleston-area real estate agents who are registered with EcoBroker International.

The training doesn't sound easy, and Plexico, who handles residential and commercial transactions for Prudential Carolina Real Estate, said the course made him more aware of how the environment and real estate affect each other.

For example, when he was visiting a client's house last week during Charleston's chilly weather, he noticed that the homeowner's living room — which had big bay windows facing the south — was naturally warmed by the rays.

The homeowner remarked that the room could get unbearably hot during the summer, but Plexico told him he could easily plant leafy trees that flourish during warmer weather and shield the room from the sun.

"That's actually called passive solar heating," he said. "With the right landscaping, you could plant trees that provide shade that would naturally block heat, and the only reason I know that is because of the program."

The EcoBroker International training program goes beyond the obvious environmentally friendly tips, said CEO John Beldock, a former U.S. Department of Energy official.

Training materials cover topics such as green loans, indoor air-quality tests and the latest tax credits that homeowners can receive for making environmentally friendly improvements.

Since the program began in 2002, more than 2,800 real estate agents across the country have enrolled. And enrollment keeps climbing, despite changes in the market, Beldock said.

"There are challenges in the real estate market, but the green side of the real estate market has such an upside for the real estate professional," he said.

For more information, visit www.ecobroker.com. That site also allows you to search for registered agents in your area.

Homes for heroes

Incentives are everywhere for new homes these days. Amid the slower market, many home builders are looking for creative ways to draw buyers in.

Here's one that stands out: Several builders in Charleston are shaving off costs for blue-collar workers including teachers, police officers, military personnel, nurses, firefighters and ambulance workers.

For buyers at Beazer Homes, the discount ranges between about $3,500 and $5,000, said division president Frank Finlaw.

"Those groups of people generally don't make a whole heck of a lot of money, and we try to deal with good, solid folks who do perform a service to the community and want to show appreciation for those folks," he said.

An online advertisement for Centex Homes offers $3,500 off the base price of a home. And KB Homes takes a certain percentage off the sale price for emergency workers, military folks and public schoolteachers, said spokesman Tim Pittman.

Ryland Homes also offers a discount, but it can't be combined with other incentives, which are more generous these days, said division president Don McDonough. Beazer also does not allow buyers to combine incentives.

These types of promotions aren't new, but Finlaw said the discount at Beazer has gotten more generous in recent months.

"We continually move the program with the market," he said. "Right now, it's higher than what it was."

Reach Katy Stech at 937-5549 or kstech@postandcourier.com.