New Certified Homes Command 18% Price Premium in 2009-2010 More Than One in Five Homes Achieve a Sustainability Standard

PORTLAND, Ore., June 16, 2010 – While fewer new homes were built in the past year in the Portland metropolitan area than in the previous year, the market share of third party certified homes increased. Twenty three percent (23%) of all newly constructed homes in the Portland metropolitan area sold between May 1, 2009 and April 30, 2010 received a third party certification. This finding is based upon data reported by the Portland area RMLS to Earth Advantage Institute.

The term “certified home” refers to homes that received an Earth Advantage, Energy Star, or LEED for Homes designation, or a combined Earth Advantage/Energy Star designation. Certification and sales information is reported by participating real estate brokers to RMLS. The Portland metropolitan area region includes Multnomah, Clackamas, Columbia, Washington and Yamhill Counties in Oregon and Clark County in Washington.

This finding continues a three year trend in which the market share of certified homes in the Portland region has increased. Please see Table One below for detail.

Certified Homes in Portland Metropolitan Area, 2009-2010

Data provided by RMLS and compiled by EAI. Percentages rounded to nearest whole number

Homes with a third party certification sold for more than their non-certified counterparts, both in the new home and existing home markets. New homes in the six county Portland region sold for 18% more, while existing homes with a certification sold for 23% more.

Table Two - Average price premiums for certified homes, 2009-2010

Data provided by RMLS and compiled by EAI. Percentages rounded to nearest whole number

 “As energy efficiency and healthier homes gain more attention, builders and homeowners increasingly place value on home certification,” said Sean Penrith, executive director, Earth Advantage Institute. “It is very encouraging to see the market share of certified homes continue to rise over the past three years despite the difficulties in residential markets.”

RMLS reports sales data by county. Table Three below provides more detailed information on the range of price premiums observed in different parts of the Portland metropolitan area. Clark County, WA was the one area in the metropolitan region where newly constructed certified homes did not sell for more. However, certified existing homes in Clark County continued the trend. As a group, existing homes with a sustainable certification in Clark County sold for an average of $278,400 versus $234,100 for homes without such a certification, or 16% more.

Table Three – Average Sales Price Among All Homes and Price Premium for Certified Homes

The Portland area RMLS first began collecting information about home certification in the spring of 2007. It is the first RMLS in the country to do so.