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GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
BEING GREEN
IT’S NOT JUST FOR LIBERALS ANYMORE
[ BY JOE BREZNY, DEPUTY GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS DIRECTOR ]
KNOWING GREEN CAN HELP
THE BOTTOM LINE
Why all of the grumblings about all things
green? Because it’s now a market, and
it’s not just for tree huggers anymore. The
average client is becoming better versed in
green options that make sense in the valley: desert water
conservation, super-insulation, solar water heat and gridtied
solar power with net metering.
The key to turning the green revolution into a marketing
asset is already in place with green fields in the MLS and
education programs that teach you how to use them. The
Green Committee is reinforcing this education process
with peer-to-peer discussion among the more interested
members, and the Government Affairs department monitors
green legislation to ensure that well-intended bills don’t
encumber the closing process with additional mandates.
In the past, groups have approached us with ways to “jump
start” the green revolution by requiring green retrofits or
assessments before you can close a sale. That approach
is largely a thing of the past, and the focus now is on what
we can do to accommodate our green clients in ways that
assist in a sale instead.
CALLING ALL GREEN CARS
Another way that REALTORS® can be green is in their
choice of transportation. Your car is a mobile office, so
going green with your car can save you money and make a
statement to your clients.
Already drive a green car? Join the GLVAR
Green Car Congress.
As it stands, you have to go to several different
dealerships to review green cars, and even then, your
only contact is a salesperson. The Green Car Congress
will be a group of REALTORS® who drive electric vehicles,
hybrid vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles, or diesel vehicles.
We will arrange cruise-in events around larger gatherings at
GLVAR such as orientation meetings, large CE classes, or
the Political Affairs meeting.
This will give REALTORS® a chance to review a group of
different makes, models, and years of green cars all at once,
and talk to people who drive them in every day situations
similar to yours.
If you’d like to join the Green Car Congress, just e-mail me
at the link below and we’ll keep you informed of when you
can cruise-in and show off your green wheels. And if you’re
in the market for a greener car, stay tuned to SNR magazine
and we’ll let you know the next time the Congress will be
cruising to GLVAR.
I’ll be bringing Sparky, a 2012 Prius V, to the events. It’s the
new hybrid that has the cargo room of an SUV but is rated
at 41mpg, although our actual mileage has been more like
50-52mpg.
Joe Brezny is Deputy Director of Government Affairs for GLVAR. He can be
reached at joe@carraranv.com or 702.784.5016. n
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SOUTHERN NEVADA REALTOR® APRIL 2012 www.LasVegasRealtor.com