If you're a tree hugger or latent hippie, andcare about the environment, you canexpress that by the type of home you buy. Green real estate options are among the fastest growing propositions in the real estate market. Consumers want Earth-friendly, ecologically sound, sustainable home buying options. The reasons vary from household to household. Some folks have allergies. Some want expense reduction in electric or gas bills. Others still just want their home to reflect a holistic lifestyle. All of these situations represent great reasons to hook up with a real estate agent that focuses on green properties.

In considering a green home, its vital to compare the characteristics each one offers. Properties are going to be different in their building materials and the way in which theyve chosen to lessen the homes carbon footprint. For example, while dual-pane windows arent particularly green in their manufacturing process, they ARE green in the way they reduce energy use in the home. This particular example is one that you will need to remember from the get-go. There is no such thing as a perfectly green building materials. Be prepared to trade off function against environmental impacts either in the products manufacture or end use.

Some of the characteristics that makes a specific real estate property green include:

- Energy reducing components (like good insulation and Energy Star appliances)

- Energy production systems (solar panels)

- Water conservation (like special shower heads, re-using grey water, etc.)

- Paints, calking, carpeting, and stains that have no VOCs, and do not produce pollutants

- Air filtering systems

- Flooring, carpet or wallboard made using post-consumer recycled goods (or made from sustainable, renewable material like cork and bamboo)

And thats just the tip of the ice berg. If you want to get a feel for how many components in a home could be green, just swing by your local hardware store and walk the isles. Theres everything from light bulbs and untreated wood to gardening products.

Corporate America is jumping on the Green Real Estate bandwagon too. Bank of America has plans to build an environmentally-friendly skyscraper in New York City, for example. Additionally, currently about 10 percent of all commercial construction projects are focused on sustainability (according to Smart Market reports). This isnt just because Corporate America has become ecologically minded Green building increases a propertys value by over 7 percent!

So if your mantra is, reuse, recycle, renovate then looking for a Green Home makes perfect sense both financially and philosophically. Most green real estate will continue to improve in value, particularly as green product technology becomes more and more efficient. HINT: find a real estate agent who really knows the green market. They should be able to tell you what adaptations have been made to any property, and the resulting benefits with authority. You want to choose a home that meets your needs and lifestyle, and that means being an informed consumer.