According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), realtors are concerned about climate change and are trying to promote sustainability in the housing market.
The NAR’s annual report gives a comprehensive overview of the notable achievements over the past 12 month.
Bob Goldberg, CEO of NAR, stated that NAR is actively implementing its 10-year sustainability plan. He recognized the many benefits that can be derived from integrating sustainability throughout the organization.
According to the report, 34% are concerned about the environmental effects of climate change and extreme weather on businesses. About half of all Realtors have assisted homebuyers in buying or selling environmentally sustainable homes within the last year.
Another 63% stated that it is important to promote energy efficiency in listings.
The report also highlights numerous sustainability actions taken and progress made by the NAR, such as the NAR Food Recovery Network.
The report states that 3,019 pounds of surplus food were donated by the NAR at meetings in 2022. This is equivalent to 2,516 meals for local hunger-fighting non-profit organizations in 12 cities across the country.
According to the report, the NAR and its affiliate members have also recovered 7,498 pounds worth of food from nationwide conferences and events since 2019. This is equivalent to about 6,248 meals.
The report also includes data about the NAR Sustainability Grant. It was established in its inaugural year in 2022. The grant provides funding up to $5,000 per association for sustainability initiatives. It encourages awareness and sustainability in real estate.
According to the report, 52 Realtor Associations applied for the grant in 2022. They represented approximately $240,000 in requests, 600,000 members, and $2.5 million in grants.
NAR also mentions in its report that it has partnered up with the National Forest Foundation to plant one tree per member. The partnership resulted to 400,000 trees being planted by 2022. The trees were planted in eight national forest areas in six states, covering 1,689 acres of land. It plans to plant 1.5 Million trees by 2025.