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The Traverse Area Association of REALTORS® (TAAR) in Traverse City, Michigan, has been applauded for embracing sustainability and for being among the first to green its MLS.
It’s taking green philosophy further with another first – all its staff members now have NAR’s Green Designation. Kim Pontius, GREEN, TAAR’s executive vice president, says the education wasn’t an association mandate, but that the idea came from staff members who were inspired by Thomas Friedman’s book, Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution–And How It Can Renew America.
“To be able to carry conversation and speak knowledgeably with our more than 50 Green Designees in the [TAAR] membership, the staff felt it needed to be better versed in what means to be green,” comments Pontius. “I think it creates a better understanding between staff and members as to what our industry considers important.”
He says the NAR Green Designation is one of few opportunities that association staff members have to attain designations. Though the GRC applauds TAAR’s move, it doesn’t designate associations or other entities as green. The designation applies only to individuals.
And the passion for green is visible around TAAR’s office. Through an internal recycling program, for example, the office has been steadily reducing its garbage output. TAAR once filled a 15-cubic-yard dumpster monthly. It’s now down to a residential-style, two-wheeler that is collected weekly, and those cans are rarely full.
“Recycling reduces our costs, but we’re also looking at the long term and what we won’t be putting in our landfill that we’ll have to address later on,” Pontius observes.
The recycling effort also reaches beyond TAAR’s walls. Sharon Lamesfield, GREEN, TAAR’s MLS and membership assistant who also manages TAAR’s recycling program, has been doing member outreach by teaching brokers ways to incorporate green practices in their offices to save money and improve the environment.
In addition, TAAR launched a Web site, a sister site to its main site, that educates consumers and REALTORS® about sustainability. “Staff members are constantly sharing information and articles, and lots of the site content has come from their suggestions,” says Pontius.
The association also is broadening its green reach by co-sponsoring an annual festival, Green Solutions 4 Expo on May 8th.
The outdoor event at Clinch Park, right on the water, will bring speakers, along with providers of green products and services. Consumers will learn about sustainability, slashing utility bills, alternative energy sources and new green technologies. The State Theatre in downtown Traverse City will be showing films with green-related themes.
The event is a collaboration of TAAR and Grand Vision, the Homebuilders Association of the Grand Traverse Area, Michigan Green Consortium, Michigan Land Use Institute and the State Theatre. The festival’s “The Traverse Region – Where Green Meets Blue” tagline is especially appropriate, given that the event site is where the blue water meets the green earth. It symbolizes green living and caring for the waters of northern Michigan.
“We’re trying to engage community partners in this expo because this green movement is bigger than any one of us, and we all have to be linked together,” comments Pontius. He also points out that Traverse City businesspeople and residents understand that people are drawn to the area because of its natural beauty. “If we sacrifice our environmental integrity, we sacrifice our economy and our market here.”
Quoted from the Green REsource Council’s The REsource Newsletter
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Like Sun Valley in Idaho, Canada’s Banff Springs in Alberta and other remote resort areas, tourism to Little Traverse Bay was launched to create rail passenger demand. Among the first to arrive was a Methodist community, which founded the Bay View Association, a communal cottage colony and National Historic Landmark with 440 Victorian cottages, still owned by worshipers. Several religious vacation enclaves called “associations” sprouted around Little Traverse Bay.
The bay is the northwesternmost inlet of Lake Michigan on the Lower Peninsula. In the center is the waterfront city of Petoskey, which is filled with shops and restaurants — but is not as popular for vacation homes. There also are large inland lakes close to Lake Michigan, including Charlevoix, the state’s third largest, creating an abundance of waterfront property. Water is a big draw, as are golf and skiing. The first ski lift was built at Boyne Mountain in 1948. There are now three large ski resorts, as well as six golf courses for summer visitors. A big golf draw is Bay Harbor, with a 27-hole course considered one of the greatest achievements of acclaimed architect Arthur Hills. It anchors a luxury waterfront, marina and equestrian community on the shores of Lake Michigan.
“Most of my sales, almost 90%, are second homes,” says John Constand, an independent agent at Boyne Realty Resort Sales. “Summer is the biggest draw. People visit and then say, ‘I have to have this.’ Skiing is popular, too, but most ski-area owners also come in summer.” One benefit is the summer rental market is strong, allowing owners to generate income. The majority of buyers are from Michigan, followed by Indiana, Illinois and Ohio. According to Constand, waterfront property directly on Lake Michigan is the highest end of the market, followed by bigger inland lakes, then the ski resorts. Affordability is a big attraction: Houses on desirable inland lakes can be had for $350,000, and ski-area condos start under $75,000.
Another big appeal is sunset. The sight of the sun dropping behind Lake Michigan is spectacular, and west-facing homes command a premium of 25% to 30% over identical properties looking to the east, Constand says.
A look at three Little Traverse Bay neighborhoods
• Bay Harbor: Named “Best Development, USA” in CNBC’s America’s Residential Property Awards, this 1,200-acre community has a Top 100 golf course, large marina, and tennis and equestrian centers. It’s the most expensive in the region but offers a varied price range, with 32 distinct enclaves plus condo hotels. “There’s big premium on waterfront,” says real estate agent John Constand. “There are about 60 homes directly on the lake, and they run $1.3 million to $20 million, while homes inland start at $800,000.” Condos and townhouses range from $400,000 to $500,000. Condo hotel rooms begin at under $200,000.
• Ski resorts: The three resorts are Nub’s Nob, Boyne Highlands and Boyne Mountain. The two Boyne resorts have the bulk of the real estate and golf offerings, with four courses at Highlands and two at Boyne Mountain. “Highlands gets more overnight traffic and is slightly more expensive,” Constand says. Condos start at $75,000, and single-family houses at $450,000. Both have a wide mix of condos, condo hotels and single-family houses.
• Inland lakes: Sheltered waters are calmer than Lake Michigan, and many prefer them for water sports. The two biggest are Charlevoix and Walloon. Both are popular for vacation homes and are close to the shores of Lake Michigan. Petoskey is between Walloon and Lake Michigan. All Lake Michigan waterfront faces west, but these have homes on both sides. Those facing east are 25%-30% less, with single-family houses only, beginning around $350,000 and reaching more than $2 million.
 Inn at Bay Harbor
 Boyne Highlands Resort
ON THE MARKET
Low price: $119,000
Midrange price: $284,000
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