Last Updated: Mar 22, 2021
The In Your AREA Podcast is a series developed by The Alberta Real Estate Association (AREA).
In each episode, real estate agents speak with guests to discuss topics of interest to real estate professionals in Alberta. The InYour AREA podcast first aired in August of 2018 and offers a new episode monthly. Some of the subjects covered include accessibility, mortgages, foreclosures, and even cannabis in real estate.
Rise's Founder and CEO, Matt Daigle, spoke with Jennifer Gilbert, an Associate Broker at Coldwell Banker City Side Realty, in a special edition episode on Sustainable Housing and Real Estate.
The pair started the discussion with Matt explaining the lessons he learned from the house he renovated before having children. After the dust settled, he was pretty disappointed to find that the job did not reduce his power bills. So Matt dove into learning all about the effects that home products have on efficiency and wellness - from paint to insulation and ventilation. He went on to found Rise to give homeowners an unbiased, reliable resource to learn how their homes can benefit their health, their wealth, and the planet.
In the episode, Matt and Jennifer discussed, in detail, how the shift to healthier, more efficient, low-carbon homes will happen. Matt said that Rise has found that:
“There's a huge shift happening: homeowners and homebuyers are taking time out of their day to figure out: "why should I buy this product? Why is it good or bad for me?"”
And with this, real estate agents who are educated about sustainability will have a leg up in the industry and will be able to provide their clients with a better service.
Jennifer went on to say that:
“The shift toward sustainable homes will be consumer-driven. We need to come together as a team to drive change, and Rise courses have the research and content that are tools in Realtors'® toolbox.”
The two discussed the fact that homebuyers want their agents to be able to give them detailed information on the state of the home before ever getting to a home inspection. So, that's why Rise has developed courses that go straight to real estate agents so that they can equip their clients with the best information.
“Rise sees Realtors as a portal to get the message out there.”
Listen to the full episode here!
Not everyone was born in a geodesic dome with a solar-heated chicken coop (like Mika), but that doesn’t mean they can’t live in a healthy home with a positive impact on the earth. Mika is a LEED AP and an experienced leader, passionate about bringing sustainability to the masses.