Three Ways to

Green
Your Investment Properties

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 1. Rebates and Incentives
Find all that apply to your project. This will allow a
property to gain higher quality AND more energy
efficient items at lower costs than regular
alternatives.  Plus, the payback is usually much
greater than the invested time.  Rather than looking
for rebates on specific materials, focus on:

Appliances
Energy Audits
Energy-Efficiency Measures
(solar, geo-thermal, etc.)

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 2. Building Envelop
Focus on tightening the building envelop as much as
possible. Use low-cost methods to ensure less air leaks and
gaps, thus reducing energy costs for heating and cooling.  
Here are some methods of tightening the building envelop:
• Blown wall/attic insulation
• Spray foam plumbing insulation
• Switch-plate foam gaskets
• Weatherstripping
• Window film
• Cool roofs
• Vapor barriers

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 3. Get an Energy Audit

Find out where the problem areas are before starting

work. Energy audits can cost less than $400 and come
with applicable rebates.  Furthermore, they can help
decrease utility bills, thus increasing the price someone
will pay for the property. It has been proven that
people are willing to pay more when their total net out-
of-pocket monthly expense to live in the home is less.

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 Jim Simcoe is a green real estate consultant, sustainability speaker and author.
Mr. Simcoe has been featured on NBC, Fox, SmartMoney.com, San Diego Insider TV, etc. Mr. Simcoe also writes for
EcoHome, Personal Real Estate Investor Magazine, San Diego Business Journal, BiggerPockets.com, etc. He is the co-author
of the “Go Green, Bank Green” study published by Personal Real Estate Investor Magazine in March 2010.
Mr. Simcoe is the President of the Board of Directors of the New World Leadership School, the first sustainable kindergarten
in San Diego County. He is a Certified Green Building Professional, EcoBroker and Real Estate Broker.
He lives with his wife, two daughters and two very spoiled dogs in Cardiff-By-The-Sea, California. He can be reached at
jim@jimsimcoe.com or 760-271-7128.

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