Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate

92 percent of respondents report feeling informed about eco-friendly living

According to the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC "Living Green Poll" taken at this year's Original Connecticut Home and Remodeling Show in Hartford on Feb. 29 � March 2, 99 percent of Hartford-area residents reported that they had recycled products in the last six months when asked what "green" activities they had been engaging in. Looking to gauge the green living home practices of Americans in 15 different cities, the survey also found that among other green behaviors, 82 percent reported conserving energy by adjusting the thermostat by three degrees or more, and 81 percent reported changing out incandescent lights with high-efficiency compact fluorescent lights (CFLs).

When questioned as to how informed respondents felt regarding green issues, a resounding 92 percent reported feeling informed (61% said "somewhat informed," 31% said "very informed"). When asked to respond to the question, "How green would you say you and your family are on a scale from 1 to 10 where 1 is 'not at all green' and 10 is 'very green?,'" the median value reported was 5.64 - just above the midpoint.

"Our survey indicates that people are beginning to become more aware of the importance of this issue and what's at stake," said Sherry A. Chris, president and chief executive officer of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. "The respondents recognized that they can do more to green up their lifestyle and their home."

Some of the top reasons for not being greener included price (37%), time (24%), convenience (19%), and the need for more information on how to contribute (15%). Though nearly a third of respondents listed price as a top reason for not going greener, nearly 43 percent of respondents paid more money for an energy efficient product in the past 12 months. Respondents cited washing machines as the No. 1 item purchased, followed by refrigerators and CFLs.

Three out of four respondents replied that they would invest in adding green elements to their home if they knew it would increase their chances of selling it. Twenty-two percent of respondents indicated they would spend more than $5,000. In general, women were prepared to spend more than men. Forty-two (42) percent of women indicated they would spend $2,500 or more to green the home for resale, while only 30 percent of men indicated they would spend in the same range.

"According to the Department of Energy, households consume about 20 percent of the total energy used in the United States each year and contribute about 20 percent to the country's production of carbon dioxide emissions," said Chris. "Even something as simple as changing to an energy efficient light bulb, when done collectively and in concert with others, can make a tremendous difference."

The report is based on survey data collected by Turnkey Sports & Entertainment on behalf of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. All interviews were conducted among a representative random sample of 234 adults yielding a margin of error of +/- 6% at the 95 percent confidence level. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC will continue to conduct consumer surveys through October 2008 in conjunction with Better Homes and Gardens� magazine's 15-city Living Green tour that will be featured in Greenville, San Francisco, San Diego, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Miami, Nashville, Boston, Washington, D.C., Orlando, Atlanta, Chicago and New York.

About Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC
The newest Realogy brand, Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate will embody the future of the real estate industry while grounded in the tradition of the home. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC will be building a new international residential real estate franchise company with an anticipated launch date of July 1, 2008, and will engage in various pre-launch activities in the interim. In October 2007, Realogy Corporation, a global provider of real estate and relocation services, entered into a 50-year agreement to license the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate brand from Meredith Corporation, one of the nation's leading media and marketing companies. In 1978, Meredith launched the former Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate service, which it owned and operated for 20 years, and grew the business into a highly respected name in the real estate industry. The Better Homes and Gardens name has been a staple in American life ever since 1924. Today, the magazine boasts a circulation of 7.6 million and a readership of nearly 40 million. Advertising Age named Better Homes and Gardens as the 2007 magazine of the year. For more information, visit the "company facts" section at http://www.realogy.com/media, or participate on the Company blog at http://www.bhgrealestateblog.com.