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If you're thinking of selling your home, going green will give you a leg up on other homes for sale in your community. The National Association of Home Builders and Remodelers says that 72 percent of consumers report energy-efficient features in a home would influence their purchase decision and that 61 percent of consumers would spend more than $5,000 upfront to save on utility costs.

It may sound trite now, but the first thing you should do is to replace as many light bulbs as you can with CFLs (compact fluorescents). CFLs use a quarter of the electricity as regular bulbs, and lighting accounts for 20% of home energy use.

In addition, more and more people are interested in cutting down on their exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs). So putting on a fresh coat of the new and now-widely available "low-VOC" paints can go a long way toward attracting buyers. Removing old carpet to expose hardwood floors is a good way to bring out your home's beauty and value, but if you don't have that option consider new, eco-friendly carpeting.

Don't forget to sell what you can't see. Insulation isn't something homeowners often think to promote, but, if your home is well insulated, it can be a big selling point.

Call me for any additional information regarding selling or buying a home.