Despite, or maybe because of the capricious economy, more Americans are going green when it comes to their homes, according to a recent survey conducted by Better Homes and Gardens at home shows in 15 cities across the country.

Despite "cost" being singled out by 36 percent of respondents as the greatest impediment to going green, half of those surveyed have paid more money for an energy efficient product in the past 12 months and one in three homeowners (30 percent) claim they would be willing to spend $5,000 or more on green improvements to increase a home's appeal to potential buyers.

"As their environmental awareness grows, American homeowners are beginning to take action on green issues and are willing to spend their money accordingly," explained Sherry Chris, president and CEO, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate. "These survey results confirm homeowners are identifying greater value in green and when the time comes to sell their homes, they will look to convert high consumer awareness levels on the green issue into a market differentiator."

In addition, when preparing to buy or sell a home, more than half of those surveyed (51 percent) believe in the importance of working with a green certified real estate agent. This would include knowledge in regards to housing materials and construction, energy efficient appliances and systems, as well as the impact of landscaping on a home's environmental footprint.

Please consider earning NAR's new "Green Agent' designation.