feeling green?

Had a epiphany as I was running a couple days ago (still with Team in Training prepping for June 6th Rock m Roll Marathon in San Diego). Here's background and the framework of a possible resolution. I'm in the research process now to determine how much coverage there is in the literature.

The latest discontent arose when I started work on a tri fold flyer to provide to Realtors and the public at an Earth Day event in SLO on April 24th. A lot of intellectual progress happens when a previously held idea that should provide secure explanatory power, just causes a queasy feeling--and this is all about feeling.

If you've read earlier blog posts here, you know that I believe most buying decisions involving personal residences (and often other types of properties) are driven by gut instinct (aka feelings, emotional response, intuition, resonance, etc) RATHER than sound multivariate analysis of the property's many attributes. Moreover, MLS data does a pretty poor job of representing properties in ways that engender feelings. Photos hold some potential, but quality issues (display and photo skill) stand in the way. MLS data may provide some filtering effect, but reaction to a personal inspection of the house determines the decision and colors the perceived value in most cases.

All well and good, BUT here's where the "feeling green" issue enters the arena. Most green features are not readily apparent. Insulation, HVAC efficiency, appliance energy usage, window technology, embodied energy in the building materials, etc. are not easy to perceive, particularly upon approach and initial inspection of a house. That's the time when intuitive evaluation creates a FEEL for the house.

Obviously, one solution would be to ONLY look at homes with a certain minimum number of green features. Unfortunately, many agents don't put green in the MLS and few buyers are green to the extent that they'll calmly say---"the house does nothing for me, but it's got great green features so let's make an offer!"

Setting green aside for a moment, let's look at the intuitive vs analytical aspect of judgements and decisions. Intuition and feelings happen quickly--almost instantaneously (see Daniel Goleman's "Low Road" in Emotional Intelligence). Same thing happens in relationships. The infatuation effect--houses or people.

What are the consequences of infatuation--beyond the excitement of the moment?
The attributes that triggered the strong emotional response do not represent a full spectrum of the interactions and utilities that come to bear over the course of a longer term relationship--with house or person. It's a temporal matter. What happens after the decision? You LIVE in the house or WITH a partner, ie with the consequences of the decision. The quality of that post decision experience may involve attributes never perceived in the formation of initial infatuation.

Am I suggesting we shouldn't buy adorable houses or seek partners that we find unusually alluring? NOPE! The evolutionary path that created the "wiring" behind those compelling feelings should not be discounted, however the "High Road" analytical portions of the human brain can (with great effort--LOL) achieve awareness of the broader context within which decisions about a house or a partner are ultimately evaluated.

Moving forward with this line of reasoning raises the issue of achieving "awareness" that might play a role in the decision process, along with the strong initial emotional reaction to arcane cues that are perhaps not even known to the decision maker.

Next section will explore painting knowledge and experience onto the canvas of intuitive reaction.