7 Important Energy Score Facts

1. Violations if you advertise your Portland jurisdiction home for sale without a home energy score: $500 fines until resolved.

2. Home Energy Scores are good for eight years, but…

3. The scores can be voided before the eight years are up if you make alterations to the home that could impact the score results, such as changes to the mechanical systems, energy efficiency, or square footage.

4. For sale by owner or Realty listed homes must both have a home energy score before advertising the home for sale.

5. The score must be included in any online advertisements and there must be paper copies in the home. (We provide 30 color score flyers and a PDF onsite, at the time of service.)

6. All scores are publicly available, listed at GreenBuildingRegistry.com

7. There are some possible exemptions like trustee, foreclosure, and short sales. Visit the City of Portland’s home energy score page to learn more.

Learn More about the Energy Score

Does your home require a home energy score?
Find out now! Go to PortlandMaps.com, put in your address, and look under jurisdiction. If Portland is listed as the city, you have to get a score before advertising your home for sale if your home is considered a covered dwelling. Basically, covered dwellings are all homes on their own lot, so townhomes, regular detached homes, duplexes, and more. High-rise condo units do not have to get a score. See the city of Portland’s final administrative rules about the home energy score to get all the facts about potential energy score exemptions. There is also a sample home energy score available there.

Not required? Why to get a score anyway:
If your home is for sale in the greater Portland metro area, Portland home buyers are going to get use to seeing home energy scores throughout the city proper. The buyers are going to get used to comparing one home against another based on the energy score. But wait – your home doesn’t have one! Since it is relatively easy to get a home energy score, and you are likely going to attract Portland home buyers, you might want to get a score even if it is not required (especially if you think your home will get a high score!).