Lynn Van Norman is more than just a real estate advisor, she is
also the eco-friendly realtor. Using her background as a naturalist
and her roles in the Cape Cod community, she helps her clients not
only find their dream property on the water but how to maintain its
beauty and be stewards of the land. Recently rated among the top
nine percent of Realtors on Cape Cod, Lynn takes the sometimes
daunting task of buying or selling a home and turns it into an
exciting journey that eases her clients into their next
chapters.
You are known
as the eco-friendly realtor, what does that mean to you and your
clients?
Not all of us are lucky enough to say that we live on water view
property, but all of us here on Cape Cod, from Bourne to
Provincetown, can proudly say that we live on waterfront property.
My grandmother, a long-time realtor from Chatham, liked to remind
me that the first line of the Realtor Code of Ethics is
“Under all is the land.” My parents have that as a sign
on their barn in Orleans. I grew up following that code throughout
my life as a gardener, chef, and naturalist but now, as a realtor
myself, I take that line one step deeper by saying “Under all
is the water.” While our homes do of course sit on the land,
we all must embrace the fact that that land sits upon the water.
And here on Cape Cod, where our sole source aquifer is under
serious threat from overdevelopment, overwhelmed storm drains and
road runoff, leaching septic systems, and careless landscaping that
allows excess fertility and runoff to damage local habitats as well
as the home itself, I take this very seriously. Whether I am
representing a buyer or a seller, the first thing I establish is
their deep understanding of the role they have or will play as
responsible stewards of this beautiful, yet incredibly vulnerable,
place we call home. We must all strive to go beyond mere
maintenance, to step deeper into the role of ecosystem
strengthening and rehabilitation by embracing the challenges of
climate change and ecosystem degradation right outside our front
doors. While we cannot change the climate above our heads, we
can change the climate below our feet. If my clients learn to
embrace this fact, that is what makes them great stewards of their
slice of real property.
Do you have any tips on how people can be eco-friendly home
buyers and owners?
Environmental stewardship is not a given, it is a choice we must
all make. Even the smallest actions can make a huge difference when
it comes to home resilience, and overall ecosystem health and
strengthening. This is because neighbors see the enhanced beauty,
safety, and curb appeal as a result of simple actions then they are
likely to follow the same path. And this becomes an eco-friendly
community, rather than just a house. Actions such as: managing
downspout runoff through the soil rather than over it; choosing to
limit the use, if indeed not eliminate, the use of synthetic
fertilizers and pesticides; decreasing the size of lawns and
replacing lower sections near roads or waterways with terraced,
runoff collecting, pollinator-friendly meadows; learning how to
better manage fallen leaves as overwintering habitat for native
insects, composting, or mulch amongst native shrubs. These are all
simple acts that build ecosystem resilience as well as home beauty,
structural integrity, safety, and an overall pride of place.
Whether you are looking to buy or sell your home, in these
days of environmental consciousness, these actions are vital.
People should look at the outside, not just the inside.
Have you noticed any trends recently relating to eco-friendly
homes or home-buyers?
There is a welcome and growing understanding of the need to
increase pollinator and wildlife habitat along with new
construction and home renovation. A growing desire to plant
low-maintenance, native landscapes that focus on building soil
quality and moisture retention. A deeper understanding of the need
to limit the use of fertilizer. The spraying of lawn and
mosquito pesticides does more harm than good, especially when it
comes to our songbird populations who rely on those insects for
food. All these environmental trends coexist with curb appeal,
privacy, peace, and security of the physical home. This makes my
role vital as a real estate advisor who can also be an ecological
advisor.
How did you
first get involved or interested in sustainability and what role
does it play in your personal life?
I have been a careful observer of nature all my life, all around
the world. Whether on land as a gardener and naturalist, or on the
sea as an angler, I thrive when I am learning. Recently, it has
been through my partnership with my husband and his work across the
globe as a regenerative agroecologist and agricultural educator
that my scientific understanding has truly deepened. We work as a
team both here and around the world, on his ecological restoration
efforts and during home assessments, and exterior stagings. When
someone engages with me as a buyer or seller agent, I bring all
this background with me. Together we look deeply into the
simple ways to make the outside of the home safe, beautiful, and
nourishing to the surrounding wildlife habitat just as the inside
does the same for, us humans.
What do you love most about your role as a real estate
advisor?
Forming deep relationships with people who find themselves
within one of the most daunting, overwhelming, and exciting times
of their lives and need a calm, reassuringly, knowledgeable, and
savvy guide on their journey. Taking that ‘first look’
walk with a new client to truly see what excites them or scares
them and turn any anxiety or problem they see into an opportunity.
Real estate transactions are a journey; but the journey, IS the
destination. And that process, while daunting, should be embraced
from a position of confidence that the answers lie within. My role
is to help people feel confident and eager in their decisions.
What are some of your favorite local hobbies, activities, or
organizations that you participate in?
I give back to the community through education and use my home
as a showcase for ecological solutions that you can see in action.
I have hosted events and am a member of The Brewster Ponds
Coalition, Orleans Pond Coalition, Orleans
Conservation Trust, Pollinator Pathway Cape Cod, and Wellfleet Garden
Club. I volunteer at my local church in the kitchen, garden, and
clothing swap. I love tending to my garden giving away flower
arrangements and dividing perennials to share with fellow garden
enthusiasts.
What do you love most about where you live and work? Any
favorite spots in the Brewster and Cape area?
To live on Cape Cod, year-round, is to embrace the joys and
beauty of all her seasons. It is not just a place of pretty spring
flowers; it is a place of brown grasses blowing in the winter wind.
I find that the dormant season, where the landscape is at rest, is
the most beautiful for that is the time our aquifer is recharged,
much like it is for all of us who are so active during the growing
seasons. Be it a cold and rainy day in February or a hot and dry
day in July, the sun will always rise and set over water. The
beauty of every Cape Cod town can easily be found if we all take a
moment to truly see what we are looking at. When I say,
“Under all is the water,” I truly mean it. Clean water
is what brings people here and makes them want to stay. But if that
water becomes dirty, it is what will make people want to leave.
Water can be kept clean, through our individual and collective
actions. But once it becomes polluted, it is a problem beyond our
grasp.
Lynn Van Norman | 2404 Main Street, Brewster, MA 02631 |
508.237.9380 | lynnvn@gibsonsir.com