Ben Kaufman

Background

About Ben Kaufman

Ben is the founder and owner of Beneficial Ventures, the first pending B-Corp Commercial and Residential brokerage in the United States, completing $300 million in transactions. Ben's vision and passion guide Beneficial Ventures to strengthen the livability and sustainability of communities to thrive. In 2002, Ben opened GreenWorks Realty in Seattle, Washington, a boutique specialist brokerage. As the Owner and Designated Broker, Ben managed 100+ deals a year and 25+ brokers. Ben's experience includes residential and commercial real estate sales with deep knowledge of green homes and land, income property, low impact land development, and small business ownership. Ben has spoken at 30+ conferences on green homes and quoted in CNN, Yahoo News, Consumer Reports, New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal. Board memberships include President of the Northwest Eco-Building Guild, Chair of Seattle/King County Built Green and board member of the Master Builder's Association. Ben is currently on the National Association of Realtor's Green Advisory Board and was recently a planning commissioner serving on the Snohomish County Planning Commission. Ben has an undergrad degree in Urban Planning and a Commercial Real Estate Professional Certificate from the UW in Seattle, a Permaculture Design Certificate from Crystal Waters, Australia and Alderleaf College in Monroe, WA. Ben added environmental certification checkboxes to the Multiple Listing Service and produced widely recognized national study on green home sale values. Ben has a number of first ski mountaineering descents and enjoys animal tracking and learning wilderness skills from his wife Heather. They have a 12 year old son and live on 13 acres an hour outside Seattle. Specialties: Real estate transactions, income producing property, inspiration, sustainable community strategy, marketing, conservation properties, cohousing, agri-villages, eco-villages.