Authored By Chloé Morrison

A Chattanooga-area real estate agent recently received an elite industry designation and he's using it to accelerate his company into a more prominent position in the land development business, while also focusing on conserving green space. "I love raw land," Todd Henon, head of the real estate team at Todd Henon Properties, said. "We sell a lot of residential real estate but there's something special about land and watching people fulfill their dream. Land is always attached to an idea, a concept or dream." Henon, who is a broker and Realtor, is the only Chattanooga real estate professional to become an Accredited Land Consultant. He's one of 15 in the state and 517 worldwide. The designation comes from the Realtors Land Institute and requires a commitment, including 104 hours of coursework, a proven level of "transaction experience in land real estate," and a pledge to uphold the organization's ethics, Realtors Land Institute Marketing Manager Jessa Friedrich said via email. Land transactions require specialized prowess that not all agency can provide, she also said.

"Accredited Land Consultants are the most prestigious, the most experienced, and the highest performing land sales experts in their area," she said. "Achieving the ALC designation is not an easy feat."

The designation allows Henon to tap cutting-edge industry data and a strong network of fellow land professionals worldwide. "I wanted to seek something out that would help set us apart," Henon said. Sales of raw land, which essentially means unimproved land, in the greater Chattanooga have risen 61 percent since 2013, with a focus on commercial and residential development, he also said. The growth has been the result of an economy and industry that bounced back from The Great Recession, which stalled lending for development, Henon said. Now that sales are back on track, it's important to have leaders who will act as wise stewards of the land and balance growth and development with conservation, he said. "I think it's a good thing if we all understand and acknowledge that growth is going to take place," he said. "So [it's important] to focus on the highest and best use...and what adds to smart growth...and heightens the quality of life for the community." Part of what that balance involves can be seen in both local and national trends to include green space in development. In addition to preserving some land, the effort to include green space boosts the quality of life for area residents. It might be easier and more lucrative to forgo the green space, but it's not as smart in the long run, he said. For his part, when Henon takes on projects, he works to determine the best use of the property before it goes to market in an effort to have an impact on the end-use of the land, as opposed to just putting up a sign and selling it. His recent accreditation has helped prepare him more to strike the balance. "If we want to be good stewards, if we want to be thoughtful in land use—that's a bigger conversation. It takes more time, more thought, more energy and it takes more financial resources. It doesn't come without a cost, but it's worth doing."