Going green is not only important for the environment, but it’s also a valuable quality in today’s real estate market. Many homebuyers today are interested in “green” homes. Approximately 90% of buyers think homes that are energy efficient is an important factor when house shopping, as reported by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
In other words, a green home might be easier to sell. Here are four ways that going green can help you with this task:
Replace Old Appliances With Energy-Saving Ones
Replacing old appliances before you sell is a great way to up your resale value. You can add even more value by replacing old appliances with new energy-saving designs that can drastically increase energy savings. Any energy that is saved in a system will equal dollars saved for the new homeowner.
If you intend to make any changes to your home to save on energy consumption, be sure to document your utility bills. This can be used by the real estate agent as evidence of how much energy you save. According to NAHBR, 72% of consumers would be influenced to buy a greener home and 61% would be willing to spend over $5,000 upfront in costs in order to save on utilities down the road.
Homes that depend on green energy are also popular. The basics of solar is that a homeowner can provide his or her own energy source, earn tax breaks, and even profit from excess generated energy.
Install Sufficient Insulation Around Your Walls, Doors, And Windows
Just like replacing old appliances in your home, ensuring sufficient installation is also an important energy-saving task. Insulating a home can take many forms, from sealing windows and doors to having walls and ceilings sufficiently padded. It is important that the real estate agent is aware of these insulation improvements so that these changes can be presented to the potential buyer.
Insulation is a significant factor in energy savings, whether because your house faces harsh winters or hot summers. Proper insulation can save countless dollars on energy bills down the road and is an investment worth taking to upsell a place.
Purchase A New HVAC System Of Optimized Size
HVAC systems are important for maintaining the ambient temperature of a house. Inefficient HVAC systems are frustrating because they waste energy, but also because they often fail to properly maintain the temperature in a home. It is important that a person looking to sell his or her home considers the efficiency and age of a house’s HVAC system. In many cases, it is actually advantageous to replace the entire system. Taking the initiative to replace the system could result in lowered energy consumption and attract more potential buyers in the end.
Improve The Environmental Factors Of Your Home
Approximately 125 million single-family houses exist in the United States, but most of these homes were built before energy-efficiency was sweeping the nation. This means that an energy-efficient house has a smaller market and therefore its popularity is likely higher among home buyers. However, energy efficiency is not the only upsell in homes. Having an environmentally-sound home is also important for health. People with allergies or asthma will appreciate homes with pollen screens and other measures.
It is reported that many consumers also prefer homes with access to sidewalks, public transportation, and parks. Some of these features you cannot control, but you most certainly can make changes that will have a huge impact on your ability to sell a home.
This guest post is written by Kara Masterson, a freelance writer from West Jordan, Utah. She graduated from the University of Utah and enjoys writing and spending time with her dog, Max.
