With the challenges of selling a home in a declining market, a seller needs every advantage. Also, for those of you who are thinking you might sell in the next few years, here is some news you will want to take note of: Buyers are more attracted to “green homes”. Here are several survey results to prove the trend is real and here to stay.
1. In a recent survey by U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and McGraw-Hill Construction, the results show that interest in green-friendly renovations and building strategies are on the rise. Some of the findings:
Builders are finding it much easier to sell green homes than traditional homes in a down economy.
70% of buyers surveyed are more inclined to buy a green home.
Making homes greener is now the number one reason for home improvement (42 percent) over remodeling for comfort reasons (34 percent) or to improve appearance (24 percent).
2. A Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate survey found that consumers are well-informed about green homes (82%) and that 48% of homeowners would spend $2500 on green renovations, while about 1/3 would spend as much as $5000.
3. The American Institute of Architects Home Design Survey shows that business for residential architects has declined sharply, with the exception being home improvement architects. The emphasis is on home insulation technologies, while interest in alternative energy generation techniques and energy management systems is growing.
What are Green Homes? Green homes are defined by McGraw-Hill as those containing energy-efficient, indoor air quality, water-efficient, resource-efficient and site management features. To read more go to the Survey of Green Home Builders. If your home is on the market or you plan to put it on the market soon, check out some of the Green Homes websites, before you undergo any major renovations. You’ll find that often making some minor changes will make a big difference. If you are not thinking of selling anytime soon, then you have lots of time to do your research. Any time you need a new appliance, or need to make a repair, check out the green alternatives and give them serious consideration. When it is time to sell, no matter how many years from now, you won’t find yourself light years behind the latest money-saving technologies. Great places to start your search: The New American Dream, Green Home Swicki, (a swicki is a custom social search, on a topic of your choice), and the National Association of Home Builders.
My girlfriend and I have been working with a company called Taylor Morrison to build our dream home and they have been wonderful. We get to design everything just the way we want it and everything comes with a warrantee. We were even entered in to a contest to win our dream vacation (http://dreambig.taylormorrison.com/?utm_source=bc) – but it might turn into a dream honeymoon the way things are going!
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