Over the past year, buyers have been searching for properties with more indoor and outdoor living space, private home offices, and plenty of storage.
In addition to more space, a recent report by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) shows that buyers are also looking for energy efficiency when looking at new homes.
Top Energy Efficient Features for Buyers
The report surveyed 3,000 homebuyers and was presented during NAHB’s 2021 International Builders’ Show. As buyers search for homes, they are keeping an eye out for eco-friendly design and green features.
The top three energy-efficient features buyers look for are:
- Energy Star rated windows and appliances.
- Efficient lighting that uses less energy than traditional light bulbs.
- Energy Star rating for the whole house.
Willing to Pay
Since energy-efficient features often result in lower utility costs, buyers consider this when buying a new home. If green features will save homeowners money toward utility bills every month, buyers surveyed said they are willing to spend more money upfront.
On average, buyers said they would pay over $9,000 more upfront for a home if it would lower annual utility costs by $1,000. Buyers are also willing to spend more than $2,000 upfront for a home certified above-code for health and wellness, which includes features such as zone heating and indoor air quality.
Homeowner Education
It’s not enough to just start installing green features into new homes. Homeowners must also know and understand how the features work. Part of regular home maintenance is ensuring that the green features are serviced and properly working. In addition, homeowners need to know how to use green features to their full potential to gain all the benefits.
Brandon Bryan, the founder of Red Tree Builders, stated,
“We’ve got to teach people how to live in green homes, how these homes operate, and even before we build to let them know what we could do because a lot of times we could do so much more for their life.”
What green features are important to have in your home?