As an awareness of how our personal choices impact the environment for the positive or negative spreads, the National Association of Realtors® recently conducted a study that examined green home features that buyers consider important when looking at a home for sale.  What exactly is a green home? The term green home references the features of home that have been put into place to promote the efficient use of water, energy, and building materials.  As building standards increase, buyers who are looking to save some money in energy costs may find it beneficial to investigate a home’s other green features.

Importance of Home Features for Buyers

Many of the green home features that Realtors® indicated that buyers find important in this NAR study are also important to buyers because of the expenses related to repairing or replacing them.

Windows/Doors/Siding  

The condition and age of windows and doors in a home was the most important green home feature for buyers.  Windows that are installed into a home today are far more energy efficient than ones from twenty years ago.  Likewise, doors and siding are also places where heat or air conditioning can quickly escape a home.

Proximity to Frequently Visited Places

Part of your environmental impact is how far you have to travel to get to everyday places like a grocery store, school, or a major roadway.  Finding a home that is conveniently located near your frequently visited places is something that a lot of buyers consider when purchasing a home. This is important to buyers since the distance from their homes to frequently visited places impacts the time that they spend in a car.

Home’s Utility Bills and Operational Costs

Energy efficient appliances can impact the monthly energy bills of a home.  Buyers are interested in how much it is going to take to keep the house running.  New appliances will use less water and electricity than older models.

Homes Use of Lighting

LED bulbs and energy star light fixtures are important to buyers.  LED bulbs are more cost effective. As home owners renovate their houses, they often upgrade the light fixture to better energy star ones.

Other features on the list that Realtors® felt buyers had a neutral or not important response to  included:

  • smart/connect home
  • Green community features (parks, bike lanes)
  • Landscaping for water conversation
  • Renewable energy systems (such as solar power)

Since this survey was conducted across the United States, I’m sure that some of the features would be more in demand in some places rather than others.  For example, if you live in California or the southwest where droughts have impacted the usage of water, then having a landscaped yard that doesn’t require watering would be important to you.  However, if you lived in Seattle, Washington, then you may not be as concerned about this green home feature.