Going green is a hot topic of conversation right now, and for good reason of course. If you keep up with our blogs you might have read a few things about going green already. You might have read our blog a few months ago about going green in the office, or our blog a few weeks ago about different ways to be eco-friendly. So we have covered personal actions as well as office actions, but what about in a home? Do you think green features sell a home? This is obviously a personal decision, but I 100% do think that green features and energy efficient features help sell homes in today’s market.
According to an article written in HSH, 68% of buyers want an environmentally friendly home, and the results of a research study show that 59% of realtors reported homeowners are very interested or somewhat interested in sustainability in their home. The numbers speak for themselves. I think there are expensive green features out there, but there are also a lot of cost effective ways to make your home more green and more attractive to potential buyers. Read on if you are interested in learning more 😊
First on the list we have a programmable thermostat. I know what you are thinking, this is old news and there are already a ton of blogs and articles out there that talk about programmable thermostats. Or, you have tried using one already and it hasn’t worked for you.
While I do agree that there are a lot of articles out there already on this topic, I do think they miss a really important piece. These blogs all talk about how a programmable thermostat saves you money, which they can, but they can’t do it on their own. They need help from you too. Monitoring and paying attention is key when it comes to a programmable thermostat and trying to save money.
Like we just talked about, when it comes to a programmable thermostat, it’s important to monitor and pay attention in order to see money saving results. Typically, you will want to turn your thermostat off, or at least make it a higher temperature while you are away at work and asleep. We typically use the most energy while we are awake and at home.
According to an article written in Norbord, when used correctly, programmable thermostats can save a homeowner 10-30% on their heating and cooling bills, but these numbers are difficult to achieve. The article goes on to talk about how during the winter a good base temperature to save money is 68 °F during the day and then ten degrees lower while you are asleep or away. During the summer, 78 °F during the day and 10 degrees warmer while you are away or asleep are good base numbers. Having this feature in a home you are trying to sell is a really affordable and easy way to attract potential buyers. It doesn’t require a lot of work on your end, and they can potentially reduce your electricity bill. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved.
Next on the list we have fixing leaky faucets and toilets. This one might seem obvious, but you would be shocked at how many people sell their homes with a leaking faucet or toilet. According to an article on Redfin, EPA.gov stated that 10% of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more per day, and the average household’s leaks can account for more than 10,000 gallons of water wasted every year. That’s crazy to think about. A simple fix on your end can help save that many gallons of water per day.
Fixing a leaky sink or toilet isn’t that pricey if you take care of it early on. However, if you wait to get the problem fixed you may need to end up replacing your pipes which gets a little more pricey. Imagine if you were touring a potential new home and you saw a leaky faucet or heard a toilet running? I don’t know about you, but for me that would be an instant turn off. No one wants to buy a home and then have to spend money fixing a bunch of little problems in the house. Spending a little money on fixing this problem can help make you a lot of money in the long run.
Up next is window film. When in doubt, you can always assume we will bring up window film 😂 Again, it’s for good reason. Window film is one of those things that people probably don’t know a lot about. It isn’t as highly talked about as solar panels or programmable thermostats, but it offers so many benefits. I’m sure at this point you’ve read at least one other blog or case study, so you probably know at least a little bit about window film and what you're different options are.
When it comes to solar film, you have many different heat reducing and glare reducing options. Some have more color, some have hardly any color. You have the option to choose exactly what you think fits the home best. If you are worried about drastically changing the look of the home, don't be. There are solar films out there that aren’t going to change the look or the aesthetics of the home at all.
With that being said, as a standard, you can expect a solar film to reduce 63% of heat, 62% of glare and 99% of UVA and UVB rays. This will make a significant difference in the temperature of the home. Reducing heat in a home with solar film potentially means a lower electricity bill since you are using the air conditioning less.
As a matter of fact, some utility companies offer rebates if you have solar film installed to your home. Throwing that information out there when you’re trying to sell your home or you’re talking to potential buyers can be determining factor on if they go with you or not. The new homeowner doesn’t have to spend any money on their end and they get to automatically enjoy a more comfortable home with a lower electricity bill. Again, another win-win situation for an affordable price with little work on your end.
This next one was really surprising to me and I learned a lot when researching it for this blog. Energy star appliances. According to an article on Energysage, home appliances like washers, dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers etc. account for 20% of your home’s total electric bill. I figured that one. Whenever I am looking at my ridiculously high electricity bill and trying to break it down, I do see that those home appliances is where the money is going.
However, what I didn’t know and learned from the article, is that replacing these home appliances with ENERGY STAR certified appliances, you will use anywhere from 10-15% less energy each year. That’s crazy! I know spending the money on purchasing these appliances might not seem worth it in the long run, but look at it as an investment. If you purchase them well before you sell the house, you get to use them and enjoy your reduced electricity bill.
I currently live in an apartment, and I am greatly looking forward to the day I can move into a house for many reasons. I know that if I were looking at houses to buy and one of them came with ENERGY STAR appliances, that would be a huge draw for me.
Being in an older apartment, some of my appliances like the dishwasher and the fridge are new, which is great, but my washer and dryer are really old. I have to dry a load of clothes THREE times...yeah let that sink in. Not one, not two, but three times to fully dry a load of clothes. This makes my electricity bill go through the roof and there’s nothing I can do about it. So for me personally, seeing a home that comes with ENERGY STAR appliances is a huge draw.
Finally, we have smart irrigation systems! Again, I live in an apartment, which means I unfortunately don’t have a lawn or a yard, so this concept was brand new to me and I thought it was SO cool! According to an article in HydroPoint, in the United States, outdoor water use alone averages more than 9 billion gallons of water each day, mainly for landscape irrigation...and 50% of this water is wasted due to overwatering. That statistic is mind-blowing.
When it comes to smart irrigation systems, there are two main types: weather-based smart irrigation controllers and soil-moisture sensors. Knowing which one to use depends on where you are located and what your landscape is like.
Either way, according to HydroPoint, these smart irrigation systems not only have a programmed schedule and timer, they also monitor weather, soil conditions, evaporation and plant water to adjust the amount of water used 😱 I seriously think this is the coolest thing.
According to the same article, research has shown these controllers can help save you anywhere from 30-50% on water savings. Again, as a future home buyer, this is a really great added benefit that would set your listing apart from another one.
The heading says it all! Five easy and fairly affordable ways to make your home more green and attractive to potential home buyers. If you are interested in learning more about solar film and the potential benefits it can provide you, call us today to learn more!
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