Buyer demand for environmentally friendly/efficient homes is on the up, according to 61 percent of REALTORS® in the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) REALTORS® and Sustainability 2018 Report. Lucky for them, the market has options for them, with eighty percent of REALTORS® reporting that their market has solar panels, and 23 percent reporting that their market has tiny homes.
About 71 percent of REALTORS® believe that energy-efficient features on a home are a highlight of the listing when marketing. Based on buyer feedback, clients are also looking for homes close to highways and short commutes/walkability.
“Consumers continue to make it clear that environmentally-friendly features and neighborhoods are an important factor in deciding where and what home to buy,” says NAR President Elizabeth Mendenhall. “REALTORS® are leaders in the conversation about real estate sustainability, energy conservation and resource efficiency, and will continue to promote environmentally-conscious strategies and best practices that benefit not just our clients, but also our communities.”
NAR’s Sustainability Report found that although energy-efficient homes increase in popularity and prices, green homes aren’t receiving as considerable a premium.
“Although Southern and Western states still lead the way in green technology adoption, eco-friendly features have grown in popularity across many regions of the United States,” said Javier Vivas, director of Economic Research at realtor.com, in the report. “Many buyers have come to expect standard features, and homes integrating specialty green features are becoming more mainstream.”