home sustainability features gaining in popularity

Increasing numbers of consumers nationally are asking for sustainability features in new and existing homes.

According to a survey just released by the National Association of Realtors, 61 percent of real estate agents say potential home-buyers today are expressing a specific interest in homes with solar panels, energy upgrades, and lighting efficiency.

The survey, entitled Realtors and Sustainability 2018 Report, additionally reveals that 71 percent of realtors said energy promotion in their listings was “very or somewhat valuable.”

In numbers indicating that the nation’s home-building industry is responding to such desires, 80 percent of the realtors said that solar panel features were currently available in their selling districts, with 39 percent saying that those panels added to the value of a house.

The survey indicated that more than 90 percent of homes listed in Northeast and West feature solar panels, followed by the Midwest; and South, with 71 percent and 75 percent respectively.

In a statement, Elizabeth Mendenhall, president of the National Association of Realtors, said it was clear that consumers want “environmentally friendly features and neighborhoods,” which she characterized as an “important factor in deciding where and what homes to buy.”

Mendenhall added that the nation’s realtors are determined to be a part of a conversation centered on “environmentally conscious strategies and best practices that benefit not just our clients, but also our communities.”

By Garry Boulard