Have you caught the latest headlines about housing trends? Across the board, energy efficiency is emerging as a must-have to sell a home today.
What’s interesting, is that home buyers just want the bottom line – in a post-foreclosure world: Is this home affordable? Will it save me more money than my other options?
This turns the home performance industry on its head. When working with home owners it’s comfort, savings and often the environment that sells jobs, not monthly savings.
But here’s a sample of what’s happening:
- Realtor Magazine: 5 Ways to Sell a Home Faster, For More Money - “Talk about energy efficiency: Many buyers don’t fully understand “green” homes but they understand savings. Sellers should point out any features in their homes — such as energy-efficient windows or appliances — that could save buyers money with utility costs.”
- Trulia: 5 Shockingly Selfish Reasons for Going Green at Home - Top 3: ”Save Money Now. Sell Faster. Boost Your Net Worth.”
- USA Today: Builders – Energy Efficiency Greens Most New Homes - “Two-thirds of builders and remodelers say customers request green homes to lower their utility bills — more than twice as often as any other factor”
- Marketing Green: Don’t Let Them Know They’re Going Green- “It could be that marketing green might not be the way to go when companies want to, well, market green! While it may seem unconventional, if companies really want to put a greener product out there, a proper marketing plan should consist of telling the consumer what is in it for them – right now.”
This is a huge opportunity for home performance, a wake-up call to think differently! Read more about why in Part 2 – A Tipping Point for Energy Efficiency?
