Homes with energy efficient and environmentally friendly features are becoming more of a priority to prospective buyers. According to the National Association of REALTORS®' 2012 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, nearly nine out of 10 recent home buyers said heating and cooling costs were somewhat or very important when considering a home for purchase.
"More home buyers favor greener houses because the higher a home's energy efficiency, the more money they can save on their monthly heating and cooling bills," said Carolyn Miller, president of the Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR).
NAR data shows features which directly affect monthly energy costs are important to buyers. Thirty-nine percent of survey respondents reported that a home's heating and cooling costs were very important when considering a home for purchase, followed by energy-efficient appliances and lighting, each at 24 percent. Landscaping for energy conservation and environmentally friendly community features are in the minds of home buyers, as nearly half of buyers found these features very or somewhat important.
The survey also found buyers who purchased more recently built homes placed greater importance on environmentally friendly features than buyers who purchased older homes; nearly 60 percent of buyers who bought homes built in 2011 said heating and cooling costs were very important, compared to less than 30 percent of buyers whose homes were built before 1910.
Miller said SILVAR is among the ranks of groups concerned about creating a more sustainable environment, and the REALTOR® association has encouraged its members to do the same. Already in 2007, SILVAR was one of the first Association of REALTORS® in California that offered the NAR GREEN Designation course to members. The course provides advanced training in green building and sustainable business practices so REALTORS® can seek out, understand, and market properties with green features. Nearly 9,000 REALTORS® have earned the Green Designation.
The SILVAR office in Cupertino is also certified as a Green Business through the Green Business Certification Program administered by the Association of Bay Area Government (ABAG) and Santa Clara County. The professional trade organization representing over 4,000 REALTORS® and affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula and in the South Bay, was the first REALTOR® association in the state to obtain this certification in 2007.
Miller said SILVAR follows most of the best practices required by the county as part of its policy to recycle and conserve energy, resources and money. Some of these practices included recycling, double-sided printing, use of email to communicate with members and the provision of customer services via the Internet and phone. SILVAR offers most of its services to its members through the Internet, including tour sheets and PRDS forms, which help reduce the need for member travel and use of paper.
"SILVAR promotes the highest ethical standards of real estate practice, serves as an advocate for homeownership and homeowners, and represents the interests of property owners in Silicon Valley. SILVAR has strived to be proactive in its conservation and concern for the environment. Our REALTORS® understand many people now seek out this lifestyle and want homes that are more energy efficient and communities that are environmentally friendly," said Miller.
The Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR) is a professional trade organization representing over 4,000 REALTORS® and Affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula and in the South Bay. SILVAR promotes the highest ethical standards of real estate practice, serves as an advocate for homeownership and homeowners, and represents the interests of property owners in Silicon Valley.
The term "REALTOR®" is a registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and who subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.
Variations of this article have appeared in local area newspapers.
For further information, please email or call the SILVAR office at (408) 200-0100.