Stand Out In The Crowd… By Adding Green
April 18th, 2008 categories: Our Market, The Greener Side
We all know there’s a lot of competition out there. So, what can you do to differentiate your home? How about adding a little Green? Certainly, you can spend a lot of Green going Green but you don’t have to. The little things all add up and that can add up to value when home shoppers consider your home over the competition.
According to broker Laura Zambratto with Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty on Long Island, “Home buyers are looking for added value in every purchase they are making. They either want an awesome price or extras – such as those extras found in a more energy-efficient house.”
Here are some ways to make your home stand out by going Green:
- Energy prices have gone through the roof all over the country and San Diego County is no exception. Lower utility bills can help off-set the monthly mortgage payment if you are being Energy Smart. Start by changing out your incandescent light bulbs and replacing them with CFLs (Compact Flourescents). CFLs use one quarter of the electricity of regular light bulbs and account for twenty percent of a homes energy use.
- You might consider updating your inefficient or questionable appliances and replacing with new Energy Star certified models. The EPAs blue and white label indicates models must be 10% to 50% more energy efficient than standard offerings. It’s also a good idea to install a programmable thermostat if your home doesn’t have one.
- Insulation is key to saving energy. This is a simple process of checking for tight seals around doors and windows and making sure cracks are caulked. This can save hundreds of dollars in utility costs per year just by itself. If your home is older, perhaps it makes sense to ‘beef up’ your behind the walls insulation a bit.
- Health sells. People care very much about the environment that they live and raise their families in. You can make a huge difference in the indoor air quality of your home with a little touch up paint. Choose paints with low or no VOC’s or Volatile Organic Compounds and not only spruce up the appearance of your home but cut down on toxins that can seep into the breathable air in your home. These paints and other wall coatings are widely available. Check out the Green Building Pages for products, manufacturers and retailers of all sorts of Green Products.
- That beautiful new carpet you installed ten years ago has definitely seen it’s better days. Not only can a fresh step of flooring improve the look of your home, choosing the right carpet or hard surface flooring can add healthy points too! There are terrific eco-friendly carpets available today that include recycled content and don’t have toxins such as formaldehyde hidden inside.
- Any opportunity to remove polyvinyl chloride or PVC will also improve indoor air quality. This may be found in some flooring, shower curtains, plastic board material and more.
The best way to prepare to sell green is by contacting an expert in the green field. The first place they will probably start is an energy audit. They can help you find healthy products to use in your Greening Up and contractors who specialize in Green Building Technology.
Remember, going Green may help you qualify for state or local tax credits too.
Consider these steps if you are thinking of selling your home. They just might get you the Green you’re looking for.
