WASHINGTON, DC — Sustainability and green features continue to play a growing role in the purchasing decisions of existing-home buyers – an important cue for remodeling professionals, including kitchen and bath space planners – a recent study has found.
According to a survey by the National Association of Realtors, the number of realtors involved with buying or selling a property with green features has “significantly increased” in the past year. Half of the agents and brokers surveyed said they helped a client buy or sell a property with green features during the past 12 months, a notable jump compared to 32% in 2021. Nearly two out of three respondents (63%) said that energy efficiency promotion in listings was “very” or “somewhat” valuable. In a similar vein, more than half of the agents and brokers polled (51%) found that their clients were somewhat or very interested in sustainability, the Washington, DC-based NAR said.
“Sustainability continues to play a growing role in consumers’ purchasing decisions, and this is becoming even more prevalent in the real estate market,” said NAR President Leslie Rouda Smith. “With the residential property market, in particular, home buyers have expressed increased interest in eco-friendly factors like solar panels and energy efficiency.”
Roughly one in three surveyed realtors said that homes with solar panels increased the perceived property value, compared to 30% who said they had no effect, Smith noted.
“More sustainable homes bring benefits to homeowners like cost savings from energy efficiency, health benefits from improved indoor air quality, and increased comfort and durability from material use and construction … and may also increase resale value,” added Jessica Lautz, NAR v.p./demographics and behavioral insights.