Are sustainable homes easier to sell?

There’s no denying sustainable initiatives have seen an increase in visibility and interest in recent years. With awareness of climate change seeping into everything from the clothes we buy to our habits at home, it’s no longer possible to pretend that we can’t all be doing something, no matter how small.

One of the areas that has seen a big boom is sustainable home improvements. Solar panels, EV chargers, underfloor heating and heat pumps are no longer a rarity, but increasingly common features in homes. For example, heat pumps have been installed in around 43% of New Zealand homes.

But while the current homeowners are clearly appreciating the benefits, does it cause any issues when it comes to selling your property? Or is this something that buyers are looking for? Let’s discuss.

The allure of futureproofing

Even if we do manage to reduce our collective emissions, keeping them down will continue to be a shared effort. Therefore, sustainable homes are simply futureproofing, reducing the need for the homeowner to spend the money on implementing these themselves. Sometimes, these improvements are reflected in the property price, but if they’ve been installed for a while, the buyer may get the benefits without really having to pay any extra for these.

Even if there is a price impact to having sustainable technology, many buyers will still appreciate the savings in energy bills that they represent, and so won’t be put off. Additionally, government policy is increasingly mandating sustainable measures (New Zealand is aiming for net zero by 2050), and already having initiatives in place may stop homeowners from suddenly having to fork out to make their property compliant.

Lower energy bills

The biggest appeal of sustainable homes is the lower energy bills they offer. Eco-friendly technology is designed to use minimal power from the grid, and maximum from the environment, which naturally lends itself to a reduction in cost. Especially if the property already comes with the improvements installed and paid for, the buyer may see this as getting ‘free’ electricity, as they haven’t had to shoulder the cost of the installation. 

Assuming the total generation amount is suitable for the energy requirements of the new homeowners, they also get the benefit of being protected from energy price spikes. Even if they need to top up by buying some units from the grid, the impact of the energy market fluctuations is much less than if they were solely relying on buying in their power.

Challenge: apprehension around these technologies

The main challenge that can arise during marketing and selling a sustainable home is lack of understanding or apprehension around these technologies. There’s a common misconception that heat pumps don’t heat the home as well as a boiler, for example, or that underfloor heating isn’t as warm as a radiator.

The truth is that these technologies simply work in a different way: the property is kept at a comfortable ambient temperature, rather than feeling “hot” as it may do with traditional heating. This can be challenging to explain to buyers, who may feel more comfortable with something they are used to.

There’s also the issue of the visual impact of something like solar panels. While they have many benefits, there’s no denying that they’re large black panels on the outside of the home. Some buyers may not want to have this aesthetic, and this can make them a negative, rather than a selling point.

The future is sustainable

As sustainable technologies become more common in residential properties, a higher number of buyers will be familiar with  them. They can be a real asset to any home, and are something that should be highlighted on your home listing.

Author bio: Lucy Davies

As a property stylist, Lucy sees plenty of houses and has noticed the increase in sustainable initiatives in sale listings. She cares passionately about the environment and hopes that many more homeowners will see the benefits of these technologies.

If you are thinking of Selling click here for a FREE PROPERTY APPRAISAL