Americans Willing to Spend More on their Homes to Go Green
There seems to be this big green movement going on. Everywhere you look, something is either “green”, “eco friendly” or environmentally friendly. If you haven’t got in on the big green movement or even if you have, this is a great chance to get some free green products.
Results from the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Living Green Consumer Survey show that while cost is a big concern, one in three homeowners (30%) claim they would be willing to spend $5,000 or more on green improvements to increase a home's appeal to potential buyers. This, and other, statistics were derived from more than 2,300 consumers surveyed during home shows in 15 cities across the country.
"As their environmental awareness grows, American homeowners are beginning to take action on green issues and are willing to spend their money accordingly," explained Sherry Chris, president and CEO, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate. "These survey results confirm homeowners are identifying greater value in green and when the time comes to sell their homes, they will look to convert high consumer awareness levels on the green issue into a market differentiator."
Survey results also showed the following:
- 82 percent of respondents believe they are informed when it comes to issues pertaining to the environment.
- When preparing to buy or sell a home, more than half of those surveyed (51%) believe in the importance of working with a green certified real estate agent-professional who can assist in the identification and marketing of homes with high green quotient.
- In the cities of Hartford, Conn., Greenville, S.C., and San Francisco, two out of three respondents indicated that working with a green agent would be important.
Consumers were asked about factors that would keep them from investing in a greener home which included:
- Convenience (22%)
- Lack of knowledge on how to (18%)
- Lack of time (17%)
Those who have "gone green" in the past six months said they invested in:
- Recycling (73%)
- Replacing incandescent lights with CFLs (69%)
- Conserving water (57%)
- Adjusting the thermostat (51%)
- Purchasing energy efficient appliances (30%)
Better Homes and Gardens says that these and other national survey results are being announced as a part of the Better Homes and Gardens and Green Works Living GreenTM Tour finale - the culmination of an eight-month, 15-city tour promoting healthy and environmentally friendly living. Launched in February 2008 by Better Homes and Gardens magazine and Green Works Natural Cleaners, the tour featured a 2,500 square foot Living Green Home, which showcased how small changes can impact the energy efficiency of everyday homes.
Source: RISMedia; Better Home and Gardens Real Estate
Candice Boggs
Arizona Homes Realty, LLC.
