It wasn’t long into my 20+ year real estate career that I noticed a peculiar thing. The people doing what I do – helping people buy and sell homes – were afraid of anything that mentioned energy efficiency. Wait, strike that. My contemporaries were, and still are, shying away from anything that mentions “green” or “sustainability”.

Saving money, great! More efficient, awesome! A home advertised with certifications touting sustainability and green features, Yuk!

Why is this? It’s not the consumer. The buyers I work with are drawn to efficient homes when it is pointed out. Utility bills. List of energy efficient appliances. Insulation rating. Heating and cooling efficiency.

When I see a home with an obvious energy efficient/sustainable component listed for sale, that feature is most likely not mentioned at all. If it is tip-toed around, a negative comment is common. Offers to remove solar panels. Not mentioning their heat pump is geothermal. Not supplying  the recent energy audit the seller had done. No utility estimates.

One of my favorites was a home with native grasses and plants in a large area, negating the need for mowing. The marketing “expert” mentioned a credit to have sod installed. This was a “friend” that an estate hired and not a Realtor. Still, it was in line with what I see on a weekly basis.

I will often call a Seller’s Realtor to let them know it looks like they missed the drop-down box in the local multi-list that specifies “Owner-owned Solar Panels” or “Energy Star Appliances”. Sometimes they update their marketing info. Sometimes they don’t.

These are really smart, hard-working marketing experts. I like them. They want to take care of their clients. It’s just a hurdle they can’t get over.

If you are interested in how sustainable and energy efficient features can help your home’s market value, salability, and comfort level – give me a call.