The Benefits of a High Performance Home

As the market is picking back up, we're seeing more and more new home construction and a flood of new buyers. In fact, recent studies from McGraw-Hill Construction show that one in five homes built in 2012 were considered 'green'.

The benefits of more sustainable homes come in many forms. Living in a high performance home provides a healthier indoor environment for families. Home owners can also expect cost savings due to durability and increased efficiency, and overall a more comfortable place to live. People say you can actually feel the difference when inside a home that's been built with sustainability in mind. 

It certainly doesn't hurt that studies also show home owners looking to sell a high performance home can expect to see a boost in the sales price. Single family homes with a green certification actually sell for about 9% higher than their non-green alternatives. So if you're looking to buy or sell your home soon, take a look at these numbers and studies to gain a clearer perspective on how sustainable features could benefit you and your family. If your home is newer, you may have a good number of efficient features already present!

Upgrading to a green home may be an option for you, but remember most of the housing stock here in the Northeast was built before 1940 when building codes didn't factor energy efficiency and sustainability. It is possible, through thoughtful retrofits, to make a brown home more energy efficient. This may be an excellent way to increase the value of your brown home. In a recent draft of new national guidelines for bank appraisers to establish proper valuation of green buildings the Appraisal Practices Board states that appraisers should be aware of "a brown discount for existing buildings that don't green up."

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