Sustainable Features Are Serious Selling Points for New Homes

New homeowners across several generations are showing increasing preference for sustainable features in new homes.

The Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends report, published by the National Association of Realtors, details the breakdown of types, sizes and characteristics of homes purchased by five different generational demographics. The categories include:

• The Silent Generation (born 1925-1945)
• Older Baby-Boom Generation (born 1946-1954)
• Younger Baby-Boom Generation (born 1955-1964)
• Generation X (born 1965-1970)
• Generation Y (born 1980-1995)

The report, based on a 122-question survey, indicates that younger homebuyers comprising Generation X and Generation Y buy the most new homes, at 30 percent and 31 percent of total home purchases respectively. Older and younger boomers together make up 30 percent of home purchases, with market shares of 14 and 16 percent, according the Builder website.

The study reveals that sustainable features are among the most desirable of new-home characteristics, according to the Ecobuilding Pulse website.

The respondents in the study were asked to rank specific sustainability features in new homes that they would consider “very important” criteria in choosing a particular home. The results suggest that energy-saving and cost-cutting features are ranked among the highest priorities in new-home purchases.

The top answer found 36 percent of respondents saying that heating and cooling costs were the among the most important features of new housing.

Commuting costs ranked second, at 32 percent.

Energy efficiency occupied the next two categories. Twenty-one percent of the respondents saw energy-efficient appliances as very important to a new home purchase, while 22 percent named energy-efficient lighting as very important.

Nine percent said that the presence of solar panels was a very important consideration. At the same time, 10 percent found energy-conserving landscaping an important feature.

Professionals in the building industry who are looking for the latest information on housing starts and construction trends can rely on Construction Monitor for up-to-date building permit data. Contact us today for more information on trends in sustainable features in new homes and what being able to offer these features can mean to your business.

Image via Shutterstock.com