Doubtlessly, you’ve heard all about green and sustainable homes and the fact that going green actually pays off. While this is true to a certain extent, the fact of the matter is: you’re going to have to work for it. A sustainably built home can have a ton of health and budget benefits, but marketing and selling it is a whole different story.

They Sell for More

So, all the benefits aside; what about the resale value? If you’ve invested into those solar panels and that tankless water heater, will you get the money back? Simply put: a home with sustainable features and/or systems is a premium house! To elaborate on this, things are pretty simple: a built-in energy-efficient system is better in every way than your traditional one, only more expensive. Therefore, the people who are looking to buy your home will likely welcome it. Furthermore, products that offer little or zero VOCs (volatile organic compounds) are always welcome.
Essentially, no one is really going to say “Hell no, I hate paying less money on monthly bills and I love me the fresh smell of VOCs in the morning!”. A green home will always sell for more.

Marketing a green home

Unfortunately, the marketing of these premium, sustainable homes has been limited to no more than a couple of websites (with outdated listings that cost the seller a lot, mind you). These homes are usually nationally certified (LEED or Energy Star), which is an excellent stepping stone – a seller can really show off the certification, along with all the sustainable features to potential buyers.
Of, course, marketing a heavily-certified green home is easy, but what about those that don’t have this kind of certification? Well, it’s safe to say that the best course of action here is investing in getting certified, as this mere piece of paper can mean a whole lot on the market.

Approaching the remodel

Remodeling a home that is up for sale can be a rather tricky task – you don’t want to invest too much and end up below the initial value. Well, your best ally here is knowing that your house needs character, rather than incredibly expensive upgrades.
You actually need to inspire the green by opting for as much plant life as you can – rest assured, people will be all the more impressed if your home breathes ‘green’.
Installing a solar panel might sound excessive, but the fact of the matter is: the future home owners will love spending less energy during daytime, while paying tribute to the Mother Nature! In fact, the sonnenFlat technology allows homeowners with an appropriately sized solar system and battery to get $0 electricity bills! Neat, huh?

You need to sell it

Your home’s green features have to be mentioned – the will never reach its buyer match without a proper listing description outlining its best assets. Rest assured that you won’t be boring your buyers by telling them all about how eco-friendly your home is and how much they’ll be saving – true eco-conscious buyers will want to know this stuff.
Additionally, obtain a home energy audit, as this will highlight the home’s strongest features. Use every asset possible, from virtual tours, to actual physical ones and other marketing materials that will catch the eye of a buyer.

Marketing and selling a green home may be outlined with a ton of benefits, but if you don’t use them to your advantage, you’ll be selling a typical piece of real estate. The sooner you realize that the green homes sell for more, the better. Remodel it, market it, sell it and then, sell it!