Will your energy efficient home attract a future selling price premium?

More than 50% of buyers put location as the number one influencing factor in their choice of a new home. Things like low crime rate, good local amenities, road network and schools all influencing their decision of location. And we all know ‘good location’ homes sell at a price premium.

After location it traditionally used to be factors such as friendly neighbours, large gardens and fitted kitchens that weighed heavily in the buyer’s mind for choosing a home. But what is surprising in recent surveys during 2005 is that these factors are now playing second fiddle to low energy use homes. Energy efficient homes continue to climb the most desirable feature list. Nearly 50% of survey respondees now report that it is energy saving features such as good insulation and efficient heating systems that weighs more heavily on their mind once they have settled on location. And interestingly, green features are climbing strongly in the list of buyers’ preferences with almost 20% of house buyers. Saving the world for future generations is it seems a growing factor in a house buyer’s decision making process.

Installing energy saving products like polyurethane spray foam insulation, cavity wall insulation and efficient condensing boilers not only helps reduce green house gases such as carbon dioxide, they also make the home more comfortable and more attractive to future buyers. It will be interesting to see what sort of a price premium that leads to given that home energy efficiency is climbing the list of house buyers’ influences.

Polyurethane spray foam roof insulation is one of the most effective ways to reduce heating bills in both new and older homes and can save up to 70% of the heat being lost from the roof. Polyurethane is the best insulator and though still relatively unknown, Rooftherm (www.rooftherm.co.uk) urge all insulation installers to continue to educate and promote this product to their customers. Not only will the home owner see direct and immediate benefits, a more comfortable home, lower heating costs, but they will see the benefit when they come to sell their home when well insulated homes sell at a price premium as energy efficient homes rise up the buyer’s list of preferences.