From Guest Blogger Emma Sturgis: Eco-Friendly Escrow–Your Guide to Buying a Green Home

Energy-efficient homes are more popular than ever, but buyers should expect to pay more if they aren’t careful. In some markets, green homes are sold for as much as nine percent more than the average home. For those that are just now looking at the green housing market, here is a guide to help you make the most out of your investment.

Decide What Green Means to You

Buying a green home is going to mean a different thing to every single person. Some people want an eco-friendly home to cut down on their carbon footprint while others want to save on their energy bills every month. Understanding exactly what type of home you are looking for will help you and your real estate agent throughout this process.

Use a Real Estate Agent With Experience Buying Eco-Friendly Homes

There are few things that will simplify this process as much as utilizing the expertise of a real estate agent that has experience buying and selling energy-efficient homes. These homes are often difficult to appraise, and buyers will need a specialist that can work with them to find the right home at the right price.

Ask for Energy Audits or Documentation

Certifications do exist for some homes that are eco-friendly, but there is no uniform code when it comes to testing the efficiency of a home. This means that the buyer and their real estate agent will need to do some research and explore just how efficient a home really is. Information from a free homebuying guide recommends asking the sellers if they have invested in energy-saving measures for their home. This can help you determine how environmentally-aware the previous owners of your potential future home have been. Many specialists now have an energy audit carried out to explore inefficiencies in the home that should be addressed.

Don’t Just Look Inside the Home

The efficiency of the home itself is only the beginning. Buyers can actually tell quite a bit about a home by taking a quick look at the lawn, foliage, and even the orientation of the property. Having a yard filled with exotic plants and windows aimed directly at the sun is a clear sign that the home was not built to be efficient. These types of inconsistencies should be red flags for buyers and their agents.

Buying a green home can make this process much more complicated, but the results are often worth it. Those that do their homework and have patience are sure to find an eco-friendly home that meets their requirements while staying within their budget.