Green Features Boost Home Values, Study Says

Green-certified homes sell for roughly 9 percent over the sales prices of non-certified homes, according to a recent University of California study. Of homes sold in California from 2007 to 2012, 4,231 were LEED-certified homes and 1.6 million were conventional homes. The study showed that an investment of $10,000 for green certification returned an average of $34,800 when selling the home. Green homes in the hottest climates of California and in areas where hybrid-car ownership was highest returned the highest premiums. Two industry surveys also showed that most home buyers rate energy efficiency as important and are willing to pay at least $5,000 extra for it. Local agents also say their clients want features that reduce utility costs, and that those features add 2 percent to 5 percent to the home’s selling price, but they estimate that homeowners may only recoup 50 percent to 90 percent of their investment in energy efficient upgrades. | Read More