Eco friendly real estate

Eco friendly real estate might be the last thing on your mind during this difficult economic cycle. Yet, traditional real estate is going out of fashion just like traditional cars. Looking for property might be the wisest option now, while home prices are on the decline.

After all we all know what goes down will eventually go up. There’s such a wide range of homes on the market that eco features can easily fit into everyone’s budget, even when buying a traditional home.

And as your eco Realtor, specializing with buyers, I am always on the looking out for homes that can be converted to eco friendly homes for my clients. Energy conservation is at the top of everyone’s mind, as we wonder just how long gas or energy prices will remain low.

Traditional homes unlike traditional gas burning cars can be easily converted to that ideal energy efficient and eco friendly home. Some things to consider when purchasing a traditional home for conversion follow.

Replacing old appliances with energy efficient appliances will result in lower energy bills. The typical energy usage in Ontario homes averages $ 2,000, which is dependent on a number of factors including number of people in a home.

However, appliances account for about 12%-13% of the energy usage. And remember even with energy efficient appliances, if it is plugged in it is using phantom energy.

Phantom energy is the power drawn by an appliance or device even when not in use. You can practice conservation by plugging them out when not in use or using power bars that can be switched on and off.

Eco friendly real estate or energy efficient homes are beginning to sell for more as per the appraisal journal 2003. It is a trend that will only pick up steam in the future. To learn more about energy efficient appliances click here.

Traditional homes come with out of date heating and cooling systems. Water heating accounts for 20%-21%, while home heating accounts for 57- 63% of energy usage for the average Ontario home, with home cooling being much lower around 0-7%.

Even though the option of solar panels and wind turbines are becoming more available, you can begin by simply replacing these systems with energy efficient models. To learn more about energy efficient water heating click here

Insulation is calculated in R values or its thermal resistance value, which refers to the resistance to heat flow. Old windows, doors, walls, and attic might all have reduced R values, because of modern advancements in materials.

Replacing these items can dramatically increase energy efficiency by as much as 25%. To learn more about the best energy efficient windows click here.

In today’s market eco friendly real estate doesn’t have to cost you your life savings. Smart future focused purchases will go a long way in conserving the earth’s natural resources.

For more information about this page, or to schedule an appointment regarding your eco friendly real estate needs contact me.