The housing market is packed full with a lot of homes right now. It's still a buyers market. The big, small, ready to move in and fixer uppers, and all within your price range as a home buyer. So how do you decide which one to choose as your next home, as a buyer? And if you are a seller, how should you make your home more attractive to potential buyers that your house is selected as the next home of the buyer, among a multitude of other options?
Of course, there are the traditional methods of leaving all the lights on, and cleaning up the site, remove clutter, reduce the furniture count, etc. But from an energy perspective, how do you really make your home more attractive? One of the bonus guides in the professional version of the Home Energy Audit Kit is the Energy Homebuyer checklist, which outlines several important areas of a house to look at in terms of energy consumption and energy loss. As a seller, your job is to ensure that all elements of this list are available for any potential buyer to see. In other words, you should use the list too!
One of the easy things you can do is to highlight the effectiveness or energy efficiency of your appliances, or equipment left at home after you move. The big ones most look for are the furnace, hot water heater and air conditioning units (central air), in addition to fridges and stoves/ovens. Everyone of these has a number of energy labels on them (at least in North America) that shows how much energy the unit uses, and compares it with the most efficient and least efficient model tested in a government laboratory.
Do not worry if the unit isn't a high efficiency (HE) unit, or if not at the top of the measurement scale. While it is important to note, what most people do not understand about these stickers is that it all depends on the buyer's usage. The new owners of this house will not use the device in the same way the seller does. So their costs are different.
Also, make it a point to respond to any energy information when asked. The most common question is "What is the average electricity bill in January? Or July?". Or perhaps they will ask for the heating bill, or natural gas bill. Here's a nifty trick. When people ask for an average or an example of the bill, tell them the budget payment, if known...and be sure to mention the payment type as being budget. A budget payment is the weighted average cost of energy in a period of usually 6-10 months. Most people understand this. It has the added advantage of the smoothing out the peaks and valleys of your usage and costs, so to speak, so you do not have to reveal your electric payment one month was $300 - because when averaged out, you only really paid $126 per month. And what sounds better than a buyer with a limited budget? An electricity bill of $ 300 or a constant, budget-friendly cost of $ 126?
Do not volunteer this information unless asked directly, or if there are appliances that can be a concern for potential buyers. For example, most people are very wary of old furnaces and air conditioners, but what almost no one notices is the insulation is more important than a new HE (high efficiency) oven, furnace, or unit in most cases. However, buyers can not be sold on this house, because the oven, furnace or other appliance is old. You may be able to ease their minds by telling them that budget heat or natural gas payment is average, and give them the budget amount.
There are, of course, many many many more areas of opportunity to help sell your home for more and actually make a profit for yourself. I recommend you check the Energy homebuyer checklist as part of the Professional Home Energy Audit Kit for more tips and of course, follow them!
One of the easy things you can do is to highlight the effectiveness or energy efficiency of your appliances, or equipment left at home after you move. The big ones most look for are the furnace, hot water heater and air conditioning units (central air), in addition to fridges and stoves/ovens. Everyone of these has a number of energy labels on them (at least in North America) that shows how much energy the unit uses, and compares it with the most efficient and least efficient model tested in a government laboratory.
Do not worry if the unit isn't a high efficiency (HE) unit, or if not at the top of the measurement scale. While it is important to note, what most people do not understand about these stickers is that it all depends on the buyer's usage. The new owners of this house will not use the device in the same way the seller does. So their costs are different.
Also, make it a point to respond to any energy information when asked. The most common question is "What is the average electricity bill in January? Or July?". Or perhaps they will ask for the heating bill, or natural gas bill. Here's a nifty trick. When people ask for an average or an example of the bill, tell them the budget payment, if known...and be sure to mention the payment type as being budget. A budget payment is the weighted average cost of energy in a period of usually 6-10 months. Most people understand this. It has the added advantage of the smoothing out the peaks and valleys of your usage and costs, so to speak, so you do not have to reveal your electric payment one month was $300 - because when averaged out, you only really paid $126 per month. And what sounds better than a buyer with a limited budget? An electricity bill of $ 300 or a constant, budget-friendly cost of $ 126?
Do not volunteer this information unless asked directly, or if there are appliances that can be a concern for potential buyers. For example, most people are very wary of old furnaces and air conditioners, but what almost no one notices is the insulation is more important than a new HE (high efficiency) oven, furnace, or unit in most cases. However, buyers can not be sold on this house, because the oven, furnace or other appliance is old. You may be able to ease their minds by telling them that budget heat or natural gas payment is average, and give them the budget amount.
There are, of course, many many many more areas of opportunity to help sell your home for more and actually make a profit for yourself. I recommend you check the Energy homebuyer checklist as part of the Professional Home Energy Audit Kit for more tips and of course, follow them!
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