Environmentally Friendly Home

Environmentally Friendly Homes Sell

Homeowners in Britain are going green and beginning to opt for homes that are more environmentally friendly. Rising fuel prices and greater environmental awareness are changing the way house purchases are viewed with more and more buyers considering how much it will cost to run the home as well as the impact on the environment.

How ‘green' a home is now factors during the buying process with householders claiming they are willing to pay an average of around £3, 350 more for an environmentally friendly home.

There is no doubt about the fact that value can be added to a home by installing a range of energy saving, water conserving and waste reducing measures. Actively conserving energy will cut the running cost of a home so a little extra cash spent buying a greener home will be recuperated quickly when considering the money saved on energy bills.

It makes perfect sense to keep the running costs of your home as low as possible and you will be helping to cut down on your carbon dioxide emissions as well as saving money.

If you are selling your home there are several things you can do to make it greener, and thus more appealing to buyers. It is obviously still important to pay attention to aesthetic aspects and make sure your home is uncluttered and looks as appealing as possible but research shows that more than two thirds of potential buyers will look past cosmetic improvements to more important factors, such as the condition and age of the boiler or quality of the windows.

Start at the top of your home in the process to make it greener. The loft is a common place for heat to escape, especially if there is no insulation.

Insulating your loft is not very expensive and can save up to a few hundred pounds on heating bills every year. Even if your loft is insulated, check the quality and if you know the insulation was carried several years previously then you might want to consider simply upgrading your existing insulation which can still save around £60 a year.

Cavity wall insulation is another straightforward way to make our home more appealing to buyers and do your bit for the planet.

When it comes to windows nearly a fifth of buyers are put off by single-glazed windows so you may want to switch to double glazing if you haven't done so already. As well as lowering bills double glazing can significantly reduce noise which is another positive selling point, especially if your property is near a road or street where traffic is common.

For the ultimate in green energy take a look at your heating system. More than a third of buyers are put off buying a property with an out of date heating system so upgrading to an energy efficient boiler will make your home more attractive and easier to sell.