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Spoke with numerous "GREEN" designated realtors who all want to market like the "average" house. MLS, Zillow, sign...nothing new or special to reach an Eco buyer. Utility Bills are 75% lower than homes in the HOA...info from our local utility company who thought we were messing with our meter. Any ideas? THANKS in Advance.
Where did you go to learn about this stuff? Those places might offer marketing opportunities. I wouldn't dismiss the usual methods, though. Buyers search these websites. I'd definitely post examples of your bills though along with your photos.
I design and build, this happens to be our home. We are moving 1000 miles away back home. Great idea I stated the avg bill but seeing is believing. TY!
I suspect that solar is still new enough (and growing) that it's not a "must have" for many people and the market isn't filled with buyers wanting/demanding solar. I think your agent is right. It needs to be marketed as any other place would be with the added bonus of solar. The savings might be enough to make your house the "one" for a buyer, but alone I think marketing to eco-friendly buyers is going to limit you. Those eco-friendly buyers are looking in the same places as any buyer.
I have been househunting lately and must admit that solar is extremely impressive to me but secondary because its something I can more easily add to the new place. Location, view, floorplan, garage, etc. will take precedance. And, for many buyers, the school district will drive purchasing decisions.
That said, when we have viewed a home with solar energy, we are wowed by the claims of low utility bills -- but not ONE house has displayed the actual utility bills. So I also think photos in mainstream real estate websites should have a panel or two of recent utility bills.
For a home to be Passive Solar / Cooling it is in the actual home design and build...very, very specific. The house itself acts as a system to minimize energy usage.. Orientation of house, placement and kind of windows (energy star), insulation, sealing, ventilation, load calculations, radiant floor heating, etc.... In otherwords if home was not designed and built "solar" it would be very, very expensive to rehab an existing home into a passive solar home.
I appreciate the input as I can see I need to convey what passive solar / cooling. The house itself is specific to the lot with huge shade trees is designed for minimum utility use. Having pv's (photovoltaic panels) is not passive solar / cooling. It is only a means to generate extra electricity during sunny days and therefore an "active" system meaning it uses utility.
I would strongly market it's eco features but more importantly focus on accessibility to the Plano industrial corridor and private N.Dallas schools if the local school district is not stellar. If you are listing by owner, also send fliers to HR departments in the area...
You can look at ALL my older posts and see that I am not a parrot for the Realtors are right and you are wrong - BUT - and here it comes - the realtors are right THIS TIME. The passive solar is a cool feature, but just like a covered porch, it is JUST a feature. You are unlikely to recoup the additional expenses you sunk into making this house of yours a passive solar house.
Why is that? Its simple - because it does not save the new home owner that much money. Your July bill is $81 on a 4500 sqft house. Sure, that is low but its not insanely low. I have a newer (2014) LEED certified home myself that has everything you listed in your home except for radiant floor heating but its 6,700 sqft with 10,900 sqft air conditioned (attic is cooled)...my bill in Houston in August is between $220-$300. So your passive systems, while cool to you, appreciated by you, is not that different or special than a normal home, and most buyers are not going to give you a premium because its passive solar.
I am not dogging the passive solar. Its cool. I did lots of energy saving features on my home, but if I ever had to sell, these would just be features - something cool - not my entire marketing strategy. Most people look at the bottom line. If your house is $100,000 more because of passive solar, better foundation, etc, and its bill are $80 vs $300 - the payback in terms of ownership on that $100,000 is almost 38 years. Most people wont live there that long, so it wont matter.
Bottom line, you should market your home normally, and prominently feature your passive solar, and foundation upgrades.
But - do not expect to get a premium for it...its just the reality of the world we live in.
1 in 1,000 people would appreciate all the cool things that I thought about while building. Only 1 in 10,000 would be willing to pay for it. Only 1 in 1,000,000 being the probability that someone who likes it, is looking in my area, and can afford it would give me a premium for it.
Its cool, its an upgrade, it may be the one thing that makes someone choose your house over another...but dont expect much payback for it, and do not isolate your listing away from the normal listings...you need to be on the local MLS, that is where your exposure will come from. Do flat rate listings, zillow, do whatever you want, but get it listed on the local MLS. That is where your buyer will likely come from. Not some weird green magazine or website.
You can look at ALL my older posts and see that I am not a parrot for the Realtors are right and you are wrong - BUT - and here it comes - the realtors are right THIS TIME. The passive solar is a cool feature, but just like a covered porch, it is JUST a feature. You are unlikely to recoup the additional expenses you sunk into making this house of yours a passive solar house.
Why is that? Its simple - because it does not save the new home owner that much money. Your July bill is $81 on a 4500 sqft house. Sure, that is low but its not insanely low. I have a newer (2014) LEED certified home myself that has everything you listed in your home except for radiant floor heating but its 6,700 sqft with 10,900 sqft air conditioned (attic is cooled)...my bill in Houston in August is between $220-$300. So your passive systems, while cool to you, appreciated by you, is not that different or special than a normal home, and most buyers are not going to give you a premium because its passive solar.
I am not dogging the passive solar. Its cool. I did lots of energy saving features on my home, but if I ever had to sell, these would just be features - something cool - not my entire marketing strategy. Most people look at the bottom line. If your house is $100,000 more because of passive solar, better foundation, etc, and its bill are $80 vs $300 - the payback in terms of ownership on that $100,000 is almost 38 years. Most people wont live there that long, so it wont matter.
Bottom line, you should market your home normally, and prominently feature your passive solar, and foundation upgrades.
But - do not expect to get a premium for it...its just the reality of the world we live in.
1 in 1,000 people would appreciate all the cool things that I thought about while building. Only 1 in 10,000 would be willing to pay for it. Only 1 in 1,000,000 being the probability that someone who likes it, is looking in my area, and can afford it would give me a premium for it.
Its cool, its an upgrade, it may be the one thing that makes someone choose your house over another...but dont expect much payback for it, and do not isolate your listing away from the normal listings...you need to be on the local MLS, that is where your exposure will come from. Do flat rate listings, zillow, do whatever you want, but get it listed on the local MLS. That is where your buyer will likely come from. Not some weird green magazine or website.
$81/moth electric bill IS insanely low for North Texas in August.
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