HOME OWNERS LOVE THEIR GREEN HOMES

How satisfied are home owners who bought a green-certified home? A recent survey finds that the majority love their homes and would even buy another green home in the future.

According the report from GuildQuality, a customer surveying company for residential real estate, 94 percent of home owners who purchased a National Green Building Standard (NGBS) certified green home built within the past three years said they would recommend a green home to a friend, and 92 percent said they'd go green again in their next home purchase. Home owners were most satisfied with their low utility bills, energy efficiency, and better insulation, according to the survey.

The report, which was commissioned by the National Association of Home Builders, also found that 71 percent of respondents believe that green homes are, overall, of higher quality, and 90 percent were satisfied knowing they "did the right thing" in buying a green home.

"Historically, studies have focused on interest in green among buyers in the market or on trends as reported by industry professionals," said Matt Belcher, Co-Chair of NAHB's Energy & Green Building Subcommittee and a builder from Wildwood, Mo. "While that's certainly important information for all those in the industry, it doesn't always get to the heart of what new buyers want to know, which is: 'How satisfied are green homeowners with their decision?' This data provides groundbreaking information that can be of value to the general public as well as the industry."

Source: "National Green Building Standard Certified Homes Report on Survey Responses," 

IS THAT A (GASP) CRACK?

Few things will send an already nervous Buyer running for the hills than a crack in the foundation. As soon as it shows up in the inspection report they can see their new home breaking in half like the Titanic as their children scream, Fido barks and they scramble to save the big screen TV. Yes, a crack is not good, we all know that. And sometimes it is an indication of something very bad. But mostly its a result of anything from settling to an errant workman who whacked a wall with a Bobcat while working in the foundation (true story). The important thing for a Realtor is to reassure your Buyer, and get a structural engineer out there to take a look. Now that in itself can add an interesting spin to the negotiation as many Buyers will insist the Seller pays for the structural engineer and that's where your Agent's expertise comes in. The structural engineer will inspect the foundation and will provide a written opinion. It can range from a requirement to repair it, to a suggestion to watch it to see if it grows over time. Engineers have told me that so long as the cracks don't extend to interior walls, chances are the foundation crack is benign and merely cosmetic. But we all know that's little comfort to a Home Buyer who is certain the home is shifting on the foundation and ready to collapse. In our experience we've found the structural engineer can always suggest some kind of repair, even if the crack is minor. While some Buyers will be okay if the engineer says it's nothing to worry about, most will only be satisfied if some action is taken. In that case, we always insist the Seller make some repairs to the crack and get paperwork to back it up. If the home was built within the last ten years, the original builder's structural warranty can come into play. However it's handled, it's the job of the Realtor is to manage the panic and to be sure that whatever action is taken will stand up down the road if a problem arises. That way the only courtroom we have to see is on Law & Order. Thanks for reading and we'll see you around the neighborhood.