Buying and Selling High Performance Homes

High Performance Homes: by Jessica Bryan, House to Home Realty Services There are many things that we take for granted...a home should not be one of them. When we invest in a home, we assume that it will function and continue to function in the manner it was designed. However, as any homeowner will attest to, systems break down, deteriorate, fail, and stop functioning. Finding a structurally sound home can be challenging in an older home and requires diligent checking and inspections to be assured that you are not buying something that will end up costing more and more as it ages. To this point, I like to advise my clients to consider a high performance Home (AKA Green Built and third party certified.) Why is this important? Because when a home is built using the National Association of Home Builders Green standards, and is certified as such, it is built better, and to higher standards. This means that there will probably be lower and fewer maintenance issues; it will be healthier; and it may require less energy and natural resource consumption. Extra benefits are the use of recycled materials, and innovative ideas. Each green builder is free to select from an array of green choices as long as the home complies with the minimum requirements for certification. So when a builder tells you that his/her home is green built, make sure that it is certified by a third party so you are sure that you are getting what you pay for.HBA standards are stringent. That is a good thing. You, the consumer will be assured that the home you buy is checked and rechecked; inspected and re-inspected. What does this mean? It means that you are living in a home that will not only 'perform' the way it was intended, but will exceed the standards required by building inspectors and building code. When you try to sell your home, you will have a certification that you can present to a prospective buyer to assure them of the quality of a higher performance home than one that didn't get the certification. Think about that! If there are two homes of the same price with one buyer looking at them, which home is more likely to sell and at a higher price? It is an investment in your home's future and a protection of your investment. In the next few weeks I will provide examples of documentation; discussion of healthier homes and what that means; and some builders who are currently building to the National Green Building Standard, and receiving their certification through Home Innovation. Follow me and learn how to make the most of your biggest investment. Learn more at Chapel Hill, Raleigh and Durham Green Home Tour May 2nd and 3rd and May 9th and 10th. Contact me for more information.