Everyone deserves to live in a safe, healthy and energy efficient home, which is why many house hunters are putting green features at the top of their shopping lists. These features offer homeowners several attractive benefits, making them great selling points!
Staying up to date on what homebuilders are doing to build more efficient homes can help you educate your clients and answer their questions about available options. Energy benefits can potentially make or break a homebuyer’s decision in their house hunt, which makes knowing how to sell them important to your bottom line.
What do energy efficient homes have to offer?
Your clients probably have a lot they’re looking for in a dream home, but energy efficient features can potentially tick a lot of the boxes on their list. Among the many benefits of green homes, homebuyers may enjoy:
- Lower utility bills
- Improved air quality
- Enhanced comfort and temperature regulation
- Better resale value
- Greater peace of mind
With these advantages in mind, buyers may be eager to learn more about the features and options available to them, as well as the energy efficiency of the homes they’re considering.
How does Richmond American build energy efficient homes?
We’re committed to building homes that are better for our homebuyers and the planet. Here’s how we’re making that happen in our communities from coast to coast:
HERS® Ratings
The HERS® Index was created by RESNET® to be the industry standard for rating a home’s energy efficiency. The lower the HERS® rating, the more efficient a home is.* Buyers may notice Projected Ratings on floor plans throughout our website—they’ll also be happy to know that each new home we build will received a confirmed HERS® rating provided by a Certified Rater.
Share this video from RESNET® to help your clients understand how the Index works and why it matters:
ENERGY STAR®
Your clients have probably heard of the ENERGY STAR® label found on appliances, but did you know that whole homes can be ENERGY STAR® certified? Homes built to the program’s standards are designed to reduce energy and water waste without sacrificing comfort and convenience for buyers. Beyond offering ENERGY STAR® appliance options, we’re proud to also build ENERGY STAR®-certified homes in many of our communities across the country.
Indoor airPLUS
Once ENERGY STAR®-certified, a home may also qualify for the Indoor airPLUS program, created by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to help homebuilders improve indoor air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from new homes.
Solar solutions
Another way for buyers to enjoy greater savings and reduced energy usage is by harnessing the power of the sun! We now offer several solar power options in many communities from Maryland to Washington, giving more customers the option to install a solar power system or conduit in their new home.**
Energy efficient homes can offer your clients more savings, a healthier environment and better peace of mind. Knowing how to talk about and sell these green features is an important step in helping your clients find the home of their dreams.
For more information, please visit your nearest Sales Center or call our Homebuyer Resource Center at 1.888.996.3060.
*RESNET has developed the HERS index to indicate the comparative efficiencies of homes. It is no guarantee that energy efficiencies or cost savings will be achieved. Actual results will vary.
**Solar options are not available at Cityscape™ communities.