There are a lot of different popular features that most buyers and renters are looking for in a home today. One of the most popular elements, however, is eco-friendly features in the home. Everyone wants to do all that they can to help them environment and protect the planet.
There are a lot of special things to look for if a person wants to find the most environmentally friendly home possible. Anyone can use this advice to find the right home that will leave the lowest impact possible. Here are six tips for buying an eco-friendly home.
Find a trusted builder
The first thing home buyers should look for is a builder that they can fully trust. For previously built homes, buyers can check which company built them and learn more about their common practices. Families can look at Daybreak community homes and other sustainable home builders to find an option that will fit within their scope.
Look for a location with good walkability
One easy way to cut back on emissions and save the planet is to walk or bike to places instead of drive. Home buyers will need to look for a home in an area that allows them to easily walk or bike to certain locations that they will use on a regular basis. They should also make sure that these things are close in distance, but that there are also safe walking and biking paths leading too them.
Look for the logos
Most eco-friendly home features will be labeled with some sort of logo, so anyone can easily spot them. Home buyers should look for these logos and make sure that they recognize any other logos that might be signifying an eco-friendly item. These are usually placed on items like windows, appliances and siding.
Consider eco-renovations
Even if a home is older or was not built with many environmentally friendly features, the home can still become eco-friendly. Anyone can look for changes that may have been made to a house over the years to increase its energy-efficiency. Additionally, home buyers can look to see if they can also make more changes to the home to make it greener.
Have it tested
When a buyer is in doubt about whether or not a home is really as green as the seller says it is, they can take the liberty of having it tested. People can test for lead paint, toxic air, and other issues that might make the home a bad choice for the environmentally-conscious buyer. These tests can be a little expensive, but they will always solve any questions people might have.
Learn more about the previous owners
Learning more about the previous owners is another way to tell how green a home is. Home buyers can talk with the seller, if the seller allows, and see what their kind of lifestyle is and how eco-friendly they are. If the seller also cares a lot about protecting the environment, the home might be a perfect match.
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