Home Performance Counts – a web resource to better understand why home performance matters

Home Performance Counts

The National Association of Home Builders and the National Association of Realtors partnered to create a resource for home buyers and home professionals to better understand what home performance is and why it matters.  This resource is a valuable tool in your arsenal to better protect one of the biggest investments we make – whether you are selling or buying it, building it or living in it. 

It is chock full of professional resources for those working on homes – selling them, building or remodeling. Just click on the “Professional Resources” tab for access to information about providing high performance service; what homebuyers really want: how to explain high performance homes; and a section on what they say vs. what they want.  This last section alone has proved to be a great tool in deeper conversations between home professionals and home buyers/owners to connect the dots between the struggles people have in homes and what components and practices can address these struggles. 

Providing High Performance Service

NAHB and NAR offer extensive education programs, professional resources and research to help you identify the latest high performance market trends, answer client questions about homebuyer preferences and give you a competitive edge.

Over the past decade, there has been a monumental shift in the average homebuyer’s and homeowner’s desire for sustainably built homes. Consumers actively seek out homes that will provide increased comfort, improved indoor air quality and lower utility bills. From https://www.homeperformancecounts.info/professional-resources/#providing-high-performance

There is also a step-by-step plan to help provide high performance service in your own business. Start by building a network of professionals and resources knowledgeable about high performance homes and practices, both in your area and on a national level.  Learning from people around the country is a great way to explore new practices and materials. 

What Homebuyers Really Want

Healthier, green (a.k.a. High performance) homes are in demand and the demand has grown in recent years. Homebuyers today are often looking for homes with features and practices to support their health and comfort, while providing control in the home and the costs to operate and maintain it. This also adds up to quality. Learning more about what is motivating homebuyers and how to address their questions helps to align their needs with the homes you build and work on. 

Buyers are willing to pay more for green homes if you can help them understand the home’s features and systems. Home builders and real estate professionals can collaborate to show clients that high performance homes can provide a living space built with higher-quality materials, added comfort, lower utility costs and healthier indoor environments for their families. From https://www.homeperformancecounts.info/professional-resources/. 

“Most of what makes a green house green is common sense and quality building practices.” Green Home Coach

What They Say Vs. What They Want

This list of “Things to Listen for from the Homebuyer” is my favorite section of this website. It provides step-by-step instructions on how to connect features and practices in a healthier, green home to address challenges faced in a current home.  There are numerous key selling points to highlight as solutions to common challenges in our homes. For instance…

“We fight over the thermostat.”

Key selling point to highlight

Consistent indoor temperature

What features to point out

• A smart thermostat

• High R-value insulation in floors, walls and ceilings

• Appropriately sized HVAC equipment

• A continuous building envelope

Talking points and highlights

• Be sure to talk about the age and size of heating and cooling systems and encourage clients or homeowners to share any information about previous energy testing or ratings.

• In new construction, be sure to find out if the new homeowner is planning to add more air-conditioned space and how the size and efficiency of the HVAC system can reflect those intentions and optimize performance.

• Look into the property’s thermostat(s) and how it might be upgraded to a programmable smart thermostat.

From https://www.homeperformancecounts.info/professional-resources/#what-they-say

Homebuyers – Home Performance 101

The Homebuyers section provides videos, resources and basic training for homebuyers to better understand homes and how a home’s performance impacts the health and comfort of its occupants. A better understanding of the feature and practices of high performing homes helps us to find and evaluate homes that help us live healthier and more comfortably in these homes.  

Remember, when you’re evaluating a home’s performance, your home builder or real estate professional can guide you through the building plans or new house, highlighting features that improve indoor health, conserve energy and water, and create a more comfortable home. These features aim to create a better living experience and improve you and your family’s quality of life. From https://www.homeperformancecounts.info/#high-performance

Ask Your Pros

Asking the right questions helps your home professionals to better understand your challenges and how to address them with the features and practices in a home. It also helps you as a homebuyer to get the home you want. Which of these questions and concerns are you or your clients facing?

• Someone in my family has allergies and asthma

• I’m worried about temperature changing from room to room

• We fight over the thermostat

• When I play on the floor with my kids, I notice it’s always cold

• When I cook, the smell lingers

• The bathroom walls are always wet after I take a shower and I worry about mold

• My current home always feels humid

• …and more

From https://www.homeperformancecounts.info/#ask-your-pros

Home Performance Counts

There are many features and practices that make up a high performing home. While achieving a baseline in the key areas of a home’s construction is the starting point, different features and practices can be combined to address additional concerns or areas that are even more important. Home professionals have an opportunity to educate people about the benefits of homes because most people don’t really care about the features of a home, but they do care about the benefits. Then home pros can use this knowledge to adopt a mindset of guiding people rather than trying to sell to them.  Working with your home professionals – builder, remodeler, green consultant and realtor – can help you get the home that works best for you. 

Referral Links:

Book: Living Green Effortlessly

Facebook Group: Love Your Everyday Green Home

Realty Sage on Green Home Coach

Total Cost of Ownership 

Rate It Green on Green Home Coach

The Magic of Certification

Wellness Real Estate on Green Home Coach

Are you interested in making your next home a healthy, eco-friendly one? We’ve partnered with RealtySagePros.com to help match you to expert agents who are matched based on your unique real estate needs. It’s free, no obligations and takes less than 5 minutes.

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