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Green building and living has seen a surge in popularity since the new millennium began. While it remained an often-talked about issue before the recession, once the housing market was in trouble, living a green lifestyle took a backseat to bigger news. Now that the housing market is rebounding, green homes and lifestyles are starting to become more mainstream and newsworthy once again. In fact, Mainstream Green, a study by Ogilvy & Mather, shows that 82% of consumers are influenced by green product offerings:
- 16% of Americans identify as Super Greens — people whose everyday behavior is modified to ensure that their impact on the environment is lessened in one way or another.
- 66% identify as Upper & Middle Greens — consumers who are following the green movement, as opposed to leading it, but green influences their purchasing decisions so long as it doesn’t cost too much.
Do these purchasing decisions influence the housing market as well? Yes. It is becoming more and more important to purchase a green home for many Americans. The Home Horizons 2012 study reports that 50% of people consider green/energy efficient appliances/materials are a requirement of their dream home — it is more popular than classic favorites such as “building a custom home” (38%); “water views (38%) and “mountain views (32%). In 2011, green homes made up about 17% of the market, up from 9% in 2010. This figure is expected to hit between 22%-25% in 2013.
Green living is fast becoming one of the most important parts of purchasing a new home. Check back on Wednesday for our blog post on how to green up your home so you can benefit, as well as making your home a more marketable sell in the future.
Tags: green, green appliances, green construction, green homes, green living, home horizons 2012, home improvement, mainstream green, ogilvy & mather, ovilgy, real estate opportunities, real estate trends
Categories: Home Buying, Home Improvement, Home Selling, Real Estate News
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