As a global society, our environmental consciousness is only continuing to grow, making acknowledging and incorporating the value of sustainability into all aspects of our lifestyle of the utmost importance. What’s more, with a study led by Southern Cross University finding that 77% of Americans and Australians want to learn how to live more sustainably, it should come as little surprise to find that eco-friendly technologies are also advancing, with a view to make green building the norm for the future.
With this in mind, it’s crucial that, as a real estate agent, you remain one step ahead of the game, concentrating your efforts on eco-investments and learning how to effectively communicate the environmental ideology and benefits of this to prospective buyers. That’s why, in this article, we’re presenting you with four tips to help you sell to both the eco-conscious homebuyer and those looking to invest in their future.
Highlight health benefits
Undoubtedly, building better, more eco-friendly homes means improving the quality of life for those living within the green walls. This is due to the materials used to build green housing being free from volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are known to be carcinogenic. Additionally, many of the building materials and paints used in conventional housing carry toxins that can contribute to moisture build-up. As a result, this can lead to mold that can cause health risks such as breathing problems and, in extreme cases, even cardiac arrests.
As such, when showing an eco-home, highlighting the associated health benefits is sure to be a key selling point. Encourage prospective buyers to consider how valuable going green can be, not only for their mind and body, but for their entire family, too.
Feature financial advantages
Moreover, in addition to the numerous health and environmental benefits, be sure to focus on the similar financial advantages that come hand-in-hand when purchasing a green home. Eco-friendly homes typically utilize triple-pane windows, solar panels, and Energy Star appliances. While these features may be a little more costly to acquire (reflecting in the property’s sale price), in the long-term they actually make the home more energy-efficient and lower water consumption, reducing the cost of utility bills and monthly upkeep as a result.
Therefore, when it comes to selling a green home, emphasize the longer-term, tangible benefits to your clients and how an investment in the property will pay off through reduced household costs in the future.
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Explore environmental effects
When it comes to grabbing the attention of prospective homeowners, emotions play a pivotal role in the selling process. Fortunately, when it comes to selling eco-friendly homes, the sustainable impacts of owning such a property are naturally attached with few negative connotations, often outweighing initial qualms regarding the price.
As such, it’s vital that you offer up plenty of examples of the environmental advantages of owning a green home, as this will provide prospective buyers the satisfaction of knowing they’re doing their bit to reduce their carbon footprint, increasing the likelihood of them being willing to pay a little more safe in the knowledge that they’re protecting the planet.
Go green yourself
As the buying process begins with creating a relationship between the agent and client, to be an effective and honest advocate of buying sustainable housing, you must lead by example—starting with your own business. As such, by ensuring the building where you’re based is eco-friendly, you will be advertising yourself as trustworthy and reliable through your ability to use real-life, personal experience to help your clients make well-informed decisions.
To do this, for those of you who aren’t in a position to relocate, start by optimizing your existing building for sustainability. This could include a number of things, such as fitting solar panels to your building as a physical reminder to clients that you’re doing your bit, or investing in interior updates that promote longevity and sustainability, like hard-wearing natural stone split face tiles that won’t need regular renovating, reducing waste and energy use as a result.
In an increasingly competitive real estate market, advancing your expertise to focus on sustainable housing will establish your authority in the space to a new generation of prospective homeowners. By considering the above four tips and integrating them into your strategy, you’ll not only help future-proof your career as a real estate agent, but do your bit for Mother Earth, too.
About the author: Suhayl Laher works at Tiles Direct, one of the UK’s largest independent tile distributors and retailers—bringing design inspiration to home.
