Buying an eco-friendly house

With house prices falling, it's now more affordable to purchase an eco friendly house. Going green has become a popular topic in the news, and the number of people buying eco- friendly homes is rapidly increasing.

What is an eco-friendly house?

An eco-friendly house is a house that is designed to reduce the use of energy and other natural resources. Environmental issues and how efficient the house is should be some of the first questions when your talking to an agent about the home.

An eco-friendly house may also contain products or services that are eco-friendly. For example, if the house contains an alarm system, the provider of the alarm system might be a green company if it reuses parts of its alarm systems, recycles batteries, offsets energy ussage by buying green energy, or has patrol cars that are hybrid cars.

Buying an eco-friendly house

When your buying an eco-friendly house, determine how efficient the house is and is the efficiency worth the extra cost. Check and see if the house is solar powered and if the doors and windows are free from drafts. Avoid houses with visible signs of mold or bad odors. If the house has a pool, check to see if the pool is heated by solar power, some homes have solar power inside, but not on the outside of your home.

Well ventilated homes play an important part of the air quality in your house. Homes with sustainable material such as rammed earth, adobe or insulated forms are houses you should consider when going green. Ask your real estate agent if the home has a rainwater collection system. Low toxic paint is also very important. Volatile organic compounds from toxic paint and furniture can stay in a house for several years.

When searching for an eco-friendly home, talk to a professional real estate agent who understands home energy performance, environmental issues and healthy house building practices. Consult with a real estate broker who has prior selling experience with green houses.

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