The housing market may be presently having a rough time, but there are still many people looking to buy a new home. Whether you are purchasing a house for the first time or a seasoned home buyer, it is important to remember that buying a house is one of the biggest decisions in your life. The size, location and style of your house, as well as what you plan to do create a huge impact on your life.

With this in mind, consider the benefits of an eco-friendly home features as you go house hunting. Eco-friendly homes help protect nature, but also less expensive. The benefits of buying a green-featured home includes reduction in pollution, greater energy efficiency, healthier air indoors, preservation of natural resources such as native habitats and water and lower maintenance costs. These homes also maintain their value even in the current slow real estate market, appraising up to fifteen percent more than conventional homes.

How do you find out if the home you are contemplating to buy has green features? You would know if a home has eco-friendly features if it has the following:

1. It should have a U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certified ratings.

2. Possess an air quality enhancing features

3. Low emissivity and double paned windows

4. Appliances that are energy efficient such as Energy Star appliances

5. Makes use of solar power or natural lighting from the sun

6. Native, drought-tolerant landscaping

7. On-demand hot water system and water saving showerheads

8. Low-flow toilets

9. t uses paints, adhesives and stains with low or zero volatile organic compounds to improve indoor air quality.

10. It makes use of structural panel systems and eco-roofing systems.

11. It should have deciduous trees growing on the south and west parts of the house.

12. The home should “breathe” naturally, built with sustainable materials like adobe, straw-bale, rammed earth or insulated concrete forms.

13. Native, drought-tolerant landscaping and rain-catchment or gray water system

14. A green home is smaller compared to conventional homes. Since this requires few construction materials, it leaves less damage on the environment.

When looking for a nature friendly home, bear in mind that these homes are designed, constructed and operated using resources that has a lesser negative effect to nature. You can verify whether the home has been certified through one of the many nature building programs, which includes Austin Energy’s Green Building Program, National Association of Home Builders Green Building Program. There are also some programs for new and existing homes through Energy Star, a joint program by the Department of Energy and the Environment Protection Agency. These groups provide certain standards for certification. They can recommend on how to create a more energy-efficient home.

You may also have a third-party home energy rater to check out the energy features of a home. There are several recommendations on the sites of Energy Star, Austin Energy and the National Association of Home Builders green programs.

It is also important to ask your real estate agent how much they understand about eco-friendly homes, environmental issues and healthy house building practices. He or she should be able to help in your search for the nature friendly home of your dreams.

Rental property that comes with a wealth of amenities at Mesa AZ Rental Property and green homes at Mesa Eco-Friendly Houses.

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