There are a lot of reasons a homeowner might want to make their house eco-friendly. One reason is that they have an interest in the environment and reducing their carbon footprint. Along with that concept, homeowners may want to save money on their utility bills, or they might want to boost the resale value, which has become particularly important as more Millennial buyers are coming into the market.
Ten years ago eco-friendly homes were seen as a rarity, but increasingly buyers are demanding homes that have at least a few environmentally sound features, particularly in bigger metro areas, such as Los Angeles.
While an eco-friendly home or modern, environmentally-centric updates might sound great in theory, they can be harder to put into place, particularly if you’re on a budget.
Below are attainable ways that many Los Angeles homeowners can update their home without breaking the bank.
Utilize Home Automation
Home automation systems are great for quite a few reasons. These smart, advanced systems provide a way to manage every aspect of your home, from security to lighting. Home automation systems can also be used to control things such as the interior temperature of your home, and monitor how much electricity you’re using.
Re-Do Attic Insulation
If you’re looking for a relatively inexpensive and simple way to reduce your carbon footprint and make a more environmentally friendly home, redoing your attic insulation can go a long way. There are a lot of cutting edge products available that weren’t on the market just a few years ago, including insulation made from recycled materials. As an added benefit, often these green insulation products don’t require the use of protective clothing to install.
Maintain Your Pools and Spas
A pool or spa can be a big draw for potential buyers, but only if it’s well-maintained. As the home experts at JenniferBuysHouses.com point out, if your pools are poorly maintained it’s not only unappealing but can also be a health and safety hazard. To improve the eco-friendliness of your home and make it safer and generally more appealing, make sure pools and spas are kept at the appropriate temperature for the season, are covered when necessary to keep heat in, and try to use healthy products that aren’t harsh on the environment or swimmers.
Replace Doors and Windows
Replacing doors and windows is one of the more expensive tips on this list, but it’s also a move that can end up saving a lot of money on heating and cooling costs. It’s also an attractive perk if you’re planning to sell your home. Old doors and windows can be one of the biggest sources of wasted energy, and they’re also something that buyers tend to consider heavily in many instances.
Making your home more environmentally-friendly to appeal to Los Angeles buyers doesn’t have to mean a complete overhaul, but it can instead mean making small, incremental changes that have a big impact. These tips are not only useful to make your property more attractive to buyers, but they’re also a good start to put you on a path toward minimizing your carbon footprint and saving money in the process.
