A Zillow analysis—covered by Forbes senior contributor Brenda Richardson—reveals homes with eco-friendly features can sell faster than expected, indicating today’s buyers are seeking out sustainable homes. More specifically, the analysis found homes with electric vehicle charging stations and drought-resistant landscaping can sell more than nine days faster than similar homes, while features that offer protection from natural disasters can help sell a home for more money.
“Climate change is impacting what buyers are looking for in a home and how they want to live,” said Amanda Pendleton, Zillow’s home trends expert. “A previous Zillow survey found nearly two-thirds of young adults believe climate change will affect their homes or communities in their lifetime. Those generations are now aging into their prime home-buying years, conscious of their ecological footprint and making purchase decisions based on their beliefs, values and principles.”
Zillow research finds that large shares of buyers seriously consider flooding (55%), tornadoes (41%), hurricanes (35%) and earthquakes (29%) when choosing a home. The frequency of these severe weather events and other natural hazards is putting a price premium on homes that have features designed to protect against such disasters.
