Australian property buyers value energy efficiency -REA report

Most people looking for a property value a home’s sustainable features, given it means they can cut their energy bills, realestate.com.au research shows.

The REA Insights Energy Efficiency Housing Report, released on 1/6/2021, shows many people also want to be more environmentally friendly with their choice of home.

Report author and realestate.com.au data analyst Karen Dellow said energy efficient ratings and energy saving features are important to property seekers looking to buy, rent or build.

Ms Dellow said US research showed that declaring an energy efficient rating influenced the value of a property and encouraged owners to make energy efficient improvements to their home.

“This is a win-win for buyers, sellers and the environment,” she said.

“Property seekers want to make purchasing decisions based on energy efficiency“

The latest realestate.com.au Residential Consumer Omnibus Survey showed 74% of property seekers believe energy efficiency ratings are important when buying, building or renting.

Almost half (48%) of the 1900 people surveyed online in April deemed the ratings to be extremely important.

Reducing regular energy bills was the top reason consumers cared about energy efficiency ratings, marked as being important by 84% of survey respondents.

A range of environmental reasons came next: being environmentally conscious, doing something good for the environment and reducing carbon emissions/the impact on the environment. Each of those were rated as important by about 60% of respondents.

Sourced from Real Estate Institute REA Insights Energy Efficiency Housing Report 1/6/2021