By Erik Fowler
Erik Fowler
Over the next several months, REALTOR® Magazine’s Styled, Staged & Sold blog and I are excited to be covering green home trends. Check back with us, as this is one in a series of articles to help you make sense of the green landscape as a real estate professional.
Many of you may even consider the new NAR GREEN designation, the only sustainable property designation recognized by the National Association of Realtors®. Topics we will cover over the next few months are:
1) The Big Picture – Defining “Green”
2) Green Homes and Real Estate
3) Who are Green Buyers and Sellers?
4) Listing and Selling Green – Important Issues to Consider
5) Green Certifications – Making Sense of Rating Systems
6) Greening your Real Estate Practice
THE BIG PICTURE
Did you know? According to several studies including the U.S. Department of Energy, homes and buildings account for 40-50 percent of total U.S. energy consumption and at least 20-40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions and pollution.
In addition, construction of homes and other buildings use more than 30 percent of all raw materials and produce at least 30 percent of waste generation in the U.S. each year. Wow!
Committed followers of green subscribe to sustainable growth principles which reject “false choices” of economic growth versus environmental stewardship and social responsibility. Proponents believe these goals can and should occur simultaneously.
The study and goal of sustainable growth is a topic which I encourage you to research. As it Continue reading »
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey
2009 American Home, Photo by James F. Wilson
LAS VEGAS – How would you like to have a listing like this—an 8,816-square-foot energy efficient, technologically advanced show stopper? The 2009 New American Home, the latest in a 26-year series of demonstration homes, was unveiled here at the International Builder Show this week.
The contemporary-styled home displays energy efficient features, latest construction techniques, and new products and trends, from a calming rejuvenation room that overlooks the zero-edge pool to decorative water systems that capture rain water for reuse.
This home, on the market for $4.2 million, will be on display for the next 18 months.
The home is extremely energy efficient. The electric bill is estimated to be $467 per year and total utility costs for the home, which include electricity and natural gas usage, are estimated at $2,500 per year. Not bad for an 8,816 square foot home.
The home mixes natural gas-powered heating and cooling systems, bifacial solar panels, roof-top solar water heating, horizontal louvers for shading, 90-degree corner windows, and sliding pocket doors throughout that transform indoor spaces to outside. The home’s lighting, temperature, doors, and more can be controlled by an iPhone.
The home also features several dramatic outdoor spaces, from a basement-level subterranean courtyard showcasing a fountain spanning a wall with a fire burning underneath.
Watch the video below taken on a Flip video camera or peruse a slide show on the next page to see more images of all the details.
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey
LAS VEGAS – Targeting existing homes for energy savings will go much further to curb greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. than focusing on newer homes, panelists said Wednesday at a talk on green building during the International Builder Show here in Las Vegas. New homes, in general, are already built more efficient, but older homes can be big energy wasters.
Indeed, homes built before 1983 are to blame for 70 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions related to single-family energy consumption in California, said Mike Hodgson, president of Consol, who detailed results of a study conducted this fall for the California Homebuilding Foundation.
A $10,000 investment in retrofitting a 1960s home for energy efficiency could make a big impact: It could save 8.5 tons of carbon, Hodgson said. Meanwhile, increasing energy efficient of a new home by 35 percent over current state requirements would reduce emissions by only 1.1 tons.
Changes to older homes that are needed include replacing mechanical units that Continue reading »
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey
LAS VEGAS – Some home features don’t stay popular forever. More homes are inching away from incorporating the following home features, according to recent consumer preference surveys from the National Association of Home Builders.
1. Fireplaces: The fireplace skyrocketed in importance in homes in 1991 with 62 percent of new homes having one or more. But the number has steadily been decreasing ever since. In 2007, the number dropped to 51 percent.
2. Carpet: While 54 percent of homes still have carpet floors, the number is decreasing and hardwood floors are taking the place. Vinyl and ceramic tile flooring also are being bypassed more by buyers. Seventeen percent of new homes contain hardwood floors throughout the entire house.
3. Living room: These once-decorative centerpieces of homes are slowly vanishing from newer homes. Thirty-four percent of consumers say they’re willing to buy a home without a living room.
4. Desks in the kitchen: These desks were once looked at as great storage areas but they’re often too small and quickly become clutter spaces in a home, said Gayle Butler, editor in chief of Better Homes and Gardens. Instead, more consumers say they prefer larger desks in or near the family room—equipped with a messaging center—where they can keep an eye on their kids as they work on the computer.
5. Skylights: The little windows that allow natural light to seep into a home from above are falling out of style. Only 10 percent of new homes will include them this year, a continuing downward spiral for skylights.
6. Upscale kitchen finishes: Granite countertops are slowly becoming less desirable among buyers who are now moving toward affordable, low-maintenance laminate countertops—which tend to last longer and now come in various styles.
What trends are you noticing are falling out of favor with your buyers?
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey
LAS VEGAS – Check the lists below to see if any of your listings include any of these home features. If so, you might have an extra selling point to attract buyers. According to the National Association of Home Builders’ Consumer Preferences survey, these are the features most in demand among today’s buyers.
Top 5 Kitchen Features
1. Walk in pantry: 86 percent
2. Island work area: 80 percent
3. Special use storage (custom made for appliances): 66 percent
4. Built-in microwave: 72 percent
5. Drinking water filtration: 69 percent
Top 5 Bathroom Features
1. Linen closet: 89 percent
2. Exhaust fan: 88 percent
3. Separate shower enclosure: 79 percent
4. Water temperature control: 79 percent
5. Whirlpool tub: 66 percent
Top 5 Specialty Areas
1. Laundry room: 92 percent
2. Dining room: 81 percent
3. Home office: 71 percent Continue reading »
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey
LAS VEGAS — Contemporary touches are what home owners and buyers desire in 2009, according to a panelist of designers at a session Tuesday on “Design Trends Marketplace” at the International Builder Show. Today’s minimalist design may mix straighter furniture elements, two different colors repeated throughout (e.g. white and green) and a mix of fun, bold accessories (such as a red chair) or a traditional element (such as an antique mirror).
Indeed, contemporary architecture is even spreading to suburbia (see examples from Agave’s energy efficient contemporary homes in Austin, Texas).
Here are some of the common design trends growing in demand.
1. Lighting options used as pieces of art in funky shapes (see examples: www.lightcrafters.com). A variety of lighting options can be used that are decorative yet functional.
2. Outdoor living that serves as an extension of the inside of the home with outdoors that boast comfortable seating, audio, TVs, a fireplace, and artwork to punch up the space.
3. Design accessories reflecting nature speak to buyers who are more aware Continue reading »
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey
The Rathbun Residence, Interior Design Details
LAS VEGAS – As baby boomers age, they’re going to expect more from their housing, and universal design elements are expected to be sought-after features.
Universal design elements—sometimes thought of as features that allow home owners to “age in place”—are marketable to 100 percent of buyers, said Michael Shrenk, who shared details about the universal design elements used in the New Millennial Homes’ Freedom Home in Tampa, Fla. The home features slip-resistant interior and exterior surfaces, adjustable shelves, and extra-wide doorways to accommodate those with disabilities.
“Look at it as a life insurance policy for your home,” Shrenk said about universal design.
Nearly 80 percent of baby boomers say they would like to stay put in their current home for as long as they can. Yet, many homes aren’t built for aging or accessible for those with disabilities. As such, Continue reading »
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey
LAS VEGAS – If you want to see the latest home design trends and innovations, Vegas is the place to be this week.
So that’s where we are. In kicking off our new blog, REALTOR Magazine will be providing you with dispatches here from the 2009 International Builders’ Show. The annual tradeshow by the National Association of Home Builders showcases the latest in home design, product innovations, and “green” features.
Thousands from the home building, design, real estate and building product manufacturing industry have gathered this week for the four-day conference. The conference showcases what you can expect to see in new and older homes in the coming months.
During the conference, we’ll bring you information on our picks for Top 10 home product introductions, trends in home design, and a peek inside the NextGen’s home of the future and “urban living” demo models.
Stay tuned … more coming soon!
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey
Welcome to Styled, Staged & Sold! This blog, by REALTOR® Magazine, is dedicated to giving you the latest design news and trends to help you spruce up your listings and educate your clients.
We’ve assembled a team of experts to bring you the latest trends in green building, staging, remodeling, design psychology and more.
Some of our blogging experts include Christine Rae, author of “Home Staging for Dummies” (Wiley, 2008); Constance Forrest, PsyD, and Susan Painter, PsyD, founders of the field of design psychology; Erik Fowler, one of the first recipients of the National Association of REALTORS®’ GREEN designation; and Filomena Thompson, executive director of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry’s Mid-Maryland and Greater Baltimore chapters.
We also encourage you to send us your stories! We want to hear your insights, opinions and expertise on home design. Post comments to the blog entries or volunteer to serve as a guest blogger and share with us your knowledge of a new design trend or a story of a recent home makeover.
We also love to see photos! Send your before and after room makeover photos to mtracey@realtors.org and we’ll feature them on this blog. In your e-mail, include your name, contact information, a brief description of what you did to transform the room, and don’t forget to attach the photos too!
This blog will be updated frequently so make sure you don’t miss out! Subscribe to the RSS feeds or bookmark this page and return often!
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