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What Makes Healthy-Built Homes and Living Spaces SO Attractive?

Healthy-built Homes and Living Spaces...What are both the eco-friendly and the traditional buyer after? Possibly a quality experience found in "green" homes. What's it like actually to live in a "green" home AKA an environmentally-conscious dwelling? ...in the early morning hours, to bounce out of bed on to floors that are warm to your feet, radiant floor heating, comfortably amble over bamboo flooring, shower in a gorgeous solar-heated spa, and deeply inhale pure, toxin-free air? "Wonderful!" investors here in the Asheville real estate market tell us.

You, too might yearn to look at the azure sky as your low-e passive-solar windows bring light and warmth to your home. You might have to smile as your wind turbine churns away like a giant mobile catching energy that soon will convert to your delightfully shrinking utility bill.

No wonder energy-efficient, low-impact eco-built homes are so popular here in Asheville, North Carolina's real estate market. We've been watching green building flourishin the area for the past several years and expect the trend to continue. Right now there are 25 such homes (such as the one to the left that we showed to an eco-investor this week) on the market and over 300 in various stages of completion.

They range in price from about $200K to in the millions, and include single family residences and penthouse lofts in our newest green built multi-unit development within walking distance to downtown Asheville.

"Back in the day," people thought of eco-friendly habitats
as places only "earth-muffins" lived.Not any more.

Today's contemporary finishes, bamboo and cork flooring, poured concrete and/or granite counters, stainless, stone, steel and glass accents speak to savvy eco-investors who know the value added in such features.

Here, for example is an interior shot we took of the kitchen in a home we previewed recently for a client who will be relocating to Asheville after the holidays.

Notice the colorful granite and energy efficient stainless
appliances as well as the hardwood floor.

Value-added: 30 percent to 60 percent less energy than a conventional home, using renewable, recycled and least-toxic building materials, located to minimize its environmental impact, highly efficient with low operational costs and uses renewable energy, resource-efficient, conserves water and produces little construction waste, durable, low-maintenance and high quality, gives a healthy indoor environment for you and your family, and for many, best of all, featuring easy-to-care for, sustainable landscaping that also protects the ecosystem.

Resource: "Answering the question 'Why am I choosing to build green' is an important FIRST detail to consider in your conceptual design process or renovation plan of your home."

Resource: For interesting information about Healthy Built Homes including the Gold, Silver and Bronze Ratings Scale click here.

Posted by janeAnne, Asheville's "Green-o-Lina" NAR GREEN Real Estate Consultant on 11/24/2006 10:41 AM

Comments (23)

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Originally posted at: Asheville ECO-GREEN Real Estate: What Makes Healthy-Built Homes and Living Spaces SO Attractive?

This post has been included in North Carolina Information Buncombe County, NC Information Asheville, NC Information

23 Comments on What Makes Healthy-Built Homes and Living Spaces SO Attractive?

NOV

2006

janeAnne - nice blog. Just an FyI, I found kitchen cabinets made of wheat. How nice to not cut down a tree, but use something that is faster growing. This company even used VOC finishes.

This should become the next trend/great idea to take hold in the real estate market. I know that California has been working towards this for over twenty years (sadly I have no link to back me up), particularly with solar power.

I hope the green technology sticks with the mainstream ideology. Good Luck.

Ryan and Dena,

THANKS for your comments. We have over 300 REALTORS now in the process of eco-certification through our 36 hour program to support this buyer -seller interest! Would love to hear about wheat cabinets, Dena!

Thanks for a great article and super links! I learned a lot following the links... as we consider building in a few years on the family farm, these will be helpful!

i think a lot more folks will 'think green' if the old images of hippies and communes fade when you mention it-that photo above is a great example of the fact that hardwoods and granite are natural resources. thanks as usual for the info!

Great post! Just seeing the possibilities in your blog makes me feel like there is hopt. In Hawaii we need to make better use of all of our resources, and anything that reduces power consumption and any type of waste producton will soon become a necessity, not an option. The photo in your blog is the first time I have seen such a beautiful example of what is possible!

It warms my heart to know that these things are not only being taken more seriously but embraced... especially in an area of the country I love so dearly. Thanks for this very informative article, janeAnn.

I love it, and wish that our market were doing more in this venue. How much more do these homes cost above the standard home? How long does it take to recoop costs? Do they tend to sell faster or slower?

Chris, In Pueblo we doing about 20% new construction all Built Green. The cost varies of course but usually no more than 12-15% higher. Energy Efficient Mortgages help with the addition costs. At todays energy costs you should recoop in 5-7 years. And if the houses are done correctly the resale is super! Imagine a Built Green home next to a traditional built and both are for sale. Which would be buy knowing the facts?

janeAnne - here you go. I have no personal experiance with them but like the idea. Maybe I'll send off for a catalog. http://www.environmentalhomecenter.com/shop.mv?CatCode=10280_CABINETS

Dena, I'm curious... if the cost build them this way is "no more than 12-15% higher" - even though the new homeowner should be able to recoup in 5-7 years, is the resale ('green') home priced the same as other (non-'green') homes around it at that point or do they still ask for and get a higher price?

JaneAnne- Great Blog!! Very informative !! I didn't know about the ECO certification.

Leanne yes, like any other 2 homes you would compare them. The 'Built Green' house should be able to ask and get a better price. But a 'green' home should be able to prove that it is also energy efficient if possible. Compare the power bills for each house, which house used less energy. Also, In Colorado you can be awarded 'Built Green' points for proving and providing a better house. For instance, to be qualified for 'Built Green' you must have a minimum of 70 points. The model I sit on earned 184 points out of 200 possible. The Gemstar is new construction and under $200k with 184 'Build Green' points and a H.E.R.S. of 91 (energy efficient rating from the E.P.A.) Other new construction in Pueblo is about the same price but less efficient. And energy efficient house could be $115 - $150 sq.ft. Other new construction maybe less per sq.ft. But would you rather put your $$$ into your mortgage or give it to the power company?

great information, sign me up!

Jason Schut

Wow! i love the pictures of te homes. They are wonderful and would be if they were red. blue or yellow

Love your sense of humor, Teresa! I guess it was just a matter of time before one of us would make that joke... LOL!

Every time I get 'kumquat' as my word before clicking 'submit comment' I think "kumquat may"... ;-)

Seriously, thanks for all the great tips and links. I'll put them on my favorite for future reference.

NOV

2006

Green is no longer just for hippies. Often the homes look like others around them (thanks for the photo above - it helps to show them) but are so much more energy efficient. Would you pay more to be in a comfy house than a drafty one? Of course.

janeAnne

You will never believe this, my house is not Green, but I love my bamboo flooring. I always wanted the radiant floors. I someday will have a house built to my specs and it is looking more like an eco-house built.

Have a great weekend.

Dena - thanks for your reply... "would you rather put your $$$ into your mortgage or give it to the power company?"... makes sense!

janeAnne - Sharon's comment made me think of a good idea for a blog post you could do if you're up for it. You could include a few photos of homes, only one or two of which are 'green' and ask us to pick which one(s) we think is/are the 'green' ones. Sometimes visuals help us learn better.

WOW! Thanks for your interest in the trend toward practical/elegant and ECO-logical. Leanne suggested a photo reality check..."You could include a few photos of homes, only one or two of which are 'green' and ask us to pick which one(s) we think is/are the 'green' ones. Sometimes visuals help us learn better...." I'm on it! Look for it later today.

This is an interesting blog. My husband Tony has taken the EcoBroker course and has encouraged me to do so as well. It's all about finding the time!

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