CHICAGO, IL (April 8, 2013) – With Earth Day two short weeks away, people will have a heightened awareness of where they can make a difference and do their part to help the environment. With regards to one’s home, there are many innovative ways to go green whether it’s using special building materials, recycling or saving energy. And, when it comes time to sell, these earth-friendly features help a home stand out amongst the competition.
Bob Untch, a sales associate in Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage’s Barrington office, recently listed a 7,300 square foot prairie style home overlooking the Inverness Lake that boasts numerous energy efficient features. Situated on 1.69 acres of land, the home has a concrete roof with overhangs designed with an angle to allow the winter sun to enter the home, but to be reduced in the summer. Throughout the house are double and triple paned Pella windows, some with low-emissivity glass, creating an extra coating to reflect heat energy making it cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. The features have helped to keep annual utility bills down significantly. The current owner of the home was the architect that custom designed this home in 1985 and has lived there with his family ever since. The home is listed for $1,299,500. To view the full listing with images, click here.
Anyone can transform their home into a green home by making a few updates which can add both enticing new features and value to a home.
Update the Exterior with a Rain Barrel – To reduce water usage for watering lawns, plants and gardens, rain barrels are an affordable green solution that can be purchased for under $100.
Go with Low-Flow Bathrooms - Low-flow toilets and showerheads can reduce water consumption by as much as 50 percent, and modern versions see almost no reductions in water pressure.
Install Tankless Water Heaters – Because they don’t store water and reheat it consistently, tankless heaters can save up to 50 percent on a hot water bill. Even better, with a tankless water heater homeowners will never be without hot water, since the coils of a tankless heater warm the water as it passes through the system.
Update the Kitchen and Utilities with ENERGY STAR Appliances – The upfront cost for ENERGY STAR appliances will quickly be mitigated by energy savings. These appliances use anywhere from 10 to 50 percent less energy.
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, a leading residential real estate brokerage company serving Chicagoland, Northwest Indiana, Southeast Wisconsin and Southwest Michigan, operates 51 offices with 3,250 sales associates. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage is part of NRT LLC, the nation’s largest residential real estate brokerage company. NRT, a subsidiary of Realogy Corporation, operates Realogy’s company-owned real estate brokerage offices. For more information, please visit www.coldwellbankeronline.com.
