Where Future Meets the Present – Is The Real Estate Market Offering Enough Self-Sustainable Homes?

How many times did you turn the lights on today? Were you making a gourmet meal for a couple of hours? Unexpected questions oftentimes give perfect answers and insights into the chosen topic. This one is undoubtedly important, but is becoming old and worn out, at the same time staying new when it comes to the implementation and the representation in the real estate market. Slow pace of accepting the self-sustainable living fundamentals shouldn’t be discouraging – quite the opposite! 

Having a self sufficient home may be the best thing you can do today. However, it’s never the cheapest solution when buying a new home. This is where real estate agents take place, making a detailed financial report to showcase you the potential of investing in making a difference in the world. And your life too.

Becoming aware of the importance of sustainability begins with small steps and understanding.

My wife and I purchased a home together a little over 3 years ago. We chose the house because it was in a neighborhood we liked with parks close by and near family. The house was built in 1924, nearly 100 years old, and as such it has a lot of charm and character. However, it lacked efficiency and sustainability. It was our goal to modernize the house while leaving the “old world” character. Initially, our focus was on remodeling the kitchen, bedrooms, and bathrooms. After a cold winter and hot summer, it was clear that we needed to focus on upgrades that made the interior environment more comfortable. While we did a few major changes, the most recent upgrade of removing old and adding new insulation in both the attic and subarea of the house has proven to be the most significant. Temperatures now regulate less dramatically, and our heater and air conditioner aren’t overworked trying to heat and cool the neighborhood rather than our house! 

This was our small yet personally impactful improvement that at least reduces the consumption of energy and therefore helps the environment. Our plan is to continue slowly incorporating other environment-friendly measures such as using solar energy.

As an agent, I was able to represent the sellers and buyers of completely self-sustainable, multimillionaire homes in Wine Country and San Francisco. In long conversations with my clients, I came to the conclusion that it was a matter of necessity for the owners of luxurious houses of that size and features, to produce their own power and have their own water supply and waste management. It was also a matter of their awareness, and the ability to afford building and investing in a completely self-sufficient home.

Real estate market is the result of individual actions and the demand for specific types of homes. Helping the environment and cutting down on costs are not the only reasons for thinking off-the-grid, yet they are worth to be mentioned.

With more awareness, the future could bring completely safe sustainable options that would not be available only for the buyers of luxury properties.

If you create a detailed action plan, you’ll realize that a higher initial investment isn’t necessarily a problem, since it brings economical, social and environmental advantages over time.

What did you do for the environment today?