Offering something completely completely unique & timely can always help sell a home more rapidly & possibly closer to the listing price. Aside from the usual home staging techniques, implementing some easy, but key energy & water saving options too might just do the trick! Savvy buyers will ask what utility costs are or to see actual bills, especially in older homes, & be impressed at measures taken to reduce those costs.

Here are some easy, yet smaller projects that can increase a home’s appeal in a time of high energy costs & an extraordinary focus on being green. Oh, make certain you of course market the home with these positive, new features.

• Replace regular light bulbs in permanent fixtures with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs use about one-fifth as much energy as regular bulbs, & last about 12 times longer).
• Install low-flow showerheads, which will save on water heating & use.
• Install an ENERGY STAR qualified, programmable thermostat
• Close the damper on the fireplace. It sounds simple, but is often forgotten season to season & causes drafts & high energy loss.
• Add insulation to an attic.
• Seal basement rim joists. This is along the top of the basement wall where the cement or block comes in contact with the wood frame. This is a common area of air leakage.
• Insulate water heater tanks for energy savings.
• Repair water leaks in tubs, showers & sinks. Not only are they big water wasters, but a leak really shows the home is not cared for anymore.
• Perform duct sealing or hire a contractor. twenty percent of the air that moves through the duct system is lost due to leaks, holes, & poorly connected ducts.
• Other visible changes that may attract a buyer are using renewable sources in any flooring you might replace prior to listing such as recycled carpeting, bamboo, cork or other flooring from fast-growing wood sources.

You can also recommend a home energy audit to help your clients identify other easy, but important fixes & also demonstrate to potential buyers the sellers are serious about home maintenance & improvement. It will give buyers a fun jump start too on accomplishing more efficiency improvements in their new home.

Being willing to partner a bit with the buyers creates an air of security that the home is still cared about & all parties want them to have as great an experience in it with their family as the previous family did.