Eco-friendly upgrades to increase resale value

PROPERTY NEWS - Property experts highly recommend looking into the sustainability of your house and even your garden - not only for altruistic reasons, but also because it can lower the cost of running your home and has the potential to increase the resale value of the property.

"Making your property more sustainable can go a long way towards attracting buyers who value these conveniences and amenities," explains Adrian Goslett, Regional Director and CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa.

"Whether buying new or improving your current environment, you can make your house more sustainable with some quick changes and some thoughtful investments to save on energy, water and maintenance costs."

But, with so many sustainable options to choose from, it can be difficult to know what exactly you should be upgrading on your property.

To help make this decision easier, RE/MAX of Southern Africa suggests that homeowners consider four essential pillars for home sustainability: electricity, water, waste and self-sustainability.

Those with solar power will be able to heat their water sustainably without reliance on the grid. However, there are many other ways to optimise the way that your property uses this precious resource.

For example, you could install a rainwater tank to reduce pressure on your local water supply systems and invest in water-wise shower heads in your bathrooms. It can also be as simple as adding a bucket to your shower to capture excess water for your garden, but if you invest in a proper grey water system to maintain your garden during times of drought, this could double as an investment in the resale value of the property.

Photo: www.rainharvest.co.za

Look into your municipality's recycling guidelines and speak to your local estate agent to find out where you can drop off recyclable goods in your area. If you feel your neighbourhood is under-served, consider spearheading communications about the possibility of having recycling collected from the households in your community.

Homeowners should arrange for a consultation on whether the property can easily adapt to solar power panels.

This will depend on your type of roof and its exposure to the sun. In the long run, running your property on solar power will shave thousands off your electricity bill and will reduce the impact of relying on non-renewable energy sources.

Those with the yard space should invest in creating a composting system to reduce the amount of waste the household creates. Investing in plants is also wonderful for naturally purifying the air and helping to dampen street noise.

Plants can also provide shade to cool the home in summer, which in turn will diminish your property's reliance on non-natural and expensive cooling systems.

Planting your own fruit, vegetables and herbs will also reduce your reliance on the local grocery, which will in turn reduce the amount of packaging waste your household produces.

"In South Africa, these green features are becoming increasingly popular among buyers, especially as a result of the ongoing load-shedding and the prevalence of droughts in our country," says Goslett.

Ultimately, when it comes time to sell your property, reliable real estate professionals will have invaluable insights into what the market responds to in your area and what sustainable upgrades will generate a good return on investment.

Photo: www.active.com