Your own home can be one of your best investments. It can provide a better financial return than the stock market, the money market, a certificate of deposit or a bond. So what about investments that improve that already attractive investment’s energy efficiency?
If your home becomes more comfortable after energy efficiency improvements, chances are you won’t be as quick to move, which would help you avoid an expensive transition expense.
And even if you do wind up moving, there are more and more data in the marketplace to support the contention that efficient homes not only command a price premium over their less-efficient counterparts; they also spend fewer days on the market once they are listed for sale.
Another interesting dimension to consider is what you could do with the utility savings. Would you repurpose those dollars to pay down your mortgage more quickly? Would you reinvest them in home improvements that would further increase the comfort (and perhaps value) of the house?
Those savings could also help fund a child’s education, a new car or other discretionary expense.
Bottom line, there are plenty of advantages to making one’s home more efficient, and the best approach to writing a one-page proposal to convince a homeowner to invest in EE improvements is to first calibrate your recommendations according to the homeowner’s stage of life and financial situation. You might start by asking the homeowner:
- Are you still paying off your student loans?
- Are you currently paying kindergarten tuition or saving for college?
- Are you feathering your nest for retirement?
- Are you planning on making this a rental property eventually?
With this kind of brainstorming you’ll uncover compelling reasons that a homeowner should be embracing energy efficiency. On any given street, you'll likely find newlyweds and senior citizens and empty nesters and everything in between. Take the time to evaluate each of your prospects’ values carefully and you’ll be better positioned to uncover the emotional drivers for each person.
Want our daily content delivered to your inbox? Subscribe to the Selling Energy Blog!
