NAR report finds 50% of realtors were involved with a property with green/eco-friendly features in the past 12 months; 63% say promoting energy efficiency is valuable, 51% found clients were interested in sustainability

Sample article from our Housing & Economy

WASHINGTON , April 26, 2022 (press release) –

Key Highlights

  • Half of Realtors® surveyed have recently helped clients buy or sell a home with green features, up from 32% from the previous year.
  • Roughly two out of three agents and brokers see value in promoting energy efficiency in listings.
  • A third of respondents are concerned about the impact of extreme weather events on the housing market.

​​​​​​​The number of Realtors® involved with buying or selling a property with green features has significantly increased in the past year, according to a recent study from the National Association of Realtors®. The 2022 REALTORS® and Sustainability Report surveyed NAR members nationwide regarding sustainability issues currently facing the real estate industry.

Half of agents and brokers surveyed said they helped a client buy or sell a property with green features during the past 12 months, a notable jump compared to 32% in 2021.

Nearly two out of three respondents – 63% – said that energy efficiency promotion in listings was very or somewhat valuable. Over half of agents and brokers – 51% – found that their clients were somewhat or very interested in sustainability. And 35% reported that their multiple listing service features green data fields. Among those with green data fields in their MLS, the top ways they were used were to promote green features (35%), energy information (24%) and green certifications (13%).

"Sustainability continues to play a growing role in consumers' purchasing decisions, and this is becoming even more prevalent in the real estate market," said NAR President Leslie Rouda Smith, a Realtor® from Plano, Texas, and a broker associate at Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate in Dallas. "With the residential property market, in particular, home buyers have expressed increased interest in eco-friendly factors like solar panels and energy efficiency."

Roughly three out of four Realtors® – 77% – said that properties with rooftop solar panels were available in their market. These numbers were highest in the West (89%) and Northeast (86%). Thirty-six percent said that homes with solar panels increased the perceived property value, compared to 30% that said they had no effect.

The report also noted rising anxiety among Realtors® about the effect of climate change and extreme weather events on their businesses. More than one out of three respondents – 34% – said they were very or somewhat concerned about the impact of extreme weather events on the housing market.

Jessica Lautz, NAR vice president of demographics and behavioral insights, said that the increased focus on sustainability in recent years is a win-win for all homeowners.

"More sustainable homes bring benefits to homeowners like cost savings from energy efficiency, health benefits from improved indoor air quality, and increased comfort and durability from material use and construction, and may also increase resale value," Lautz said.

Methodology
In March 2022, NAR invited a random sample of 46,452 active Realtors® to fill out an online survey. A total of 2,652 useable responses were received for an overall response rate of 5.7%. At the 95% confidence level, the margin of error is plus-or-minus 1.9%.

The National Association of Realtors® is America's largest trade association, representing more than 1.5 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.

* All content is copyrighted by Industry Intelligence, or the original respective author or source. You may not recirculate, redistrubte or publish the analysis and presentation included in the service without Industry Intelligence's prior written consent. Please review our terms of use.

See our dashboard in action - schedule an demo
Jason Irving
Jason Irving
- SVP Enterprise Solutions -

We offer built-to-order housing & economy coverage for our clients. Contact us for a free consultation.

About Us

We deliver market news & information relevant to your business.

We monitor all your market drivers.

We aggregate, curate, filter and map your specific needs.

We deliver the right information to the right person at the right time.

Our Contacts

1990 S Bundy Dr. Suite #380,
Los Angeles, CA 90025

+1 (310) 553 0008

About Cookies On This Site

We collect data, including through use of cookies and similar technology ("cookies") that enchance the online experience. By clicking "I agree", you agree to our cookies, agree to bound by our Terms of Use, and acknowledge our Privacy Policy. For more information on our data practices and how to exercise your privacy rights, please see our Privacy Policy.