by Narelle Butcher
Source: The Sound Telegraph, Wednesday December 22 2010
Adding rainwater tanks, solar panels and water-wise gardens does not increase the value of homes in Rockingham, according to many real estate agents.
Peard Wright sales manager Rob Davis said the added extras were not being requested by buyers, but he predicted that trend may change within five years.
"These extras may help with the saleability of a home but it won't add to the final price a property will achieve on the market," Mr Davis said.
"I wouldn't be surprised if we see a trend in the next five years where solar panels and water tanks become a selling point of a home.
"People are always more happy to have less lawn. There are huge variants in the demographics buying in Rockingham, but the more economically advanced buyers are more in tune with environmental needs."
Harcourts Rockingham director Graham Garwood said West Australians were lagging behing the trends in the Eastern states to make homes more sustainable.
"The need for a green house hasn't really impacted us here, but it will as water gets harder to get." Mr Garwood said.
"It will come, forced up by the price of water and electricity. It's the way we're going to have to go but WA has been fortunate so far."
Mr Garwood said agents would rate homes in the future to give buyers information about energy usageand he predicted governments would make energy-saving initiatives mandatory, similar to insulation in new homes.
Impact Realty director John Legg said homeowners added water tanks, solar panels and other energy-saving schemes to reap the benefits, rather than value-adding for sale.
Mr David said buyers often enquired about bores, but rainwater tanks, solar hot water systems, solar electricity and waterwise gardens rated low on priorities.
Evermore Heights estate manager Bob Fong said he was surprised adding up to $25,000 woth of extras would not up a homes value.
He said a broad range of demographics were seeking to benefit from Evermore Heights' sustainable model.
"The cost of water is going up, and so is electricity, so people are looking to save.," he said.
"Evermore Heights has been popular with my clients - people are moving the whole family in."
Mr Fong said some builders were also offering solar panels as part of home packages to encourage green living.