ANALYSIS: Karen Dellow — Senior analyst at PropTrack
Energy efficiency is more important than ever when looking for a house to buy, rent or build, according to the latest data from realestate.com.au.
In the September 2023 Residential Audience Pulse Survey, 68 per cent of consumers said energy efficiency ratings were important when looking for a home, and a third said they were extremely important. This is an increase of 6 per cent compared to last year.
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Saving money on bills was the primary reason for the rising importance of energy efficiency ratings.
The cost-of-living pressures experienced over the past 18 months have put additional stress on buyers and renters, motivating them to find ways to cut spending.
Three in four respondents cited reducing energy bills as the main reason they viewed energy efficiency as important, while half also wanted to do good for the environment.
Searches for energy-efficient features on realestate.com.au show solar panels were the most in-demand, making up 77 per cent of all related searches.
The weather plays a big part in which energy-efficient features are most important in each state, and this was very much the case in Victoria.
The data also shows 70 per cent of all searches on realestate.com.au for double-glazed windows were from Victoria because they are effective in keeping the heat in and out of the home, perfect for the state’s hot summers and cold winters.
Victorians also comprised 97 per cent of all searches for hydronic heating, whereas Queensland and the Northern Territory had zero searches.
Houses made of mud bricks were sought by Victorians, with 69 per cent of searches coming from the state.
Whether it is to save money or reduce environmental impact, more property seekers are taking home energy efficiency seriously and looking for places to live with high energy efficiency ratings.
Key features to look for are solar panels, electric vehicle chargers and batteries for storing surplus energy.
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