MANDATORY Energy Audits?? We're Sharing Our Thoughts In Today's Ask Real Estate Column Published in the New York Times

A Home Energy Audit isn't the first thing most of us think of when it comes to buying and selling a home.  But in the age of increased awareness of the consequences of irresponsible energy consumption, Home Energy Audits are not only gaining popularity, but in Austin, Texas and Berkeley, California they are required.

In today's New York Times Ask Real Estate column, a reader from Metuchen, New Jersey asks columnist Ronda Kaysen why Home Energy Audits are not a mandatory part of the home buying and selling process?  Ronda reached out to us to discuss this question, and we were glad to provide our feedback!

It makes sense that a home buyer purchasing an older home would be compelled to understand how much energy their future home consumes.  Energy and how a home consumes it is a powerful topic capable of impacting purchasing decisions, monthly budgets, and lifestyle decisions.  You need only to look at the impact that this recent winter had on monthly utility expenses for many New Jersey residents to understand how unexpectedly high energy costs can impact a family's budget.

Homeowners want to fully understand both the positive attributes of a property they are considering along with possible upgrades they may need to make in the future.   A CBS News profile recently suggested that up to 98 million homes may be under insulated, wasting twenty percent or more of the conditioned air they are generating.  So why shouldn't prospective buyers put their own experts to work on understanding how their new home loses or wastes energy?  Increasingly they are doing just that.

Perhaps the best news for current and future homeowners is that financial help is available for installing upgrades to heating, cooling, and insulation systems in your new, old, or prospective home.

Buying an Energy Hog