Home Buyers Want To Save Energy – But Only At The Right Price, Builders’ Association Survey Shows

The National Association of Home Builders issued the following news release:

Even though prospective home buyers want the benefits of new, more efficient homes, they are unwilling to pay much more for a “green” home, according to a recent member survey from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

“Although we are seeing significant interest in green building, cost effectiveness is clearly a key concern among home buyers,” said NAHB Chairman Joe Robson, a home builder and developer in Tulsa, Okla. “Builders said that among buyers who are willing to pay more for green features, more than half — 57 percent — are unlikely to pay more than an additional two percent.”

The August survey coincides with news that the NAHB National Green Building Program continues to grow. More than 400 homes, developments and remodeling projects have been certified by the NAHB Research Center, which administers the program and trains and accredits local project verifiers. Of those projects, 43 have been certified to the National Green Building Standard, approved earlier this year by the American National Standards Institute.

Preferences for specific green building techniques are decidedly regional, with builders in the West reporting much more interest in water efficiency than builders in other areas. Interest in homes built with recycled materials is particularly high in the Northeast (the region where the fewest new homes are built) and low in the South (the region with the highest number of housing starts).

Only 11 percent of builders nationwide indicated that their customers ask about environmentally friendly features, according to the survey. “Fortunately, our members are increasingly taking the initiative to educate the home-buying public about the benefits of green construction,” Robson said.

Overall, energy efficiency continues to be the primary factor driving the green building movement, squaring with previous NAHB surveys of home builders when asked about buyer preferences. “More and more, our members are able to convince their clients of the benefits of a home built with efficiency and sustainability in mind,” Robson said.

“However, when buyers prepare to sign on the dotted line, cost-effectiveness clearly drives their decisions. We need to make sure that our energy policies reflect that reality so that builders have the flexibility to use lot and site design, high-efficiency heating and cooling equipment and other features to achieve the desired results at the right price,” he continued.

“Whenever Congress considers how to encourage more energy-efficient construction, it must keep affordability in mind – and look for ways to incentivize these changes not only in new homes, but even more importantly in the nation’s much more substantial and inefficient existing housing stock,” Robson said.

TOP 10 LIST OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS

From the National Association of Attorneys General

The remodeling industry continues to rank very high in consumer complaints nationally. Mark of Excellence Remodeling, Monmouth County, New Jersey recognizes this and is proud to maintain an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. Mark of Excellence Remodeling is pleased that half of its new projects come from previous clients and their referrals, a testament to its commitment to customer satisfaction.

Top 10 List Of Consumer Complaints Include Credit Cards and Predatory Lending/Mortgages

August 31, 2009 — Washington, DC—In a sign of the economic times, credit cards and predatory lending/mortgages cracked the national top 10 list of consumer complaints to state Attorneys General offices in the year 2008. The top three: debt collection, auto sales, and home repair/construction remained the same from year 2007. The findings are based on an annual non-scientific survey conducted by the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG).

State Attorneys General are a leading consumer protection force in the nation. They have primary responsibility in their states for the enforcement of their state’s consumer protection laws. Every state has a consumer protection statute prohibiting deceptive acts and practices, including those that happen online. Attorneys General can take action against businesses that commit fraud in such areas as debt collection, auto sales and repair, telemarketing and misleading advertising, for example.

The National Top 10 Consumer Complaints List for 2008 is:

1. Debt Collection
2. Auto Sales
3. Home Repair/Construction
4. Credit Cards (tie)
5. Internet Goods and Services (tie)
6. Predatory Lending/Mortgages
7. Telemarketing/Do-Not-Call
8. Auto Repair
9. Auto Warranties (tie)
10. Telecom/Slamming/Cramming (tie)

Consumers reported unauthorized charges and inaccurate late fees on credit or debit cards. Also reported were phony debt reduction services and foreclosure scams, when companies claim to be able to save a home if the consumer pays money upfront.

“With the recession and increased foreclosure rates, consumers need to be on high alert. Too many people are being swindled out of their hard-earned money by scam artists,” said Hawaii Attorney General Mark Bennett, who co-chairs the NAAG Consumer Protection Committee with Montana Attorney General Steve Bullock.

Attorney General Bullock said, “Attorneys general throughout our nation vigorously enforce the laws designed to protect consumers. When consumers have been deceived or treated unfairly by a business, they should contact the attorney general’s office in their state. By filing a complaint with our offices, our staff can work with both consumers and businesses to try to rectify the problem.”

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