SARASOTA, FLORIDA, May 17th, 2016 – The New Homes Month that the building industry marked in April 2016 has resonated strongly in Sarasota with a wide selection of newly constructed residences that have been entering the local property market.
As an added delight for prospective buyers of Sarasota homes for sale, most of these fresh offerings are eco-friendly residences from builders noted for their energy-efficient construction after they have long-adopted green practices as a standard in their projects.
Indeed, research indicates that homes of more recent vintage utilize energy more efficiently and are more environment-friendly. Based on a recent study by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the newer a single family home is, the lesser is its energy consumption on a per-square-foot basis. Homes built since 1999, the NAHB research noted, were likely to utilize the same to slightly lesser energy compared with homes built before 1950.
Energy utilization in homes is largely being reduced as a result of new technologies which have been developed and continue to be improved in recent years. These innovations include new construction materials providing better home insulation and, ultimately, lesser heating costs.
The features to look for when shopping for energy-efficient Sarasota homes for sale include heat-blocking foam insulation in exterior walls and weather-proof windows and doors, as well as well-insulated attics. For furnished home choices, the things that count most are Energy Star-qualified appliances, HVAC systems, and tank-less water heaters in addition to bathroom/kitchen exhaust fans and drought-tolerant landscaping.
Homebuilders have likewise been adopting and continuously developing green construction methods and operating systems not only supportive of environmental protection but also contributory to effective cost management. The homebuilders who subscribe to green standards, for instance, ensure that material wastage in their projects is avoided and cut to the barest minimum.
Proximity to manufacturers of construction materials, particularly those making eco-friendly building products, is another prime consideration for the green builders. To reduce on transportation and fuel costs, they source their building inputs from manufacturers within 500 miles of their projects.
The Sarasota area, in this regard, has a tremendous advantage as the region is host to plenty of suppliers of environment-friendly building materials. One of them is PGT Industries, a leading U.S. manufacturer and supplier of energy-efficient windows and doors.
Much benefit is likewise extended by the local energy resource auditors, such as the Parrish-based Two Trails Inc. These firms provide builders and architects professional advice on energy-efficient construction and better living space designs that foster better power and water utilization.
Contrary to common belief, the cost of energy-efficient homes is not at all prohibitive. In Mirabella at Village Green, a Bradenton community which has qualified under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), it was estimated that cost of compliance of with LEED standards amounts to about 5 percent of the selling price. The residences in this community consist of paired villas priced starting at the upper $200s in listings of new Sarasota homes for sale.
For choices in the higher price points, ask your local realtor about buying opportunities south of downtown Sarasota in Hudson Park, Poms Park, and Rustic Park. In these subdivisions, Houston-based green homebuilder David Weekley Homes offers several eco-friendly models priced in the $500s range. Leveling up further, go for the high-end options at Granada Park, a West of the Trail community where its exclusive builder, the award-winning MGB, recently opened an upscale environment-friendly home model priced in the $900s.
SARASOTA, FLORIDA, October 7, 2019 – Property values of communities in the Sarasota-Manatee region now face lesser threat from neighborhood eyesores brought about by abandoned, foreclosed homes. Known in the real estate trade as zombie foreclosures, these properties have shrunk significantly in the region. According to an August report of ATTOM Data Solutions, abandoned […] more>>