Made a noticeable difference in our final numbers.
I get your point, but honestly, I think part of the issue is that buyers themselves aren't fully valuing these upgrades yet. Sure, specialized lenders and appraisers can help bridge the gap, but until the average homebuyer starts actively seeking out and paying more for energy-efficient features, appraisals will stay conservative. It's kind of a chicken-and-egg situation—appraisers follow market trends rather than set them. It'll probably shift eventually, but right now it's still early days.
That's a solid point about buyers not fully valuing those upgrades yet. Reminds me of a client I had last year—we went all-in on energy-efficient windows and insulation, thinking it'd boost appraisal value, but the appraiser barely noted it. Buyers loved it though, so maybe the market's catching up...slowly.
Had a similar experience recently—worked with a homeowner who invested heavily in solar panels and high-end insulation. We thought for sure it'd bump up the appraisal, but nope...the appraiser barely gave it a nod. Buyers touring the place were impressed though, and the home sold quicker than we expected.
One thing I've noticed is that appraisers tend to stick closely to comparable sales in the area, and if those comps don't have similar upgrades, they won't factor them in fully yet. It's frustrating, but makes sense from their perspective—they need solid data points. My advice usually is to document every upgrade clearly and provide detailed info sheets during appraisals. It doesn't always change things immediately, but over time, as more homes with these upgrades sell, they'll start showing up in comps and appraisers will catch on. Just gotta be patient while the market adjusts...
Had a homeowner friend go through something similar. She poured money into geothermal heating and cooling, thinking it'd boost her appraisal big-time. Nope...barely moved the needle. But funny enough, when she listed, buyers were all over it—sold in less than two weeks. Makes me wonder if appraisers are just slow to catch up with green tech trends, or maybe they're waiting for more solid comps? Either way, seems like buyers are already ahead of the curve...
"Makes me wonder if appraisers are just slow to catch up with green tech trends, or maybe they're waiting for more solid comps?"
Could be, but I'm not totally convinced it's about appraisers being behind the times. Maybe buyers just value things differently than appraisals traditionally measure? I mean, appraisals are mostly about comparable sales and data points, right? Buyers, though, they see comfort, lower bills, and eco-friendly bragging rights. Is it really fair to expect appraisers to quantify that kind of subjective appeal yet?
