Yeah, totally agree—seems like lenders are still playing catch-up with sustainability. When we refinanced after installing solar panels, the appraiser barely glanced at them. It's frustrating, especially when you're investing upfront for long-term savings... feels like something needs to shift soon.
Had a similar experience when we built our place. Spent extra on energy-efficient windows and insulation, but the appraiser barely noticed. Seems like they're still stuck in the old-school mindset of square footage and neighborhood comps. One thing that helped us was providing receipts and documentation of the upgrades directly to the lender—didn't completely solve it, but it nudged things a bit. Hopefully, appraisal standards catch up sooner rather than later...
Had a similar issue when we renovated our old farmhouse—solar panels, geothermal heating, the works. The appraiser barely blinked at it. But honestly, I think part of the problem is that buyers themselves aren't always tuned into the long-term savings of green upgrades yet. Until more homebuyers start actively seeking out and valuing these features, appraisers might not feel the pressure to change their approach. Maybe it's less about appraisal standards catching up and more about shifting buyer expectations...?
Had a similar experience with a custom build last year—client went all-in on energy-efficient windows, insulation, and even a rainwater harvesting system. Appraiser barely acknowledged it. Makes me wonder, are buyers just not seeing the immediate value yet? Or maybe it's about how these features are marketed... Do realtors highlight them enough during showings? Seems like there's still a disconnect somewhere between what's installed and what buyers actually notice or care about.
Went through something similar recently with my build:
- Installed solar panels, triple-pane windows, and upgraded insulation.
- Appraiser barely glanced at the energy efficiency upgrades, seemed more focused on square footage and location comps.
- Buyers touring the house were impressed when I personally pointed out the savings on utility bills, but realtor didn't really emphasize it much.
Makes me think buyers do care, but maybe appraisers and agents aren't fully tuned into how much these features matter yet...
