Raleigh, NC November 1, 2007 - When buying a home, people are often overwhelmed with the decision-making process and faced with many questions before a final decision can be made. Where are the best schools? How far is the commute? Is a new home preferable to an existing one?

Lately, the growing trend toward energy-efficient homes has many homebuyers wondering if buying an ENERGY STAR^® qualified home will deliver a greater return on their investment.

Since the mid-1990s, more than 750,000 ENERGY STAR^® qualified homes have been built across the country. According to the EPA, by 2010, more than 2 million homes are expected to earn the ENERGY STAR^® qualification.

“If Walls Could Talk”
According to the EPA, a home can be a greater source of pollution than the car you drive. In fact, 16 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions are generated from the energy used in homes nationwide.

Designed to be at least 15 percent more energy efficient than standard homes, ENERGY STAR^® qualified homes’ key features include:

Energy Star^® Options in the Triangle
Local builders are responding to the demand for more energy-efficient homes. Anderson Homes, a leading ENERGY STAR^® qualified builder in the area that has been recognized by the EPA and DOE as a 2006 and 2007 ENERGY STAR^® Partner of the Year, offers Peak Performance ENERGY STAR^® townhomes and single-family homes in a variety of price ranges and sizes. Using innovative technologies and construction practices, their homes not only help homeowners save money on energy bills, but also provide better indoor air quality.

“We made a commitment over the past several years to be a leader in building high performance, energy-efficient homes,” said Kip Guyon, president and COO of Anderson Homes. “With environmental issues being a key topic in the news today, more and more consumers are looking for ways to reduce their impact on the environment. Purchasing an ENERGY STAR^® qualified home is definitely a step in the right direction.”

Energy-efficient homes are easier to find in new communities, but now there are green options for homebuyers who want to live inside the beltline. The Oaks at Fallon Park has begun construction on 88 single-family ENERGY STAR^® qualified homes.

“We saw a unique opportunity to provide homebuyers that were challenged with the costs associated with renovating an older home with a new, more durable home that performed better over their lifetime, all while maintaining the architectural integrity of the Five Points area,” said Mark Kirby, a builder in The Oaks at Fallon Park and co-owner of Dixon/Kirby & Company.

It is virtually impossible to make an older home as energy efficient as an ENERGY STAR^® qualified home. “You would have to strip it down to its studs and rebuild it,” said Dan McFarland, director of builder services for Southern Energy Management. “Financially it makes more sense to purchase a new home that has an ENERGY STAR^® qualification.”

It Pays to be Green
Mortgage companies have jumped on the “green” bandwagon by offering environmentally conscious homebuyers Energy Efficient Mortgages (EEM). EEMs allow homebuyers to qualify for bigger loans by applying the cost savings on their utility bills to their income. Companies like Bank of America recognize that homeowners can afford to spend more on their housing expenses because they will likely spend less on their energy costs. Through Bank of America’s Energy Credit mortgage, homebuyers can receive $1,000 towards closing fees on new ENERGY STAR^® qualified homes.

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