REALTORS® and Sustainability: Residential

Key Findings

In March 2024, NAR surveyed its members about sustainability issues facing the residential real estate industry. The findings are as follows:

  • 39% of respondents reported that their Multiple Listing Service (MLS) had green data fields, compared to nine percent that did not have green data fields.
Bar graph: MLS Green Data Fields
  • 24% of respondents have had extensive or moderate educational and professional training experience with homes featuring sustainability elements, such as energy- efficient appliances, renewable energy systems, or eco-friendly building materials.
  • 57% said energy efficiency promotion in listings was very or somewhat valuable.
  • 45% of respondents found clients were at least somewhat interested in sustainability.
Pie chart: Perception of Consumer Interest in Sustainability
  • 41% of homes with green certifications spent neither more nor less time on the market.
  • 80% of respondents said properties with solar panels were available in their market. Thirty-one percent said properties with solar panels increased the perceived property value.
  • The home features that clients listed to their agent or broker as very important included windows, doors, and siding, proximity to frequently visited places, and comfortable living space.
Stacked bar graph: Importance of Home Features to Clients
  • 13% of respondents said that a high-performance home (defined as a systematic building science approach to home improvements that can increase indoor comfort, health, operational efficiency, and durability) had an increase of 1% to 5% of the dollar value offered compared to other similar homes.
  • 9% of brokerage firms had experience working with residential building repurposing.
  • 62% of respondents said that in the past 12 months, they had been directly involved with a property with green features, either on the buyer or seller side.

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