Green technologies are as popular as ever, and Bel Air luxury homeowners are in a unique position to add value to their posh properties using eco-friendly upgrades.
Going green has many benefits—especially in Southern California—which gets plenty of sunshine and where water supplies have become tighter and tighter with each drought cycle. From adding solar panels to your roof to replacing old light bulbs with new LED ones to updating your landscaping with native flowers and shrubs, ecologically smart updates reduce greenhouse gasses, use less electricity, and help conserve water. These considerations are good for the environment, efficient for your property, and will save you money on utilities in the short term. Plus, many of these upgrades are aesthetically pleasing and will add to the home’s resale value.
Below are the most-popular eco-friendly updates for your Bel Air home.
Solar power
Adding solar panels to your roof is a smart move. Electricity rates in Southern California keep going up, so having a solar system will dramatically reduce your monthly costs while helping your home stay cool.
When you decide to add solar to your Bel Air home, you should research several companies and shop around for estimates. There are a number of different systems and panels available, and you should look at both cost and performance while sorting through estimates. It’s okay to have solar panels added to an existing roof, but it can still make sense to go with solar even if a roof needs to be replaced.
Besides using the solar system to provide electricity during daylight hours, homeowners will be able to participate in a net metering program. Net metering allows homeowners to sell back their unused solar energy to their utility company, earning extra money in the form of credits on their electricity bills. Homeowners should check with their solar provider and a utility company to make sure they will be able to take advantage of a program, and that their system includes enough panels to generate extra energy. A solar company can calculate how many years it will take for the system to pay for itself.
When you decide to add solar to your Bel Air home, you should research several companies and shop around for estimates. There are a number of different systems and panels available, and you should look at both cost and performance while sorting through estimates. It’s okay to have solar panels added to an existing roof, but it can still make sense to go with solar even if a roof needs to be replaced.
Besides using the solar system to provide electricity during daylight hours, homeowners will be able to participate in a net metering program. Net metering allows homeowners to sell back their unused solar energy to their utility company, earning extra money in the form of credits on their electricity bills. Homeowners should check with their solar provider and a utility company to make sure they will be able to take advantage of a program, and that their system includes enough panels to generate extra energy. A solar company can calculate how many years it will take for the system to pay for itself.
Tankless water heater
Another major upgrade that allows owners of Bel Air real estate to go green is replacing the standard water heater with a tankless water heater. Tankless water heaters last longer and use less energy, which helps owners save money. Since these appliances heat water on demand, rather than keeping a large tank of water hot all the time, homeowners can expect an endless supply of hot water when they need it. They also take up less space than a traditional water heater and are designed for easy adjustments to water temperature.
The upfront cost of purchasing and installing a tankless water heater can be expensive, usually between $5,000-$10,000 (depending on how big the house is), but homeowners see an immediate return on investment (ROI) through lower energy bills.
The upfront cost of purchasing and installing a tankless water heater can be expensive, usually between $5,000-$10,000 (depending on how big the house is), but homeowners see an immediate return on investment (ROI) through lower energy bills.
Green walls
Credit: Planted WellOne unique upgrade for Bel Air homes that’s both eco-friendly and aesthetically pleasing is to add a green wall, or a living wall, to your home or patio. These are vertical gardens that can be installed in many places within the home to help provide natural insulation and help reduce energy consumption. Vertical gardens are popular in entryways, living rooms, or terraces. Green walls are built to include a growth medium, either soil or hydroculture felt, and a system for delivering water and fertilizer. Depending on the layout of the home, a green wall can be installed to thrive in direct sunlight or shade.
Smart tech
Adding smart technology to your Bel Air luxury home allows you to save energy, save money, and aid the environment. Smart tech comes in many forms but is intended to make homes more energy-efficient overall, while also adding convenience.
A smart home can have many systems controlled from a single device, like a thermostat to automatically adjust the temperature and a security system that includes multiple video cameras and lights that cover every part of the exterior of the home. There are also individual smart devices such as video doorbells, lighting that can be controlled (and monitored) by a smartphone or tablet, and a wide range of smart appliances for the kitchen.
Replacing your existing kitchen appliances can be done all at once, or as needed when old appliances begin to fail. Having smart appliances in homes for sale in Bel Air will increase the house’s resale value, as the kitchen is considered the most important room for piquing buyers’ interest.
Landscaping
An eco-friendly upgrade that adds curb appeal and value when it comes time to sell Bel Air real estate is reducing the size of the lawn and adding planting beds with drought-tolerant native plants, trees, and shrubs. These landscaping choices will reduce water use, upkeep costs, and the need for harmful pesticides.
Ready to buy, sell, or upgrade Bel Air luxury real estate?
There’s a long list of upgrades that can add value to your Bel Air luxury real estate, that will also improve the quality of life—and ecological footprint—of your home. If you’re ready to buy or sell Bel Air real estate, contact the experienced local realtors at The Di Prizito Group. Timothy Di Prizito and his team of Bel Air experts will be happy to help you buy (or sell) luxury real estate for the best price possible. Timothy and his team offer superb customer service, market analysis, and pre-listing recommendations to every client, and will be standing by to help through the entire transaction. Contact The Di Prizito Group today!
