Four out of five or 81% of the 1,545 U.S. adults polled in the recent Yahoo! Real Estate survey say that owning a home is still part of the American dream.
“The study finds that optimism about homeownership is widespread despite 
the massive downturn that has so far claimed six million homes in foreclosure and threatens to sink even more in the future,” Yahoo! Study says.
The Yahoo! Study further reveals that the American dream home is one that is “green, energy efficient and built with sustainable” materials that yield a lower carbon footprint.
Fifty percent of those polled in a Yahoo! Real Estate study consider “green, energy efficient and sustainable” appliances and materials as a requirement for their dream home. Meanwhile, building a custom home (38%), water views (38%), and mountain views (32%) home requirements followed behind.
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) told Yahoo! that investing 
in energy efficient appliances and green construction materials normally adds 2% to 4% to construction costs. However, this higher construction cost, NAHB says can result to higher home sales prices, although depending on what the local markets will bear.
The Alliance to Save Energy reported that U.S. homeowners can earn up to $500 U.S. tax credit by Dec. 31, this year for “green, energy efficient and sustainable” appliances and materials upgrades such as insulation, products that seal air leaks, highly-efficient heating and cooling equipment.
Whether you are a first time buyer, first time seller, empty nester, thinking about selling or buying a home, do contact the Guldi Real Estate Group. In Southern Maryland, the Guldi Real Estate Group is the number one real estate team.