ECO/Green property market

[Zach Ziskin]

What are everybody's thoughts on rehabbing properties with the angle of making them green/eco-friendly properties as a primary selling point? I know that this would mean more expensive rehab costs for materials, but I would think it would also mean the ability to ask more on resale, as more and more home buyers are becoming interested in green and eco-friendly properties that are both environmentally friendly and healthy to live in.

Does this make sense from a resale value perspective, as well as standing out from the crowd in terms of marketing?

[Zach Ziskin]

In my research there are a bunch of things, it just depends on how far you want to take it. Here in Florida things such as furnaces obviously aren't a consideration, so that's a locale dependent type of amenity, but a corn powered furnace up north is certainly one idea. Based on my research here are some of the other things that can be done to make a property Eco-friendly, all just depending on what your budget is and how far you want to go:

Compact flourescent lighting
Solar powered outside light fixtures
Cedar wood for studs, decks, joists, etc. (pressure treated wood contains pesticides)
Solar hot water heater or on demand tankless
Low flow faucet fixtures and toilets
Non-VOC (volatile organic chemicals) paint, caulks and sealants
Reverse osmosis household water filtration system
Recycled tile, bamboo or cork wood flooring with non-toxic underlayment, or natural fiber carpeting (most standard laminate and carpeting contains toxic sealers and chemical treaments/dyes)
Greywater recycling system for plumbing