Nobody minds a little extra spending cash. If you know what to look for, you can often take advantage of financial incentives for living in a high-performance home. Below we list incentives you should explore at a variety of stages:
Building/Buying a New Home
Getting Homeowners Insurance
Refinancing
Home Improvement
Building/Buying a New Home
Before you build a new home, check out the following sources for incentives. Many energy-efficiency upgrades may be too good to pass up. If you are buying a pre-existing home, compare each prospective home against the criteria for these incentives. It could impact your final decision.
Green Building Programs
Insurance Discounts
Energy-Efficient Mortgages
Product Rebates
Utility Rebate Programs
Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency
Homeowners Insurance
When shopping around for homeowners’ insurance, find out from each agent or representative what discounts they offer. You could be safer and a bit wealthier. Be sure to ask about these common premium discounts:
Fire Safety Features
Security Systems
Heating, Plumbing, and Electrical Upgrades
Disaster Resistance Features
Refinancing
If you are considering refinancing your home, investigate energy-efficient mortgages. Most require the borrower to get an energy rating on their existing or new home. A rating typically involves an inspection by a professional energy rater who is certified under a nationally or state accredited home energy rating system (HERS). The Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) provides a database of Certified Home Energy Raters by state.
Home Improvement
Are you thinking about remodeling your bathroom, or ditching your old clunker refrigerator or other appliances? While doing home improvements, you should consider how the following incentives might be relevant for your project.
Energy Star Appliance Rebates
Utility Rebate Programs
Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency
Weatherization
Energy-Efficient Mortgages
Product Rebates
