Working at Schell Brothers, I get to chat with new people everyday about features they are looking for in a new home. Even being a home buyer myself (and my small addiction to HGTV) I thought I had a pretty good understanding of what the top 5 features would be.

For instance, I used to focus on: Location, Price, Size, Layout, and Closets. In all seriousness, those were my top 5 items, pretty much in order! As I talk to new buyers about their top 5 must have’s I’m starting to see a trend very similar to what I focused on. So tell me, what are your top 5 requirements in your new home? Write them down; say it out loud, whatever you need to do…

So now I’m curious, was your home’s HERS rating a must have feature in your new home? What is a HERS rating you ask? Well, HERS – or Home Energy Rating System – is the nationally recognized system for inspecting and calculating a home’s energy performance.

But what does a HERS rating mean for you, the home buyer? Here’s what:

Every HERS-rated home is given a score based on its energy performance as determined by a certified RESNET Home Energy Rater. The lower the HERS rating, the more energy efficient the home. The more energy efficient the home, the more you save on utility bills each month.

Knowing a home’s HERS score BEFORE you buy means you’ll know the projected energy costs of living in that home and can factor that into your decision.

What I find even more interesting is that to be an “Energy Star” rated home, your HERS rating must score at least 100, which is what’s found in most typical new homes today. At Schell Brothers, our average HERS rating is at 52. That is 100% more efficient than a typical new home. The amount of money you could be saving each year just by researching your builders HERS rating is astounding! For me, that’s my next vacation (or shopping spree)!

I wanted to share this because it definitely changed my top 5 requirements while searching for a new home. Don’t forget to ask about the quality and efficiency that should be included. In the long run, this is what’s going to guarantee you a HAPPY HOME.

You can learn more about Schell Brothers’ high performance brands and our HERS ratings in our Schellter™ section.

I’d love to hear your feedback on your top 5 important features and hope you consider the HERS rating as one of them! Enjoy your day!