Homebuyers' Interest in Green Home Features Increases With Energy Efficiency Cited as Top Priority
Marketwire
ZipRealty.com Introduces Transit Scores in Conjunction With New Green Survey

More than half of all home shoppers report that green home features, from energy efficient appliances to solar panels, are an important part of their purchasing decision, though only one percent of home listings market these features to buyers, according to results of a national survey announced today by real estate brokerage ZipRealty (www.ziprealty.com) (NASDAQ: ZIPR).

The brokerage also announced that it is the first real estate company to integrate green-friendly Transit Score ratings into current home listings on its popular home-buying site, based on the popularity of the existing Walk Score feature, which scores the walkability of each listing.

"A growing number of home shoppers are seeking out homes that offer strong public transit options, high walkabilty scores and green features," said ZipRealty's Chief Home Hunter Leslie Tyler. "Showing Transit Score ratings for all home listings on our website gives our clients additional information about alternative transportation that they need before making an offer on a home."

New Survey Indicates Green Features as a Priority
A recent survey of homebuyers registered on ZipRealty.com revealed that 55 percent of survey respondents rated a home's green features a "somewhat important" or "very important" part of their home hunt.

Other highlights from the survey include:

  • Homebuyers who view green features as a priority ranked them important because they helped save money (49 percent), as well as allowed them to do their part to help the environment (40 percent).
  • Other reasons homebuyers valued green features included occupant/family health (37 percent), tax credit availability (12 percent) and the home's resale value (15 percent).
  • Although homebuyers overwhelmingly rated energy efficiency the most important green feature in a home (89 percent), an additional survey conducted by the brokerage of MLS-listed homes across the 35 markets nationwide ZipRealty serves found that less than one percent of homes on the market included the term in their description of the home.

See below for a list of the top five green features for homebuyers.

"Sellers are missing an opportunity to market their home effectively to a wide net of home shoppers," said Tyler. "Appealing to buyers can be as simple as highlighting appliances as energy-efficient, which many homeowners choose today to save money themselves. Our survey suggests that sellers of older homes could make inexpensive changes, like switching to energy efficient light bulbs or appliances, to help their home stand out from others."

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Top Five Green Features for Homebuyers
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Green Feature                                      Percent of Buyers rating
                                                   "top" priority
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Energy efficiency                                             89%
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Water-saving devices                                           60
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Solar power                                                    33
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Use of sustainable or environmentally-friendly                 27
 materials in home construction
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Ease of recycling and/or composting                            20
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New Transit Score Ratings on ZipRealty.com
In response to increasing buyer demand, ZipRealty also introduced the Transit Score feature as part of an updated website and logo revamp. Transit Score ratings rank a home on a 100-point scale based on its proximity to multiple public transportation options, allowing homebuyers to consider the amount of time and money they will spend commuting every day as part of their purchase decision.

ZipRealty is the first brokerage to feature the new Transit Score, an application developed by Seattle-based civic software company Front Seat. Homebuyers in most of the 35 markets ZipRealty serves will be able to locate Transit Scores along with Walk Scores (introduced in 2008), the relative "walkability" score for a home, under each listing's "Neighborhood Info" tab. Transit Score is calculated on the frequency, type of route (rail, bus, etc.), and the distance to the nearest stop on the route.

About the ZipRealty.com Survey
ZipRealty surveyed active ZipRealty.com users who registered on the Website in April and May, 2010. The survey was conducted between August 3 and 13, 2010, and attracted 745 total respondents across the United States. On average, survey respondents planned to buy or sell in the next four to six months.

About ZipRealty, Inc.
ZipRealty is a leading full-service residential real estate brokerage that uses an innovative combination of a comprehensive online presence, robust proprietary technology and knowledgeable local agents to offer its clients fast, responsive and transparent service. The Company's award-winning, user-friendly website gives its users access to comprehensive local Multiple Listing Services home listings data, as well as other relevant market and neighborhood information and tools. The Company's proprietary technology, including its agent platform and customer relationship tools, helps it to enhance customer service while increasing agent efficiency and reducing costs, allowing the Company to pass on significant savings to consumers as permitted by law. Founded in 1999, the company operates in 35 major markets in 22 states and the District of Columbia. For more information on ZipRealty, visit www.ziprealty.com or call 1-800-CALL-ZIP.

About Walk Score/Transit Score
Walk Score® and Transit Score™ are products of Front Seat, a civic software company based in Seattle, Wash. Walk Score rates any address based on its proximity to nearby amenities (grocery stores, restaurants, schools, etc.) and promotes walkable neighborhoods for their economic, environmental and health benefits. Transit Score provides a 0-100 rating indicating how well an address is served by public transportation. Ratings range from "Rider's Paradises" where multiple transit options are available to areas with limited or no nearby public transportation. Walk Score delivers three million scores per day across a network of over 4,000 websites. According to independent research conducted by CEOs for Cities, one point of Walk Score is worth as much as $3,000 in home value. Visit www.walkscore.com for more information.

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Laura Zilverberg
Allison & Partners
480-776-6418
ziprealty@allisonpr.com
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