Convenient Sustainability
Millennials view gardening as an important part of a sustainable lifestyle.
When asked which generation she identifies with the most, Margret Gabriel-Riggin, a project manager and mother of two, called herself a Gen Y / Gen X hybrid who says sustainability and a healthy home were the most important features for her and her husband, a California Highway Patrol officer, living in Rancho Cordova, Calif.
Gabriel-Riggin detailed the sustainable features of her home, including solar panels, high efficiency hot water heater, ample natural light, and low-VOC paints with no off gassing, all of which helped her choose Elliott Homes and share the news via Facebook after her purchase. Since purchasing their home they’ve built raised planter beds on the cozy patio and grow their own vegetables, rounding out their sustainable lifestyle.
But Bardis says Gabriel-Riggin is not the norm in paying extra for solar panels, and says that 90% of Gen Y buyers she encounters will decline a $4K add-on to go with a net zero home. (A reality that we’ve seen consistently.) However, they do want to stretch their dollar and appreciate sustainable features that are included in the price like energy efficient windows and insulation and air filtration systems. Much like good design, they expect sustainability to be designed into the home without increased cost.
For this group, health and wellness is the new status symbol, and they expect their homes to reflect this value.
