Hobart suburbs with the most energy-savvy homes for sale

Three in four Tasmanians see home energy ratings as important, but the number of houses offering green features won’t satiate that demand.

TASMANIA’S focus on sustainability has come under the spotlight in a national housing energy report.

Apple Isle respondents pushed the state to No.1 in two categories.

Firstly, 60 per cent of Tasmanians were concerned about their environmental impact, the highest of all states.

And, over three quarters (77 per cent) of Tassie respondents viewed energy efficiency ratings for homes as important or extremely important when buying, renting, or building a property.

Despite the strong demand for energy-efficient homes revealed in PropTrack’s Energy-Efficient Housing Report, only 30 per cent of Tasmanian properties listed for sale on realestate.com.au have an energy-efficient feature declared.

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Karen Dellow, PropTrack analyst.

PropTrack senior analyst and report author Karen Dellow said there are several benefits of having a highly energy-efficient home.

“It can save money on energy bills. Features such as double-glazed windows and good insulation can help retain more warmth, reducing the need to rely on heating appliances,” she said.

“Generating electricity from solar panels rather than relying on taking energy from the grid can save considerable amounts.

“Additionally, moving to renewable energy sources and equipping houses with more energy-efficient appliances reduces carbon emissions.”

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LJ Hooker Pinnacle partner Simon Parsons.

The report found that reducing energy bills (83 per cent) was the main reason property seekers viewed energy ratings as important, amid rising energy costs and inflation.

Solar power (72 per cent) remains the most commonly searched energy-efficient feature by Tasmanian property seekers on realestate.com.au, followed by water tanks (21 per cent).

The Tasmanian suburbs with the most green features noted in for sale listings this year were Kingston, Glenorchy and Blackmans Bay.

LJ Hooker Pinnacle partner Simon Parsons has No.1 Iris Ct, Kingston listed for sale, a home that — among its many features — offers buyers a 3kW micro inverter solar power system with web access, and a solar hot water system, too.

No.1 Iris Ct, Kingston.

No.1 Iris Ct, Kingston.

Mr Parsons said it was usual for potential purchasers to ask surface level questions about a home’s solar power system, solar hot water or double glazing.

“An agent should be able to explain the home’s efficiency assets in reasonable detail and why it’s a value-add to the purchase,” he said.

“I personally haven’t noticed a significant difference in interest levels in home efficiency recently.

“People that are interested in going solar have the option to install their own systems post purchase.

“Some will have their building inspectors inspect the electrical set-up to make sure they can add solar relatively easily.”

No.1 Iris Ct, Kingston.

No.1 Iris Ct, Kingston.

Mr Parsons said a reason why Kingston was ranked so high is the large amount of development in the Spring Farm and Whitewater area over the last few years.

The average house price in that area would possibly suggest that the owners may have the capacity to afford the initial outlay for a solar installation, either during the build process or post handover, he said.

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Meanwhile, research from Ray White Group data analyst William Clark shows a rise in advertising sustainable features such as energy or water-saving features.

Over the last three years, there has been an increasing proportion of listings with solar panels, battery or off-grid appearing in advertising copy, Mr Clark said.

“This is not an exhaustive list of ways a house can be green.

“However, solar panels were the most frequently advertised, while batteries and being off-grid make a house green to the greatest degree,” he said.

TASSIE’S GREEN SUBURBS

1. Kingston

2. Glenorchy

3. Blackmans Bay

4. Claremont

5. Sandy Bay

6. Rokeby

7. Howrah

8. Sorell

9. New Norfolk

10. Old Beach

Source: Suburbs with the most homes for sale with energy-efficient features on realestate.com.au over the past 12 months