buying your first home - what you should know

2 Features To Look For That Can Save You Money In A New Home

One of the concerns that you should have when looking for a new home is what features to look for that can save you a bit of money, which only makes sense when you consider that you will probably be in your new home for years to come. Listed below are two features to look for in a new home that can save you money in the long run.

Solar Panels

One of the single most important home features that you can look for during your house hunt is solar panels, mostly because this option can easily offset the cost of your power bills every month. In particular, solar panels are going to be of great use during the summer when you can use them to partially or fully power your air conditioning so that you can keep your house as comfortable as possible without having to pay a fortune when your utility bill shows up. In addition, if you convert your stove, water heater, or heating system to an electric option, you can enjoy the savings all year. 

Now, another way that solar panels can benefit you is if you are able to use the panels to generate more power than your household uses every month. Once you reach that point, many power companies will send you a check for the excess power that your solar panels fed back into their power grid.

Smart Thermostat

Another money-saving home feature to look for when you are touring prospective homes is a smart thermostat. A smart thermostat is typically a thermostat that offers a wide range of control options that you can access through a smartphone app or a website. When you access the smart thermostat through the app or website, you can proceed to turn off the heater or air conditioner remotely so that you can avoid wasting money or power heating or cooling an empty home. 

In addition, you can also access the smart thermostat and set heating and cooling parameters. For example, if you want to be able to come home to a warm house after you get off work in the winter, you can program the thermostat to keep the heater off until a half hour or hour before you get off work so that the house is at the desired temperature when you get home.

Speak with your local realtor today in order to discuss your desire to find a house with features that can save you money and what potential money-saving features he or she would recommend that you consider. Solar panels and a smart thermostat are both great home features that can help you save some money every month.


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