Do you dream of living in an environmentally friendly home but have decided it’s not a practical option for you – as hiring a Green Building Council house builder is just too expensive? While this might have been true in years gone by, things have changed. If you’re thinking of upgrading your home or building from scratch in 2019, ANZ Bank wants to help you. They’ve created the Healthy Home Loan Package, which is a loan product geared at making environmentally friendly home builds more affordable for the average Kiwi. What’s On Offer? The new package being offered by ANZ Bank gives applicants up to 0.70% off the standard fixed home loan rate and up to 1.00% off both standard floating home loan rates and flexible rates. You could also have certain fees waived if you have certain types of accounts. Altogether you’re looking at a yearly discount of almost 4%, which could result in $1000 less of interest annually. Who Qualifies For The Healthy Home Loan Package Benefit? To qualify for this benefit, your build needs to rate 6/10 or higher on the Homestar rating tool. Ratings are based on health, warmth and efficiency factors. Most houses, including new homes built to the NZ Building Code, rate between two and four. Reasons for this include the relatively low standards set by the NZ Building Code (compared with other developed countries), the lack of sustainable house builders in Auckland, a lack of knowledge by existing home builders and the perceived cost implications of such a choice. How Can Homeowners Meet The Minimum Requirements? To determine if you meet the minimum requirements, you should contact a Homestar practitioner, assessor or Auckland based sustainable homes expert. Make sure the company you approach is certified, licensed and affiliated with the New Zealand Green Building Council. They’ll help you determine your current Homestar rating and identify what steps you need to take to improve your score if you don’t qualify. Sustainability goals include ensuring homes are dry, warm, energy efficient and have a reduced carbon footprint. Benefits Of A Sustainable Home In addition to the ANZ Healthy Home Loans financial rewards, improving your home’s sustainability standard also provides the benefit of living in a healthier and more comfortable home. You’ll save money on energy costs in the long run, as well as help reduce your greenhouse gas emissions. This improved standard will boost your property value, as well as its appeal to prospective buyers should you wish to sell your home in the future. If you need guidance on determining your rating or how your home could be improved, you need to work with sustainable home builders who have the experience and accreditation to assist you. Craft Homes are approved Homestar Practitioners and Assessors offering full-service project management and a guarantee on all work done. Contact us today for a no-obligation, free consultation so you can move forward with your dream green home. Comments are closed.
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AuthorToby and Cat Tilsley Archives
September 2021
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