Women are greener buyers, says SHG

According to a survey commissioned by the Steel Homes Group, two-thirds of women said environmental concerns were high on their agenda when looking at property, compared with half of the men questioned.

Overall, only 15 per cent of UK adults said that green issues were unimportant when buying a home, showing the increasing awareness of sustainable features.

Dr Bassam Burgan, chair of the Steel Homes Group, commented: “There has been a lot of talk of how the UK can increase its housing supply – and rightly so – but this survey shows that people want those houses to be sustainable. We don’t want to take a blinkered view that focuses on building affordable homes for our children, but forgets about the environmental damage that could affect our grandchildren.”

The survey also revealed it was older people who felt the green issue was important in home buying, with 66 per cent of over-45s claiming it was a significant factor, compared to 51 per cent of 18-24-year-olds.

Steel Homes Group believed this was due to a greater awareness of the environment among older home owners.

Rachel Slack, mortgage product manager at Nottingham Building Society, said: “Our research shows that the deciding factor for the majority of young people when they are choosing their mortgage is the need for a highly competitive rate. Those who are 45-years-old and over are less influenced by rate and therefore are probably more likely to consider other factors.”

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