Nearly 40 percent of the listings in Valley View in west suburban Chicago contain energy-efficient features, making the neighborhood the greenest in the nation.
Along with nine of the other greenest communities in the U.S., Redfin named the top green neighborhoods in each of the 20 largest metros.
Green features include low-flow faucets, solar panels, dual-pane windows, and energy-efficient appliances.
The analysis also revealed that green homes sell for more. Overall, the median sale price of homes with green features was $47,600 higher than for homes without green features. Also, green homes aren’t always new homes. Many downtown areas have newly constructed condo buildings that are LEED certified, which may be why four downtown areas made the top 10 list. But while green homes for sale are on average six years newer than non-green homes, the majority of green homes were not new construction.
