Few housing markets around the U.S. can match Los Angeles for luxury. But in recent years, a new value has entered the market with an equitable defining essence: sustainability. Naturally, area real estate brokerages are noticing. Luxury mansions in the Hollywood Hills are adorned with energy-harnessing solar panels, new construction in Culver City is prioritizing energy efficiency, and smart homes in Culver City are leaning into a leaner, greener style of living. And what was once a niche is rapidly becoming the norm. LA’s real estate brokerages owe it to their clients to help them find the balance of opulence and sustainable responsibility that this growing priority demands.
New Players in the Luxury Market Bring New Values
Gone are the days when transactions were primarily driven by square footage and stunning panoramic vistas. Sure, those features still factor, but they’re joined by eco-friendly building materials, energy efficiency, and advances in smart-home technology. This isn’t a sudden shift. Back in 2023, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) published a report illustrating that sustainability was already clearly influencing buyer decisions, particularly in metropolitan areas like Los Angeles.
Millennials and Gen Z are the prime drivers of these eco-conscious trends, though they admittedly make up a significantly smaller portion of the home-buying population than the Baby Boomer Generation. These newer generations enter luxury markets with an expectation that properties will meet their values. And chief among these values is a loyalty to sustainability without sacrificing comfort or aesthetics.
Greener Standards Inform Fresh Marketing Angles
Agents representing LA-area real estate brokerages have quickly needed to familiarize themselves with both LEED (Leadership Energy and Environmental Design) and WELL Building Standard™ certifications; standards indicative of sustainability and greener living. You can expect LEED and WELL structures to incorporate eco-friendly features such as smart HVAC systems, solar panels, sustainable building materials, and landscaping systems that emphasize water efficiency.
When a home manages to achieve these coveted eco-conscious certifications, it tends to spend a shorter time on the market and sell at a premium. Therefore, area real estate brokerages are underscoring these features more and more in listing descriptions and marketing materials. This is particularly true of LA-area neighborhoods where greener living is part of the luxury culture, including Silver Lake, Santa Monica, and Brentwood.
LA Real Estate Brokerages Embrace a Teaching Opportunity
Though new construction is still progressing at a snail’s pace across the Greater Los Angeles area, contractors are also noticing the growing trend. Clients expect the latest luxury homes to offer features that prioritize a marriage of sustainability and comfort, including triple-glazed windows, energy storage solutions (like Tesla Powerwalls), and air purification systems.
Savvy real estate brokerages are embracing this as an educational opportunity to help their agents remain competitive in the pivoting Los Angeles housing market. Sometimes, this means collaborating with green construction specialists. Other times, it’s as simple as leveraging existing eco-conscious features and technology to help home buyers and sellers alike understand the full value and potential of sustainable upgrades.
Some area real estate brokerages have even introduced sustainability metrics into their property valuation tools. This consideration makes it easier for clients to search for homes and commercial properties outfitted with the latest green updates, offering lower carbon footprints and longer-lasting appeal.
Sustainability Influences Commercial Real Estate Investment
It’s not just prospective homeowners who are considering sustainability as a major factor in their real estate decisions. Investors, too, are recognizing the value in eco-conscious features. Smart homes and structures that prioritize sustainability keep utility costs low, resale value high, and maintenance demands reduced. And these are the kind of properties that stick out in the eyes (and minds) of buyers looking for a mix of luxury and long-term value.
Meeting New Demand Starts with Real Estate Brokerages
Can luxury living and environmental preservation exist together? Future generations seem to think so. And real estate brokerages in markets like Los Angeles need to understand how to meet this growing demand. Whether it’s upgrading a Topanga Canyon sanctuary with solar panels or building a new Beverly Hills mansion with the latest smart features, sustainability and luxury are blending in ways that real estate brokerages can’t afford to ignore.
With a brand that says as much as JohnHart’s, Senior Copywriter Seth Styles never finds himself at a loss for words. Responsible for maintaining the voice of the company, he spends each day drafting marketing materials, blogs, bios, and agent resources that speak from the company’s collective mind and Hart… errr, heart.
Having spent over a decade in creative roles across a variety of industries, Seth brings with him vast experience in SEO practices, digital marketing, and all manner of professional writing with particular strength in blogging, content creation, and brand building. Gratitude, passion, and sincerity remain core tenets of his unwavering work ethic. The landscape of the industry changes daily, paralleling JohnHart’s efforts to {re}define real estate, but Seth works to maintain the company’s consistent message while offering both agents and clients a new echelon of service.
When not preserving the JohnHart essence in stirring copy, Seth puts his efforts into writing and illustrating an ongoing series entitled The Death of Romance. In addition, he adores spending quality time with his girlfriend and Romeo (his long-haired chihuahua mix), watching ‘70s and ‘80s horror movies, and reading (with a particular penchant for Victorian horror novels and authors Yukio Mishima and Bret Easton Ellis). He also occasionally records music as the vocalist and songwriter for his glam rock band, Peppermint Pumpkin.
