Fiber internet adds value, commands top dollar in home sales
Buyer seeking out neighborhoods that offer fiber access not only boosts livability and productivity today, but increases the home’s value long-term. According to a study by Fiber to the Home (FTTH) Council Americas, as reported by the Fiber Broadband Association, fiber internet capability in the home can have a direct impact on the home’s future value, by as much as 3.1 percent. To put that into perspective, that’s $9,000 on a $300,000 home, or about $5,400 on a $175,000 home, or, the value equivalent of adding a fireplace or a half bath, without the mess and headache of home improvement.
Furthermore, the study found there is a 7.1 percent difference between the value of single-family homes where the available connection is less than 25 megabits per second and homes with gigabit connections available. Fiber optic internet speed is consistently 1 gigabit per second (Gbps).
Reliability is also greatly enhanced as fiber internet eliminates “throttling” – that blocky, frozen image syndrome that happens mid-movie. This makes fiber internet the preferred choice for everything from browsing to streaming services to video conferencing and online meetings – all of which are big pluses for homeowners.
Now that our homes serve triple duty as living space, schoolroom and branch office, experts predict home buyers are going to be as interested in the technical infrastructure of a property as they are a fancy kitchen or splashy landscaping. Homeowners who gig speed internet now will have a real advantage in the future to command top dollar no matter what the market is doing.