Construction Materials and Property Value

Our condo association is looking at a major building renovation, including our decks, windows, and siding. Our decks are pretty big, available through a sliding door. Every unit has at least one deck. The decks are currently constructed with solid redwood beams and decking. We also have cedar siding that should be replaced. All of this compliments our building's greatest asset: brickwork. The bricks on our building look great. Currently the decks and siding are painted a dark brown to accent the brickwork.

I'm a proponent of using natural materials - wood for the decks and cedar for the siding. Others argue that the new artificial materials will cost less and last longer. My question is what impact does the choice of exterior building materials have on property value? Does using natural materials appreciate values? Thanks!

One often has to look past the hyperbole/marketing, especially on "newer/better" products.

I one lived in a townhouse association (3-4 side by side units per building, elling for $480K at their peak that were sided with a fabulous new siding product from a Fortune 500 company.

Long story short. The company stopped manufacturing the product some 15-20 or so years later when is was discovered the product could "rot/melt" with enough water infiltration.

Well..guess what?

30 years after built, the association had to face the issue. Product no longer available. Proven to be no good a whole other issue but the answer was an assessment of about $25K per unit to reside all units. Much more to the story but.....