Flemish energy-consuming houses decrease in value
According to analyses by Realo, conducted at the request of De Tijd, the newspaper reports that the energy label is playing an increasingly important role in the valuation of houses.
Homes in Flanders with an A or B energy label were offered at the end of the third quarter for 4.1% more than in 2022. This contrasts sharply with energy-consuming houses, with EPC labels E and F, which now cost 1.2% and 2.1% less, respectively. Buyers of a house with an E or F label in Flanders are required to renovate it to at least a D label within five years.
Experts suggest that there is now more room for negotiation for buyers of energy-intensive houses, resulting in a final sale price often significantly lower than the asking price.
In Wallonia, where there is no mandatory renovation, there is no decrease in the asking prices of energy-intensive houses. On the contrary, the prices of these houses are rising by more than 3%. However, the prices of energy-efficient houses in Wallonia are rising with more than 4%.
Energy performance divides the market
The impact of a house's energy performance on pricing is not only evident in the market for existing houses. Figures from the Nieuwbouwbarometer clearly show that since 2021, new houses have risen in price much faster compared to existing houses. While prices in the existing house market have been stagnant for over a year, prices for new construction continued to rise. Since new homes are required to be nearly energy-neutral (BEN) and existing homes generally do not have a good energy score, it is likely that the energy performance of houses also weighs on the price here.
