Buying real estate is often a lifelong project. However, a successful real estate project relies on concrete decisions that go beyond the purchase price and the monthly mortgage payment. The actual duration for which you will occupy the property or its energy performance weighs just as heavily in the equation.
EPC and resale value: the structural criterion
You’ve spotted an apartment at a good price, well-located, but rated F in the energy performance diagnosis. Is it a good deal or a trap to avoid?
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Since the gradual ban on renting out the most energy-consuming homes (labels F and G, and eventually E), an unfavorable EPC leads to a depreciation as soon as the property is put up for sale. This phenomenon is no longer limited to a few isolated markets. In several major metropolitan areas, the depreciation has become structural.
If you buy a poorly rated property thinking of renovating it, you need to factor in the actual cost of the work in your overall budget, not just as a vague future intention. Conversely, a property that is already well-rated (A, B, or C) benefits from a measurable overvaluation compared to less efficient neighboring properties.
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To cross-reference these energy criteria with available listings, resources like the Maison Créa site for real estate can help refine your searches.
The EPC is no longer a trivial administrative document: it is a negotiation lever when buying and a valuation factor when reselling.
Duration of property ownership: a parameter that conditions profitability
How long are you really going to keep this property? The answer conditions the profitability of your entire project, yet it is rarely asked in advance.
Since the rise in interest rates that began in 2022, buyers have changed their behaviors. Several notarial and banking indicators show a clear trend: buyers are extending their duration of ownership to amortize acquisition costs. Notary fees, agency fees, cost of credit – all these items are only “repaid” over time.
The break-even point of a purchase
Take a property purchased with notary fees, a bank guarantee, and processing fees. These costs represent a significant part of the price. As long as you haven’t owned the property long enough for natural appreciation (or at least market stability) to offset these costs, selling would result in a loss.
Before signing, ask yourself: in five years, will you still be in this city, this neighborhood, this family configuration? If the answer is uncertain, renting may sometimes be more rational than buying.
Real estate budget: the overlooked items that disrupt a project
The natural reflex is to calculate your borrowing capacity, then look for a property within that envelope. This approach overlooks several items that, when added together, can represent a significant amount.
- Energy renovation work: insulation, changing the heating system, replacing windows. These items are sometimes mandatory to achieve an acceptable EPC, especially if you plan to rent the property one day.
- Condominium fees and provisions for work: in an old building, calls for funds for facade renovation or roof repairs can occur shortly after purchase. Always ask for the minutes of the last three general meetings.
- Local property tax: it varies greatly from one municipality to another. An identical property can cost several hundred euros more per year depending on the location.
- Moving costs, connections, electrical compliance: these “small” items can quickly add up when the budget is already tight.
A realistic budget incorporates these expenses from the search phase, not after signing the preliminary agreement.
Negotiating the purchase price: what works and what blocks
The margin for negotiation directly depends on the state of the local market. In an area where properties sell quickly, trying to make a very low offer often results in losing the property. Conversely, in a relaxed market, the seller expects a discussion.
Three concrete levers for negotiation
The first lever is the EPC. A property rated F or G gives you a quantifiable argument: the cost of the necessary work to improve the energy label. You are not asking for a “discount”; you are adjusting the price to the actual cost of the property once it is brought up to standard.
The second lever is the duration of the listing. A property that has been on the market for several months indicates either an overpriced listing or a defect identified by other visitors. The longer a property stays online, the more open the negotiation becomes.
The third is your financing file. A buyer who presents a bank feasibility certificate, with a clearly identified contribution, reassures the seller. At equal offers, a solid file outweighs a vague promise.
Choosing the location: balancing price per square meter and quality of life
Since 2023, a trend documented by notaries has been confirmed: in the face of rising rates, many buyers are willing to move away from city centers or reduce their space to maintain their project. This shift towards medium-sized cities is not a renunciation; it is a trade-off.
Before validating an area, check the planned infrastructure projects: transport lines, business zones, schools. A changing neighborhood can offer a potential for appreciation that already established areas no longer have. Local urban planning plans, available at the town hall, provide a reliable indication of the expected evolution.
Each decision benefits from being based on verifiable data: actual EPC, estimated duration of ownership, budget including renovations, and a chosen location based on informed knowledge rather than by default.