Did you know? It is almost 16 years since EPC’s first came into regulation if you wanted to sell your home. For years buyers paid little interest in them, they had very little impact on a buyer’s decisions, nor did they affect what a buyer offered.
Fast track to 2024, and people do care. We have been through rising energy bills and a cost-of-living crisis. A recent survey showed 39% of buyers see it as important, up 5% from this time last year.
Energy-efficient homes also tend to command a higher price. It makes sense. Energy-efficient homes tend to have better insulation, newer windows, and better boilers, and if homeowners are spending are this, there is a high likelihood that they will have invested in other parts of their homes too! Interestingly, in a more difficult market place, they hold their values better also.
Did you also know that upgrading insulation, installing energy-efficient heating systems, and incorporating renewable energy sources like solar panels are becoming increasingly popular with homeowners, so much so that the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has launched a new Residential Retrofit Standard in response to the demand for high-quality retrofit advice due to high energy prices and government net-zero targets.
Oh and did you know, there are still grants available for anyone looking to make their home energy efficient. One of our own colleagues is currently looking in to grants for heat ground source pumps and John and I looking at installing solar energy into our new home – not sure if there is grant available for that though!
My name is Michelle Gallagher. If your home scores well on its energy efficiency and you are wondering what value it adds, please give me a call. You can email me at michelle@jdg.co.uk or you call me direct on 01524 843322
Thanks for reading
Michelle x
