A couple signs a compromise for an apartment rated F in the energy performance diagnosis (DPE), convinced they are making a good deal. Three months later, the energy renovation estimate exceeds the amount of the planned personal contribution. This type of scenario has been multiplying since regulations on energy-inefficient homes have tightened the rules of the game. Successfully completing a real estate project today requires anticipating constraints that did not exist five years ago.
DPE and rental ban: energy efficiency as a filter before calculating profitability
Before comparing prices per square meter or simulating a loan, one starts by checking the energy class of the targeted property. Homes rated G can no longer be rented out starting in 2025. Class F will follow from 2028, and class E in 2034.
In practical terms, if you are targeting an apartment or house intended for rental, the DPE now determines the feasibility of the project. A property rated F purchased in 2026 without planned renovation work leaves you with less than two years to bring it up to standard before the regulatory deadline.
It is recommended to request technical diagnostics before the first offer, not after. The cost of insulation work, boiler replacement, or ventilation must be included in your initial financing plan.
A property listed at an attractive price can become more expensive than a better-rated home once the renovation costs are factored in. Those wishing to compare listings while considering these parameters can visit the Reflexe Habitat website to cross-reference offers with energy performance data.
Budget and mortgage: simulating a scenario with unfavorable rates
There is a tendency to build one’s budget based on current credit conditions. Notaries in the Île-de-France region report that the prospect of rising housing credit rates could again slow market activity. In other words, a rate obtained today is not guaranteed tomorrow.
The most reliable method is to simulate your borrowing capacity with a rate increased by at least half a point compared to the proposed rate. If your project remains viable in this degraded scenario, your safety margin is real.
Often underestimated items in the purchase budget
- Notary fees, which represent a significant portion of the price in older properties, much higher than in new ones
- The cost of mandatory diagnostics (DPE, asbestos, lead, risk assessment) that the seller provides but which the buyer must verify for consistency with the asking price
- Condominium fees, particularly calls for funds for facade renovation or roof repairs already voted on in general assembly
- The personal contribution mobilized: drawing from all your emergency savings to increase the contribution weakens your financial situation in case of unforeseen events post-acquisition
Keeping a cash reserve after the purchase is an integral part of the project. The first months in a new home almost always generate unanticipated expenses, whether for minor repairs or equipment replacements.
Real estate market in 2026: a recovery that does not concern all sectors
The Paris Chamber of Notaries indicates that the recovery of the Île-de-France market is real but very heterogeneous and fragile. This observation also applies to the rest of the territory. Some neighborhoods are seeing sales volumes rise again, while others stagnate or continue to correct.
Comparing actual sale prices, not listed prices, changes the market perspective. Notarial databases publish transactions that have actually been completed, which better reflect reality than online listings. A gap of several thousand euros per square meter can exist between the asking price and the signed price, especially in areas where supply exceeds demand.
Adapting your purchasing strategy to the local context
In a heterogeneous market, negotiation becomes possible again. Properties that have been listed for several weeks without an offer are often overvalued. One can make an offer below the asking price without it being perceived as aggressive, provided the discrepancy is justified by concrete elements: energy class, necessary work, prices of comparable transactions in the neighborhood.
Feedback varies on this point depending on geographical areas, but the general trend favors prepared buyers who arrive with a financing file already validated by their bank or broker.
Key steps before signing: checks that no one does for you
The time needed between the first visit and the signing of the authentic deed is often underestimated. It is during this interval that the most structuring decisions are made.
- Request the minutes of the last three general meetings of the condominium to identify voted works, ongoing disputes, and the state of the works fund
- Check the condominium regulations to ensure that the intended use (furnished rental, conducting an activity, etc.) is allowed
- Have a technical re-visit conducted by a building professional if the general condition of the property raises doubts, rather than relying solely on regulatory diagnostics
The sales compromise legally binds both parties. Reviewing each clause, especially the suspensive conditions related to obtaining the loan, avoids costly blockages. The legal withdrawal period runs from the notification of the compromise, not from the visit.
A methodical real estate project rests on three pillars: a precise knowledge of energy regulations, a budget tested under unfavorable conditions, and an analysis of the local market based on actual transactions. The rest follows from this initial preparation.
