Buying a property, launching a rental investment, or simply reselling at the right time: every real estate project in 2024 faces a tighter financing context and increased energy requirements. Understanding these two parameters before signing anything radically changes the profitability of a transaction.
Opposable DPE and rental ban calendar: what weighs on property valuation
Have you spotted an apartment listed at a low price, classified F or G in the energy performance diagnosis? The price reflects a real risk. Since the reform that came into effect on July 1, 2021, the DPE has become opposable: an error causing harm can engage the liability of the seller, the landlord, or the diagnostician, according to information recalled by the portal data.gouv.fr.
Properties classified G are banned from rental since January 1, 2025. Properties classified F will follow in 2028, and E in 2034. This calendar, stemming from the Climate and Resilience law and recalled by Eni Plenitude, transforms the DPE into a true factor of asset risk.
For a purchase intended for rental, the cost of renovation works to meet standards and the deadline must be included in the profitability calculation from the very first visit. A property classified G purchased without a renovation budget is not a good deal; it is a rental dead end in the short term. Real estate projects that neglect this point end up with a depreciated property that is impossible to rent, as detailed in several analyses available on the Dekortikon real estate site.
Energy renovation in co-ownership: a blind spot for buyers
Energy renovation does not only concern individual houses. In co-ownership, facade insulation works, replacement of the collective boiler, or insulation of the networks are subject to collective decisions. A single co-owner cannot improve the DPE of their unit if the building envelope remains a sieve.
Before buying in co-ownership, consult the multi-year work plan. Since the Climate and Resilience law, co-ownerships over fifteen years old must adopt this plan. It lists the planned works and their financing schedule.
Check three concrete points:
- Does a collective DPE exist, and what is the energy class of the building (not just your unit)?
- Has the multi-year work plan been voted on, and what amount of provisions is included in the charges?
- Are major works (external thermal insulation, boiler replacement) scheduled in the next five years, and what will be your share?
An apartment listed at an attractive price in a co-ownership without a work plan may hide considerable calls for funds in the years following the purchase.
Real estate financing in 2024: preparing a solid bank file
The volume of mortgage loans granted has significantly slowed down in 2024. Banks are examining files with more rigor than in previous years. Two direct consequences for project holders: the personal contribution and the debt ratio are closely scrutinized.
Why this increased vigilance? Lenders strictly apply the debt ceiling and require a comfortable remaining living allowance. A file that passed without difficulty three years ago may today face a refusal.
Contribution and management of the debt ratio
A contribution covering at least the notary fees and guarantee fees reassures the bank about your saving capacity. Beyond this threshold, every additional euro of contribution reduces the borrowed amount and mechanically improves your debt ratio.
Pay off your consumer loans before submitting your application. An ongoing car loan or revolving credit inflates your debt ratio and reduces your borrowing capacity. The most effective strategy is to anticipate this cleanup six months before searching for the property.
Professional stability and supporting documents
Banks favor profiles with permanent contracts and completed probation periods. For freelancers, presenting three stable financial statements remains the norm. A complete file, with clean account statements for the last three months (no overdraft, no rejected direct debit), speeds up processing and improves the proposed conditions.
MaPrimeRénov’ and work aids: evolving criteria
Energy renovation aid schemes are not fixed. Eligibility criteria evolve regularly, particularly for heat pumps under the heating boost scheme.
Before budgeting for a renovation, check three elements:
- Is the type of work planned still on the list of eligible actions for MaPrimeRénov’ at the date of your application?
- Do the technical criteria of the chosen equipment (power, performance coefficient for a heat pump) meet the current requirements of the scheme?
- Is the selected professional RGE certified, a mandatory condition to unlock the grant?
Incorporating the actual amount of aid (after deducting any recent exclusions) into the financing plan avoids unpleasant surprises at checkout.
Long-term valuation: buying a property or buying a renovation project
The distinction between a habitable property and a property to be renovated has never weighed so heavily on investment strategy. A well-classified property in the DPE retains its rental value and liquidity upon resale. A poorly classified property, purchased at a discount, can become very profitable if the renovation works are properly estimated and financed.
The real criterion for choice remains the gap between the discounted purchase price and the total cost of bringing it up to standard. If this gap leaves a margin for valuation after works, the operation makes sense. If the renovation cost absorbs the entire discount, it is better to target a property already up to standard.
The success of a real estate project in 2024 depends less on reading the market than on mastering these technical parameters. A verified DPE, a consulted work plan in co-ownership, a bank file prepared in advance, aid recalculated according to the latest criteria: these concrete checks separate a profitable purchase from a forced purchase.
