Why Energy Efficiency is Vital for Selling a Home (And How to Achieve It)

Energy-efficient properties tend to be more marketable, as a high Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating makes a property more attractive in listings, drawing greater interest and speeding up sales. These properties also offer long-term savings on utility bills, which appeals to buyers looking to lower their living costs, and aligns with their eco-friendly values.

For sellers, this presents a huge opportunity to boost profits and receive higher asking prices simply by making a few key changes to their homes before putting them on the market. Whether you’re selling a stylish city-centre flat or a period townhouse, here’s how you can further enhance the buyer appeal of your listing by improving the energy-efficiency of your home.

Think about flooring materials

While stone tiles or hardwood floors certainly have their appeal, there’s no denying that they’re not the cosiest of materials. In the winter, they can leave a room feeling incredibly cold which means more heating costs to stay comfortable.

The right flooring makes all the difference when it comes to energy efficiency and comfort underfoot, so if you want to make a change that won’t eat into your profits, swapping out colder flooring materials is a great place to start. Opt for wool carpets, for example, that keep the heat in and act as an effective insulator for your floors. Thicker piles will also help to retain warmth, especially when coupled with a plump underlay that will act as an additional barrier against the cold.

Upgrade your insulation

While new builds have sufficient insulation to block out cold air, older homes tend not to. However, it’s one of the most effective ways to make your property more energy efficient, more competitive on the market, and have a positive impact on reducing heating and cooling costs throughout the year.

There are various applications to consider in the home, from roof insulation to cavity wall insulation or even adding polystyrene wall insulation to the surface of your interiors, which is applied like wallpaper and can then be decorated over the top. Don’t neglect doors too – any exterior doors, or garages that are attached to the property, will also play a part in keeping your home green and energy efficient.

Keep out the cold with double glazing

Double glazing shouldn’t be overlooked as an effective upgrade for any home, and if your budget allows, opting for triple glazing will have an even bigger impact. Not only that, but for central properties in the heart of the city, replacing single-glazed windows will also make the interiors of your home quieter, creating a more peaceful environment. While replacing your windows is a little bit of a financial investment, it offers savings of hundreds of pounds a year for future owners.

Replace outdated heating systems

Older homes or period properties might be struggling with their similarly older heating systems not working to their optimal efficiency anymore. Before you sell up, it can be a good investment to replace these dated boilers with a modern system including condensing boilers and even underfloor heating to make the property more energy efficient. They’ll use far less energy to heat the rooms but also improve the levels of comfort for future residents.

If you want to make a bigger change, switching to a renewable energy heating system like a heat pump can be a fantastic way to reduce the carbon footprint of a property. Heat pumps contribute to a greener home and use less electricity compared to a standard heating system, so they’ll also result in energy bill savings each month. By providing heating and cooling, they're versatile for year-round comfort, making them a brilliant addition to boost the value of your home.

Control with smart thermostats

A smart thermostat is an affordable and easy way to make your home more environmentally friendly, providing greater control and flexibility compared to traditional heating systems (especially when paired with an updated boiler). These connected devices are great for convenience, but more importantly they make it easy to adjust temperatures and switch off heating or cooling for specific rooms or when you’re not home. This saves on wasted energy and still keeps the home comfortable. Better yet, some devices even learn from users’ behaviour to heat your home in the most energy-efficient way possible.

We can’t neglect the importance of energy efficiency in the property market – current buyers are keen to find homes that will be kinder to the planet and won’t be a drain on their finances in the long-term. This offers an opportunity to appeal to the eco conscious when you come to sell your home. Motivated sellers who want to set their property apart would be wise to consider ways they can improve the energy rating of their home and make a few strategic energy-efficient upgrades.

Ready to get started? Request a home valuation today and we’ll be happy to offer you focussed professional advice.