NOSEa heat pump is installed
NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 17:25
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Leanne Kraniotis
economics editor
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Leanne Kraniotis
economics editor
Until recently, home buyers hardly looked at the energy label of a house they were interested in. That has changed in the past few years, mainly due to rising energy prices. And since January 1, something has been added: new mortgage rules. The better the energy label, the more someone can borrow to buy a house.
For a house with the very best energy label, a buyer can now borrow up to 50,000 euros more than for houses with the three worst energy labels. The idea is that because you spend much less on your monthly energy bill with an economical house, you can spend more on your mortgage.
“Two years ago, people thought a new kitchen was more important than the energy label,” says Marco Verbrugge of Verbrugge Makelaardij. “But since the energy crisis, the label has become relevant. We have not all suddenly received a green heart, it is the wallet that speaks. And this year there are really different mortgage conditions. That is a new phenomenon. What the effects will be remains to be seen. We’ll see. The rules have only just come into effect.”
Stimulate sustainability
These new rules should encourage homeowners to make their homes more sustainable. Because when selling, a house with a good label is more attractive than one with a bad label.
Perfectkeur provides energy labels and also gives residents advice on sustainability. “Demand had already increased last year, but even more so in the last few months,” says Floor Vermeulen of Perfectkeur.
“Real estate agents are aware of the new lending standards and urge sellers to market their house with the best possible label,” says Vermeulen. “They then look at whether minor interventions are possible to improve the label. You can really see that real estate agents and homeowners are now working on this.”
Extra mortgage for savings measures
At the same time, the new rules also take into account buyers of houses with a poor energy label. They can also borrow extra, but only to make the new house more sustainable with that money. “More can be responsibly borrowed for these homes because savings can be made on the energy bill after sustainability,” thus government.
For the three worst labels (E, F and G), buyers can borrow an extra 20,000 euros. That money should therefore not go to the purchase of the house, but must be spent on making it more sustainable. Such as insulation or a heat pump.
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Mortgage provider ING welcomes the new rules. “By investing in sustainability, the house retains its value and the financial vulnerability for the resident decreases. We believe that sustainability should be part of every consultation.”
Rabobank is also positive. “These rules provide an incentive to become more sustainable. At the same time, sustainability remains a significant challenge for many owners. Financially, but also practically.” That is why the bank has been reimbursing energy advice for customers with a G or F home since last month. They can then receive 1,000 euros from the bank for an insulation measure.
It should be noted that mortgage providers benefit from relaxing lending standards for sustainable housing. This helps to provide more loans.
Price differences
Due to high energy prices, the price differences between houses with good and bad energy labels have increased, the NVM real estate agency association previously noted. It will become clear in the near future how these new mortgage rules affect the prices of houses with good and bad labels.
At the advisory chain De Hypotheekshop, they expect that new construction will become more popular, because of the good energy labels and therefore broader lending standards. Older apartments are actually becoming less popular, the consultants think. Because apartments are part of an Owners’ Association (VvE) and sustainability is more difficult within an VvE.
Mortgage interest rates are falling
In general, it is striking that mortgage interest rates have been falling for about ten weeks in a row. “The average ten-year interest rate with National Mortgage Guarantee (NHG) is currently 3.99 percent and has fallen more than half a percentage point compared to November,” says Mark de Rijke of De Hypotheker, another advisory chain. A drop in mortgage rates could push up house prices. Because the lower the interest rate, the more borrowing space home buyers have.
Mortgage advisor Van Bruggen Adviesgroep therefore expects that house prices will rise this year. Due to falling mortgage interest rates and rising incomes, but also because more can now be borrowed for homes with a good energy label. In addition, the lending standards for singles have been relaxed, allowing them to obtain up to 16,000 euros more in mortgages.
2024-01-04 16:25:05
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