DPE Reform 2027: Should You Wait Before Selling Your Apartment in Paris?

The method used to calculate France's Energy Performance Certificate could change again in 2027. Should Parisian property owners delay their sale in the hope of obtaining a better energy rating?

The method used to calculate the French Energy Performance Certificate, known as the DPE, could change again on January 1, 2027. The proposal presented by the French Government would reduce the conversion coefficient applied to electricity, potentially improving the energy rating of certain properties without any renovation work being carried out.

For a Parisian property owner whose apartment is heated by electricity and currently rated E, F or G, the question is immediate: should the sale be postponed in the hope of obtaining a better rating?

The answer does not depend solely on the future DPE calculation. It requires comparing the potential improvement in the energy rating with the cost of waiting several months, current market conditions and the specific qualities of the property.

Fairway Luxury Real Estate considers the DPE to be one element of a selling strategy, but never the sole determinant of a property's value. In Paris, an energy rating must always be assessed alongside the address, floor level, natural light, layout, condition of the building and the profile of potential buyers.

Key points to remember

• The reform that entered into force on January 1, 2026 reduced the electricity conversion coefficient from 2.3 to 1.9.
• The proposed 2027 reform would reduce it again, from 1.9 to 1.7.
• The figure of 850,000 homes moving out of the F and G categories relates to the 2026 reform. No comparable official estimate has yet been published for the proposed 2027 reduction.
• A better rating does not mean that the property will consume less energy, be better insulated or have lower electricity bills.
• The proposal provides for a free updated certificate for existing DPE assessments that remain valid.

DPE 2026 and the proposed 2027 reform: two changes not to confuse

The DPE does not simply measure the electricity actually consumed by a property. It applies a conversion factor designed to translate final energy consumption into primary energy.

Until the end of 2025, one kilowatt-hour of electricity consumed was counted as 2.3 kilowatt-hours of primary energy. Since January 1, 2026, this coefficient has been set at 1.9.

This first reform was expected to allow approximately 850,000 primary residences to move out of the category commonly described as energy-inefficient housing. The Government now intends to go further by reducing the coefficient to 1.7 from January 1, 2027.

The distinction is important. It would be incorrect to attribute the estimated 850,000 properties leaving the F and G categories to the proposed 2027 reform. That estimate related to the reduction from 2.3 to 1.9. The additional effect of a coefficient of 1.7 must still be assessed on a property-by-property basis.

Which Paris apartments could benefit from the new calculation?

The reform primarily concerns properties that use electricity for heating, hot water production or both.

In Paris, this situation is common among smaller apartments, pied-à-terre properties, individually renovated apartments and certain buildings constructed or redeveloped during the second half of the twentieth century.

This does not mean that every electrically heated apartment will automatically gain an energy rating. The impact will depend on several factors:

• the conventional energy consumption shown in the assessment;
• the proportion of electricity used for the property's various energy needs;
• the size of the property;
• its level of insulation;
• its equipment and systems;
• its proximity to the threshold for the next rating category.

An apartment rated F but only a few points away from category E may be more likely to change category than a property located far below that threshold. Before considering postponing a sale, it is therefore important to review the details of the assessment rather than focusing solely on the letter displayed on the first page.

What the reform could improve

The first potential effect is regulatory. A property that moves out of category F or G would no longer be classified among the most energy-inefficient homes.

The second effect is commercial. A better energy rating may reduce buyers' concerns, particularly when they are considering renting out the property, reselling it in the medium term or undertaking significant renovation work.

In practice, the DPE now plays a role very early in the buying process. Some buyers ask to see it before scheduling a viewing. Others analyse it after visiting the property and use it to estimate renovation costs or prepare their negotiations.

Moving from F to E may therefore have a greater commercial impact than moving from D to C. In the first case, the property leaves a particularly scrutinised category. In the second, the improvement remains positive but may not fundamentally change buyers' overall perception of the apartment.

What the reform will not change

The calculation method may change while the apartment itself remains exactly the same.

The property will not become better insulated. The windows will not become more efficient. Cold walls, draughts or summer overheating will not disappear.

Actual energy consumption and electricity bills will continue to depend on the condition of the building, its equipment and the habits of its occupants.

An informed buyer will not stop at the new letter rating. They will also want to understand:

• why the property received its rating;
• which improvements can be carried out within the apartment itself;
• which improvements depend on the condominium association;
• whether any expenditure or renovation work has already been approved;
• what the actual level of comfort will be during winter and summer.

An administrative improvement in the rating may remove an objection, but it does not correct the technical weaknesses of the property.

Will you need to obtain a new DPE in 2027?

In principle, no, provided that the reform is adopted in its current form and that the existing assessment remains valid.

The text submitted for consultation provides that, from January 1, 2027, an owner could enter the DPE reference number on ADEME's DPE-Audit Observatory and download an official certificate showing the updated rating free of charge. This certificate could be used when selling or renting out the property.

Obtaining a new assessment may nevertheless be useful when:

• the existing DPE is no longer valid;
• renovation work has been carried out since it was issued;
• the heating or hot water system has changed;
• important data appears to have been entered using default assumptions;
• evidence of insulation work was not provided to the assessor;
• the floor area or other technical characteristics appear to be incorrect.

In these cases, the issue is no longer simply updating the electricity coefficient. It is about verifying the reliability of the entire assessment.

Should you wait until January 2027 before selling?

In most situations, the mere possibility of gaining one DPE category is not enough to justify automatically postponing a sale.

Waiting may be relevant, but only when three conditions are met:

• the apartment is genuinely likely to receive a better rating;
• that change is likely to have a meaningful effect on its marketing and sale;
• the expected benefit outweighs the cost and risk of waiting several months.

The timing of a sale should therefore be analysed as an economic decision.

An owner who postpones a sale continues to bear condominium charges, property tax, insurance, maintenance costs and, where applicable, financing costs.

Waiting several months in the hope of reducing negotiations is only rational if the likely commercial benefit exceeds the cost of holding the property during that period.

Three situations in which the decision may differ

1. The apartment is rated F, heated by electricity and close to the E threshold

This is the situation in which waiting may be most worth considering.

If the owner is not under pressure to sell, the holding costs remain reasonable and an assessment suggests that the property could move into category E, postponing the sale may improve its presentation. However, an improvement should not be presented as certain while it still depends on the adoption of the final regulation and the specific data used in the DPE.

2. The apartment is poorly insulated and is likely to remain rated F or G

In this situation, waiting solely for the reform is unlikely to offer much benefit.

Even if the calculation becomes more favourable to electricity, a property that remains far from the threshold for the next category may keep its poor rating. It may be more effective to market the property with a transparent presentation of the work required, a realistic estimate of the cost and an appropriate asking price.

3. The property has significant real estate rarity

An apartment on a high floor, with dual exposure, abundant natural light, an efficient family layout, a balcony or an open view does not behave like a standard property.

In the Paris luxury market, the DPE matters, but its importance varies depending on the rarity of the property and the profile of the buyer. The DPE reform should therefore never be considered in isolation from the rest of the real estate analysis.

Does the DPE really influence the price of an apartment in Paris?

It primarily influences perceived risk.

A poor rating may lead buyers to anticipate renovation work, high energy consumption, rental restrictions or a more difficult resale. This perception can reduce the number of potential buyers or strengthen demands for a lower price.

However, there is no universal discount that can be applied to every apartment rated E, F or G.

In Paris, two properties with the same floor area and the same energy rating can have very different market values.

Fairway Luxury Real Estate bases its valuations on genuinely comparable sales, combined with a detailed inspection of the property. The analysis takes into account natural light, layout, building quality, potential nuisances, energy performance and current buyer reactions.

How Fairway decides whether it is better to sell or wait

Before recommending that a property owner postpone the launch of a sale, we examine four factors.

The real probability of changing category

We examine the heating system, conventional energy consumption, rating thresholds, the data used by the assessor and the validity of the DPE. The objective is not simply to assume that an electrically heated apartment will benefit, but to assess whether the new coefficient could actually change its rating.

The likely commercial impact

Moving from F to E may be decisive for a property intended for an investor. The same change may have a more limited impact on an exceptional primary residence sought after for its address, volume or views.

The monthly cost of waiting

We calculate what the owner will continue to pay until the planned sale date, including condominium charges, taxes, financing costs, maintenance and potential vacancy. This cost is then compared with the commercial benefit that can reasonably be expected from an improved rating.

The local market situation

The right timing also depends on the number of competing properties, the depth of demand and financing conditions. At Fairway, data provides a starting point. It is compared with the characteristics of the property and the reactions of potential buyers in order to establish a coherent and defensible marketing price.

Our recommendation

Do not postpone a sale until 2027 solely on the basis of a regulatory announcement.

Start by reviewing the current DPE and determining how far the apartment is from the next rating category. Then assess what real effect an improved rating would have on the buyers most likely to be interested in the property.

The potential benefit should then be compared with the cost of holding the property and current market conditions.

Waiting may be sensible for an electrically heated apartment rated F and close to the E threshold when the owner has genuine flexibility regarding the sale timetable. However, if the property is likely to remain poorly rated, if holding costs are high or if current market conditions provide a good opportunity to sell, postponing the sale may be counterproductive.

FAQ

Are you considering selling an electrically heated apartment in Paris? Fairway Luxury Real Estate can analyse your DPE, your property's market positioning and the financial implications of selling now or waiting.

Our assessment is not based solely on a price per square metre. We compare the technical characteristics of the property with genuinely comparable sales, current demand and buyer reactions within its specific local market.

The objective is simple: to determine whether waiting until 2027 represents a genuine opportunity or simply the costly postponement of a decision that could be made today.

The regulatory information presented in this article is based on the situation as of July 20, 2026. The proposal concerning the coefficient of 1.7 was still subject to consultation and should be updated following the possible publication of the final regulatory order.

Fairway Luxury Real Estate