The political retreat from the original heating legislation has not led to the hoped-for revival in the market for residential properties in need of renovation. Contrary to the expectations of some sector observers who believed that less stringent statutory requirements might rekindle interest in assets with weaker energy efficiency ratings, demand remains subdued. This is shown by the results of the latest market survey from Remax Germany, for which roughly 800 property experts were polled nationwide.
Only 2.2 per cent of participating estate agents reported slightly increased demand following the latest adjustments to the Building Energy Act (GEG). In contrast, almost a third of respondents (31.1 per cent) noted a slight decline in buyer interest for older buildings requiring refurbishment. A notable decrease was observed by 26.7 per cent of experts, while 15.6 per cent saw a sharp drop. Nearly one in four survey participants (24.4 per cent) stated that the legislative revision had produced no measurable impact on market activity.
Financing conditions and shifting risk perceptions shape the market
The primary drivers of buyer hesitation are persistently high financing costs alongside general economic uncertainty. As Loredana Scirè, press spokesperson for Remax Germany, explained, the revision of the law has chiefly sharpened market participants' perception of risk. While houses with oil or gas heating and substantial modernisation requirements are fundamentally back under consideration for prospective buyers, price setting must rigorously reflect future refurbishment expenditure for deals to close.
Pressure from standard land values and methodological background
Additional pressure weighs on the detached housing segment with generous plots, which are frequently brought to market in an unmodernised state. More than two thirds of the experts, precisely 68.9 per cent, indicated that buyer interest in these properties has noticeably contracted because of current standard land values.
The digital survey by Remax Germany was conducted between 15 July and 15 September 2026 among licensed estate agents across all federal states. Established in 2021, the market barometer captures sentiment and market patterns on a scale ranging from -5 (very poor) to +5 (very positive), reflecting marketing periods, price trajectories, and broader structural trends in the German property market.
