Do energy performance certificates influence time on market? An exploratory research of the residential housing market in Flanders

Purpose Literature has already analysed the relation between a property’s time on market (TOM) and other housing characteristics, but few to none include the property’s energy performance certificates (EPC) and none make a comparison between the selling and rental market. This paper aims to address these gaps by studying the relationship between TOM, price and EPC in both markets. Design/methodology/approach By introducing a combination of alternative tests, this study confirms a causal relation between TOM and price in the cross-sectional data. This allows this study to use a two-stage least square model and analyse 392,498 Flemish sale and rental properties transacted between 2019 and 2023. Findings The results indicate that both sale and rental properties with higher prices increase the TOM by 4–6 days, and this effect is even stronger in the selling market when the value-added tax is included. This study also finds that EPC labels have a complex relation with the time on market. A-labelled properties tend to increase the transaction time between 10 and 54 days, but B- and C-labelled properties decrease TOM between 20 and 30 days. In addition, the poorer performing labels (E and F) react differently across markets because of market-specific policies. Originality/value This paper provides novel insights by studying the relationship between TOM and EPC while also considering TOM’s endogenous relationship with the price. We control for these relationships in both the selling and rental market.