When buying property, it's not just about hard facts such as location, size and price, but also about soft arguments. For example, beautiful houses sell better than ugly ones and houses with a fireplace sell better than those without.
This is also confirmed by a recent analysis by the internet portal Immoscout24. Despite stricter emission limits from 2025, a wood-burning stove will have a positive effect on property values. On average, a house with a fireplace costs 16 per cent more than one without. The metropolises of Hamburg, Munich and Berlin offer on average the most owner-occupied flats with a fireplace. The highest proportion of homes with fireplaces is at Lake Starnberg (42 per cent) and in the surrounding communities of Hamburg.
The number of houses with fireplaces on the market has more than doubled since 2014. Even though new limits will ban the operation of millions of old fireplaces and stoves from 2025, their popularity remains unbroken. Open fires exert a special fascination and provide cosy warmth, which many people prefer as a supplement to modern heating technology.
Houses with a fireplace achieve higher prices. At 2,980 euros per square metre, the average asking price for houses with a fireplace is 16 percent higher than for houses without a fireplace (average price 2,576 euros). However, the fireplace is rarely the only feature that explains the price difference. In most cases, properties with a fireplace are of a higher quality and better located.
Fireplaces are particularly popular in regions with high energy prices or traditionally cold winters. Specialist retailers now offer a wide range of products - from open fires and tiled stoves to wood-burning stoves with glass doors. The heating technology of these stoves is highly advanced and differs significantly from older stoves in terms of ecology and technology.
Photo: © Erika Wittlieb, Pixabay
