EPC rating and sold prices in CM7 (Braintree)
In postcode district CM7 (Braintree), homes rated EPC C or better sold for 2% more per square metre than D–G homes (median £3,462 vs £3,390, 8,808 sales). Like for like — same size, type, build period and year — the difference is −0.7% (95% range −1.6% to +0.2%): the EPC band itself is not reflected in sale prices here. 1 of 5 sectors with enough sales show a difference distinguishable from zero. Data: HM Land Registry to 30 September 2026, EPC register.
From the raw gap to like-for-like
The homes are not alike: C+ homes here have a median floor area of 78 m² against 82 m² for D–G; the most common build period is 2012 onwards for C+ and 1950–1966 for D–G; 48% of C+ and 66% of D–G sales are detached or semi-detached houses.
| Comparing C+ with D–G homes… | Difference | 95% range |
|---|---|---|
| Raw gap per m² (medians) | +2% | — |
| Whole price, nothing held equal | −4.3% | −6.0% to −2.6% |
| Same floor area | −0.3% | −1.4% to +0.7% |
| + same property type | +6.0% | +5.1% to +7.0% |
| + same build period | +2.6% | +1.5% to +3.7% |
| + same year of sale | −0.7% | −1.6% to +0.2% |
The first row compares median prices per m²; the second compares whole prices; each later row adds one more thing that must be equal, ending with the like-for-like premium (regression of log price; build period from the certificate, 12 bands). The raw gap per m² and the whole-price gap differ because C+ and D–G homes differ in size.
Postcode sectors in CM7
| Sector | Sales | Raw gap | Like-for-like | 95% range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CM7 1 | 1,729 | +3% | +0.4% | −1.3% to +2.1% |
| CM7 2 | 1,482 | +7% | +1.8% | −1.0% to +4.8% |
| CM7 3 | 1,950 | −4% | −1.4% | −3.1% to +0.3% |
| CM7 4 | 572 | +15% | too few | — |
| CM7 5 | 1,438 | +2% | −0.4% | −2.6% to +1.9% |
| CM7 9 | 1,637 | +4% | +1.8% ▲ | 0.0% to +3.6% |
▲ green: premium distinguishable from zero; ▼ red: discount; plain: no measurable difference. Small areas have fewer sales, so their 95% ranges are wider.
Sold prices by EPC band in CM7
| EPC band (last certificate before sale) | Sales | Median £ per m² |
|---|---|---|
| A | 40 | £4,346 |
| B | 1,444 | £3,520 |
| C | 2,972 | £3,407 |
| D | 3,088 | £3,413 |
| E | 981 | £3,348 |
| F | 240 | £3,316 |
| G | 43 | £3,349 |
A median is shown when a band has at least 10 sales.
How this is calculated
- Every standard sale (HM Land Registry Price Paid, category A) since January 2015 is matched to the latest energy certificate of the same address (postcode + house number or name + flat) lodged from 10 years before to 3 months after the sale; sales with no certificate or an ambiguous match are left out. Across England and Wales 92% of sales match.
- Price per m² uses the certificate's total floor area (15–1,000 m²).
- Like-for-like premium: regression of the log of price on “C or better”, log floor area, property type, the certificate's build period and the year of sale. The 95% range shows how precise the estimate is; when it includes zero, the data cannot tell the premium apart from none.
Caveats
- The band is the one on the certificate before the sale; certificates are a median 0.8 years old at the sale, but a quarter are over 4 years old and some homes were improved since.
- Condition, garden, parking, views and the exact position within the sector are not known; a premium could hide in them, or they could hide one.
- Individual sales and addresses are not shown.