David Marshall: How will it effect property market?

I CAN'T imagine this loans scheme having that big an impact on the property market, or being a particular worry to potential buyers.

I think there would be two options for dealing with any outstanding loan. Firstly, the seller could simply pay off the loan upon selling the property or, secondly, the balance of the loan could be passed to the buyer as part of the negotiations on the property price.

I would assume that if the seller was expecting to get 100,000 for the property, but there was a 10,000 loan still attached, then 90,000 might be offered for it.

Energy efficiency does not currently seem to be the top priority for buyers.

ESPC research with consumers on home reports found that the valuation was the most important piece of information.

This was followed by the survey, then the property questionnaire and finally the energy performance certificate. Not great news for the planet.

You could argue that behaviour at the moment is reflective of the fact that the main focus is on just the mortgage cost as opposed to the cost of running the property.

But perhaps, in two to three years, people might think longer-term, and more about energy efficiency and how much they would save over the lifetime of a property.

If you could save 500 a year from your energy bills, most people right now would want instead to save money upfront. But, as we hopefully move towards a more stable and balanced economy, we might get people considering more long-term investments and the kind of returns they can get over a longer time period.

There will also be people who undoubtedly will want to have an energy-efficient home for other reasons, such as those who simply think it's the right thing to do.

• David Marshall is business analyst at the Edinburgh Solicitors' Property Centre.