Three and four bedroom homes with a south facing garden sell quicker and on average at a higher price according to Righmove's latest study. This adds £22,695 on average to these homes, equivalent to an additional 7% to the sale price. The national average asking price of these types of homes is £369,365, compared to £346,670 without.
As previously reported, larger gardens or access to outdoor space has become a number one priority for households. Learn more here.
Miles Shipside, Rightmove’s property expert says:
"Since the market reopened we’ve seen a huge rise in demand for homes with a garden as buyers place greater importance on outdoor space. For as long as I can remember, south-facing gardens have been viewed as the crème de la crème of outdoor spaces among home-hunters. Longer sunny days means you and your plants benefit from the additional warmth. It doesn’t mean your house will automatically be worth £22,000 more if it has a south-facing garden as this is an average and it will also depend on the size, condition, and location of your home, but it’s certainly something to shout about in a listing as it could mean your home makes it on to a buyer’s shortlist over another property down the road, or even on the other side of the street."
and:
“The key is to have the garden looking its very best for pictures and viewings. A quick lick of paint to a garden fence or shed helps, and it sounds simple but mowing the lawn and putting out a few garden chairs can give would-be buyers the chance to picture their new lifestyle.”
Rightmove have sought input from a number of estate agents including:
Belinda Hutchinson Smith, director at Strutt & Parker Shrewsbury, who says:
“Today, people are more aware of the benefits of a garden and a good south-facing garden or terrace means that you’ll get sunlight to enjoy all day long. Gardens are another room to your house and are an extension to the living space, so the more you can use it the better.
In the summer, south-facing gardens will thrive but it’s also the light that they provide through the long winters that’s just as valuable. For those with a well sheltered south-facing garden, you’ll find you can often sit out throughout the year. Light is one of the most important aspects of a property, whether that’s within the house or in the garden, both for physical and mental health.
Without question most buyers will request a south-facing garden, even more so with town properties and are definitely prepared to pay a premium. Some houses and streets will vary steeply in price from one side of the road to another as a result of the direction they face.”
Marc von Grundherr, Director at Benham & Reeves, London, says:
“We’ve seen from our own research that eight out of 10 buyers want some form of outside space, and homes with a south-facing garden are absolutely much more popular. Having a garden has always been the icing on the cake for buyers, but now a south-facing garden is the cherry on top of the icing – it’s that extra driver when deciding if you really want a property.
I think south-facing gardens come at a premium in London because typically we’re more limited on space down here. A typical terraced house in London might have a garden that’s only 20 ft long, so you want as much light as possible in your garden and into the back of your house. And London is very built up, especially in places like Fulham and Chelsea, and all those buildings that overlook smaller homes tend to zap up all the light.”
How to add Value to Your Garden
We very much agree with the approach of Miles Shipside, there's many ways to add value to your garden and to do so cost-effectively. We have lots of experience in transforming outdoor spaces through our years of property developing and staging.
Here's 5 of our top tips:
#1 Stain or paint your fencing
#2 Stain or paint your outdoor buildings
#3 Make sure the lawns are cut
#4 Make sure you have created a seating zone
#5 Make sure your borders are tidy
There's many other ways to add value to your garden. If you'd like to learn more about this ... reach out to us on +44 7984 005 626 for your 30 minute no obligation discussion. We're here to help!