It’s not long since the property market reopened, allowing buyers to move again and sellers to conduct in-person viewings where necessary. Of course, government safety measures were also set in place.
Unsurprisingly, there was a growing appreciation of commons, parks, woodlands and other green space in the height of lockdown. Now that buyers are on the hunt for their next home, sellers can use their gardens and outdoor space to attract a larger selection of potential buyers than ever before.
With this in mind, we explore the popularity of homes with south-facing gardens and offer advice on how sellers can maintain their outdoor space for future viewings.
Gardens the top must-have feature for buyers
A recent study from Rightmove revealed that two in five potential homebuyers have changed what features they are looking for as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, with 63% of buyers and 59% of renters prioritising a bigger garden or access to one.
In fact, searches for homes with gardens had risen by 42% in May 2020 compared to the same month last year.
The survey also found that during lockdown there had been a rise of 19% in people gardening indoors, and 15% in people gardening outdoors. When asked if they plan to continue doing these activities in the future, 82% said they wanted to garden outdoors, and 89% wanted to exercise outdoors.
South-facing gardens at a premium
These days, buyers are more aware of the benefits of a garden, and a good south-facing garden or terrace means that homeowners will enjoy sunlight for longer during the summer.
Further research from the property portal found that homes advertised as having south-facing gardens have asking prices 7% (or £22,695) higher on average than those without one.
The study, which looked at 400,000 three and four-bedroom homes across the UK, calculated the national average asking price of these properties with a south-facing garden is currently £369,365, compared to £346,670 without.
In London, where there is typically limited space, the average asking price for a home with a south-facing garden is £717,305, compared to £659,402 for a home with a non-south facing garden – a price difference of £57,903.
While the desirability of a garden will largely depend on the size, condition and location of your home, it’s absolutely worth highlighting the position of your garden if it is south facing, as this can act as an extra driver for buyers when making a decision on whether to place an offer or not.
Maintaining your garden and outdoor space
From the above, it’s clear that many buyers appreciate the benefits of outdoor space, and this will prove to be the ultimate selling point post-lockdown.
If you are fortunate to have a garden or outdoor space, you should flaunt it, ensuring that it looks the part during virtual viewings and physical in-person viewings.
Basic garden maintenance doesn’t take much time or effort. Mowing the lawn, jet-washing your patio, de-weeding where necessary, painting the fence and adding some new flowers for vibrancy are all inexpensive ways to turn your garden around. If you have a BBQ or seating area, or stand-out decking, make sure this is in the best possible condition, as well.
To maximise the full potential and saleability of your garden space, though, it could be worth hiring a gardener to get it looking up to scratch. Of course, you must ensure that your home adheres to the government guidelines on hygiene and social distancing at all times when tradespeople are in the property.
Here at Kings Group, our offices are back in operation from 9am to 6pm as we continue to adhere to our Covid-19 policy. For more information on selling your home during these extraordinary times, please contact one of our many branches today.
