What Are the Most in Demand Features in a UK Property?

14th October 2022

When looking for a new home, everyone has a wish list of features that they want the property to have. These features will very often be highlighted within house listings to be one of the first things that catch the eye of a potential buyer.

The demands of what features a house should have has changed dramatically over the years, even more so following the Covid pandemic. Houses are now more than just a place to live – for many, they are also a place to work and a place to exercise, among other things.

So, what are the most desired features that potential house buyers in the UK are looking for? Our Devon estate agents have had a look in more detail here:

Outdoor Space

The Covid pandemic led to a great “race for open space” and changed the priorities for many people when it came to house hunting, and those changes in focus have continued throughout 2022. For this reason, a private garden is at the top of the wish list for many buyers, particularly those who are relocating from a city to a more rural area.

The pandemic also saw many people adopting dogs, which is another reason that ample outdoor space is an important feature.

A Home Office

The pandemic changed the way most of us worked, in what was believed to be a temporary way – but many companies have continued to offer a work-from-home or a flexible role. For this reason, house buyers are looking for certain additions to their homes that will enable this working from home to continue.

A home office that already exists is preferable for many, but an extra bedroom that can be adapted is also sufficient. Going hand in hand with this is the desire for a fast broadband connection, to ensure the home office is fast enough to cope with the business demands.

Open Plan Layout

Going hand in hand with the desire for more space is the shift towards open-plan living that seems to have had a resurgence during 2022. Buyers are opting for more open spaces to optimise the available space, and really get the most out of their properties.

House additions such as bi-fold doors and orangeries, which help to maximise open plan living and offer a seamless transition between indoors and out, have also increased greatly, according to research from Rightmove.

Escape to the Countryside

Location-wise, property buyers GoodMove ran a survey which found that nearly half (44%) of Brits would want to live in the countryside, which again, follows the trend of wanting more space. This was followed by 25% of respondents saying they would want to live by the coast, and only 9% saying they would want to live in the city.

Green Features

The UK has a target to become Net Zero by 2050, and the government want to get as many residential properties as possible to an EPC rating of C by 2035. Couple this with the recent increase in energy prices, and you’ll find that buyers are looking for more green features to have more efficient homes. Features such as solar panels and heat pumps are becoming more prominent on wish lists, with buyers becoming more aware of what they need to do to reduce their own carbon footprints.

Research from MoneySupermarket also suggests that improving the EPC rating of a property can currently increase the value of the house by up to 14%, so you can assume these features will continue to add value to a property while the UK chases the Net Zero targets.

Charlie Street, manager of Marchand Petit Salcombe, says:

“The way we use our homes has become so diverse; they’re our hideaway, our office, our gym, and more than ever, they’re where we gather our nearest and dearest to entertain. Having a dedicated work space for example, rather than the dining table or a bedroom desk, can make a huge difference to your productivity. All of that plays into what we look for when choosing our next property.”

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If you are looking for your next property, why not get in touch with our estate agents? With an extensive knowledge of the South Hams, our agents aim to deliver an unprecedented standard of customer service to our clients and customers and will be by your side throughout the whole buying or selling process.