"Our analysis shows this desirability is not only reflected in price but also in speed to sell, as houses with south-facing gardens take less time to find a buyer on average than houses with non-south-facing gardens"
- Tim Bannister - Rightmove
Rightmove analysed over 13 million houses and ranked the local areas by those with the highest proportion of south-facing gardens currently for sale on their site.
The analysis found that homes with a south-facing garden could expect an average price premium of 4%, over houses with a non-south-facing garden. With the current average asking price of a house at £405,658, this would translate to an additional £16,226 in value.
The South West and South East have the highest price premiums of 5%, whereas in London, homes with south-facing gardens see a 2% price premium increase compared to those without.
Overall, homes with south-facing gardens find a buyer nine days faster than properties with non-south-facing gardens.
The biggest difference in speed is in the East Midlands, where south-facing homes find a buyer 17 days quicker than non-south-facing ones.
Top 10 south-facing garden hotspots:
1: Worthing - South East
2: Shoreham-by-Sea - South East
3: Slough - South East
4: Rochford - East of England
5: Bexley - London
6: Fylde - North West
7: Southend-on-Sea - East of England
8: North Lincolnshire - Yorkshire and The Humber
9: North Kesteven - East Midlands
10: Spelthorne - South East
Tim Bannister, Rightmove’s property expert said: “Having a south-facing garden has always been highly desirable for buyers, as it can mean enjoying longer hours of sunlight despite the unpredictable British weather.
"Our analysis shows this desirability is not only reflected in price but also in speed to sell, as houses with south-facing gardens take less time to find a buyer on average than houses with non-south-facing gardens. It’s clearly a significant selling point which sellers should look to highlight when marketing their property, as it might help their home stand out on a buyer’s shortlist.”
Perry Dray, Sales Manager from Oakwood Estates in Burnham, Slough said: “It’s great to see sunny Slough basking in glory, as one of the top three areas for homes with south-facing gardens. Whilst having a south-facing garden has always been in hot demand, we’re seeing continued interest for sun-kissed properties that offer homeowners a brighter living space and a delightful spot outside to enjoy the most sunlight.”
