Never before have we craved the great outdoors as much as we did when we were forced to stay indoors. Covid-19 took us all by surprise, but what won’t come as a surprise is that having some outside space has become the most desired quality of a home for those looking to move.

Private outdoor space was the strongest predictor of comfort during lockdown and the most valued quality of a home during the pandemic. While we’ve all been spending more time at home, those of us who’ve had somewhere private to enjoy the simple things in life such as giving the children somewhere to let off some energy or space to enjoy the sun on your face, have had a considerably better time during lockdown than those without.

1 in 8 households (12%) in Great Britain have no access to a private or shared garden, so it comes as little surprise that ‘garden’ was the most popular search term that buyers have been looking for over the course of last year.

As outdoor space has become more desirable to buyers, the presence of a well-maintained garden may now add a premium of between 5% -20% onto the sale price of your property.

What are buyers looking for in a Garden?

Real grass for one – if you have space for children to play there’s nothing better than an expanse of lush green lawn for them to run around or kick a ball about on.

Next up on the desirability list for a garden is sunshine – whilst this year’s Spring weather has been a little unseasonal with snow in the south of England, a ‘south-facing’ garden means it will be pointed towards the sun for the majority of the day and will be worth a premium over say North facing gardens.

We’ve covered previously why a Home Office is now also at the top of buyer’s wish lists. As we’ve transitioned to a nation working from home (for the time being at least), a well designed home office or at least space for one in your garden will also add value to your property.

Brits lucky enough to have their own outside space, spend on average 114 hours per year on gardening tasks, from growing vegetables and flowers, to easy-to-maintain pot-plants, our open and greenspace is often associated with health and wellbeing, so the ‘value’ placed on a garden is undeniable.

As a buyer you can expect to pay a 10% to 20% premium for a property with a south facing garden and a Home Office in the garden.

Improving Your Garden To Add Value

As a seller, if you don’t happen to have a south facing garden or a home office, there are still plenty of improvements you can make in the garden to make it more attractive to buyers. real grass, sheds and outdoor seating areas all popular features among home buyers and Spring is the perfect time to start investing in it ready for those balmy Summer months.

Research by Post Office Money found that landscaping your garden could add more value to the property than a new kitchen, a conservatory or even an extension. Next time you want to add value to your home, consider outdoor enhancements such as planting beautiful new flower beds, adding a sturdy deck, creating a patio, or opting for water features. If you have space, more elaborate outdoor renovations such as a swimming pool averaging £30,000 or a new driveway at £25,000 can also offer significant uplifts in value.

Top tips if you’re thinking of selling? 

Spring is always a hive of activity for gardeners as it’s when gardens start to come back to life after the winter months, making it the perfect time to get your front and rear gardens looking their best.

There are some relatively simple things you can do to make that first impression of your property really count to potential buyers and/or tenants.

The Lawn

Keep the lawn mowed regularly and trim any hedges and bushes so they look neat and tidy. Clear flower beds of any dead or tired-looking plants and replace with new ones. Fill any empty areas with bark chippings, light stones, granite or flint.

If you don’t have any or much lawn, plant pots are a great way to brighten any space and come with an added bonus – you can take them with you when you move!

Garden Furniture 
If you have garden furniture make sure it is set up and give it a good clean, especially if it’s been in storage over the winter months. If the weather is nice, a good tip is to dress the table and light the chiminea or the patio heater if you have them – it will help potential buyers visualise themselves enjoying the outside space.

Jet-washing
Who doesn’t love a good jet-wash! Although it’s a messy job, now is most definitely the time to get those patios, decking, paving, steps and PVC fascias sparkling. The winter months can make them incredibly slippery so not only will it look a lot better, it will also be safer for any visitors during viewings.

Garages & Sheds
Make sure sheds are tidy and in good order. If they are looking a bit tired, give them a lick of varnish or paint. The same applies to fences – it’s an easy job and the results can be very rewarding.

Give your garage a once-over and make sure that all internal lighting works and that doors open and shut properly. If you have a car that fits in your garage, tuck it away inside or park it along the road outside. A clear driveway looks much better than a cluttered one – creating the impression of more space is very important.  Ensuring your car is not on the driveway is something we always encourage when your marketing photos are taken.

Garden Toys
If you have children you’ll no doubt have a trampoline, swing, or other multi-colour toys in the garden. Large items can be left in-situ if in good condition, but anything smaller is best to tidy away in the garage or shed. Similar to the inside of our home it is best to de-personalise this space as much as you can. If you are willing to sell any garden toys such as a swing as part of the house sale, make sure your estate agent is aware so they can let people know whilst on viewings and include it on your Sales Memorandum.

Lighting & Accessories 
Making sure your property has adequate outside lighting is a must. Not only does it help illuminate your house, but it’s also good for added security, especially sensor activated floodlights.  There are lots of solar light options also available,  that look pretty and are also relatively cheap to buy.

Top Tip – remove any lights that may be leftover from Christmas as they’ll date any photos that are taken of your home by your estate agent.

Wheelie Bins
We all have them, but no one particularly wants to see them, so it’s a good idea to make sure they’re not overspilling or smell too bad and hide them away if possible. You can buy transfer coverings for them or even bin sheds to put them in so they’re out of sight. It’s especially important to make sure they’re out of view when your estate agent takes photos of your property.

Neighbour’s Garden & Adjoining Areas
No one wants nightmare neighbours so make sure the neighbouring gardens are as neat as possible as potential buyers will be using them as a gauge for what they may be like. Perhaps let your neighbours know you are planning to move and that there will be viewings taking place. If they offer to tidy up their gardens, that’s great news, but if not, perhaps offer to help them give it a tidy or fix any broken fence panels – a good deed will pay off in the long run!

If you literally can’t get away from what your neighbouring property looks like, consider installing blinds on internal windows that look out over your neighbours property to help distract potential buyers.

If your property backs onto communal areas or a public footpath, give them a quick litter pick and make sure any boundary fences and gates are secure and maintained.

Source: Dataloft, ONS, Place Alliance, Zoopla