Would you pay more for a south-facing garden?

South-facing gardens are often considered the crème de la crème of gardens, so much so that agents have told us some home-hunters use a compass on their phone to check where the sun is coming from when they’re viewing a property.

Are they more expensive? Well we’ve crunched the numbers to find out.

We looked at 400,000 listings of three and four bedroom homes across Great Britain and found that homes listed as having a south-facing garden are actually priced £22,695 higher on average than homes without, a 7% national asking price premium.

Our data analysts also revealed that properties with south-facing gardens sell more quickly than those without, in almost all regions around Great Britain.

Yorkshire & the Humber performs best, with these homes finding a buyer on average eight days faster. The national average is two days faster, with eight out of 11 regions all finding buyers more quickly.

People searching for homes with a garden on Rightmove doubled in June compared to June last year. Total buyer searches were up 56% for the same period, meaning home-hunters are searching more, but especially for gardens.

What’s the asking price premium where I live?

How quickly do these homes sell in my area?

What do the experts say?

Our resident property expert Miles Shipside explained that even if you don’t have a south-facing garden, you should still make sure your garden or outside space looks its best in pictures.

He said: “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.

“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 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.

“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.”

What do the agents say?

David Phillip, partner of David Phillip Estate Agents in Yorkshire, said: “Without a doubt, we’ve seen huge demand for homes with a south-facing garden. You’d be amazed at how many people turn up to a viewing and use the compass on their phone to work out where the sun is coming from, it’s a really important requirement in these parts.”

Belinda Hutchinson Smith, director at Strutt & Parker Shrewsbury, said: “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.

“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 in London, said: “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.”

Glynis Frew, chief executive of Hunters Estates Agents, added: “South-facing gardens have always been desirable due to getting the most hours of sunlight in a day. With people spending more time at home now due to lockdown and the rise of flexible home working, it’s little surprise that a south-facing garden is more sought after to make the most of this. Green space and natural light have proven positive impacts on our mood and productivity.”