The dramatic lifestyle changes brought about by lockdown in spring 2020 endure for some who swapped city centre life for suburban properties that for the same price offered more both inside and with outdoor space.
But with many employers now demanding hybrid working or the requirement to go back to full-time to the office, there’s evidence that the need to return somewhere closer to the office and without the hassles and costs of regular commuting is leading to city populations quickly growing again.
So, should having a garden now be a priority when selecting an investment home?
For a landlord, functional and thoughtfully landscaped gardens and outdoor spaces to their rental properties can add kerb appeal and value to the property; increase interest to a significant proportion of the rental market, especially if they allow the tenants to have pets; justify a higher rental charge, even if the space is shared with other tenants in the building; and encourage longer-term tenancies. It is worth bearing in mind, though, whether the extra legal responsibilities and maintenance costs of outdoor space outweigh the financial benefits for you property by property.
What do estate agents think about properties with gardens?
We spoke to estate agents about rental demand for homes with gardens in their regional markets, and the reasons behind it.
Cheffins has offices serving urban and rural areas across East Anglia. Sarah Bush, Head of Residential, said: “In Cambridge, the demographic of a high percentage of the tenants we deal with are people who are looking for rental properties for an average of 18 months, due to work contracts, school terms etc. This demographic tend to be on the search for easy-to-maintain properties with minimal outdoor space. Properties with balconies, patios or no outdoor space appeal but the overriding preference is for proximity to public spaces, such as parks and greens. We are spoilt in Cambridge with a good amount of open public spaces that people can easily walk to and enjoy.
“Looking beyond Cambridge to the necklace towns and villages and we can paint a different picture. For example, in the market town of Saffron Walden the demographic starts to change and the tenants are looking for longer-term homes with outdoor space which they can use and incorporate into their daily lives. These renters tend to have families and pets so they are specifically looking for properties with some outside space.”
How do tenants benefit from a garden?
Renters see many benefits in living in a house with a garden: improved mental health, with being in nature consistently linked to lower stress, anxiety and depression; physical health as a place for adults and children to exercise and to grow fresh vegetables and herbs that improve nutrition; engagement with and learning about the surrounding environment from season to season; privacy and/or somewhere to get to know the neighbours; a place to entertain friends; and the simple aesthetic appeal of a well-kept outside space that complements the property.
However, commenting on his market in the West Midlands region, James Gwynne, lettings manager at Nicol & Co, has seen the choice of rental property strongly swayed by something outside the rewards to the human inhabitants.
He said: “One of the interesting statistics which gives us insight into this area is that 76% of tenants already own or aspire to own a pet, although only 8% of private landlords list their properties as pet-friendly.
“The fact that such a high proportion of tenants own a pet would suggest that demand is high for properties with outside space for those pets. But because a lot of landlords currently say ‘no’ to pets, I think it’s likely that the government’s legislation in this area will make it a legal requirement that landlords accept pets whenever there are reasonable grounds. That said, those outdoor spaces don’t have to be too large. Tenants are often keen on a low-maintenance garden… perhaps a small patio and lawn.
“While this underlines the importance of outside space from a house-building perspective, it won’t necessarily include apartments in town and city centres. There is still strong demand from single tenants and working professional couples who don’t really care too much about pets, but have employment in area and want to get around on foot. For those types of tenants, having outdoor space is less of a need as they often spend much less time at home. The market can’t ignore those people.”
Keith Osborne came into the property industry in 2001, firstly in the overseas homes sector, then as a writer for the brand’s monthly property magazine until 2006, specialising in the UK new build homes market since 2010 as an editor for Whathouse.com, a contributor to Showhouse magazine and as a judge for the prestigious annual WhatHouse? Awards.
