The world’s greatest flower show may have been pushed back to September due to the pandemic, but green fingered horticulturists are fully embracing their gardens this summer – in fact, they have been for the last fourteen months!

Having been cooped up at home for over a year this is of no surprise – for those lucky to have outdoor space that is. People who have been living in apartments haven’t had quite the same luxury – not unless they have a ground floor flat or live somewhere with communal gardens to enjoy.

This is very noticeable with the enquiries I have received from both local and London property buyers. Homes with pretty gardens have always been very popular, but outdoor space has never been quite so important like it is now. It’s not just about having a large freshly mowed lawn anymore.  Other aspects are now expected, many of which feel like we’re taking a step back in time to how gardens used to be.

What do country house hunters ask for in their gardens now?

• Colourful flowers and shrubs for every season
• Vegetable / kitchen garden
• Walled garden
• Summer house to relax and unwind in, offering a sense of escapism
• Stone bridge
• Green house
• Treehouse
• Shaded areas with mature trees
• Wild meadows
• Glorious communal gardens for apartment owners – this is especially true today, particularly from downsizers. They are either looking for a smaller village house or homes within grand country houses which boast spectacular gardens and grounds they can enjoy. The King Edward VII Estate in Midhurst is a classic example of this, where you can find a one/two bed-apartment for less than £500,000.

With this list, I am reminded of one of my favourite proverbs…. “A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit.” I feel today’s country house buyer is inheriting a part of the history of a garden, along with the love and devotion given to it, because the previous owners would have spent a lot of time designing the grounds and spending money to care for them. Of course, people are also looking for all the mod cons such as patios for al fresco dining, swimming pools, tennis courts and so on as a result of Covid-19, but the generation of 2020/2021 are inheriting these glorious established gardens from their parents or grandparents which we haven’t seen for sale for decades, and are now selling them.

For example, I recently acquired an attractive period house in Harting off-market. Nestled within a tranquil village setting which has no passing traffic – a rarity in today’s world – the house had a glorious well-established garden that offered seclusion and amazing views – exactly what my client was looking for. They were the only buyers to view the house and consequently I was able to secure it for them.

Last year in Slindon, I found a stunning village home for a client with land, beautiful gardens and grounds that had been well maintained by the previous owner for many years. The house benefitted from colour and variety in the flowers and shrubs, mature trees to sit under in the shade plus a kitchen garden and walled garden. There was also a spectacular magnolia tree, an archway which led to an apple and pear orchard and a pergola covered in climbing roses and honeysuckle. These were key selling points for my client. The property sold off market where again, they were the only buyer.

Meanwhile in West Wittering, I showed a client a stunning house which had a wild meadow, landscaped gardens, mature shrubs and trees with views over farmland which the buyers fell in love with immediately. They made an offer the next day.

To stand a chance of owning such a garden as above, you need a budget of at least £1million in West Sussex and be able to act quickly. Homes with this type of offering are being snapped up, often with multiple bidding wars from competitive purchasers if they’re on the open market. Having said that, many of these transactions are happening off market where the competition is less intense as most buyers don’t know they’re for sale unless they’re using a buying agent. This is one of the many reasons house purchasers ask me for help with their search because I am aware of what is being sold discreetly. Often, my clients will be the only buyer looking at the property as a result.

Find Out More

For any questions about finding your dream home with a glorious garden, please do get in touch with myself, Jennie Hancock, via e-mail (jh@propertyacquisitions.co.uk), phone (+44 7776452128), or LinkedIn.

As we fast approach one year since the UK’s first national lockdown, I have noticed a surge in global traffic on my website over the last twelve months – up 1,368%. The top three nationalities researching owning a property in West Sussex are the UK (+1,471%), US (+60%) and China (+440%), with other top ten long-haul visitors including Singapore, Japan, India and Australia. 62% of enquiries I have received since the pandemic began are now from London buyers, with rural and waterside villages once sought after fifteen years ago high on the agenda once more, as the need to live close to work or a train station is replaced with the desire for amenities such as a good pub, village shop and for the coastal locations, access to the water.

So what trends am I seeing in the Prime Country property market as a result of Covid-19?

Premiums for water access or views

Due to their popularity, buyers are prepared to pay a premium to own their slice of property heaven by the water. The premiums paid are very much focused around having a good sea view or direct access to the water, rather than square footage as a result. Generally, the houses requiring renovation attract the higher premium, for example, a two-bedroom run down bungalow on a large plot with water access and sea views would be in huge demand as the new owners have the benefit of doing their own thing to it. Anything that can be renovated quite substantially are like gold dust for buyers.

Large detached houses dotted along East Strand and West Strand in West Wittering rarely come up for sale because they tend to go from generation to generation. Generally, the original owners would have bought these in the 1950’s most likely for under £50,000. Commanding panoramic views over the Solent with direct access to the beach in front, and being so rare, these sell for around £3-£5m if not more now.

Prices in the nearby pretty sailing villages of Itchenor and Bosham share a similar story. There is a huge premium on the plot value, with views and water access all high priority. For example, I recently went to sealed bids on a £3.5million property which was being sold off-market on one of Itchenor’s most sought after waterside addresses. It came with a jetty and stunning water views but needed updating, and all of the interested parties were cash buyers. All represented by buying agents, the property sold well over the asking price.

Separate outbuildings that can be turned into a facility or somewhere for a hobby

The great thing about rural homes around the £1million plus mark, is that generally they already have the land to build on. Today, any type of outbuilding that has been designed as a facility or somewhere to practice a hobby can add up to 10% onto the value of the home. For example home offices, an annexe or yoga studios are very popular at the moment. I know quite a few people who have built large working spaces outside very recently as a result of the pandemic. Broadband speeds are obviously very important to buyers who now as a result. They’re also a great way of getting additional accommodation you can rent out, as the lettings market in Chichester is phenomenal, especially around the time of Goodwood events. One lady I know has transformed her shed into an Air B&B for this very reason.

A separate boot room and utility room

With the dog market taking off during the pandemic, a separate boot room and/or utility room has become much more valuable to country buyers, as they’re great spaces for washing the mud off your dogs after a lovely walk in the local countryside.

Moving to second home locations permanently

Another trend starting to emerge is for second homeowners looking to live permanently where they have enjoyed their weekend getaways over the years. For example, we have a client who purchased a second home in Itchenor in the 90’s, and are now looking to upgrade within the village full-time.

Village amenities

Village necessities have also changed, with buyers wanting to ‘step back in time.’ Recent clients from London are requesting the 50-year time lapse when choosing a village home now, seeking the quintessentially picturesque village life set up. They’re now asking for a village shop they can walk or cycle to, a church, croquet, cricket lawns, gardens open to the public, summer fetes and even local dog shows.

Moving further away from train stations

Around 20% of my buyers who have moved out from London over the last year no longer want to be within ten minutes from a main railway station. One of my clients is looking for a country house between £3.5-£5million in the Midhurst area. That is slightly further out from the closest main line into London, but Haslemere train station is still only a fifteen-twenty-minute drive for when they need to get there. Instead, they are focusing on seeking their “forever home” which boasts a superb country lifestyle, is right on their doorstep and somewhere they can have a good home office.

Goodbye open plan

Before the pandemic, people were very keen to have a kitchen breakfast room, but now they’re wanting separate reception rooms in order to have some privacy. Therefore, open plan properties are currently attracting a more limited market. I’m hearing reports of owners of older properties actually putting walls back in! The lack of separate reception rooms could devalue a rural home at the moment, by up to 5%.

The villages most popular with my clients

In summary…

The coronavirus pandemic has fuelled a vast number of people moving out of London and into the villages in and around Chichester. This migration is creating a shortage of good country houses to purchase. This time last year it was comparatively easy to find something, but as the number of prospective buyers focusing on the area grows there is an increase in scarcity value. Prices are rising as a result, especially in the golden villages, which offer a good pub, shop, have a village fete and cricket green and so on, almost stepping back in time. I believe this momentum will continue throughout 2021 and into 2022, and over the long-term country houses in this area should continue to appreciate with their prices remaining high.

The positive of Covid-19 is that it has forced people to re-evaluate their lives. City and urban life just is not appealing anymore, whereas villages just outside of Chichester’s city centre are in increasingly high demand. Pretty villages slightly further out, such as Lodsworth, Graffham, Singleton, Heyshott, and Treyford for example have become extraordinarily popular of late – in fact, I’ve had more people looking in these patches during the pandemic than I have done for fifteen years. They may be a five-to-ten-minute drive further away from a main line railway station, but as more people are choosing to work from home now or only wish to travel into London once a week, they are seeking something slightly more rural. Gone are the days of being on a train at 6am and struggling home for 8pm. Instead, wellbeing and a healthy lifestyle have shot to the top of people’s priorities and requirements – especially as many proved over the last month to their employers they are able to operate efficiently remotely.

For any questions about finding your dream rural or coastal home in and around Chichester with Property Acquisitions, please do get in touch via e-mail (jh@propertyacquisitions.co.uk), phone (+44 7776452128), or LinkedIn.