Property Investment
The World’s Most In-Demand Property Features – Is Your Property Kitted Out for Success?
As we know from the number of popular TV programmes looking at property investment abroad, houses come in a plethora of shapes and sizes, but how do property buyers’ searches differ from one country to another? What are the most desired property features around the world?
New research has revealed which property features global buyers deem the most important in their online searches. From a pool to an annex and even a bar, the research identified how the most in-demand features vary around the world.
Top of the international wish list, which looked at online search volumes for each feature, is a swimming pool. In fact, a pool ranked as the most sought-after property feature in 52 countries. No surprise there, as in many countries, especially with warmer climates, pools are the epitome of dream home living.
However, the UK wasn’t one of the 52 countries whose buyers ranked a pool first. Perhaps not surprising with our weather, however, pools did rank as the UK’s third most sought-after property feature, so this feature may be one to consider installing if you are looking to appeal to a wide variety of buyers.
Gardens ranked second globally as the most important aspect of a property investor’s search in 19 countries, with buyers searches for properties with at least three bedrooms of the utmost importance in 18 countries.
Fourth on the global property buyer hit list was good views, this feature came top in nine countries. A flat roof, presumably to enjoy the sun, the view and to provide extra outdoor space in areas where gardens aren’t very sizeable, came fifth overall globally with buyers in eight countries having this feature in their top searches. Attic space placed sixth (being most sought-after in 5 countries), while four bedrooms, a balcony, an annex and a garage also made the top 10 requested property features around the world.
When it came to the property feature most in-demand by UK buyers, land ranked top. This seems to reflect how buyers’ preferences have changed since the pandemic as people search for homes that have more outdoor space.
An annex was the second-most popular property feature searched for in the UK while a pool ranked third, a summer house came fourth and woodland came fifth.
Perhaps surprisingly, a waterfall (ranked 6th) was requested by more UK property investors than a garage (7th) or garden (8th), while stables (9th) and bars (10th) made up the top 10.
The study, which was conducted by GetAgent the estate agency comparison website, looked at the most sought-after features amongst international buyers across every nation in the world by analysing Google search data to determine the most frequent property related search terms. GetAgent Founder and CEO, Colby Short, commented on the results:
“Tastes, styles and preferences can change from one county to the next, let alone from one country to another, but when it comes down to it homebuyers around the world generally tend to value the same features.
Pools, more space and natural spaces are largely the most important factors of a home regardless of where we live and the latter has certainly increased in prominence as a result of the pandemic.”
So, is your property kitted out for success? Will you be looking to add any of these top ten features to your next investment property to ensure you have the best reach in terms of buyers’ property searches?