Buyers will pay up to £22,000 more if you add this to your property

New research conducted by property website Zoopla and the Society of Garden Designers, reveals that the nation’s love of gardens is as keen as ever, with 50% of Brits believing a well-designed garden is as important or more important than a well-designed bathroom or kitchen. The poll of 2,000 people found that the desire for good design is not exclusively limited to interiors. Nearly half of respondents are put off buying or renting a property because of the condition of the garden. With 40% saying they would consider employing a professional garden designer to transform their outside space into the garden of their dreams. The research also found that around three quarters (74%) of homeowners either already have or would consider spending money on their garden to increase the value of their property. It found that on average, Brits would be willing to spend an extra £14,448 to purchase a home with a garden. Relaxing with friends and family ·      Londoners would be willing to invest £13,388 to secure their own garden with 79% believing it is important to have private outside space. ·      South East would invest the most for a garden, £21,925 on average, and its importance also rose to 91% – the highest of those polled. ·      Scotland would spend £10,207 for a garden with only 74% there believing having outside space to be important. The research also found that Brits spend on average £648 a year to keep their current gardens, terraces and courtyards blooming. In the South East spending the most (£812) and those living in the North West spending the least (£518), followed closely by those in London (£554). When it comes to the amount people are willing to spend on getting the garden of their dreams at their existing property, Brits are willing to spend on average £7,339. Those in the East of England are prepared to spend the most (£10,882) whilst those in Wales would spend the least (£5,832) on their outside space. Finally, the survey asked people to rank the most important design features of a garden: 1. Somewhere to sit and relax (36%) 2. Maximum sunlight throughout the day / south facing (15%) 3. Somewhere for the children to play (12%) 4. Flowers/shrubs (8%) 5. A space for pets (7%) 6. Somewhere to entertain (6%) 7. Growing my own fruit/vegetables (4%) 8. Extra storage space/shed (2%) 9. A water feature (0.4%)