News & Views Blog

There is a strong correlation between the age of a property and its value, with older houses tending to command greater sums than properties built in a later period. Bucking this trend are contemporary and 1990's developments, the average price of which exceeds properties in both the 1950's to 1980's, as well as inter-war housing categories. Warren Bright, Executive Officer of Propertyfinder.com said:

The results have shown the British public's preference for period homes, and this goes some way towards explaining homebuyers' liking for properties built in the last twenty years. With so many new developments in a period style, these new homes represent a good opportunity for everyone to won a piece of history - with none of the planning constraints and maintenance.

Golden Oldies
The results from properties in Bath, Brighton, Cambridge, Edinburgh and York, show Georgian property to be worth the most (at over £390,000 for a typical home), whilst also being the most popular amongst house hunters (with 46.7% regarding it as attractive of essential in their property choices). It is also the rarest, accounting for less than 4% of the nations housing stock.

Victorian and Edwardian houses - the next oldest - were also the next highest on the list. House hunters can expect to pay around £320,000 and £328,000 respectively for properties from these periods. Their popularity is high, attracting around 45% of people, and they are also compararively rare, accounting for only 15% of total housing stock. The marginally greater cost for an Edwardian period property over a Victorian counterpart in these areas is explained by smaller supply, together with slightly more generous proportions. 

At the bottom of the table came post-war property (housing built between 1950 and 1980). This was least popular with the nation - with only 8.5% of people saying that it would attract them to a street. Post-war property was also the least rare

making up 56% of housing stock nationwide, and at just £235,000 was the lowest valued.

Georgian homes are the most desirable, but the smaller supply and extra cost may be prohibitive for some buyers. Victorian and Edwardian properties have also proven to be extremely popular, reflected in current asking prices. We have experienced first-hand the demand for period properties and this research highlights the gulf between house hunters' expectations and supply.

One thing that is clear is the public is turned off by post war housing. It remains to be seen whether it will be topping the charts in a few hundred years' time.