Top 20 Features to Help Sell Your Leicester Property

If you’re thinking about investing in your Leicester home with a view to maximising its selling potential in the future (with the help of Keywest, of course), you need to know where best to spend your money to gain the maximum return on your investment.

It used to be a given that a conservatory or period features were winners in the sales stakes, but a new survey has revealed that these are no longer ‘must-haves’ for many buyers.

The research was carried out by Gocompare.com and polled over 2,000 potential buyers and homeowners in March of this year. It found that central heating is the number one ‘must-have’ feature. More than two-thirds of respondents (69 per cent) said that central heating was essential in a property, closely followed by double glazing, which polled 68 per cent of the vote.

Having a garden was the next priority, being cited by 65 per cent of the voters. Surprisingly, having open-plan family living spaces, vintage features and being near a good school were not in the top 20.

Gocompare.com’s spokesman Matt Sanders said that many people will still be motivated by the ‘feel’ of a property, but the survey gives an idea of what buyers are also looking for when considering buying a property and should give ‘a steer’ to potential vendors.

He added that today’s buyers are prioritising connectivity, security and efficiency over aesthetic features. Mr Sanders said that this suggests that buyers are currently relying on their heads and not their hearts when choosing properties. This means that investing in items such as a new boiler, insulation and extra electrical sockets may be a smarter move than spending money on traditional selling points like conservatories or period features.

He said that it was ‘surprising’ that conservatories and good schools do not make the top 20, despite previously being named as ‘must-have’ features, but the research demonstrates that buyers are increasingly more financially savvy. This makes them willing to compromise on some details within a property in order to minimise costs and to avoid costly future work.

According to the Gocompare.com survey, the current top 20 ‘must-haves’ are:

1. Central heating (69 per cent)
2. Double glazing (68)
3. Garden (65)
4. Secure windows and doors (61)
5. Dedicated parking space or driveway (54)
6. Enough electrical sockets (54)
7. Local amenities and shops (50)
8. A strong and reliable broadband connection capable of streaming films and TV (49)
9. Friendly neighbours (47)
10. Two or more toilets (46)
11. A bath (46)
12. Good energy-efficiency rating (46)
13. A new boiler or central heating system (45)
14. A clear and reliable mobile phone signal (44)
15. Shower cubicle (40)
16. Garage (39)
17. Cavity wall insulation (38)
18. Landline telephone (38)
19. A living room large enough to accommodate a big flatscreen television (37)
20. Dining room (35)

Are you looking to buy or sell property in Leicester? Call us today at our office at Hinckley Road 01162 544 555, or Queens Road 01162 544 543.