When you’re considering buying a new home, there is a whole host of things to consider. Questions of aesthetics and practicality both come into play. House sellers need to know what buyers are looking for too, so they can make the right tweaks to their properties.
Fitted furniture specialists Hammonds specialise in helping homeowners turn awkward spaces into storage solutions. They have conducted a survey to investigate just how important storage is to house hunters.
Just how much do we care about storage?
The survey, in which 2,000 Brits were interviewed, found that 7% of Brits would be prepared to offer as much as £55,000 for a house with plenty of storage space.
Meanwhile, the average respondent said they would pay just over £12k for this luxury.
Perhaps of even more interest though, is the fact that attitudes to storage space differ according to generation and gender.
The over-65s surveyed were the least likely to consider paying more than the asking price for a house with exceptional storage space. In line with this, the over-65s who were willing to pay extra still stated a lower amount than the other age groups, at £8,710.
36% said that they wouldn’t consider this. Meanwhile, the youngest age group (18-24) were most willing to pay more, with only 11% saying that they wouldn’t.
Similarly, only 12% of 25-34s and 13% of the 35-44s said they wouldn’t.
The age group that was willing to pay the highest extra price for better storage was the 25-34 age group. They would put down as much as £17,459 for the privilege.
When broken down by gender, the survey also found that men value storage space slightly more than women. Men were willing to put down £13,814 extra on average. Women stated a little bit less, on average, at £11,565.
How important are other rooms?
Of course, extra storage space can take on lots of different meanings. Interestingly, 42% of those Brits surveyed said they’d pay extra for a garage or a spare bedroom.
40% were willing to pay more for a utility room. 34% agreed they’d be able to stump up a little bit extra for a house with plenty of cupboards and drawers.
These figures show that no matter what form the house’s extra storage takes, there’s a pretty good chance it’s adding value to your house.
Top tips to free up floor space
Freeing up the floor space can make any home feel larger and easier to live in.
One of the best ways to achieve this is by making the most of your wall space. Install clever shelves, cupboards or cabinets that run the full length up to the ceiling so that no space is wasted.
If you have any interestingly shaped spaces that you think you can’t use, think about a bespoke solution you might be able to put there.
And if you’re searching for a new home and you have the luxury to do so, prioritise properties that have extra storage rooms and cupboards.
As Kirsty Oakes, Head of Product and Marketing at Hammonds Furniture concludes “When looking for a new home, making sure you have enough storage space is clearly a big priority for many. In fact, our survey showed that for some, it’s considered essential.