Anyone who has access to a garden is likely spending a lot of their time there right now. Even if Government guidelines on lockdown are loosened, a lot of people will prefer to stay as close to their home as possible.
Of course, if you have access to a garden, you have a space where you can enjoy sunshine and fresh air. You also have a space where you can exercise, without worrying about coming into contact with others. Of course, many tenants are staying in rental property that doesn’t offer a garden space, and this might influence what tenants are looking for next.
A garden brings many benefits to tenants
There is uncertainty as to when lockdown will end, and what the long-term impact will be on people. However, you can see a lot of people will look for rental property that will make life easier for them if this situation arises again. With phrases like “second wave” being used frequently in the media, and concerns about when a vaccine will be widely available, it is no surprise people will reconsider what is a priority for them at home.
Rightmove figures indicate renters are searching for a garden at a greater rate than they previously did. Figures for the last week of April 2020 were almost double the figures for the first week of lockdown.
Tenants are actively searching for properties with a garden
The number of tenants searching for a garden was 16% higher compared to the average figure in January and February of this year, and there is a 26% increase on the same week in 2019.
Even though search activity is lower than would have been expected before the coronavirus pandemic started, Rightmove say searches are increasing, and are close to “normal” levels.
Miles Shipside is the Commercial Director and Housing Market analyst at Rightmove, and he spoke about the demand for gardens in a rental property.
Miles said; “Having a garden is often a rarity for many rental properties in larger cities, and so it may be that during lockdown people are rethinking their needs and location and are searching for some outdoor space and tranquillity. That allure may draw them further away from where they have habitually lived and travelled to work from, as can be seen by some of the coastal locations that have seen the largest search increases.”
Miles also compared this increased demand for gardens in the rental sector with the housing market. The housing market moves slower, and it appears as though this spike is yet to materialise in the way buyers search for homes.
Miles continued by saying; “Interestingly we’ve not yet seen this trend mirrored by those looking to buy a home, perhaps as renting is usually a much quicker process and so renters are thinking sooner about what changes they want for their next place.”
When the market moves forward, it is likely rental properties with a garden will be in high demand. Miles also said; “Those properties with a garden are likely to be able to fill any landlord voids more quickly post lockdown. Understandably most of the rental market has hit the pause button right now except where there are essential moves taking place, and so we haven’t seen an indication of price movements yet. If there is a spike in demand that exceeds supply when lockdown ends this may underpin rental prices.”
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