According to a survey of 4,000 prime buyers carried out by property website Primelocation, 37% want an en-suite bathroom for every bedroom, with two bathrooms per bedroom cited as the ideal ratio.

In order to be considered a ‘prime’ property, respondents believe that it needs an average of 4.5 bedrooms and three bathrooms, and 90% said a place with fewer than one bathroom for every two bedrooms could not be called prime.

En-suites ranked higher than almost any other ‘prime’ features including swimming pools, tennis courts and gyms.

Lawrence Hall of Primelocation.com, said:

“There is a qualitative difference in the basic features that prime buyers require. The results of our survey show that dozens of bedrooms are not what makes a property prime for most people but instead quality comforts are extremely important for a home to be considered a ‘prime’ property. Extra bathrooms would seem to be one of the most effective investments at the prime end of the market.”

Period property is the most popular with prime buyers, with 43% favouring Victorian and Edwardian, while 33% would seek a modern home.

Two-thirds believe a large garden is an essential feature.

A quarter (25%) would prefer to live in a small village, while 22% would choose the a small country town. Fewer than one in five (19%) would live in a larger town, including a minority of 14% who would prefer to live in London.