Over half (53%) admit they would buy a property that had an appealing exterior, even if the inside required extensive improvements, according to a survey by Barclays Mortgages.

The outside of a home could also affect the sales price. 44% of homebuyers would take up to 20% off a property’s asking price due to an unkempt exterior. In London, this would amount to a loss of £107,400, while the UK average is a loss of £57,600 on each home.

Nice gardens most desirable 

Some 69% of respondents said a well-manicured garden is the most desirable ‘kerb appeal’ feature, followed by double glazing (60%), parking space (59%), appealing looking neighbour houses (54%) and neighbours having well-manicured gardens (51%).

In contrast, vermin control outside of the property was the most unappealing outside feature with 68% of respondents finding it a deal-breaker.

Others included an unkempt front garden (58%), being close to noisy communal buildings such as pubs (53%), being close to busy transport links (51%) and closeness to fast food outlets (50%).

Style matters

The traditional new build is the nation’s favourite property type with over a third (36%) of people preferring that style.

Victorian houses (29%) and Georgian houses (27%) are also very popular, while uninspiring 80’s homes and Mock Tudor properties were at the bottom of the list with 8% and 9% of homebuyers choosing those styles.