Quirky – the name of 2022’s property game

In our Private Wealth Guide for 2022/23, we talked about a new property trend revealed by a survey conducted by TalkTalk. Many more British people appear to be searching for ‘quirky’ homes, with 37% saying they were on the lookout for unique features and unusual shaped spaces. Even more respondents (58%) said that quirky features were a way of expressing their personal style, while 38% said they helped their property stand out from the crowd.

In our guide to Hertfordshire, we featured what is thought to be Britain’s most expensive ever barn conversion, a Sawbridgeworth mansion featuring five bedrooms, hot tubs and a cinema, which entered the market at a list price of £5 million. For its part, Essex saw the sale of Stanstead Hall in March 2022, a 13-bedroom Tudor-style mansion with a list price of £6.5 million. Both unique properties, their listing prices demonstrate the value placed on unusual and historic homes.

In this article, we’ll be looking further into this trend and seeing how investing in quirky features can add value to your property and help you build your wealth for the future.

What do ‘quirky’ features add to a home’s value?

The TalkTalk survey found that more than one in 10 househunters (12%) have their eyes peeled for renovated properties, such as barn conversions or even renovated windmills and chapels. According to structural engineering firm Martin Perry Associates, even an unconverted barn can fetch a six-figure sum if planning permission is in place. A significant sum already when you consider that an unconverted barn is usually valued at just 40% of its expected price post-conversion. If you’re lucky enough to have a barn or stables on your land, converting them to holiday lets could also provide a stable and lucrative long-term income.

Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, garden offices have shot to the top of many buyers’ demand list, with 17% of TalkTalk’s respondents stating they wanted one. Luckily for homeowners, those who invest in converting a shed or outbuilding into an office can expect a 5% to 10% boost to the value of their property, according to outbuilding specialists Garden Office Buildings.

A further 10% of househunters are looking for a home with underground levels, such as a basement. Building company Sterling Build suggests that a basement could add between 10% and 20% to the value of your home, while Proficiency Design and Build says it could add up to 30%!

Looking for your own unique home?

There are stunning examples of quirky and unusual homes dotted throughout Hertfordshire and Essex, making these counties perfect places for showcasing your own unique style. In 2016, for example, a four-storey windmill in Clavering, Essex, was put on sale for a guide price of £625,000. It had been converted for residential use by its original owners, who constructed a single-storey dwelling that wraps around the bottom of the tower and features three double bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room and a kitchen with granite worktops and handmade cabinets. With full planning permission to convert all four storeys to residential use, we’d say that whoever purchased the windmill will see a significant return on their investment!

Over in Hertfordshire, a four-bedroom equestrian property complete with four bedrooms, a self-contained cottage, stables and a paddock is currently on sale for £1.5 million. Ticking many of the most-sought-after features in TalkTalk’s survey, including lots of space, multiple outbuildings, period features and even an unconverted barn. With close links to nearby private schools including the Bishop’s Stortford College and Haileybury School in Hertford, it could be an excellent choice for families looking to give their children the best start in life.

See more in our Private Wealth Guide

If you enjoyed this article, then our Private Wealth Guide for 2022/23 is packed with facts, figures and interesting features spanning not only property, but education, business, leisure and many other aspects involved in growing and enjoying your wealth to the fullest.

Click here for our Private Wealth Guide to Essex

Click here for our Private Wealth Guide to Hertfordshire

And of course, be sure to follow along on social media using the hashtag #PrivateWealthGuide.