HOW TO MAKE THE GREEN PIECE VISIBLE IN YOUR BACKYARD

Having a backyard in a house can create a significant differentiator between homes, with new data showing that backyards can increase the value of a home.

New research from PropTrack shows searches for patios, gardens and outdoor areas overall are up 35% from March 2021, 2022 and pre-Covid to date.

Across NSW, searches for these property features increased by 20% in the same time frame.

Figures from the 2021 Developer Insights Series also highlight the rise of buyers looking for outdoor living – with audience insights showing 80% of buyers desire a garden or outdoor entertaining area, up slightly from 77% in 2020.

“Buyers are also motivated by the inclusion of ‘green’ features around the development, such as the use of solar power, green communal areas or even a communal garden,” the report said.

As more people look to the outskirts of metropolitan areas during Covid, many buyers have taken advantage of both the ability to maintain office connectivity one or two days a week and the lifestyle amenities available in fringe suburbs.

PropTrack’s keyword search data differentiated between NSW and Sydney suburbs to see which areas had the highest interest in backyards.

Located 17km west of the Sydney CBD, the western suburb of Mortlake tops the list with the highest increase in searches for backyards – with a 466% increase from the pre-Covid period to now.

Unit prices in the suburb over the past year were $980,000 AUD – meaning the average rent was around $550 AUD per week.

Aras Labutis, director of Sydney-based apartment developer Coronation Property, told The Daily Telegraph that having a backyard is a key differentiator in high-density developments that often only have courtyards and balconies.

“A backyard often adds to the opportunity for families to have a large plot of land. “It’s the quintessential ‘Aussie’ image of a family sitting out in the backyard with a classic barbecue going on,” Mr. Labutis said.

“The last few years during the pandemic have shown an increased need for more space as working from home has become the norm.”

“Now that things are slowly returning to normal, many employees are realizing that going into the office doesn’t mean they have to sacrifice the opportunity to work in the park or on the patio.”

Coronation Property’s latest development, Ashbury Terraces, includes a large backyard as well as communal living areas and a gym.

For potential buyers Danny Lam and Nikki Pham, the development at Ashbury Terraces offers a route into the housing market, not only giving them access to plenty of green space but also keeping them close to the inner city.

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Lam said the flexibility of working from home with green space nearby is really important to him as a software engineer.

“When we first came to Ashbury Terraces, the emphasis on green space was very unique,” Mr. Lam said.

“Having amenities is so important to me, I want to have these options while I’m working in my backyard. Being close to the park is also positive for us, because most of all we want to have a dog.”

Source: News.com.au