Nick Leeming, Chairman of Jackson-Stops, provides his insight on the appeal of village life, and the village homes which offer the best bang for your buck.
From stately manor houses to chocolate box thatched cottages, village homes have always played a key role in the UK property landscape. Thanks to their striking and historic features, it is not hard to see how these quintessential English property types have stood the test of time, but much of the appeal can be put down to village life itself. Residents will often buy into this lifestyle and therefore want amenities such as local shops, village halls, parkland and doctor’s surgeries on their doorstep.
The Old Rectory is a Grade II listed 18th century former Georgian rectory available through our Norwich branch.
Our latest research, which analysed the price premium of five typical English village property types, found that despite standing at six times as much as the UK average house price, old rectories are the least expensive quintessentially English village home on a per square foot basis (£261 per square foot). Whilst on the opposite side of the spectrum, farmhouses prove the most expensive per square foot, despite their fairly spacious proportions.
Ranking as the third most expensive village home (£1,206,578), buyers can expect to pay on average £322 per square foot, but will often benefit from extensive grounds and a private location. Although much smaller in size (more than 1,500 sq. ft. less than farm houses), chocolate box cottages aren’t far behind with an average value of £311 per square foot.
More than eight times the price of an average UK home and six times as large, manor houses continue to command the highest average sale price (£1,868,750) of each of the property types analysed. However, despite often being the apex of the village, the centre of all local life, manor houses are only £67 more than an average UK home per square foot.
From sharing gossip over a pint at the local pub, playing cricket on the village pitch or enjoying the attractions of the summer fete on the green, villages often radiate a rich community spirit which has long been forgotten in many towns and cities.
It is not surprising to see that manor houses and old rectories command the highest price premium of all English village homes we analysed. The vicar was often considered the most important individual in the village, only second to the lord or lady of the manor. Both property types offer ample proportions, however when it comes to offering best value for money the old rectory beats the manor house hands down.
