New research from Zoopla has revealed that garages are increasingly prized by UK homebuyers, with the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham topping the list for demand.
Homes with garages in the borough command an average asking price of £500,000 – £129,000 more than a typical home – highlighting the premium buyers are willing to pay for secure parking and additional space.
The findings follow Zoopla’s analysis of user search trends, where “garage” ranked as the second most searched term in both 2023 and 2024. Notably, “double garage” broke into the top five searches for the first time this year, highlighting a growing appetite for multifunctional space in an era of hybrid working and limited parking availability.
Despite London’s expanded Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), the capital dominates four of the UK’s top ten hotspots for garage demand. Zoopla attributes this to constrained on-street parking, storage needs, and a desire for adaptable space that can serve as a home office, gym or studio.
AFFORDABLE OPTIONS
However, buyers don’t need to pay London premiums to secure a garage. In Hull, the average asking price for a home with a garage is £180,000 – just £30,000 above the area’s overall average. Blackpool and Stoke-on-Trent also offer relatively affordable options at £185,000 and £220,000, respectively.
In the South West, Plymouth stands out as the region’s most accessible option, with homes with garages averaging £301,000. In the South East, Gosport leads on affordability at £338,000—still a £57,000 premium over typical properties in the town.
Zoopla’s data also highlights Bexley, where average prices for homes with garages match Barking and Dagenham at £500,000, though demand in the borough is currently lower.
SERIOUS PRIORITY
Daniel Copley, Consumer Expert at Zoopla, says: “Our data paints a clear picture: for many homebuyers, a garage isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a serious priority, consistently ranking as one of the most sought-after features on Zoopla.
“The intense demand we’re seeing in areas like Barking and Dagenham, and Leicester, very much underscores the premium buyers are willing to pay for that secure parking or extra space, particularly in densely populated urban centres where parking is often a headache.”
DESIRE FOR OUTSIDE SPACE
Toby Leek, President of NAEA Propertymark, adds: “There is a continued increase in people looking for garages and parking spaces as the number of drivers on the road rises, and trends such as having space for electric vehicle charging at home grows in popularity.
“Alongside this, the surge in desire for outside space post-pandemic is pushing more buyers to pursue larger properties with driveways, garages and gardens, moving away from apartments and flats.”
Property Soup revealed last month how a collection of 18 lock-up garages in South Wales went back on the market through Paul Fosh Auctions (main picture) – with a jaw-dropping auction reserve of just £1 for the entire lot.
