Ground floor vs first floor flat - which is worth more?

salane19

I am trying to decide which property is worth more, especially in terms of reselling in 5-6 years time. My aim is to purchase a house in the same area but I need to get on the ladder first with a flat. 

Both are converted flats in a semi detached Victorian house Wimbledon. They are both share of freehold (two properties in total). 

The ground floor flat has one large double, a small double, one bathroom and a garden. It has a shared kitchen and reception room. It has lovely bifolding doors to the garden. The total square footage including the garden is 820. 

The first floor flat has had a loft conversion, so it is over two floors. It has three large doubles, two bathrooms, a separate kitchen and reception room. But no garden or terrace. Nevertheless, it seems spacious. The total square footage is 950. 

They’re actually on sale for the same price of £600k and they are on the same road. Both are modern and require no updating. I have only been looking at first floor flats around £600-625k in the area but the price of this ground floor flat for £600k as well makes me think that a garden is worth as much as an extra bedroom? Which might be worth more in 5 years time? 

Emmia

Property with a private garden / outside space every time - great for socialising in the summer, and in the event of another lockdown, you have your own outside area.

user1977

salane19 said:

The total square footage including the garden is 820. 

How much without the garden? You don't just lump in the garden to the indoor area when figuring out the price (the garden obviously has some value, but not nearly as much per square foot).

youth_leader

Definitely the garden flat, although you may want to check if the upstairs flat is fully carpeted to avoid noise.

eddddy

Your question seems to be more about the value of an extra bedroom and an extra bathroom vs the value of a garden - than a comparison of ground floor vs first floor.

Tbh, I'd focus more on what suited my lifestyle. For example,

Do I want a nicer second bedroom, third bedroom and bathroom for guests?
Do I want a garden to sit in, have bbqs etc?
If I like cycling, does the first floor flat have somewhere to store a bike?
etc

More generally with ground floor vs first floor...

Do you mind going up and downstairs more frequently? (Moving furniture, carrying the shopping, taking out rubbish)
Is security an issue? (e.g. it's harder for a burglar to break in via a first floor window.)
Ground floor flats are sometimes noisier? (Footsteps and clanking from above)
Is the flat close to the pavement? Will you have passers-by looking through the ground floor windows? (With TVs, laptops etc visible - or would you put up net curtains?!!)
etc


 

p00hsticks

youth_leader said:

Definitely the garden flat, although you may want to check if the upstairs flat is fully carpeted to avoid noise.

Although I appreciate the advantages of an outdoor space, having someone living directly above me would be a no-no

propertyhunter

Depends what you want to use the home for. If you want to use the garden for entertaining and bbqs, go for the lower ground. First floor flat is more appealing for me because it has an additional bedroom - so is a bit more future proof should you want a lodger, have a child, etc. The feel of the first floor flat is probably more like a house without a garden, since it is over two floors and the kitchen is separate to the living area - which is a plus for entertaining in my book (having lived in an open-plan flat). 

salane19

user1977 said:

salane19 said:

The total square footage including the garden is 820. 

How much without the garden? You don't just lump in the garden to the indoor area when figuring out the price (the garden obviously has some value, but not nearly as much per square foot).

I can’t easily figure it out. The only available floor plan includes the garden. The garden isn’t particularly long. 

salane19

eddddy said:

Your question seems to be more about the value of an extra bedroom and an extra bathroom vs the value of a garden - than a comparison of ground floor vs first floor.

Tbh, I'd focus more on what suited my lifestyle. For example,

Do I want a nicer second bedroom, third bedroom and bathroom for guests?
Do I want a garden to sit in, have bbqs etc?
If I like cycling, does the first floor flat have somewhere to store a bike?
etc

More generally with ground floor vs first floor...

Do you mind going up and downstairs more frequently? (Moving furniture, carrying the shopping, taking out rubbish)
Is security an issue? (e.g. it's harder for a burglar to break in via a first floor window.)
Ground floor flats are sometimes noisier? (Footsteps and clanking from above)
Is the flat close to the pavement? Will you have passers-by looking through the ground floor windows? (With TVs, laptops etc visible - or would you put up net curtains?!!)
etc


 

I don’t mind living in either. My main aim is to purchase the flat that will have the biggest increase in value in 5-6 years. 

RelievedSheff

salane19 said:

eddddy said:

Your question seems to be more about the value of an extra bedroom and an extra bathroom vs the value of a garden - than a comparison of ground floor vs first floor.

Tbh, I'd focus more on what suited my lifestyle. For example,

Do I want a nicer second bedroom, third bedroom and bathroom for guests?
Do I want a garden to sit in, have bbqs etc?
If I like cycling, does the first floor flat have somewhere to store a bike?
etc

More generally with ground floor vs first floor...

Do you mind going up and downstairs more frequently? (Moving furniture, carrying the shopping, taking out rubbish)
Is security an issue? (e.g. it's harder for a burglar to break in via a first floor window.)
Ground floor flats are sometimes noisier? (Footsteps and clanking from above)
Is the flat close to the pavement? Will you have passers-by looking through the ground floor windows? (With TVs, laptops etc visible - or would you put up net curtains?!!)
etc


 

I don’t mind living in either. My main aim is to purchase the flat that will have the biggest increase in value in 5-6 years. 

You should be looking at this as a home not as an investment. Nobody knows what will happen with house prices over the next 5 years. Anyone that says they do know is a liar. 

You need to decide what is most important to do. Extra interior space or some outside space. 

Personally I would choose outside space over an extra bedroom. But I would also want to view the flat when the upstairs neighbours are at home so that I could assess the level of noise that transmits from the flat above.

sammyjammy

I think the point was different purchasers will choose different flats based on what is important to them, as they have now been valued at same price I guess its which one is more sellable.  I'm a big gardener but if I had to buy one of the two it would be top floor.  

I think you have to assume they will increase in value at the same rate (if indeed there is an increase in value!)