Is your Shoreham-by-Sea home bigger than 947 sq. ft?

Shoreham-by-Sea Homeowners, do you know how big your home is? 

Don’t worry, most of us don’t - yet it could be fundamental information to Shoreham-by-Sea property buyers searching for new homes.

Us Brits are obsessed with our homes, yet most Shoreham-by-Sea homeowners (those born after the mid-1970s) are yet to learn the square footage or square metreage of their homes. 

As an agent, I find homebuyers to usually assess the size of their intended house purchase chiefly by the number of bedrooms the property offers. However, could we all make more effort to calculate how much actual space we require in a home, outside the number of bedrooms?

Let’s look at how the local properties are split down in terms of bedrooms

The split of bedrooms in Adur is as follows:

• 11.4% of properties have one bedroom - compared to the national average of 10.7%
• 31.3% of properties have two bedrooms - compared to the national average of 26.7%
• 41.7% of properties have three bedrooms - compared to the national average of 40.6%
• 15.6% of properties have four or more bedrooms - compared to the national average of 22.0%

As one would expect for this location in the UK, there is a higher number of two- and three-bedroom homes.

So, are more bedrooms better?

Not necessarily. Unless you are buying a Shoreham-by-Sea property to develop and then sell on straightaway, I believe it is imperative to enjoy your property for what it was designed to be: your home.

Though room for growth and resale ability potential of the house purchase is vital, the manner of the way you and your family live and how you use your home must be the primary consideration for improving your quality of life. Because of this I have noticed a slight change in how Shoreham-by-Sea buyers (and tenants) have been asking and enquiring about property in the last 18 months.

The first is asking for a property’s energy efficiency rating. This can be seen on the property’s Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). That was expected, with the rise in gas and electric bills.

Yet, the second is that more and more Shoreham-by-Sea tenants and buyers are asking about the size of the property, which can also be found in the EPC mentioned above.

Discussions in the property industry suggests a move towards people moving wanting homes with minimum square footage instead of a property with a particular number of bedrooms.

I have been noticing that mature Shoreham-by-Sea homeowners who are looking to downsizing are asking for the size of a property rather than number of rooms, as they require fewer but larger rooms.

Should we all consider how we use our space in our Shoreham-by-Sea homes before we decide to move?

Before we do, let’s look at the average sizes of the local properties.

These are the averages for the Adur area: 

• The average size of a house is 1,065 sq. ft. - compared to the national average of 1,103 sq. ft.
• The average size of a bungalow is 850 sq. ft. - compared to the national average of 862 sq. ft.
• The average size of a flat/apartment is 452 sq. ft. - compared to the national average of 464 sq. ft.
• The average size of a maisonette is 570 sq. ft - compared to the national average of 657 sq. ft.
• The overall average is 947 sq. ft. - compared to the national average of 994 sq. ft.

Again, as I would expect due to the location, the average Shoreham-by-Sea home is smaller than the national average.

Due to the lockdowns in the last few years, we as a nation have started to use our homes differently. Rooms in our homes have become interchangeable - having more bedrooms isn't automatically the status symbol it might have once been. Spare bedrooms have become offices, dining rooms have become gyms, and so on.

Are you willing to sacrifice living room space for an extra bedroom, even if it makes the living room feel cramped and uncomfortable?

Before selecting a home based solely on the number of bedrooms it offers, there are several factors to consider

Evaluate your current living space and how you use it. Determine if you utilise all the rooms in the best way based on the space available, if you have enough storage, and if the layout works for you. If you value space and openness, prioritise square footage instead of bedrooms. 

Consider your current life stage and living space needs. If you have a family, bedrooms may be a main priority – and assessing how many are needed is essential. It would help if you also considered whether you need a separate space for work, or a top-of-the-range ensuite.

If you plan to rent out your Shoreham-by-Sea property, the number of bedrooms is crucial

However, it is essential to consider the type of Shoreham-by-Sea tenant you want to attract and what type of space would be most marketable to them. For example, renovating your current space might be a better option than moving to a new home.

By reconfiguring or extending the space, you could improve your quality of life or increase the value of your Shoreham-by-Sea property. A home-makeover could give you the open space or environment you desire.

By answering these questions, you can determine whether the number of bedrooms, other rooms, or square footage is the most crucial factor for you when selecting a new home.

What do you think?

Before I go, if you are a Shoreham-by-Sea homeowner or property buyer and you want to pick my brains on your best options, please don't hesitate to pick up the phone or drop me a line and we can start a discussion without any obligation or cost.