"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"
- Daniel Copley - Zoopla
New analysis from Zoopla shows that the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham is currently experiencing the highest demand for homes with a garage across the UK, with average asking prices reaching £500,000. This is £129,000 higher than the average asking price for a typical home in the borough, which stands at £371,000. This highlights the premium buyers are willing to pay for homes with a garage.
In 2024, “garage” was the second most searched term on Zoopla, and for the first time, “double garage” entered the top five in search terms. This consistent interest demonstrates that a garage is no longer just a nice-to-have feature but a high priority for many homebuyers.
Despite the expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in August 2023, four London boroughs are among the top ten areas in the UK where demand for homes with a garage is highest. In larger cities like London, parking can be limited, which makes a garage a highly sought-after asset. Additionally, space is scarce in the capital, and some homeowners are looking to utilise garages as additional storage or living areas.
Table 1: Areas with the highest demand for garages in the UK
| Rank | Region | Local Authority | Average asking price of a home with a garage | Average asking price of a typical home |
| 1 | London | Barking & Dagenham | £500,000 | £371,000 |
| 2 | East Midlands | Leicester | £325,000 | £262,000 |
| 3 | West Midlands | Sandwell | £280,000 | £241,000 |
| 4 | London | Hounslow | £575,000 | £509,000 |
| 5 | London | Hillingdon | £644,000 | £506,000 |
| 6 | West Midlands | Walsall | £296,000 | £235,000 |
| 7 | West Midlands | Wolverhampton | £285,000 | £230,000 |
| 8 | South East | Dartford | £450,000 | £365,000 |
| 9 | London | Havering | £550,000 | £475,000 |
| 10 | South East | Slough | £590,000 | £400,000 |
For those hoping to find a home with a garage without paying a premium, there are options. Hull, in Yorkshire and the Humber, offers the lowest average asking price for homes with a garage, at £180,000—£30,000 more than the typical asking price for homes in the area. Blackpool follows closely at £185,000, while Stoke-on-Trent in the West Midlands has an average price of £220,000.
Table 2: Area with the cheapest homes with garages in each region
| Rank | Region | Local Authority | Average asking price of a home with a garage | Average asking price of a typical home |
| 1 | Yorkshire and The Humber | Hull | £180,000 | £150,000 |
| 2 | North West | Blackpool | £185,000 | £139,500 |
| 3 | West Midlands | Stoke-on-Trent | £220,000 | £177,000 |
| 4 | North East | Middlesborough | £221,000 | £160,000 |
| 5 | Scotland | North Ayrshire | £235,000 | £165,000 |
| 6 | Wales | Blaenau Gwent | £245,000 | £155,000 |
| 7 | East Midlands | Boston | £265,000 | £200,000 |
| 8 | East of England | Peterborough | £295,000 | £245,000 |
| 9 | South West | Plymouth | £301,000 | £240,000 |
| 10 | South East | Gosport | £338,000 | £281,000 |
| 11 | London | Barking & Dagenham | £500,000 | £371,000 |
| 12 | = | Bexley | £500,000 | £450,000 |
In the southern part of the country, homes with a garage are the most affordable in the South West and South East. Plymouth leads the South West, with an average asking price of around £301,000 for a home with a garage. In the South East, Gosport is the most budget-friendly option, with an average asking price of £338,000, which is £57,000 higher than the typical property in the area.
Interestingly, Bexley, another London borough, also has homes with garages priced at £500,000, comparable to Barking and Dagenham, although the demand in Bexley is lower. This is £50,000 more than the average asking price for a typical home in the borough.
“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," explained Zoopla consumer expert Daniel Copley. "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.”
Toby Leek, President of NAEA Propertymark, added, "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 grow 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.”
