A PROPERTY website has revealed that the average price of houses in Brighton has increased by four per cent in a year.

The average price paid for a home in the city in 2020 was £371,800 marking an increase of 17 per cent in the last five years, a study by Zoopla revealed.

And buyer demand for homes in Brighton and Hove has also increased, with the 2020 figure soaring by a staggering 86 per cent in just 12 months.

The Argus: This house in Saltdean, currently available on Zoopla, has many of the features the property website found were most coveted during 2020This house in Saltdean, currently available on Zoopla, has many of the features the property website found were most coveted during 2020

The data was taken from the property experts' latest Brighton House Price Index, which studies multiple local housing trends and prices on an annual basis.

Neil Parker, regional sales director at Leaders estate agents, said: “We’ve seen greater movement of people – especially Londoners – who no longer need to live so close to their workplace due to the shift towards home working.

"This means properties with space to work from home have been in high demand."

Zoopla's data also uncovered the feature people coveted most in their prospective properties last year - a bit of extra space.

The Argus: This house in Saltdean, currently available on Zoopla, has many of the features the property website found were most coveted during 2020This house in Saltdean, currently available on Zoopla, has many of the features the property website found were most coveted during 2020

And, with a series of lockdowns keeping people cooped up in their homes for much of 2020, is it any wonder?

The term people searched for most when using the property website was "garden", followed by "parking", "garage" and "sea view".

The Argus:

Here is the full list in descending order:

  • Garden
  • Parking
  • Garage
  • Sea view
  • Balcony
  • Freehold
  • Detached
  • Swimming pool
  • Bungalow
  • Annexe

The Argus: This house in Saltdean, currently available on Zoopla, has many of the features the property website found were most coveted during 2020This house in Saltdean, currently available on Zoopla, has many of the features the property website found were most coveted during 2020

Zoopla's consumer spokesman Tom Parker said: "The unprecedented circumstances this year and various lockdowns have created an opportunity for people to evaluate their current home situation and that has accelerated a desire to move.

"It’s no surprise that outdoor space dominates searches as the time we’re spending at home, personally and professionally, continues to increase.”

The Argus: This house in Saltdean, currently available on Zoopla, has many of the features the property website found were most coveted during 2020This house in Saltdean, currently available on Zoopla, has many of the features the property website found were most coveted during 2020

One of the homes currently available for sale on Zoopla which boasts many of these attributes is this four-bedroom detached house in Wivelsfield Road, Saltdean (pictured throughout).

A description on the property website reads: "This superb property has been the subject of extensive improvement by the current owners.

The Argus: This house in Saltdean, currently available on Zoopla, has many of the features the property website found were most coveted during 2020This house in Saltdean, currently available on Zoopla, has many of the features the property website found were most coveted during 2020

"It offers a light and airy open plan kitchen living area with modern integrated kitchen and large south facing windows enjoying amazing views over Saltdean, towards the sea and over downland.

"The property has two downstairs double bedrooms - with one currently used as a dining room - and doors leading out to the rear garden."

The Argus: This house in Saltdean, currently available on Zoopla, has many of the features the property website found were most coveted during 2020This house in Saltdean, currently available on Zoopla, has many of the features the property website found were most coveted during 2020

There is also off road parking for two cars and a separate studio "which has power and light and ideal for those working from home".