In an age of towering new build flats and sprawling three-storey town homes, there is something refreshingly honest about a bungalow. No stairs. No split-level gimmicks. Just a simple, all on one level home that offers practicality, privacy, and increasingly, prestige.
If you had asked the average house hunter a decade ago to rank their dream home, the bungalow might have appeared low on the list. Today, that story is changing fast. Demand is outstripping supply, prices are rising faster than many other property types, and in some parts of the country, bungalows are attracting bidding wars that would make some posh Home Counties estate agents in the ‘Race for Space in 2021’ blush.
But what’s behind this resurgence? Why are bungalows back in fashion, especially with those in their 40s and 50s? And more importantly, what do buyers (and sellers) need to understand about this deceptively simple property type?
The Underdog of British Housing
Let’s start with a truth rarely spoken aloud. Bungalows have long been the butt of architectural snobbery. They are often dismissed as the choice of the elderly, a relic of the pre- and post-war property boom, or worse, a temporary fix while something ‘better’ comes along.
Yet, this perception masks the fact bungalows are rare, valuable, and often sit on plots that developers would kill for.
While two-storey semis and terraces fill the suburbs, bungalows occupy wide plots with generous gardens, driveways, and that all-important future potential. Knock it down, extend outwards or upwards, or modernise; the options are endless.
Why Buyers Love Them
Retirees don’t just fuel the resurgence in bungalow demand, although they remain a core demographic. Increasingly, we’re seeing younger 40 and 50-somethings, people with mobility considerations, and even developers entering the market.
There are five key reasons why buyers are falling back in love with bungalows:
- Single-Level Living
No stairs might sound like a small thing until you try living without them. Whether you’ve got toddlers, teenagers, ageing knees, or just a desire for flow, bungalows make sense.
- Future-Proofing
Buyers are thinking long-term. A couple in their 50s might be in fine health now, but they’re looking for a home they can grow old in without having to move again.
- Extension and Rebuild Potential
Many bungalows sit on plots double the size of today’s modern homes. That opens the door to rear extensions, loft conversions, or even total redevelopment, subject to planning.
- Peace and Privacy
With no neighbours above or below, bungalows offer a quieter, more serene lifestyle. That’s something people truly value post-lockdown.
- Scarcity
Very few bungalows are built today. National housebuilders focus on density, and single-storey homes don’t stack up (literally) for profit. That means the ones that exist are in short supply, and we all know what happens when supply is short.
What the Leicester Market Is Saying About Bungalows
Examining the data from the last two years, we can begin with new listings.
A total of 2,085 bungalows came onto the market in Leicester, accounting for 8.4% of all new property listings in the area. This figure is interesting when compared to the national UK average, where only 7.9% of properties listed were bungalows.
Next, let’s turn our attention to sales performance and prices achieved.
In that same two-year period, 1,197 bungalows in Leicester were sold and completed.
The average sale price of a Leicester bungalow was £323,204, working out at £368 per square foot. For comparison, 10,934 houses and flats sold in the same period with an average price of £293,425, equating to £283 per square foot.
This clearly shows that bungalows in Leicester command a significantly higher price per square foot compared to other types of properties.
Finally, let’s examine saleability, which is the percentage of properties that sell, from exchanging contracts to completing and moving once they’re listed.
In Leicester, 57.9% of bungalows that came off the market ended up selling and moving (the remainder left the market unsold). That compares to 45.1% for flats and 52.1% for houses. Nationally, the picture is slightly different. 60.6% of bungalows sell and complete, but only 46.3% of flats and 56.2% of houses do the same. These figures underline the enduring appeal and substantial value of bungalows in the local market.
Leicester is LE1-9, LE19.
Advice for Leicester Bungalow Sellers
If you’re the owner of a Leicester bungalow, especially in a sought-after area, and considering moving in the not-too-distant future, maybe now is the time to have a conversation?
If you were concerned about not being able to find a home, if you would put your bungalow on the market and find a buyer, then we operate an ‘off market’ service at our agency where we can discreetly find you a buyer, without a for sale board, and then ask them to wait as long as it takes for you to find your next home, even if that takes months and months. And at any time during the process, if you change your mind before the legal work is completed with the solicitors, there will be no cost whatsoever.
However, pricing it right is crucial. Go too high, and you risk scaring off the serious buyers. Go too low, and you invite developers who see the plot, not the home.
An experienced agent will know how to position your bungalow to attract the correct type of buyer, whether that’s a family, a downsizer, or someone planning their ‘forever home’.
Final Thoughts
The British love affair with bungalows is being rekindled. Quietly, steadily, and with increasing confidence, these single-storey homes are proving they were never just for pensioners. They’re practical, adaptable, and crucially desirable.
Because when it comes to bungalows, one thing’s for sure: we may not be building many. In fact in the last year alone only 1.88% of all new homes were bungalows, but despite this the appetite for them is only going up.
