Consumers looking for a new home are often concerned more about practical matters than the outward appearance of a property, it has been suggested.

Developers in the construction industry and estate agents might do well to heed the comments of the British Property Federation, which has suggested that practical matters are at the forefront of buyers' minds when looking for a new property.

Ian Fletcher, director of the federation, observed: "I've seen surveys that actually show that the thing people value most of all is storage space."

He cited a survey conducted by Savilles in recent years that established the factors which people consider when buying a new apartment.

"It actually wasn't aesthetics generally but more practical things … things like parking spaces and places to put all your junk," Mr Fletcher explained.

Green space is also an issue at the forefront of people's minds, he continued, suggesting that a garden would often "have something to do with [choosing a new home] as well".

Recently the Scottish arm of the property federation asserted that property and construction accounts for 14 per cent of the country's gross domestic product.