·A limited supply of dream homes leaves most house hunters frustrated, according to a new report, which also finds the older the house, the more popular it is with buyers.

But new builds are far more popular than properties built between 1950 and 1989, says the report from propertyfinder.com which identifies a clear link between the cost, public preference and supply of property from different architectural periods.

The study focused on three bedroom properties in a selection of UK towns, chosen for their range of architectural styles. Georgian housing, the oldest surveyed, topped the tables in every category – representing the least common, most expensive and most desirable dwellings. Houses built between 1950 and 1980 proved to be the least popular, whilst also making up the highest percentage of housing stock and demanding the lowest average asking price.

There is a strong correlation between the age of a property and its value, with older houses tending to command greater sums than properties built in a later period. Bucking this trend are contemporary and 1990s developments, the average price of which exceeds properties in both the 1950s to 1980s, as well as inter-war housing categories.

Chief executive officer, Warren Bright, said: “The results have shown the British public’s preference for period homes, and this goes some way towards explaining homebuyers’ liking for properties built in the last twenty years.”

“With so many new developments in a period style, these new homes represent a good opportunity for everyone to own a piece of history - with none of the planning constraints and maintenance.”

Golden Oldies

The results – from properties examined in Bath, Brighton, Cambridge, Edinburgh and York – show Georgian property to be worth the most (at over £390,000 for a typical home), whilst also being the most popular amongst house hunters (with 46.7% regarding it as attractive or essential in their property choices). It is also the rarest, accounting for less than 4% of the nation’s housing stock.

Georgian: Loved

Victorian and Edwardian houses – the next oldest - were also the next highest on the list. House hunters can expect to pay around £320,000 and £328,000 respectively for properties from these periods. Their popularity is high, attracting around 45% of people, and they are also comparatively rare, accounting for only 15% of total housing stock. The marginally greater cost for an Edwardian period property over a Victorian counterpart in these areas is explained by smaller supply, together with slightly more generous proportions.

Post-war: Unloved

At the bottom of the table came post-war property (housing built between 1950 and 1980). This was least popular with the nation – with only 8.5% of people saying that it would attract them to a street. Post-war property was also the least rare making up 56% of housing stock nationwide, and at just £235,000 was the lowest valued.

Contemporary property bucks the trend

At over £300,000, contemporary and 1990s homes are the exception to the age/price rule. The construction of luxury apartments in prime locations for instance is largely responsible for the premium price of many of these properties. The relatively small supply of newer properties (6% of the total) may also have affected the price. Property in this category did score higher amongst the public’s preferences, with over 20% of people attracted to it.

“Georgian homes are the most desirable, but the smaller supply and extra cost may be prohibitive for some buyers, said Mr Bright. “Victorian and Edwardian properties have also proven to be extremely popular, reflected in current asking prices. We have experienced first-hand the demand for period properties and this research highlights the gulf between home seekers’ expectations and supply.”