Mansions for sale in the UK – Luxury home search

There are many places to search for mansions for sale in the UK.

Conducting a luxury home search, especially if you are not local or based overseas, can be challenging.

A buying agent can provide assurance by acting as your trusted advisor in the United Kingdom.

Here we consider what makes a luxury home a mansion.

What makes a house a mansion?

Mansion is the term used to describe a very large house, usually at least 8,000 sq. ft (740 sq. m) in size.

Though it’s viable that mansions located in the city might be around 5,000 sq ft (460 sq m) at a minimum.

It is often the case that a mansion will have considerable grounds, especially those located in the countryside.

A mansion located in the countryside might be labelled an English Country House, which historically one of two homes owned by wealthy families, their other home being a townhouse.  

Similarly, a historic manor house might now be called a mansion.

Historically a manor house would have been the main residence of the lord of the manor and the larger properties would be fortified.

What rooms are in a mansion?

There are many types of additional rooms that are usually found in larger luxury properties that there’s often no space for in a normal home.

• Bedrooms – there’s no upper limit on how many bedrooms but as a minimum there should be six. Each will usually have an en-suite bathroom and the principal suite might even have his and her bathrooms and a large walk-in wardrobe.
• Kitchen – though it’s likely to be no ordinary kitchen. Not only will it be large, likely with an island, a breakfast bar and extremely high-quality fixtures and fittings that you’d likely find in a professional kitchen, there’s also an increasing trend for kitchens to feature a modern-day butler’s pantry. A butler’s pantry is the perfect area for dining and entertaining prep. There’s also likely to be a larder for storing food items just off the kitchen. A mansion might even have two kitchens, one that is commercial grade and the other the front-of-house show kitchen for entertaining.

• Living rooms – rooms to entertain and rooms relax. From formal reception rooms to those sometimes dubbed a keeping room that is open to the kitchen.
• Dining room – it is often the case that a large luxury home will have more than one dining room. The informal dining space might be open to the kitchen and used for breakfast or more relaxed meals. The formal dining room might be grander in style, used for only special occasions.
• Library – a beautiful feature in many old homes, there’s an increasing trend to incorporate a library or reading room into modern conversions or new builds.
• Games room – from retro games machine to the perfect modern gaming console set up, table tennis and pool. The games room can be kitted out to suit any preference.
• Secret safe room – not only will this room be a useful place to keep precious belongings but it is likely to serve as a safe room in the event of an incident.

• Walk-in wine-cellar – a wine-fridge isn’t likely to hold enough wine for the number of guests you could accommodate and nor would the selection be broad enough. Walk-in wine cellars are a popular feature, some houses even include a walk-in humidor.
• Home cinema – a cinema room has long been a feature of most luxury homes.
• Home gym – a home gym has been a feature in most mansions for some time. This year it has been even more important to have a home gym and it’s likely that this trend will continue.
• Spa facilities – having a dedicated spa area at home saves the need to visit an actual spa. Clients are increasingly seeking comprehensive wellness facilities. Individuals are choosing to install a hot tub and sauna, inside or outdoors. They might also have a treatment room for visiting therapists. People are increasingly choosing to have a meditation room in their homes.

Must-have real estate features

Away from the rooms found inside a mansion, there are several features that these luxury homes for sale will usually have or a prospective buyer will seek to create upon purchase.

• Swimming pool – indoor or outdoor, or both, a swimming pool is almost a necessity for a mansion.
• Garden facilities – the garden in a traditional sense is expected to be professionally landscaped and perfectly maintained. Luxury properties might have formal or Zen gardens, water features include sports facilities such as tennis courts or Padel courts. These houses might also now have an outdoor kitchen, outdoor lounge areas with firepits. Where space allows there will likely be guesthouses or staff accommodation and if the owners are so inclined, equestrian facilities or the ability to keep other animals.  
• Large garage – luxury homes should have a garage big enough for several cars perhaps with utilities for basic car maintenance. In urban locations, a car lift might be preferable.
• Solar panels – luxury real estate now has the ability to be more environmentally friendly and features such as solar panels are just one way to reduce the carbon footprint.
• Boat house – Mansions that are located on the water, be it a river, lake or by the sea should have a mooring as a minimum but ideally a boat house.

Where to find luxury homes for sale in the United Kingdom?

Luxury real estate can be found within major cities across the United Kingdom but many are located in the country and have extensive acreage.

When looking at mansions the location is incredibly important.

Whether it’s proximity to main road connections or private jet airports there will be several factors which dictate whether certain locations will work.

If you’re looking at luxury homes for sale in an area that you do not know well a buying agent can provide invaluable guidance navigating local markets.

A property finder will consider the finer details such as the aspect from each bedroom.

In an advantageous position compared to unrepresented buyers, a buying agent’s long-established network of contacts gives clients access to off market properties and pre market opportunities they would otherwise be unaware of.

Their experience in sourcing and acquiring homes can ensure costly mistakes are avoided.

Property buying agents are experts in their field, they match properties to the needs and preferences of their clients, preview each opportunity, conduct thorough due diligence, negotiate and offer advice on the purchase through to completion.

Whether you’re looking at luxury homes for sale in London, considering purchasing a country estate in Yorkshire, a manor house in Norfolk, a sporting estate in Scotland or a modern beach house looking out to sea in Cornwall – our team of experts can assist.

Garrington Property Finders assist private clients whatever the desired property type and with offices across the United Kingdom, our team can help wherever you might be looking.

Tell Garrington about your search for a mansion in the United Kingdom.

UPDATED: May 2023