The time of year has arrived when outdoor space in London is the most prized of resources – the pride of those who have it, and the envy of people who don’t. And, while large gardens and landscaped terraces are creeping higher on the list of buyer demands, there is an increasing subsect of busy Londoners for whom the thought of outdoor upkeep is eye-roll-inducing. Enter the humble but high-end London homes with balconies.

Far preferable to own a small, manageable slice of the outside. This way you can have your cake and eat it, too – able to enjoy the weather without the headache (and expense) of maintenance. This is the great outdoors for the modern city-dweller.

If your time is precious, and your thumb not particularly green, read on for our list of for-sale homes with lovely balconies that strike the perfect compromise.

Esther Anne Place, N1

Islington Square is a gem sequestered behind Upper Street – a chichi thoroughfare lined with jewellery boutiques and vegan coffee shops. Esther Anne Place is linked by two retail arcades, enjoying proximity, but without the noise and traffic. The square offers residents cute café bars, a premium health club and an Odeon Luxe; the accommodation, meanwhile, is chic and modern, boasting communal gardens, underground car parking, compact balconies which need little-to-no maintenance.

Guide price: £1,350,000, beauchamp.com

Wilton Street, SW1X

This Grade II-listed townhouse was originally built circa 1817; five floors and some 424 sq m of space has since been upgraded with the latest home automation technology and air conditioning throughout. But the original Georgian features remain, including elegant stonework, vein-matched marbles, silk carpets, bespoke cabinetry, and a stunning terrace on the roof.

Guide price: £11,750,000, savills.com

Old Grove House, NW3

Climb your way to the rafters of this Hampstead home and you’ll discover a secret balcony yielding widespread views of London. If it wasn’t for the vistas of the City, Canary Wharf and The Shard, you’d be forgiven for mistaking this for a country home, with its ivy-clad exterior, tall sash windows and mature walled garden. Comprising seven bedrooms and six bathrooms, Old Grove House is steeped in heritage.

Guide price: £28,000,000, savills.com

The Haydon, EC3

The Haydon’s stepped design gives it a unique appearance, as well as, apparently, maximising privacy, space and light within each apartment. It also makes for some cool balconies (you could also opt for the 11th-floor terrace for your fresh air fix). These 87 residences have sprung up in one of the capital’s most exciting areas, too. Here, you’re a stone's throw from the historic landmarks of the City and Square Mile, as well as having transport links from Aldgate station or Liverpool Street.

Prices start from £795,000, regal-london.co.uk

Marylebone Square, W1U

This development almost has the air of a Parisian Hausmann boulevard, studded with Juliette balconies and, at penthouse level, gorgeous, expansive galleries. Yet despite a classic feel, Marylebone Square is also breathtakingly modern; the 54 apartments have open-plan layouts, floor-to-ceiling glazing and sliding glass doors. This all exists alongside a courtyard atrium garden at the heart of the development, as well as shops, restaurants and a farmer’s market at ground level.

Prices start from £2,660,000, marylebonesquare.com

Marsh Wall, E14

Being on the 30th floor of Amory Tower (close to the centre of Canary Wharf), balcony views from Marsh Wall are pretty impressive – undisturbed to the south towards Greenwich and the Royal Naval College. This three-bed apartment actually has a dual entrance to the balcony, along with two bathrooms, its own allocated parking space, and 1,338 sq ft of living space.

Offers in excess of £1,350,000, jll.co.uk

Sugar Quay, EC3R

Speaking of views, there are few more coveted in the capital than those of the Thames, and this duplex has those in spades. The three-bed is spread across floors nine and ten in Sugar Quay, which is right on the river bank – it’s an address where waterside and city living merge. An L-shaped balcony is primed to make the most of the surroundings, featuring a stainless steel fitted hot tub with views of Tower Bridge, the Shard and the London Eye.

Guide price: £13,500,000, jll.co.uk

The BeCa, SE15

Sales for this new development on Old Kent Road have now launched. The BeCa is inspired by Manhattan loft living, with concrete walls, brushed steel finishes and industrial elements found in studios and one- and two-bedroom apartments. The red brick façade is inspired by The Sterling Mason building in New York; a former coffee warehouse that has been restored into a luxury scheme. 262 design-led homes will also benefit from state-of-the-art amenities and 22,195 sq ft of commercial space on the ground floor.

Prices start from £440,000, thebeca.co.uk

Hurlingham Road, SW6

We love this unique home in Fulham. The unassuming end-of-terrace house ends up being rather spectacular, with impressive proportions and benefitting from a 2012 refurbishment by architect De Rosee Sa, which introduced extensive natural light, elevated ceiling heights, and spectacular panoramas of Hurlingham Park (not least from a strategically-placed balcony).

Guide price: £5,000,000, tedworth.co.uk

Pont Street, SW1X

A modernised townhouse within a Victorian terrace? This is what period property dreams are made of. This first-floor apartment boasts recent refurbishment, grand ceiling heights (in excess of 4m), 1,000 sq ft of living space, floor-to-ceiling windows, and French doors leading onto a south-facing balcony. Not to mention the super-prime location on one of Knightsbridge’s most famous streets.

Guide price: £3,250,000, knightfrank.com

Read more: London's most beautiful homes with gardens