Whether you are looking to buy or rent a new home, it seems that our home hunting priorities have shifted significantly over the last few months due to the global Coronavirus pandemic. Everyone’s life has been dramatically affected by the virus and the subsequent lockdown. Some of us were furloughed, some were asked to work from home and of course the heroes, our keyworkers still braved the workplace. It is no wonder then, that those seeking new homes now have different priorities to those that looked to move home just last year. In this article we look at these changes in more detail and discover what people’s new home hunting priorities are.
New Home Movers Priorities
- Given the working arrangements which were imposed during lockdown there has been a huge shift to home working, and it looks like this is here to stay for large portions of the population. Not surprisingly, then, there has been a large increase in people prioritising space for a home office. It would seem that 1 in 5 people now see a home office as a priority which rises to 34% for those aged 35 – 49
- During lockdown it was very difficult to see our loved ones in person and, although video conferencing brought us all together, it could not compensate for the missed hugs and closeness. As such, people have indicated that living near their families and friends is now much more of a priority.
- Many people were affected by gyms and leisure centres being closed and we can all relate to the ease with which we fell into not exercising and perhaps eating more unhealthily than we would normally. It seems, though, that for those of us who enjoy our time at the gym, we are much more focused now on having space to exercise in any new home we buy or rent.
- Another big thing that we missed during the lockdown period was the ability to go out to parks or pop to the seaside or even simply be able to drive to the countryside for a walk. People are now actively seeking out properties which are closer to the countryside, parks or the coast.
- One surprising change in our house hunting priorities has been the shift away from prioritising a pub or shops local to us.
According to Zoopla, these changes are being driven by how we changed our lifestyles over the lockdown. Socialising at home, going into the office less often, spending more time in the garden and a general reluctance to go to public spaces such as pubs and shopping malls has very much become the norm for many of us and this has shifted how we view our choice of home.
Whether you are looking to rent, buy or sell a property at Northwood we have local property experts that can help you to focus on these new priorities.
