The research, which surveyed 500 active house hunters looking to move within the next three years, asked what their “must-haves” are when looking for a new area or home.
Quick access to work and good transport connections ranked joint second place for the top area must-haves, with nearly half of home buyers (48%) citing this as an essential part of their wish list.
The need for a reliable and manageable commute echoes the growing UK trend of businesses encouraging workers back to the office. Research earlier this year by Jackson-Stops reinforced this shifting dynamic, in which a third (31%) of homeowners said that they commute to their place of work more now than six months previously.
The theme of convenience continued in the survey, with 43% of respondents stating that living in an area that has a bustling high street and is rich with local amenities was a top priority; something even more prevalent for movers in the South East (55%) and the North East (48%).
The ‘must-haves’ for homebuyers when choosing a new area:
1: Within a 20-min walk of public green space or park - 52%
2: Within commuting distance from work - 48%
3: Good connections: fast train line/ motorway access - 48%
4: Amenity rich: shop and restaurants within walking distance - 43%
5: Proximity to the countryside - 40%
6: Proximity to the coast - 30%
7: Lower council tax band - 26%
8: An Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ rated school - 17%
Surprisingly, proximity to the countryside ranked only in fifth place (40%), despite lockdown instigating a max exodus to greener pastures.
Another surprising entry on the list was the desire to be in a lower council tax band for over a quarter of respondents (26%), indicative of the toll that sudden inflation of everyday bills is having on middle-earners.
Putting area aside, when asked what prospective homebuyers want from a property, the top four answers at 30% respectively were having a downstairs toilet, a large garden, a home office space, as well as energy saving measures already installed such as solar panels or smart boilers.
Nick Leeming, Chairman of Jackson-Stops, explains: “They say an Englishman’s home is his castle, and the data points to the growing trend towards ready-made convenient living all within touching distance of the home, whether that be the benefit of a downstairs toilet or a shorter commute to work.
“Buyers looking for green energy measures already installed is a significant trend that is likely to grow in the coming years, removing the inconvenience of exploring these routes themselves and installation costs, noting the long-term benefits of lower energy bills.
"Less disposable income is playing its role in these results, and this is where we might see buyers start to negotiate on asking prices, prioritising a home purchase that is future-proofed from day one.”
The Top 10 ‘must-haves’ for homebuyers when choosing a property:
1: Downstairs toilet - 30%
1: Large garden - 30%
1: Energy saving measures already in place - 30%
1: Home working space/home office - 30%
2: Master en-suite bathroom - 28%
3: Utility room - 26%
4: Detached - 26%
5: Open plan living and kitchen area - 22%
6: Extension potential for when the family grows - 13%
7: Walk-in wardrobe - 16%
8: Pristine interiors - 11%
9: Swimming Pool - 11%
10: Electric car charging point - 9%
Interestingly, having an electric car charging point was a necessity for almost one in ten buyers (9%); another nod to cleaner, greener living. While just 16.9% of all new car registrations were for electric vehicles in the UK in May 2023, this is a significant increase from the end of 2016 when just 0.4% of all new vehicles registered were electric.
Property aspirations were also revealed in the data. The prominence of prime market features such as a swimming pool (11%), walk-in wardrobe (16%), inglenook or working fireplace (7%), aga or double oven (6%), and a wine cellar (6%), demonstrate the high-end characteristics that buyers still cherish.
As well as material features, a short completion time was cited as a dealmaker for 6% of buyers in the survey.
Nick concludes: “In a competitive market, the ability to move quickly or buy a property without an onward chain can be the difference between securing a property or losing out to a buyer that is able to move quicker.
"A fast move means less chance of the chain collapsing or mortgage offers being pulled. This is a market with a need for speed, and buyers and sellers should work closely with their agent to ensure the most successful outcome.”
