When we’re looking to move house, we’re not always exactly sure of what we’re looking for. There are simple things we’re all looking for, like more space, more bedrooms or a garden, but what about some of the prominent features of the house?
With the market being as hot as it is at the moment, plenty of people are looking to make a move or make a change, and we’re seeing more and more people approach us for advice and guidance as they look to find somewhere new.
That being said, we find the most common reason that people approach us is not only advice, but so that we can help them find properties that they may not either be aware of, or that may not have come on to the market yet.
With that in mind, we’re going to run you through the UK’s most popular property features to give you some inspiration and help you decide what it is you’re looking for in your next perfect home.
Energy efficiency
OK, this is probably not the most exciting feature you’ve been imagining but hear us out – energy efficiency means a number of things. Firstly, it costs less to run the house and saves you on expensive energy bills if the property is, for example, double glazed and well insulated.
Secondly, with many of us being much more environmentally conscious it’s an added bonus that we know that our homes are preventing environmental damage by being more efficient.
Garden
Depending on your needs and expectations, the size of your desired garden will vary. If you have children or pets, the likelihood of you needing a large garden will probably be greater.
If you’re single or part of a couple then you may be able to make do with a smaller plot, however, according to Google data from this year, there has been a 38% increase in searches for properties with a garden.
That’s probably not hugely surprising after a year in which many of us were forced indoors for large part of the year.
Garage
With a 31% increase in searches this year, a garage also ranks surprisingly high for renters. With many renters and buyers spending extended time at home due to the pandemic rather than being in the office, the need for parking or storage space has increased markedly.
A garage is probably one to file into the ‘desirable’ column rather than essential, however, there are now more properties coming to market that offer garages and extra storage space.
As we’ve said above, these priorities and desires are constantly changing, and so this may not be the case in 12 months considering how quickly we now know things can move.
Our advice is to get in touch and talk over your situation with an agent that can ask about you, your family and your needs before looking at what properties would suit you. Considering how hot the market is right now, time has become of the essence in your property search.
