Rightmove is the country’s most popular property portal so their comments are often valued. Their findings suggest the housing market has indeed been impacted by the pandemic. So no surprise there. However, according to their expert one of the largest impacts is the number of buyers seeking a detached home with a garden. “A record number of buyers looking for a home in a friendly community”. That and a cottage in second place.
Our experience concurs and I would make the additions of buyers seeking two lounges or an extra bedroom from which to work from home. For the same reason garages are more popular than ever – still not to put a car in!
If we drill down into age groups I would say 18 -40 particularly want a home office. The older generation perhaps missing office interaction, rather than working from where you live. Older people still seek a bungalow and are the most likely to want a conservatory.
We then come to trends, fads and the future. Is it trendy to want a coastal home? Is the move from city to country fashionable, or a sign of the future?
First time buyers seem the only group that almost all want a town or city. Whilst working from home!. The rest of us imagining, or wanting a dream home by the water.
Perhaps of less interest but still with studies is the supermarket most buyers want and most mentioned by estate agents. Popular chains seem now to be named by a number of agents. The South of England favouring Waitrose but other regions preferring Asda and Tesco.
Our own view notwithstanding what style you want, where you shop or where you work, is, the current bubble is NOT set to stop. Whilst demand vastly outstrips supply, it seems the only way home prices can go, is up!
WHAT DOES UP MEAN?
Predictions range from up to 8% this year to an increase of 21% in the next 5 years. A pandemic and its effects only increasing that positivity. Are we back in 2004-2007? Credit readily available at low interest rates. A burgeoning buy to let market and young people having more money than ever before.
The conclusion Regents formed is quite simply that Covid accelerated trends that were always there. We continue to be a nation who buy a flat and aspire to a detached, be that 4 or 5 bedrooms, with a garage or by the sea! Whether that be a move from mid terraced to semi but with a “convertible area” for home office. A move from semi detached to detached with garden space and a “working garage”. Interest rates and lenders allowing history to repeat itself.