BUYERS TOP 10 'MUST HAVE' LIST HAS CHANGED

Since lockdown we have seen our Buyer TOP 10 'MUST HAVE' LIST change with Home office space and access to a garden having shot up the league table of property “must haves” since the start of the lockdown.

Good schools and close proximity to a mainline station remain at no.1 and no.2. But then we have seen a shift with a dedicated extra room for home working now leaping to third and outside space in the form of garden, roof terrace or balcony to fourth.

These preferences mark a major shift from previous lists with “features” such as external appearance, size of kitchen and number of bedrooms having previously ranked higher.

This demonstrates that suddenly home buyers are needing more space and not just for working from home. In our transformed world, life has become more home-based and this will no doubt become the norm for some while to come, from eating and socialising to gardening and exercising.

Buyers still have a great desire to be close to excellent schools, with walking distances factoring high on the list, as we are seeing an increased desire for everything to be within walking distance. Great news for the environment.

These findings also come as a separate survey revealing that almost 60 per cent of Londoners who do not normally work from home said they would like to do so more often once the lockdown is lifted.

Reported in ES Homes & Property:

“When the stay-at-home order was imposed, many business leaders were sceptical over the impact remote-working would have over productivity, as well as communication and collaboration within teams. But the lockdown period has underlined the positive impact working from home has on well-being and engagement.”

WARDSMITH & CO. TOP 10 BUYER - 'MUST HAVE' LIST

1. Good Schools

2. Mainline station

3. Home office space

4. Outside space - garden, terrace, balcony

5. Kitchen

6. No. of Bedrooms

7. External appearance

8. Ability to extend

9. Storage space / Garage

10. Bathrooms

Source: ES Homes & Property