Home Property Public transport is the first thing Brits research before moving to a new area

Public transport is the first thing Brits research before moving to a new area

by LLP Reporter
29th Jan 19 1:01 pm

When it comes to moving house, the old saying ‘location, location, location’ couldn’t be more true. But what exactly makes a place desirable to live? A new study has revealed the amenities Brits most want in their local area, with some surprising results.

Traditionally, many Brits have often sought homes which fall within the catchment area of a good school , but the research, conducted by regulated property buyer Good Move , found that budget supermarkets are now a bigger draw.

Nearly two in five (39%) UK adults said that it is desirable to live near a discounter, such as Lidl or Aldi, while just 29% said that they’d move for a certain school catchment area.

Women are more likely than men to be concerned about education choices, with 31% and 25% respectively considering the quality of local schools, but both genders ranked budget supermarkets higher.

This desire for deals appears strongest amongst the younger generations. While a budget supermarket is top of the wishlist for each of the youngest age categories – more than half (54%) of 18-24s say they’d want to live near to one – the figure steadily declines among older Brits, with just 34% of over 45s sharing the same view.

Top of the overall list of priorities, however, was a scenic view, with 44% of UK adults saying that they’d prefer a property with attractive surroundings.

According to Brits, the top 10 most desirable amenities to have nearby are:

1 Scenic views 44%

2 Budget supermarkets, such as Aldi, Lidl and Iceland 39%

3 Local restaurants/bars 37%

4 Traditional pubs 36%

5 Independent shops 34%

6 Walking trails 33%

7 High-end supermarkets, such as Waitrose and Marks and Spencer 32%

8 A certain school catchment area 29%

9 Coffee shops 28%

10 Local library 25%

Despite the desirability of budget supermarkets, when asked specifically about which stores they’d like to have nearby, Brits crowned Tesco top of the shops. More than a fifth selected the store, followed by Asda (17%) and Aldi (14%).

The study also revealed what Brits first research when they move to a new area. When asked what details they seek out about a location before anything else, over a fifth (21%) of respondents said public transport connections, showing the nation’s desire for easy travel.

Crime rates are also an important consideration (17%), but men are more concerned about such statistics than women (21% and 14% respectively).

Overall, the top five details which Brits first research when moving house are:

1. Public transport links 21%

2. Schools 20%

3. Crime rates 17%

4. Amenities 17%

5. Broadband speeds 11%

Ross Counsell, director at Good Move said, “Everyone has their own priorities when moving house, but it’s interesting to see how the overall patterns are changing.

“Budget supermarkets are definitely growing in popularity, especially among the younger generations, and their presence in a region is now making a place more desirable to live.”

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