What are the top priorities of house buyers?
There are many priorities that people have when buying a home, and at CPS Homes estate agents, we work with many different people every single day as we continue to help them purchase their dream property. Over the years, we have realised that there are many different things that home buyers prioritise, and these priorities often depend on the situation people find themselves in, with different factors dictating preferences between an individual, a young couple, an older couple or a family.
Virgin Money were interested in discovering the top priorities of home buyers and conducted some research. They spoke to more than 1000 homeowners as they sought to reveal some information about the main buying preferences across the country.
Personal and household safety top of the list
Unsurprisingly, 83% of those questioned placed personal and household safety as their number one priority. This was followed by 68% claiming that good neighbours were of most importance, and closely behind that with 62% was the desire for nearby parks and fields.
A supermarket is often viewed as a very useful commodity to have located within easy reach, and Virgin’s research found a divide among home buyers when it came to a preference between a discount store or a premium store. The research found 53% would prefer a discount store nearby, such as Aldi or Lidl. Meanwhile, 47% said that they would prefer to live near a more premium store, such as Waitrose.
Perhaps more surprising, however, was the fact that just 36% stated a property with proximity to good local schools was the main priority when purchasing a home, and 21% said good local nurseries were at the top. These are priorities that are of course usually synonymous with many young families.
The rest of the best
Independent shops aren’t as prevalent as they perhaps used to be, but 22% of those surveyed saw local shops filled with local produce as one of the key motivators when purchasing a home. The rise of chain coffee houses, such as Starbucks and Costa, seem to have less of an effect, with just 10% of home buyers putting proximity to a well-known coffee house among the top priorities.
In terms of the features that a property offers, gardens were the most in demand by a significant margin, with 92% of the vote. Other important features included off-street parking with 90%, a dining kitchen with 79%, high-speed internet connection with 62% and a garden shed with 41%.
Peter Rogerson, Director of Mortgages at Virgin Money, commented on the findings:
“We set out to understand what the home owners of today really value when buying a home. What we found is that people look beyond the fads we hear so much about and are actually motivated by contented, convenient and comfortable living, the green spaces around them and a strong neighbourhood.”
Are some of the priorities listed above of high importance to you when you’re buying a home? If so, we’re confident that among our wide range of properties across Cardiff, you’re sure to find a few that tick all the boxes. Get in touch with our team today to make a start on finding your dream home. Call us on 02920 668585, email enquiries@cpshomes.co.uk, or pop into one of our branches based in Cathays, Roath and Cardiff Bay.
