Home owners have revealed the top 50 things that are most important
to them when moving house, with concern about regular buses and the
proximity to good friends coming near the top of the list.
The study from Yale found the number one concern was whether parking outside the house would be easy, while the second biggest was what the council tax banding is.
However, issues of security came below the types of supermarkets nearby and how much decorating is required.
Nigel Fisher, MD of Yale, said: “We weren’t expecting home security to be the first thing on people’s minds when moving house, but it has come much lower in the top 50 list than we’d have predicted.
“We would always advise checking out the local neighbourhood for signs of well-maintained buildings. In addition, check door locks are up to insurance standards, and check windows and front doors for signs of break-ins.”
The report found another key concern was broadband speed for a third of those polled, while 48 per cent said how noisy the neighbours are would also be a factor.
Some 23 per cent don’t want to move into a property that has young children who are likely to scream living next door, while the distance to the nearest supermarket and also what chain of supermarkets are available matter to many, as does the proximity to the local doctors’ surgery.
TOP 50 MOVING PRIORITIES
1. If parking outside is going to be easy
2. The council tax banding
3. How much it would cost you in total
4. How noisy the neighbours are
5. How recently the boiler was fitted
6. What the local crime rates are like
7. Where the nearest supermarket is
8. What the neighbours are like
9. Do the radiators work properly?
10. Whether there are local regular buses
11. Broadband speed
12. Proximity to the nearest doctors’ surgery
13. Is the home energy efficient?
14. How far away my friends I’d live
15. What types of supermarkets are nearby
16. How long / short the new commute will be
17. How much decorating I’d have to do before the house felt like your own
18. What the removal costs would be
19. How far away from mum and dad I’d live
20. Changing my address on everything
21. Whether I could fit all of my belongings in the new house
22. Will there be enough plug sockets (and where you need them)
23. Whether the property is close enough for existing friends to still visit
24. Whether the immediate neighbours have young children who are likely to scream
25. Whether the carpets will need replacing straight away
26. Is there enough space for a dishwasher?
27. The ‘class’ of the neighbours
28. Whether the sofa will fit through the patio doors / front door
29. How good the phone reception is
30. Whether there are large imposing trees overlooking the property
31. If my current furniture will look good in the new house
32. Switching all the utility suppliers
33. If the garden is a suitable size for the dog to run around in
34. How much the building insurance would be
35. Proximity to the nearest primary / secondary schools
36. How much I’d have to clean before moving in
37. Whether there is a utility room or somewhere to put the laundry
38. Whether we can get a king sized bed
39. How easy it’ll be to get the bins out
40. Whether the neighbours can see me if I sunbathe in the garden
41. Whether there is an en-suite bathroom
42. Whether street lights are going to shine in my bedroom window
43. Whether the home security is up to scratch
44. Who should have which bedroom
45. Whether there are children in the local area
46. Whether there is a room large enough to host a house party
47. What colour to paint the lounge
48. Whether your existing curtains would fit the new windows
49. Whether I can easily wash the car near the house
50. What colour to paint the kitchen
