FIRST time buyers are now prioritising private gardens, faster broadband and access to open spaces more so as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The new research has found that buyer’s top priority in England is to have a private garden when buying a property for the first time.
The research has also shown that less than 5% of people are less inclined to buy a property than previously.
In the survey 64% of potential first time buyers stated that having a private garden has grown in importance to them since the start of the pandemic.
62% of those surveyed highlighted fast broadband as a top post-COVID-19 priority, while 61% said access to nearby open space was now more important to them.
Londoners were found to have more of a focus on proximity to local outdoor space with 68% saying this factor was more important to them.
70% of Londoners surveyed said that they wanted a private garden as a result of the pandemic.
The survey conducted by Shared Ownership property portal Share to Buy and housing association Peabody said that a move towards ‘hybrid working’ may be the cause of people wanting to get into the property ladder.
Nick Lieb, Head of Operations for Share to Buy, said:”While buyers’ priorities in what they would like in a home may have changed since COVID-19, it is encouraging to see that there is still confidence in the housing market with most of us being just as, or even more, determined to purchase a home in 2021.
“This result mirrors our own experience at Share to Buy as we saw record numbers of registrants on our property portal in 2020.”
The results of the survey found that 4.5% of respondents stated that they were now less inclined to consider buying a home than before.
Nearly 50% of participants confirmed they are keener to purchase a property than they were before the pandemic.
Lisa Crush, Director of Sales and Marketing for Peabody said:”People’s appreciation of the space they inhabit, their immediate surroundings and the lifestyle that can be enjoyed from it, is more significant than ever.
“We know that a home is more than just a place to live and we are placing greater emphasis on amenities such as outdoor space, roof gardens, fitness areas and co-working facilities.
