Why do we choose our homes?

According to a survey from MyHomeMove, 56% of us claim it's because we have fallen in love with it. For women, those numbers are even higher at 59%.

There is no doubt, the ‘right’ house does generate a strong emotional response. When people were asked what it was that induced those feelings, 58% said it was location. Conversely, the wrong location was said to be the biggest turn-off for 43% of respondents. The ones who were most flexible about their choices were younger buyers - only 37% of them citing location as the key driver of positive response to a property.

Doug Crawford, CEO of MyHomeMove, explains:

“Many first time buyers struggle to take their first step onto the property ladder, so younger buyers are more willing to scout out up-and-coming areas to try and find a bargain to fall in love with.”

It is no surprise to find that one of the most important drivers of all is money. Buyers put it some way above aesthetics–40% of people would be put off by the cost of a house compared to 34% who would be put off by a property’s looks. Value for money, on the other hand, is likely to generate a positive response, with37% saying they fell in love with a property because they believed they were getting a bargain.

In the UK, our love of gardens is already well documented, so outside space also ranked very highly on our desirability list–a major factor for 29% of us.

Road names, though, leave us cold (1%), as do, more surprisingly, fireplaces (2%).

Below is a list of some of the other reasons the survey uncovered as to why we might fall in love with somewhere:

Good transport links 40%
Nearby green area (Park, fields, forest) 35%
Close to amenities (shops, cafes, restaurants, etc) 32%
Proximity to school 29%
Proximity to family 29%
Proximity to work 23%
Up and coming area 16%
Proximity to friends 9%

And here are some more reasons given for why we might fail to bond with a property:

Wrong location 43%
Price - too expensive 40%
Appearance - inside 34%
Too small 30%
Appearance - outside 26%
Don't know 20%
Poor value for money 9%
Too big 7%
Neighbours 7%
Didn't feel safe 5%

Our feelings for a property, it transpires, are also conditional - we fall in love far more quickly in a rising market than we do in a falling one, when we tend to be more critical.

If you are looking for a new home, just give us a call at Sears and we will use our in-depth local knowledge to help find you one that you can truly fall in love with.