New research suggests 68% of homeowners in York want to move
More people want extra space as they work from home
Last updated 17th Feb 2021
New research suggests the impact of lockdown restrictions has made 68% of York homeowners want to move to a new property.
The data, from Zoopla, explores the impact of lockdown restrictions on how York homeowners feel towards their current property and it highlighted a strong desire to move to a new home for many of the city’s residents.
The high proportion of York homeowners quizzed by Zoopla who said the pandemic has made them want to move to a new property is fuelled in part by the need for more space to accommodate home working.
When asked about the chances of returning to an office environment once lockdown restrictions have been lifted, two fifths (43%) of homeowners surveyed said they will continue to work predominantly from home, highlighting the need for additional space.
The need for space is further illustrated by data in early 2021 that revealed demand for extra family living spaces increased with searches for ‘gardens’ topping the list of Zoopla search terms for buyers in York in 2020.
In fact, six of the ten most searched-for terms by home hunters in York during 2020 related to increased indoor and outdoor space.
We spoke to York estate agent Reeds Rains about whether they had seen an increase in interest during the pandemic.
Branch Manager, John Wroot, said people's priorities have changed:
"We've certainly taken inquiries where people are looking a little bit further out of the suburbs of York.
"For people looking - you do tend to get a little bit for your money further out of the city centre."
John also added that the stamp duty holiday introduced in 2020 has had a positive impact on the market.
Benefits of lockdown
While lockdown has been tough for many people, the research highlights that it has also brought some benefits to York homeowners.
Two fifths (41%) of those surveyed said that as a result of the restrictions, they no longer had to commute to work.
While some people prefer to be in an office environment, over half (52%) of the York residents who still commute to work said lockdown has reduced their commuting time.
With home working becoming the new normal, there is less traffic on the road, making the journey to the office much quicker.
The benefits of a decrease in commuting has also had a positive impact on homeowners’ finances.
Two thirds (67%) of York homeowners have saved more than £50 per month on travel costs during lockdown, while one in 20 (6%) is saving more than £100 per month.