Is remote working influencing what youre looking to buy?

Over the last couple of years, there has been a boom in the need for space to set up and work within our homes. With many of us returning to some sort of normal, is remote working still influencing what people are looking to buy?

According to Rightmove, the answer is still yes! Their data suggests that more people are looking further afield, as flexible working and remote working are more readily available. Flexible working means that commute time has moved down the list of things to consider when looking for the perfect property, allowing people to widen their search area when looking for a new home.

Rightmove analysed the data and found that in February 2020 only 40% of users sending enquiries on Rightmove, were people looking to move out of busy cities.

The pandemic played a massive part in this as more people were relocating to greener spaces so as to still be able to enjoy their time off and be outside too! There have also been a lot of people downsizing and re-evaluating what is important to them. This has had lots of people searching for a property with space for entertaining both inside and outside, while also seeing people relocating to move closer to loved ones.

As of February 2022, half of Rightmove users were looking to leave cities. That figure is as high as 55% in Edinburgh and 60% in Manchester.

With all that being said, experts say this trend is now slowing with signs of people returning back to cities. This could be due to the more clarity we all have on remote and flexible working, meaning those of us who can’t work from our sofas anymore are looking to move into commuter areas.

So what is really influencing people?

Although the trends are now settling, the recent hike in people moving out of big cities can be attributed to several things, experts say.

Outdoor Space - Still being one of the most common factors in the decision to purchase a property, there are people who are looking to escape the concrete jungle, and purchase a property with a little bit of green paradise.

Little to no commute time - More and more companies are embracing the work from home lifestyle, noticing that their employees seem happier at home. For those who choose to work under the flexible and remote working policies, commute time is now a lower priority for looking to purchase a new home.

Setting up for the future - There are people looking to buy a forever home, taking into consideration the lifestyle they want to lead in the years to come.