Vanessa Hale
Director, Research
For the second year in a row, our Housing Futures survey showed that lifestyle change was the biggest motivation for moving, followed by access to shops and amenities. Vanessa Hale, Partner in our Research team, explores the reasons why people move.
For the second year in a row, our Housing Futures survey showed that lifestyle change was the biggest motivation for moving, followed by access to shops and amenities. Vanessa Hale, Partner in our Research team, explores the reasons why people move.
A new category for the survey this year was broadband connectivity, which has shot in as the third highest motivation and highlights the desire to be technologically connected. In light of pension challenges and parents seeking to help their children onto the housing ladder, we were surprised to see that so few respondents ranked release of equity, pension support/top-up and financial support for children/relatives as their motivations for moving.
Reasons for moving (all UK)
|
Lifestyle Change |
49.3% |
|
Access to shops/amenities |
39.3% |
|
Broadband connectivity |
35.8% |
|
Close to family/friends |
34.3% |
|
Bigger Home |
30.7% |
|
Reducing running costs |
30.4% |
|
Retirement |
29.7% |
|
Access to public transport |
29.3% |
|
Smaller Home |
27.6% |
|
Personal finances |
26.9% |
|
Flexibility |
24.5% |
|
Health |
24.3% |
|
Mobile Coverage |
19.3% |
|
Close to work |
19.0% |
|
Shrinking household (e.g. marital breakdown, household member passing away) |
16.3% |
|
Growing household (e.g. marriage, birth, adoption) |
15.9% |
|
Equity Release |
15.3% |
|
Better Schools |
14.7% |
|
Career change |
14.3% |
|
Pension support/top up |
12.2% |
|
Financial support for children/relatives |
11.0% |
|
Tax Changes |
10.8% |
|
Political environment |
10.6% |
Motivations for moving vary by age
When looking at the motivations for moving by age cohorts, not surprising that the items that ranked as important or very important shift as one moves through the stages of life. For our respondents who were between the ages of 18-29, a growing household (e.g. marriage, birth, adoption) was highest at 45% followed by close to work (44%) and a bigger home (44%). Our respondents who were between the ages of 30-39 felt that a bigger home was the largest driver to moving at 62%, followed by a growing household (e.g. marriage, birth, adoption) at 49% and better schools (38%). However, respondents in the ages of 40-59 felt that lifestyle change at 54% becomes the strongest motivation followed by a bigger home (35%) and access to shops/amenities and broadband connectivity (both at 34%). Finally, those that were over the age of 60 also felt that lifestyle change at 49% was the highest motivator but that retirement and access to shops/amenities both closely followed at 47% respectively and for the first time downsizing to a smaller home (46%) and reducing running costs (43%) appear toward the top of the list.
Download the full Housing Futures 2015 report.