TSI
Men are from Mars, women from Venus, housing style poll finds
When it comes to relationships it is well known that men and woman have very different ideas but now research suggests they also have different priorities when it comes to choosing a home. When it came to buying their dream home some 14% of men wanted a cinema/screening room and 12% wanted a wine cellar. In contrast, 24% of women rated an AGA oven and 18% wanted a kitchen island, according to research from real estate firm Strutt & Parker. The top ideals when it comes to moving from women were being near a good schools, access to shops and amenities, a short commute to work and wanting more space as well as being close to family and friends, the poll of buyers, sellers and tenants also found. But men’s top list for reasons for moving home were tax changes, retirement, pension support, a smaller home, the political environment and mobile telephone coverage. While both sexes agreed that a traditional British home was what they wanted, certain styles scored much more highly with women than men including a loft style, simple Scandinavian, classical French and exotic Indian. On the other hand, 1950s/60s/70s retro was preferred by men. Men preferred stark, grand, imposing and cool characters for their home while women were more attractive to a quirky, creative, calm and relaxing ambiences. When it comes to outside space, men are far more interested in living on or near water than women, and homes with sporting facilities such as a gym, pool and tennis were also more popular with men, although more women were keen on equestrian amenities. When looking at a managed apartment block or unit, men tended to be far keener on convenience and practical amenities. Having a porter or doorman, in-house cleaning services, car sharing, banquet services and refrigeration drop off storage were all far more popular with male respondents. For females, it was important that pets were allowed and disabled accessibility was also a priority. Environmental features appeared to be of more importance to men than they were to women. Code Level 5 ratings, renewable energy, living walls, grey/potable water and green roofs were all markedly more popular with male respondents. ‘Our overall analysis points towards elements such as broadband connectivity and access to amenities being very important for buyers. However, men and women appear to have a slightly different interpretation on what these might mean,’ said Stephanie McMahon, head of research at Strutt & Parker. ‘When referring to private rental, for example, for men amenities and services might mean concierge services and grocery drop off, for women it might mean ability to bring pets and disabled accessibility,’ she explained. Continue reading
Prime central London rents adjust downwards, latest analysis shows
Annual residential rental value growth in prime central London eased to 3.4% in June, reflecting a positive but hesitant mood in the lettings market, a new report suggests. While June marked the twelfth consecutive month of annual growth, demand has been inconsistent ahead of an expected seasonal upturn in the summer as companies digest the outcome of the general election. In similar fashion to the sales market, the prime central London lettings market is in a period of adjustment following an election result that few predicted, according to the report from international real estate firm Knight Frank. The report also reveals that prime gross yields remained at 2.96% for the second month running and high stock levels in some areas means setting realistic asking rents has become more important. ‘One example is high stock levels in some areas, the result of landlords having waited for clarity around the result of the vote before deciding whether to let their properties,’ said Tom Bill, head of London residential research at Knight Frank. ‘The health of the prime central London lettings market is linked to that of the UK economy and some perceive it to be on a firmer footing under a majority Conservative government, which has caused stock levels to rise,’ he explained. ‘Properties for sale are also moving across to the lettings market, the result of some vendors choosing the rental option after a post-election spike in prices failed to The result of higher stock levels is that prospective tenants are shopping around to a greater extent than before, which means setting realistic asking rents has become increasingly important,’ he added. However, the picture is mixed across different markets and there is a shortage of family houses in areas including Kensington and St John’s Wood, as more families opt to rent due to affordability constraints in the sales market. The report also points out that the impact of the election on decision making by large financial institutions over whether they remain in the UK will also have a bearing on demand in the second half of 2015. For example, some banks are reviewing whether to stay against the background of an in-out European Union referendum as well as a wider debate surrounding the merits of the bank levy and plans to claw back bonus payments. Continue reading
Research reveals how many people find problems with their home after moving
Some 20% of British people feel that they have compromised when finding a new home with those renting more likely to be unhappy than buyers, new research has found. They feel they like their home less than when they moved in and the reasons include not liking neighbours, finding the property too small and finding the upkeep too much. The poll by AA Home Membership found that 29% discovered a lot of problems after moving in and the same number didn’t get on with their neighbours while 26% confessed they moved in as the property was affordable rather than because they liked it. The research also found that 25% found the property too small after living in it for some time and 21% found it needed too much upkeep while 13% found it no longer suitable as their circumstances had changed. The results also showed some big differences between homeowners and tenants. Some 26% of tenants said they’d grown less fond of their home compared to 17% of home owners. Tenants were more likely to live in homes which had unexpected problems and not get along with their neighbours. Home owners on the other hand, were more likely to struggle with the upkeep of a property and have changing circumstances such as children leaving home which made their property less suitable. The cost of the property was the most commonly re-evaluated aspect cited by 32% and 27% said they had to compromise on either the location or the size of the home they chose. Some 19% moved somewhere that needed more work doing to it than they had originally planned and 18% had fewer bedrooms than they wanted. A quarter of those who made a compromise were unhappy about having to do so. Those aged 18 to 24 were the most fussy with 31% of them saying they made a compromise begrudgingly. ‘It must be quite disheartening to find that your home is not all you hoped it would be. Some issues such as property maintenance and anti-social neighbours may only become apparent over time and may not have been a cause for concern when the householder chose the property,’ said Helen Brooker, head of AA Home Membership. ‘It’s pretty common for people to have to compromise when looking for somewhere to live as after all, not many people can afford their dream home. Even if you find your ideal property, the housing market is so competitive there’s no guarantee you’ll get it,’ she explained. ‘Others, particularly those who are looking for somewhere to live with a partner, may find that they have different tastes and opinions and may find it difficult to agree on what they want,’ she added. Continue reading
