Location is still important to home hunters in the UK but new research suggests having a good, reliable broadband connection and clear mobile signal is becoming increasingly important.
Some 66% want to buy in a good area and neighbourhood and 59% want it to be a location with a low crime rate, 51% want to be near good shops and 44% near a good doctor or dentist.
But the research from Gocompare Insurance also found that 43% want a good, reliable broadband connection sufficiently strong to stream TV and films. Next on the list is a reliable and clear mobile phone signal wanted by 42%.
Some 39% want superfast broadband, 33% want a landline telephone connection, 31% want a tram, bus or underground stop nearby, and 27% want satellite TV.
It seems that things valued a couple of decades ago such as a pub, family sized garden, recreation facilities nearby and schools are not as important at connectivity to drive our technology based lives.
Just 26 want to be near parks and nature and only 14% near a good pub and 14% near a good school, according to the survey.
‘Location will always be a key factor for home buyers. After all, while you can improve a property, you can’t move it. But it is too simple these days to say that it is the only consideration,’ said Ben Wilson from GoCompare Home Insurance.
‘Home owners also expect to be connected in a way that wasn’t envisaged even 10 years ago. They will want to know about the transport infrastructure and communications as much as the schools, shops and amenities,’ he explained.
‘The location of a property will also affect the amount you pay for home buildings and contents insurance. A property’s postcode has a big impact on how much it costs to insure because premiums are partly based on the likelihood of you having to make a claim,’ he pointed out.
