Traditionally, many people have often sought homes which fall within the catchment area of a good school but new research suggests this is no longer the case and a budget supermarket is a bigger draw.
Some 39% would like to live near a discounted supermarket such as Lidl or Aldi, while just 29% said that they’d move to be within a certain school catchment area, according to a poll from regulated property buyer Good Move.
Women are more likely than men to be concerned about education choices, with 31% and 25% respectively considering the quality of local schools, but both genders ranked budget supermarkets higher.
This desire for deals appears strongest amongst the younger generations. While a budget supermarket is top of the wish list for each of the youngest age categories some 54% of 18 to 24 year olds want to live near to one and the figure steadily declines among older people with just 34% of over 45s sharing the same view.
Top of the overall list of priorities, however, was a scenic view, with 44% saying that they’d prefer a property with attractive surroundings, with budget supermarkets in second place and local restaurants and bars third at 37%.
Having independent shops nearby was top for 34% of people while 33% want places to walk nearby, 32% high end supermarkets such as Waitrose and Marks & Spencer, 29% a school catchment, 28% coffee shops and 25% a local library.
The study also revealed what Brits first research when they move to a new area. When asked what details they seek out about a location before anything else 21% of respondents said public transport connections.
The next research subject was schools, cited by 20%, followed by 17% looking at crime rates, 17% at amenities and 11% at broadband speeds.
‘Everyone has their own priorities when moving house, but it’s interesting to see how the overall patterns are changing. Budget supermarkets are definitely growing in popularity, especially among the younger generations, and their presence in a region is now making a place more desirable to live,’ said Ross Counsell, director at Good Move.