What buyers are looking for when searching for a new home

A poll of 2,000 homeowners and renters found a spacious living room is more important than a modern kitchen, while local shops are a bigger priority than storage space.

Other important factors include local amenities, with a third wanting to be close to a train station and a corner shop - and more than a quarter wanting a post box nearby.

More than two thirds admit they would ‘put off’ by slow WiFi, with two in five even deciding against a property after discovering the area had poor broadband connection.

Charles Davies, MD ISP at Hyperoptic, said: “The results show an interesting change in home-movers’ preferences in recent years.

“Brits rely on the internet so much nowadays for everything from entertainment, to working and keeping in touch with others.

“The rise in flexible working and the number of people working from home is likely to have had an influence on homeowners needs, such as speedy broadband.

“It’s interesting to see how WiFi is in the same list of priorities as parking and garden sizes.”

The study also revealed more than a third have seen their priorities change over the past five years when it comes to house-hunting.

This is due to almost a quarter relying on the internet more, a third having had children and one in five moving jobs.

Around three quarters believe broadband speed is now an ‘essential’ for homebuyers.

More than half put this down to needing the internet to complete personal admin such as online banking, while a third need a speedy server for online shopping.

A further quarter said they work from home and therefore rely on broadband, and a sixth said access to the net is important to keep their kids entertained.

Almost half want a decent broadband connection to keep in touch with their friends and family, and four in 10 use it for streaming TV shows and films.

But around seven in 10 have experienced slow internet in either their or someone else’s home, which resulted in 72 per cent feeling ‘frustrated’ and more than half ‘impatient’.

More than an eighth even admitted to using their neighbour’s Wi-Fi when theirs has crashed.

A quarter of those polled, via OnePoll, actively researched the broadband speed of an area before moving house.

And 54 per cent are ‘more likely’ to purchase or move into a property with a good internet connection.

The study also found homeowners are willing to wait an average of three weeks for WiFi to be set up in their new abode - but when they last relocated, 38 per cent kept their same broadband provider.

A further 40 per cent do not think there is enough information available on the quality and speed of internet services in a potential new home.

As a result, three in five would like to see a traffic light system introduced to explain

broadband connection when house hunting, similar to an energy performance

certificate.

Charles Davies Hyperoptic’s MD ISP added: “It’s clear that consumers want more information around home broadband connectivity and a transparent performance certificate would go a long way to helping Brits know what kind of upload and download speeds their available providers deliver.”

TOP 30 PRIORITIES BRITS LOOK FOR IN A HOME:

1. Number of bedrooms

2. Garden size

3. Off street parking

4. Size of the bedrooms

5. Spacious living room

6. Local shops

7. Nearest school

8. A garage

9. Storage space

10. Double glazing

11. The amount of decorating which needs doing

12. Safety record of the area

13. Amount of traffic on the street

14. A modern kitchen

15. Nearest bus stops

16. Where the sun hits the garden

17. Separate dining room and kitchen space

18. Energy efficiency of the property

19. Number of toilets

20. Cracks in the walls

21. Nearest park

22. The décor

23. Having an en suite

24. Broadband speed

25. Wi-Fi

26. Fast internet connection

27. Quality of insulation

28. Age of the roof

29. Nearest pub

30. The flooring condition