With around 14% of the employed population working from home-based offices and people now being able to buy and transact online 24/7, it not perhaps surprising that broadband speeds are among the top requirements of UK home purchasers.
In today’s fast-paced interactive world, being able to access what we want online and when we want it, is important to a lot of us, especially those who work from home.
That could explain why the requirements of people looking to buy a property have changed quite dramatically in recent years.
Fast broadband speeds have increasingly featured as a must-have in many homebuyers’ wish lists over the last few years with the latest study of 2000 homeowners revealing that the new deal breakers are now fast broadband and satellite television.
Fast Broadband is Certainly Big News …
- Hampshire County Council is asking the UK government to give county councils the power to demand that new homes have access to “superfast broadband” (i.e. download speeds of at least 24Mbps).
- A £146m project is being rolled out within part of the Scottish Isles with high-speed broadband arriving in the Outer Hebrides – giving some 3,600 homes and businesses internet speeds up to 80Mbps.
- £13m is being invested in a superfast scheme to ensure that areas of West Yorkshire can benefit from speeds of up to 80Mbps.
- Three thousand more Dorset homes and businesses will get access to high-speed fibre broadband as a result of a further £3m investment.
Homebuyers’ must-haves
Commenting on the study, Sanjay Joshi from London estate agent Lawsons & Daughters says: “The top requirements of today’s modern home buyer are quite different to those of even a decade ago.
“In the early 2000s, period features, good local schools and an ensuite toilet were high on the list of homebuyers’ must-haves. Compare those wishlists to now and none of these feature as deal breakers. Instead, people want fast, reliable broadband speeds, excellent mobile phone signals and enough space in their living room to put a large flatscreen television!”
Also high on buyers’ wishlists are things such as central heating, double glazing and secure windows and doors. Around half of the buyers questioned cited a good energy efficiency rating and cavity wall insulation as must-haves.
Sanjay Joshi adds: “The economic crisis coupled with ever increasing fuel and energy charges means that people looking to buy a new home are very aware of home running costs and want one that is as energy efficient as possible.”
No Broadbrand, No Sale?
So what can you do if you are looking to sell your home and it doesn’t meet the wishlist of today’s modern home buyer?
Sanjay Joshi advises: “First, don’t panic! If you are living in an old, draughty but charming house with bad broadband speeds and an unreliable mobile phone signal, all is not lost.
“Apart from the usual tips we advise our sellers on, such as giving the property kerb appeal; decluttering; freshening the home up with a lick of paint and so on, it is important to remember that your home is a dream home for someone.
“Despite research showing what the average homebuyer wants, there will be people looking for the more traditional elements of a property – the things that really make it a home such as an open fire, quirky window frames, a pretty garden and, most of all, charm.”
If you are looking to buy or sell a home and want to know what the broadband speed is, there are a number of online speed checking services you can use to get truer picture.