When asked ‘what makes a good home’, respondents focused heavily on warm, healthy and affordable homes according to a survey recently published by the Yorkshire Building Society.
These essentials have overtaken work-at-home features like an office or dedicated work space as priorities for homeowners and renters, according to the analysis.
the No going home? Restoring the housing ladder in Britain It found that more than three quarters (77%) of those questioned described a good home as a place that should be free of damp and mold – a figure that rose to 88% when it came to downsizing.
Meanwhile, 68% wanted good insulation and energy efficiency, and 67% pointed to double glazing. Affordability also featured prominently, with 66% saying manageable rents or mortgage payments were essential.
All of this suggests that amid ongoing cost-of-living pressures, families are increasingly focusing on keeping homes warm, healthy and affordable to run, rather than pursuing lifestyle additions.
In fact, only 15% said that having a home office or dedicated work space is important. These features now lag behind all other features tested in the search.
People were also more focused on the wider environment surrounding their homes.
Up to 67% said having a safe and friendly neighborhood is essential, making it as important as double glazing and more important than high-speed broadband (47%), proximity to shops, schools and transport links (42%), or a modern kitchen (46%).
Tom Simpson, managing director of homes at Yorkshire Building Society, said: “Much of the conversation about what people want from their homes has focused on home offices and lifestyle features.
“Our research offers a different perspective: For most people, the basics are what matter most. A warm place, free of damp and mold, with costs they can afford. A dedicated workspace is important to the minority, but those basics are important to the majority.
“This should shape the housing debate. We need more housing, but we also need more housing that meets people’s everyday needs, whether they own it or rent it. Improving existing properties and supporting responsible landlords to provide good quality rental housing must be part of the solution.
“Our goal is to make good homes possible for more people. These results highlight what that should mean in practice – a place where people feel safe, secure and able to build for the future.”
