Gardens and being closer to family ‘are strong motivations for home movers’

More than a quarter of people who have bought a home recently or plan to do so soon said having a garden was their motivation, a survey has found.

Some 27% of people who had either bought a property in the past 12 months or were planning to in the next year said they had or were moving further out of their town or city to get a house with a garden, according to Churchill Home Insurance.

On average, home movers expect to relocate 35 miles away from their previous home, and those aged 55 to 64 are likely to make the biggest move, at an average of 41 miles.

Nearly a fifth (18%) of home movers are planning to relocate further away from their workplace, as their work habits have changed compared with before the coronavirus pandemic.

Being close to a workplace was still important though to half (50%) of people.

Around eight in 10 (81%) prospective movers said they will look at local crime statistics before moving.

Some also said that being close to family was a key consideration, after having felt isolated during the pandemic.

Six in 10 (61%) home movers said their decision had been influenced by the stamp duty holiday, which is due to be tapered off from July.

Steven Williams, head of Churchill Home Insurance, said: “With many not expecting to return to offices full time, people are understandably wanting a better quality of home life, rather than choosing somewhere with a short commute.

“Whether people are looking to move out to greener areas or staying put in towns and cities, it’s important to remember to insure the new property and make sure your new home and belongings are protected.”

Some 2,000 people were surveyed across the UK in May.