The top 50 considerations for home movers
When people move home, of course the property they are buying is the main priority and the old adage of 'location, location, location' is never usually far behind.
However, it's never quite as straightforward as that now. There are countless factors and priorities - both large and small - that can influence a property purchaser's decision.
And, to make things even more complicated, every buyer's wishes and needs are different.
That said, a new study has shed some light on what the typical buyer ranks as the top 50 home moving priorities.
Security firm Yale spoke to 2,000 people who have moved home to get a sense of the things most important to them when relocating. Here's a summary of what they found...
In perhaps possibly the most typical British fashion, the top ranking priority for the home movers surveyed was the ease of parking outside their property.
Parking spaces and availability have long been a consideration for homebuyers, with properties offering driveways or garages often attracting higher offers. In fact, according to research, more homeowners are lowering their kerbs in order to be able to offer off-street parking and add value to their properties.
Council tax banding came in second place and it's no real surprise because it's a monthly payment which needs to be considered and the cost varies all over the country. You can find out council tax banding on any local authority website.
In third place came 'how much would it cost in total'. This is an important priority as there are plenty of additional costs buyers need to think about when moving home - from solicitors' fees and conveyancing fees to surveys and removals costs.
The prospect of noisy neighbours was number four on the list and it's not hard to see why. It may be difficult to work out if neighbours are going to be noisy before you actually move in to a property, but it's certainly something prospective buyers need to think about.
The top five was made up by 'how recently the boiler was fitted'. Old boilers can be extremely inefficient, not to mention dangerous. If you're thinking about selling your home but have an old boiler, it could be worth your while to get it replaced before putting your property on the market as this upgrade could influence buyers' decisions.
The list incorporates many expected priorities and considerations, including local crime rates at number six, broadband speed at number seven, energy efficiency at number 13 and proximity to supermarkets at number 15.
There are also some more conventional ideas put forward by those surveyed. Number 38 on the list is whether or not there is space for a king size bed and number 40 is whether the neighbours will be able to see the new owner if they sunbathe in the garden.
Meanwhile, a little lower down, number 46 tackles the issue of whether the property has enough space for a house party, while 49 concerns the ease of being able to wash the car near the property. As we said earlier, everyone's needs are different!
Exercises like this are all about helping sellers to get into the buyer's mindset - what are they looking for and what is going to encourage them to make an offer.
Here is the top 50 in full:
1. If parking outside is going to be easy
2. The council tax banding
3. How much it would cost you in total
4. How noisy the neighbours are
5. How recently the boiler was fitted
6. What the local crime rates are like
7. Where the nearest supermarket is
8. What the neighbours are like
9. Do the radiators work properly?
10. Whether there are local regular buses
11. Broadband speed
12. Proximity to the nearest doctors’ surgery
13. Is the home energy efficient?
14. How far away my friends I'd live
15. What types of supermarkets are nearby
16. How long / short the new commute will be
17. How much decorating I'd have to do before the house felt like my own
18. What the removal costs would be
19. How far away from mum and dad I'd live
20. Changing my address on everything
21. Whether I could fit all of my belongings in the new house
22. Will there be enough plug sockets (and where you need them)
23. Whether the property is close enough for existing friends to still visit
24. Whether the immediate neighbours have young children who are likely to scream
25. Whether the carpets will need replacing straight away
26. Is there enough space for a dishwasher?
27. The 'class' of the neighbours
28. Whether the sofa will fit through the patio doors / front door
29. How good the phone reception is
30. Whether there are large imposing trees overlooking the property
31. If my current furniture will look good in the new house
32. Switching all the utility suppliers
33. If the garden is a suitable size for the dog to run around in
34. How much the building insurance would be
35. Proximity to the nearest primary / secondary schools
36. How much I'd have to clean before moving in
37. Whether there is a utility room or somewhere to put the laundry
38. Whether we can get a king sized bed
39. How easy it'll be to get the bins out
40. Whether the neighbours can see me if I sunbathe in the garden
41. Whether there is an en-suite bathroom
42. Whether street lights are going to shine in my bedroom window
43. Whether the home security is up to scratch
44. Who should have which bedroom
45. Whether there are children in the local area
46. Whether there is a room large enough to host a house party
47. What colour to paint the lounge
48. Whether your existing curtains would fit the new windows
49. Whether I can easily wash the car near the house
50. What colour to paint the kitchen