From sneakily checking for mould to assessing any cracks in the walls, there’s so much we might concentrate on when viewing a potential new home.
Buying a property is one of the most expensive decisions any of us might make (if we’ve got enough for a deposit, that is), but new research shows that one-fifth of homebuyers are spending less than 20 minutes viewing a home before deciding to put in an offer.
Trialling new eye-tracking software to assess where prospective homeowners focus their attention, the data, from Zoopla, found that the average person spends only 34 seconds looking at a bedroom.
In the kitchen, it’s just 1.2 minutes – AKA, hardly enough time to boil the kettle. Or an egg.
We’re not necessarily looking at the things we should, either.
The average participant focused their attention on impermanent details that wouldn’t be there at the point of moving in, like ornaments, furnishings and decorations, which earned 54% of the attention share. What’s a little bit of plant or mirror envy between friends?
And, as per previous research conducted by Zoopla among homebuyers who have purchased homes in the last five years, one quarter admitted to looking at photos of the current occupants (what’s wrong with a little bit of natural curiosity?), while 24% took a nosy at the quality of their home technology.
A further 14% admitted to letting their intrusive thoughts win by rummaging through drawers and cabinets, and one in eight (31%) have taken it upon themselves to test the comfort levels of both the bed and sofa.
But when it came to looking for the details that arguably matter the most, viewers lost interest. Structural elements (including the ceiling, flooring, radiator and walls) were barely glanced at, with the average gaze held here for under a second.
Any thoughts of condensation risk were also abandoned, as bathroom ceilings (which are particularly prone), were assessed for just 0.34 seconds – the lowest period of time across the entire study.
‘It has been fascinating to use cutting-edge technology to investigate the behavioural habits of buyers so that we can equip them and sellers with the information they need to make confident decisions when buying and selling a property,’ Daniel Copley, consumer expert at Zoopla, said.
‘For agents, the experiment provides insights for them on what their clients are really looking at when viewing a property.
‘For those not able to benefit from this trial, Zoopla has a range of helpful online tools including filters to help buyers hone in on appropriate properties, and our data-rich listings allow buyers to arm themselves with additional information about a property like its listing history, transport links and local schools.’
So, the next time you find yourself viewing a house, consider looking a little closer at the finer details. After all, the previous owners’ plants won’t save you.
Don’t book the van just yet – this is officially the best month to move house
From paying a security deposit to shelling out for new furnishings, moving house as a renter can quickly become expensive – and that’s before you even consider the monthly rent payment itself.
If you’re in the process of planning a move and are able to be a little bit of flexible about when, there’s a nifty way that you could save yourself thousands of pounds: by planning your move to coincide with the cheapest month.
Although summer is by far the most popular season for those upping sticks, a new study has found that statistically, the best time to move house as a renter is actually October.
In fact, the average tenancy contract signed in August is significantly more expensive than those signed in October, with renters who choose the latter shaving an average of 10% off their annual rental bill.
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