A garden is a top requirement for first-time buyers when looking for their new home, with 54 per cent of those surveyed listing the outdoor space as a priority.
Research carried out by Yorkshire Building Society found that over 2,000 (54 per cent) of potential and actual first-time buyers surveyed rated gardens as the most important feature in a home.
However, the study found that priorities change for new homeowners once they have settled in to their property.
While 36 per cent of potential first-time buyers (FTBs) see living near good public transport as key, it is far less of a factor for those who recently bought their first home (26 per cent) which suggests this is a compromise they made and didn’t regret.
Of the potential FTBs surveyed, 23 per cent said they would be happy to buy a smaller house in a more desirable area, while 9 per cent of those who bought in the last year agree.
The feeling that experience provides a different outlook is backed up by the numbers who want a property to be low maintenance. The appeal of that attribute increases by 8 per cent to 36 per cent among recent first-time buyers who know what looking after your own home really involves.
Regional differences also apply and potential first-time buyers in London (63 per cent) are far more likely to value access to good public transport than those in the East Midlands (19 per cent).
In addition, as many people move to the capital for work, they are also the least likely to value living near their families (17 per cent compared to the UK average of 28 per cent).
Chris Smith, group direct mortgage manager at Yorkshire Building Society, said: “Many potential first time buyers have a very clear picture of what they want from a first home and may be holding back until the perfect property comes on the market.
“However, when you compare potential first-time buyers’ ‘must-haves’ to those seen as important by people who recently bought their first home, you can identify some compromises which could benefit them long-term.
“A garden’s appeal remains fixed but living close to public transport becomes less important and views on picking location over property size also change within just a year.”
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