A third of UK adults regularly scan estate agents windows to see what’s on the market, according to research from Ocean Finance.
A further third also frequently find themselves looking up local properties for sale or to rent online, or reading the local newspaper to see images of homes’ interiors, the survey by the mortgage and secured loans broker found.
More than one in 10 people (14.6 per cent) admitted they had gone as far as visiting homes for sale or rent, despite having no intention of moving. Instead, these respondents revealed they just wanted to see what the properties were like.
People living in the North East (44 per cent) were the most likely to browse online for homes available near them, while, residents of the South West (41.4 per cent) were the most inclined to take a look at estate agents’ window displays.
And curiosity about homes for sale or rent in their neighbourhood is something that barely decreases with age. While more than a third of 18 to 24 year olds and 25 to 34 year olds often browsed estate agents’ windows, this only dropped to just under 30 per cent for over-55 year olds.
Finding inspiration for decorating their own homes might also be behind peoples’ desire to see inside similar properties to their own. Two-fifths (40.2 per cent) of respondents in the 25 to 34 age group said they often checked out online property portals or the local newspaper just so they could see pictures of the interiors of houses on the market.
One-third (35.9 per cent) of UK adults said they looked at houses or flats similar to theirs or located nearby to get an idea of how much their own home is worth.
Ian Williams of Ocean Finance says: “Clearly the UK is a nation obsessed. The desire to own our own home is part of our national culture, and our research suggests that even when we have bought a property, that obsession doesn’t go away.
With house prices on the rise and confidence returning to the property market, 2014 could see a surge in people considering a move. However, even those who have no plans to do so will keep on looking – it’s part of our national DNA.”
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