How have renting habits changed in 2020?

Mon 21 Dec 2020

2020 has seen a lot of change, and the features movers are looking for when moving home is no exception. But how do this year’s Google searches compare to the 2019 from those looking to move?

Let’s take a look.

According to recent research, outdoor space is clearly at the forefront of lots of people’s minds, with ‘apartment with balcony’ searches 147% higher than the 2019 search level.

There’s a 139% rise in searches for ‘apartment with hot tub’, a 127% rise in those looking for a house with a tennis court, and a 109% increase in those looking for a ‘house with swimming pool’. Although these searches sound like daydreams are abundant, searches for properties with gardens in general are still high across property portals, as people are looking to move out of more densely populated areas to more rural settings.

As well as an increased interest in space for outdoor activities, there also seems to be a shift in the number of people looking for somewhere to park, with a 107% rise in those looking for a house with a driveway which could be due to people being willing to move further away from work in exchange for more space.

The need for more space doesn’t just apply to outdoors, according to the research, with searches for homes with two bedrooms also well above those made in 2019.

Traditionally Boxing Day is the busiest day of the year for online property searches once Christmas is over and done with, people are keen to look for ways of moving forward – moving home being one of the priorities for many. If you’ve been thinking about moving somewhere with more space inside or out, you can see the properties we currently have to let here. If you have a property you’re thinking about letting, we have information for landlords, including the services we offer, here.