What does the UK’s dream home look like?

Most of us will have spent at least some time in our lives scrolling through local property listings, longingly wishing we could move into that property. But what does the UK’s dream home actually look like?

We asked 1,000 Brits to describe their dream property, picking out their fantasy features, size and type of home, and location, to reveal the most popular preferences for 2022.

What property features do Brits dream of?

According to our survey, the feature most Brits think of when they picture their dream home is a back garden, with 72% of respondents ranking this as a priority.

This shouldn’t come as too much of a shock, though, considering the rise in preference of outdoor space in general over the last couple of years, prompted by the pandemic. With this in mind, it’s perhaps unsurprising that the second most popular dream feature is a front garden, with 62% of Brits on the lookout.

Next up, 56% of Brits dream of owning a property with a large driveway – with 29% also placing nice cars at the top of their priority list – while a further half (51%) would love to have large windows to flood their home with natural light.

As it turns out, the UK’s next-highest ranking priority reveals us to be a green-fingered nation, with just under half of survey respondents (49%) saying their dream home has lots of plants outside. Meanwhile, other popular garden features include 39% wanting a pool and 28% dreaming of water fountains.

Finally, 40% of UK home-hunters are keen on finding a property with nice brickwork, just over a third (36%) prioritise a home with solar panels, and, when it comes to door colour, the preference is white (21%)

What type of property do Brits long for?

When it comes to comparing the type of property Brits most often dream of, there’s only one winner, with almost half of respondents (47%) revealing that they’d always pick a detached house given the choice. Interestingly, this is more than twice as many who’d choose a bungalow (20%) and three times the number who dream of living in a cottage (14%).

In terms of size, curiously, only 13% of Brits would buy a home with 6+ bedrooms given the choice, with the emphasis instead on a more manageable 3-5 rooms (46%). A medium home with 2-3 bedrooms would also satisfy a third of Brits (35%), while only 6% dream of a small property.

 

Where do Brits most want to live?

It’s one thing knowing the type of property you want, but where it’s located is also of incredible importance. After all, you’ve got to love where you live! And, almost half of Brits (44%) are certain they want to live in the countryside, continuing the trend of homeowners leaning towards property with plenty of accessible outdoor space.

The next most dreamed of location is by the beach, with a quarter of respondents (25%) wishing they could stroll from their home to the sea in a matter of moments, followed by 10% wishing they lived in a comfortable suburban estate. This is in stark contrast to the 10% of Brits who wish they could withdraw a little and live in the forest.

Finally, less than one-in-ten Brits (9%) are on the lookout for a property in the city, which could be explained by many office jobs recently moving to remote or hybrid working and removing the need for a daily commute.

Whether you’re buying your first home or just hoping to move somewhere bigger, check out our blog for the latest property help and advice from our experienced team of experts. And if you’ve found your dream home, don’t let it get away! Reach out today and get an instant cash offer for your current property.