Did you know that at any given time ¼ of UK citizens are looking to move within the next 12 months?! The rate is even higher amongst 18–24year-olds.
And yet moving home is generally considered to be difficult, complicated, expensive, and apparently the 3rd most stressful thing in life, after death and divorce!
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What are the top reasons for moving home?
1. For more space.
2. For better access to practical amenities – schools, shops, public transport etc.
3. To be nearer family and friends.
4. For a new job.
5. Relocating.
6. Downsizing.
The rate at which we move depends on various factors like economic climates.
In 1988 we moved every 8.63 years but according to Zoopla, Britons now move every 23 years. How long we stay put depends on where we live…. for example, homeowners in Powys, Wales stay in the same house for 33.1 years whereas in Midlothian, Scotland properties change hands every 14.9 years.
How has moving home changed through the decades?
According to Which? Our houses are 20% smaller than in the 1970’s! On average a house has now 67.8sq metres of living space.
Moving house in the 1930’s
Our houses were quite small during this time, having an average of 3.21 bedrooms and the smallest kitchens of all the following decades. An average living room would measure 16.01sq m.
Moving house in the 1940’s
Due to the 2nd World War the British building industry came to a standstill. In the 2nd half of this decade there was a shortage of workers and building materials. But post-war houses were larger, with a living room of 17.22 sq m and the average number of bedrooms being 3.63.
Moving house in the 1950’s
There was a great demand for new homes after the war. Living rooms increased to 22.03 sq m and both kitchens and bedrooms grew. The average number of bedrooms was 3.16.
Moving house in the 1960’s
The first five years saw the construction of tower block housing. In the next five years houses were built more ‘box’ like and functional. On average the houses were 1.35 sq m larger than the previous decade and the number of bedrooms 3.21.
Moving house in the 1970’s
We built the biggest houses here! The average number of bedrooms was 3.53.
In the 2nd half of this decade architectural design changed and the houses tended to be built in a ‘post modernism’ style which has been described as eclectic and colourful.
Moving house in the 1980’s
We built fewer houses (due to improved regulations and guidelines) but the quality was higher. However, the overall size started to decrease.
Moving house in the present day
This decrease in size continued throughout the 1990’s and 2000’s and it shows no sign of stopping!
Did you know?
· The least affordable place to live in UK is Winchester (based on price-to-earnings ratio).
· The most affordable is Londonderry, N.Ireland.
· The peak season to move is autumn.
· The last Friday/Saturday of a month are the most popular days to move.
· The least popular months are January & February.
· The average house price in UK in 2020 was £247,898; in 1980 it was £18,377.
· There were 123,151 new homes registered in 2020 (42,084 in the ‘affordable and build to rent’ sector and 81,067 in the private sector).
Effects of Covid-19 and a few statistics on moving house:
2020 was one of the most challenging, strange years ever and of course the pandemic had an impact on house moves.
During the 1st lockdown there were huge restrictions on the market and the number of new homes registered to be built by UK house builders fell by 23% (according to NHBC).
However, in the summer of 2020 the stamp duty ‘holiday’ led to a surge in demand and houses prices increased. In October house moves could go ahead and the growth was strong. In fact, productivity in the final 3 months of 2020 rose to near pre-pandemic levels.
· The average house price in England and Wales increased from £293,819 in January 2020 to £352,239 in December 2020.
· Between July-December 2020 the proportion of 1st time buyers fell by 12% compared with the same period in 2019.
· The average distance moved by UK homebuyers in 2020 was 10 miles (1 mile increase from 2019).
· The cost of moving house plummeted by 39% in 2020, making it the cheapest time to move for decades.
· The top 5 locations to move to in 2020 were London, Leeds, Birmingham, Bristol and Leicester.
· The busiest day for moving was Friday 18th December.
How to make moving house enjoyable!
So, it’s got a reputation for being a very stressful event in one’s life and yet most of us do it by choice, hoping for positive change!
The thought of packing up the whole house can be overwhelming especially if you’ve lived in your house for many years or if you’re a natural clutterer!
It helps to take others’ advice at times like these, it’s a well- trodden path after all. There are many websites offering advice on all aspects involved in moving.
A few tips for moving house
Here is a selection of tips that might make the moving experience easier for you:
· Read removal companies’ reviews before choosing (very important!).
· Try and declutter over weeks. After all, you’ll have less to pack and therefore it’ll be cheaper!
· Create an ‘essentials’ box for moving day, containing:
- Valuables.
- Passport and other important documents.
- Snacks to keep you going.
- Phone charger.
- Loo rolls.
- Cleaning stuff.
- Kids’ toys/activities.
· Label boxes, colour code for different rooms.
· Label wires.
· Don’t overload boxes!
· Large, zipped laundry bags are useful for things that don’t need to be boxed.
· Make your bed in the new house ASAP…. it’ll be the last thing you’ll want to do at the end of a frantic day!
· Throw a ‘packing party’! Some people invite friends over to help whilst enjoying food, drinks, music, and housewarming gifts.
Facts about moving house around the world.
· Just over 60% of all people in the USA live in the same state/territory they were born in.
· In South America painting your front entrance blue is said to keep ghosts at bay.
· In the Philippines new homeowners will scatter coins in the living room on moving day to bring good luck and prosperity.
· In Ireland when visiting a home for the first time you should always exit the house through the door you entered to prevent bad luck.
· In China it’s considered good luck to bring an orange or tangerine into a new home.
· According to Feng Shui tradition a Tibetan bell should be rung on arrival in a new home to clear space and add positive energy.
· Also with Feng Shu, windows should face east (sunrise). A lack of windows in this direction is bad luck.
· In Russian-Jewish tradition bread and salt should be brought into the home first, representing hospitality and guaranteeing a lifetime full of flavour with no hunger.
We hope you've found this blog helpful! Feel free to share with anyone moving house soon.
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