Leading housebuilder Barratt Homes, together with research partner GoodMore Global Ltd, has looked into the new attitudes to working from home and its impact on the housing sector; noting increased expectations of working from home in the South East.
The new research has revealed that a third of those expecting to work from home three or more days a week declare themselves more likely to move house than before the pandemic. The research also suggests that those who think they will be able to work between three and five days from home will now be prepared to move as much as an hour away from their workplace.
Key research findings, from 750 participants across London and the South East are:
- 37% of people expect to be regularly working from home moving forward
- 18-34 year olds are most likely to work from home in the future, with four in ten expecting to be working from home three days a week or more (21% envisaging they will be working from home three days a week, 5% four days and 15% five days)
- Unsurprisingly, those who think they’ll work from home more are most likely to be looking to move home; a third of those expecting to work from home three or more days a week declare themselves more likely to move house than before the pandemic
- Those who think they’ll be working from home most are happiest to compromise a longer commute for more space (21% of three days a week homeworkers agree, rising to 25% of 5 days a week homeworkers)
- Those working from home more than three days a week are more prepared to move as much as an extra hour away from their workplace.
Lynnette St-Quintin, Sales and Marketing Director for Barratt Southern Counties, comments: “Lockdown has clearly been a massive change for most companies with the decanting of offices in towns and cities as people increasingly work remotely. This is changing people’s views on how and where they want to live by not being tied to their office
“With a further announcement calling for people to work from home where possible, we will likely see this continue with the knock-on repercussions in the housing market. Those who’ve been on the fence about leaving a big town or city may take this second announcement as the push they need to make their move.
Tammy Bishop, Sales and Marketing Director for Barratt Southern, adds: “The survey results show there is a desire to move and combined with current stamp duty savings available, it’s helping to keep the housing market buoyant even in the midst of a second lockdown.”